Ted TV Series: Release Date, Trailer, Cast, & Everything We Know About The Prequel

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Seth MacFarlane’s infamous foul-mouthed stuffed bear is returning in his very own TV series, and there are already a ton of exciting updates about Peacock’s new Ted show. Based on the smash hit movie series of the same name, Ted concerns a living stuffed teddy bear that, through his brusque and raunchy attitude, bonds with teen John Bennett and helps him with the various challenges of day-to-day life. Continuing MacFarlane’s impressive string of successes both on TV and in theaters, Ted became something of a pop culture phenomenon and even spawned a sequel a few years after its 2012 release.

Unlike many of Hollywood’s more gutsy comedies, Ted actually fared quite well with critics, and many praised its daring and endearing humor despite its familiar plot (via Rotten Tomatoes). Most importantly though, Ted was a box-office bonanza, and it managed to gross nearly $550 million against a comparatively small budget (via Box Office Mojo). This financial success guaranteed a sequel would follow, and 2015’s Ted 2 fared similarly financially, even if critics didn’t come along. Ted 3 seemed like a sure thing, but after years without updates, MacFarlane’s potty-mouthed plush resurfaced in a limited TV series on Peacock that serves as the third installment.

The Ted TV Series Latest News

With the show’s January 2024 release date approaching, Peacock has released a full trailer for Ted which offers an extended look at what the limited series offers. First and foremost, the trailer reaffirms that the same over-the-top and raunchy humor from the movies is present in the series, and Ted is up to his usual antics, albeit in a bit less cynical way. Since Ted himself is younger, he will grow and change much like John does as he grows into adulthood.

It also seems as if the chemistry between MacFarlane and his new co-star Max Burkholder is similar to his synergy with Mark Wahlberg, who played John Bennett in the movies. Along with the trailer, a new poster was also released which plays up the high school theme by showing Ted and John in their yearbook photos.

The Ted TV Series Is Confirmed

The saga of the third Ted movie was finally put to rest when, in 2021, it was announced that Seth MacFarlane was developing the lovably foul teddy bear into his own TV show. Details steadily began to trickle out about Ted on Peacock and a batch of BTS photos in November 2022 confirmed that Ted had wrapped filming. Peacock has been taking full advantage of their Universal Pictures connection, and IP shows like The Continental: From the World of John Wick and Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin have capitalized on hit film series on the small screen.

The Ted TV Series Release Date

After the better part of a decade away, Seth MacFarlane’s thunder-hating bear will be returning when Ted begins streaming on Peacock on January 11th, 2024. Ted will premiere all seven of its episodes simultaneously, which is in keeping with many Peacock originals that take advantage of binge-watching. The event series’ release date was announced in November 2023, and it is unclear if the recently resolved Hollywood strikes had any impact.

The Ted TV Series Cast

With Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy, The Orville) so involved in the creative process, it was only natural that he would return to once again provide his signature voice for the eponymous character. However, the rest of the casting for the Ted TV series was somewhat up in the air, and it was confirmed after the show was announced that none of the other cast members from the movie series would be returning. Because it is a prequel set in 1993, the main role of John Bennett, originally played by Mark Wahlberg, was recast with Max Burkholder (Parenthood) stepping in.

A few other roles from the film series were also recast, with Alanna Ubach (Euphoria) being tapped to play Susan Bennet, John’s mom, and Scott Grimes (The Orville) as Matty Bennett, his dad. Because the series is a prequel to the movies, it is highly unlikely that any other recognizable characters will return, but a slew of new characters have already been introduced, including:

The Ted TV Show Story

With the show so close to being released, a story synopsis has been revealed which succinctly sums up what audiences can expect from Ted. The show will take place immediately following the flashback scenes in the first movie, in which a young John Bennett (this time played by Max Burkholder) wishes that his plush teddy bear would come to life. Set in the year 1993, the show follows John as he navigates the trials and tribulations of being a high school student, with a little help from Ted.

Ted won’t just be a friend and confidant to John, but he follows him to school where he lends his signature wit and outlandish humor to help solve the problems of many of John’s classmates as well. As the trailer revealed, Ted is somewhat less cynical than he was portrayed in the movies, and it is possible that John’s thunder buddy might face challenges of his own which will lead him to become a bit more jaded. John’s cousin Blaire (Giorgia Whigham) will also be living with the Bennetts while she attends college, and she could easily be a bad influence on the naive pair.

The Ted TV Show Trailer

Ahead of its January 11th, 2024 release, Peacock has released a full trailer for Ted which is the most revealing look at the upcoming series yet. Perhaps most interestingly, the trailer confirms that the potty humor, drug references, and all-around debauchery of the movies are once again present in the show, and Ted‘s high school setting has done nothing to tame MacFarlane’s comedy style. The trailer also offers a bit of insight into Ted’s character, and the younger version of the plush doll is significantly less jaded than his adult counterpart, though he is still up to his usual antics in the Ted TV show.