Ever wondered what happened to John and Ted during their younger years?
That’s exactly the gist of Peacock’s new series that takes place several years before the two big-screen Ted movies.
The official trailer went public today, which takes us back to 1993 when John is struggling to come to terms with the pressures of being a teenager.
As for Ted, he’s being his crude self and is not impressed about being sent to school.
As expected, there’s pushback for Ted as he tries to get acclimated to school life, with one student even comparing him to a dog.
That isn’t nice, but in true Ted fashion, he isn’t ready to allow someone to talk down to him in school.
There’s plenty of the signature wit from the movies, but there’s this concern that the show won’t be able to sustain that level of humor over a seven-episode season.
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Macfarlane works on the show alongside Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh.
Seth McFarlane is, of course, well known for bringing the funny with his countless projects, so it does have a recipe for success.
“Ted may be a lousy influence on John, but at the end of the day, he’s a loyal pal who’s always willing to go out on a limb for friendship,” the logline teases, hinting that there will be plenty of hurdles for the gang.
Seth MacFarlane, Max Burkholder, Alanna Ubach, Scott Grimes, and Giorgia Whigham star.
“Each generation develops its own unique artistic style, its own way of seeing the world. In the twenties, it was the subversive musical phrasings of jazz,” the trio said in a statement.
“In the fifties, it was the bold brushwork of the abstract expressionists.
“Our generation’s unique art is streaming content based on previously successful intellectual property. In that proud tradition, we humbly give you Ted.
“Our series is a prequel to the Ted movies. It takes place in the nineties but is based on the timeless truth that being sixteen sucks,” they add of the time shift.
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“The only thing that makes it tolerable is going through it with a friend, even if that friend is a has-been magical teddy bear with a foul mouth and a proclivity for drug use.
“The three of us were teenagers in the nineties and grew up in and around Boston, where the show takes place, so many of these stories are personal for us.
“We were able to put the characters through some of the same indignities and milestones we experienced back then.
“Also, we made stuff up (it’s a lot of pages to fill and real life is mostly boring),” they conclude.
Ted launches its seven-episode season on Thursday, January 11, 2024, serving as one of the biggest premieres of January.
There will undoubtedly be plenty of excitement on the horizon for the series because it’s a prequel to the wildly successful movie franchise.
Check out the official trailer below.
What are your thoughts on the full-length trailer?
Do you think the show looks like a worthy follow-up to the movies?
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Are you concerned about taking a trip to the past with these characters?
Hit the comments below.
And, if you need to get caught up, the first two movies are streaming now on Peacock.
They’re good!
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.