First Glimpse of ‘Ted’ Series Revealed

Get ready to bear witness to the return of everyone’s favorite foul-mouthed teddy bear, Ted, in an all-new prequel series on Peacock! But hold on tight because there’s a twist – this time, Mark Wahlberg won’t be joining the furry fray.

Seth MacFarlane, the genius behind the lovably crass character, dropped a sneak peek of the upcoming Peacock series on social media, giving fans a first look at the titular talking bear. The eye-popping image, crafted by the talented folks at Framestore (the same wizards who worked their magic on the animal and fur effects in “Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3”), promises that Ted is “back and fuzzier than ever.” MacFarlane himself praised their work, and fans are buzzing with excitement for Ted’s new chapter.

Now, making a prequel without Mark Wahlberg as the other half of the duo is no small feat, as MacFarlane candidly admitted. The original magic of “Ted” was in the dynamic between Wahlberg and the sassy stuffed bear. But fear not, for the prequel takes us back to the 1990s, introducing a younger version of John Bennett to a Ted who’s not as world-weary and jaded about his fame.

The challenges don’t end there, though. MacFarlane also spoke about the hurdles faced while working on his Hulu series “The Orville,” which just recently premiered its long-awaited third season. “For me, the challenge was really how does this character exist in a world without Mark Wahlberg?” MacFarlane pondered at the 2022 PGA Produced By conference. “That was really a two-hander. The movie was a real feat of visual effects work for the artists who did it. But also, if you look at the raw footage before the bear was placed into it, a lot of it was Mark.”

For those who need a refresher, “Ted” was a box office sensation, raking in nearly $600 million worldwide on a $65 million budget and becoming Universal’s surprise blockbuster of 2012. The unexpected success paved the way for a sequel, “Ted 2,” though it didn’t quite match the first film’s performance. Despite the drop-off in interest, “Ted” remains a beloved and iconic character.

Here’s the lowdown on the prequel: It’s set in 1993, and Ted’s heyday is a thing of the past. He’s now bunking with his 16-year-old best buddy, John Bennett, in a blue-collar Boston household. Ted might not be the best role model, but when push comes to shove, he’s willing to go to great lengths to help out his friend and his family.

Seth MacFarlane is not just in front of the camera – he’s also directing, writing, co-showrunning, and executive producing every episode of the series. Joining him as co-showrunners, writers, and executive producers are Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh, known for their work on “Modern Family.” This series is a product of MacFarlane’s Fuzzy Door and is executive produced by Erica Huggins, Fuzzy Door’s President. Jason Clark, who produced the original “Ted” films, is back as an executive producer.

“Ted” marks the second series ordered under Seth MacFarlane and Fuzzy Door’s multi-year television deal with UCP, signed in 2020. Another project coming to Peacock this year from Fuzzy Door is “The End is Nye,” a disaster science series hosted by the iconic Bill Nye. It’s safe to say that Fuzzy Door is on fire, and we can’t wait to see what other delights they have in store for us!

How do you feel about the return of the “Ted” franchise in an all-new prequel series on Peacock, especially without Mark Wahlberg’s character as part of the dynamic? Are you excited to see the younger version of John Bennett and how the character of Ted evolves in this new setting? Leave us a comment.