The latest streaming TV show to make its way onto physical media is Peacock’s Ted series. Based on the Seth MacFarlane movie of the same name, the prequel series takes a look at the foul-mouthed teddy bear’s early years as he serves as a bad influence for the teenage John (played by Mark Wahlberg in the films). The Ted Season 1 Blu-ray includes all seven episodes of the show and is a welcome addition to any MacFarlane fan’s library.
“Based on the box office hit and sequel from Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane about a cherished teddy bear that comes to life as the result of a childhood wish, Ted is an irreverent, side-splitting half-hour comedy series about Bostonian teenager John Bennett and his best friend and forever ‘thunder buddy,’ the foul-mouthed stuffed bear, Ted. ?Set in the ’90s after his moment of fame has passed, Ted is forced to enroll in high school with his best pal John, experiencing the highs and lows of teenage life…one bong hit at a time. While Ted may not be the best influence on John, when it comes down to it, he is always willing to go out on a limb to help his friend and his family,” reads the official description.
Your enjoyment of the Ted TV show will largely depend on whether you enjoyed the 2012 movie and its 2015 sequel. If you did? Great! MacFarlane reprises his role, lending his iconic voice to the boozing and weed-smoking teddy bear. If not? This will do nothing to change your mind, although the conceit fits the sitcom format quite well as it’s easy to dream up a fun misadventure to send the duo on (such as a Halloween night gone awry or Ted trying to help John lose his virginity).
If you’re a fan of the films, you’ll also get a kick out of some of the references (you get to see the origin of “Thunder Buddies,” for example), even if there are a few retcons (like the names of John’s parents). Overall, the Ted TV show winds up being a lot of fun over its seven-episode run (most episodes run around 40 minutes long, so you’re basically getting as much content as the two films). MacFarlane is great as Ted and just as funny as ever before, while Max Burkholder does a good job as the human lead. Burkholder does look too old to be playing a 16-year-old, so it might take an episode to get used to it, but he’s far from the worst example of casting an adult as a high-schooler.
Like many home releases of streaming shows, there aren’t any special features on the Ted Season 1 Blu-ray. That’s disappointing, although the two-disc set does feature nicer packaging than a lot of other bare-bones releases. Each disc features artwork rather than just the title of the movie, which has become a disappointing trend, with the first disc holding the first four episodes and the second having the final three. The inside of the Blu-ray case details the contents of each disc, along with loglines for each episode, so it’s easy to keep track if you want to revisit a specific storyline in the future.
Ted Season 1 Blu-ray Review: Final Verdict
While it’s a pretty bare-bones release, the Ted Season 1 Blu-ray is an easy recommendation since the Peacock show is hilarious and still fun upon a rewatch. It’s great for collectors, especially if you already own the two Ted movies, and it’s always nice to see a streaming series escape the digital realm and get a physical release. If you’ve enjoyed MacFarlane’s comedy in the past, then the Ted series will feel like a foul-mouthed welcome back into the fold. It might not be high art, but it will undoubtedly make you laugh as you wait for Season 2.
Disclosure: News received product from the distributor for our Ted Season 1 Blu-ray review.
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