The Ted Show’s Patrick Stewart Replacement Could Not Have Been More Perfect

The Ted movies had Patrick Stewart among their star-studded cast, and while he was missed from the prequel Ted TV show, the actor who stepped in to replace him was perfectly suited to do so. Stewart’s Ted movie role wasn’t the most prominent, but his contributions were just as important as other members of the production. The Star Trek star’s replacement needed to be carefully chosen, and luckily, the producers hit the mark with their decision.

Ted was created by Seth MacFarlane, with the first movie arriving in 2012. Patrick Stewart is a frequent collaborator with MacFarlane as one of many Ted actors who also appeared in Family Guy. The actor also makes regular appearances on another of MacFarlane’s other shows, the animated sitcom American Dad!Stewart’s usual roles in MacFarlane projects involve voice acting, and Ted was no different. His iconic voice can give moments gravitas as well as a comedic edge, so it’s fortunate his replacement in the Ted prequel show cast also boasts a similar ability.

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Ian McKellen Replaces Patrick Stewart As The Narrator In Ted Season 1

Ted’s narrating duties are a little different than most

Patrick Stewart took on narration duties in both Ted movies in 2012 and 2015. Comments from the show’s producers imply that it was their intention for him to return for the TV show but it wasn’t viable. As such, Stewart’s X-Men co-star, Ian McKellen, snagged the role instead. Stewart’s compatriot was a brilliant candidate to replace him as the Ted narrator, with McKellen delivering in all the same ways as Stewart had.

McKellen is used sparingly in the Ted TV show, but his pair of episodes are made better by his presence. He introduces the concept of Ted coming to life in Ted season 1, episode 1, “Just Say Yes,” as Stewart did in the first movie. The actor makes his second and final appearance of season 1 in episode 3, “Ejectile Dysfunction.” Just like when Stewart was the Ted narrator, the role involves voice-over work only, so neither actor physically makes an appearance in the franchise.

While Ted arguably doesn’t “need” a narrator, it’s a very helpful framing device to get the audience up to speed within a short space of time. However, in true Seth MacFarlane style, even the role of the narrator is tasked with making viewers laugh. As such, it’s a vital position to fill for a MacFarlane project, so Ian McKellen’s acting talents are being put to good use just as Patrick Stewart’s were.

Why Patrick Stewart Didn’t Return For The Ted Show

Stewart’s schedule made it difficult for the actor to return to the Ted franchise

When discussing Stewart’s absence from the Ted TV show, creator Seth MacFarlane stated, “He just had a lot going on, and timing-wise, it just didn’t work out. We weren’t able to align our schedules.” So, it would appear that the intention was for Patrick Stewart to reprise his role as the Ted narrator. Thankfully, MacFarlane has worked with a great many people during his impressive spell in the industry and so was not short on connections when it came to the task of replacing Stewart.

MacFarlane has collaborated with Ian McKellen before, with the veteran actor voicing Stewie’s therapist in one of Family Guy‘s darkest episodes – season 16, episode 12, “Send in Stewie, Please.” Once the idea to recruit McKellen for Ted had been pitched, MacFarlane reached out to the writer of “Send in Stewie, Please,” Gary Jenetti, to pass on the offer to McKellen regarding the role of Ted‘s new narrator.

Ian McKellen Was The Perfect Replacement For Patrick Stewart In Ted

The Lord of the Rings star was a great match for the demands of the role

Patrick Stewart is not an easy actor to replace. His reputation means that his roles come with a certain level of expectation. Some of Patrick Stewart’s best movies feature him in dramatic roles, such as Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s Captain Jean-Luc Picard or X-Men‘s Professor Charles Xavier. However, his sense of humor is also commonly on display in Seth MacFarlane’s animated shows, among other scenarios. Finding this level of balance in another actor is a difficult task, and Ian McKellen is one of only a few who could fall under the category of a like-for-like replacement for Patrick Stewart.

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Ian McKellen doesn’t just boast the same level of dramatic acting as Patrick Stewart, but also the same brilliant comic timing. In addition, the two actors aren’t just former X-Men castmates, but also have a close friendship in real life. As such, it’s possible they discussed the narration role ahead of time and exchanged notes. In short, there was nobody in a better position to replace Patrick Stewart as the Ted narrator than Ian McKellen.