‘Ted’ is heading to our TV screens following two hit films, it has been announced.
The loveable, but sweary, bear is the star of a new 7-episode prequel series that will be available in the UK and Ireland on Sky Max in early 2024. The series will star Seth MacFarlane, Max Burkholder, Alanna Ubach, Scott Grimes and Giorgia Whigham.
It’s 1993, and Ted the bear’s (MacFarlane) moment of fame has passed. He’s now living back home in Framingham, Massachusetts with his best friend, 16-year-old John Bennett (Burkholder), along with John’s parents, Matty and Susan (Grimes and Ubach) and cousin Blaire (Whigham). 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 series is executive produced and written by co-showrunners MacFarlane (who also directs), Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh. The trio said:
“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. 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. 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).”
Katie Keenan, Group Director of Acquisitions, Sky UK said: “We’re honoured to welcome the foul-mouthed, larger-than-life character that is Ted to Sky next year. The Ted movies were a global smash hit, and we can’t wait to see what the TV prequel has in store, however given Seth is behind the project, we know it’s going to be riotous fun for Sky customers, from start to finish.”
‘Ted’ will air on Sky Max and Now in early 2024. You can watch a teaser for the show at the top of this article.
