20/03/2026

LYFE FRIDAY | MAR 20, 2026

/thesuntelegram FOLLOW / Malaysian Paper

ON TELEGRAM m RAM

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TV SHOW REVIEW

Ted doubles down on fuzzy laughs S ETH MacFarlane’s Ted returns for a second season that proves the concept of a talking teddy bear sitcom still has plenty of life left. If anything, this run is o Seth MacFarlane expands comedic universe Ű BY AMEEN HAZIZI

0 Cast: Seth MacFarlane, Max Burkholder, Alanna Ubach, Scott Grimes, Giorgia Whigham 0 Showrunner: Seth MacFarlane E-VALUE 9 ACTING 8 PLOT 7

Despite Ted being a toy, he attends high school alongside John, often dragging him into chaos and questionable decisions.

even funnier than the first season. The jokes land more consistently, the characters feel more settled and the show leans further into its strange blend of adolescent chaos and family sitcom heart. Crucially, the series continues to avoid becoming as relentlessly crude as the original Ted films. The movies relied heavily on shock value and aggressive vulgarity. The television version still contains its share of dirty humour, but the tone is noticeably lighter. Season two, in particular, leans harder into stoner humour, which fits naturally with the show’s teenage setting. Set in the early 1990s, the series follows Ted living with 16-year-old John Bennett and his dysfunctional but oddly loving family in Framingham, Massachusetts. Ted attends high school with John while stirring up constant trouble around the Bennett household. Stronger ensemble The biggest strength of the show continues to be its cast. Alanna Ubach’s Susan Bennett may be the most entertaining character in the entire series. Her performance as John’s sweet but frequently overlooked mother is consistently hilarious. Ubach’s comedic timing, facial expressions and line delivery elevate nearly every scene she appears in. There is also an added comedic layer in the fact that she convincingly plays a suburban white American housewife despite her Latin background. Her standout moment this season arrives in the episode where Susan ends up in prison. The storyline becomes a showcase for Ubach’s ability to deliver absurd humour and emotional sincerity. It easily ranks among the funniest episodes of the series so far. Scott Grimes continues to deliver solid work

makeup approach might have produced a stronger gag. Familiar strengths, small frustrations The show’s biggest structural weakness remains its short episode count. Season two consists of only eight episodes. Given how well the characters now function together, the series could easily support a longer run. Another curious omission is the near total absence of Bethany, John’s potential girlfriend from the first season. Aside from a brief mention, she does not appear. Instead, her sister Sheila returns without much explanation of what happened to Bethany and John’s relationship. There is also the matter of production cost. Each episode reportedly costs millions of dollars due largely to the CGI used to create Ted. While the visual effects look convincing, it is difficult not to wonder whether a practical puppet approach similar to Alf might have achieved similar comedic results at a lower cost. Different side of MacFarlane Compared with MacFarlane’s animated shows such as Family Guy and American Dad , Ted feels more lighthearted and earnest. The humour is still crude, but the series has a stronger emotional centre. Many episodes ultimately revolve around family relationships rather than pure shock comedy. Season two confirms that the television format suits the foul-mouthed teddy bear surprisingly well. Even if the show ends here, Ted leaves behind a comedy that is consistently funny and often far more charming than its outrageous premise might suggest.

standout guest characters. Penny Johnson Jerald, who plays Principal Bernard and previously appeared in season one, also returns, though her character feels underused this time around. The connection between the shows is even stronger considering Grimes, who plays Matty, was also part of The Orville cast. Another cameo comes from Brennan Lee Mulligan, best known for his work with the comedy platform Dropout. His appearance in the Dungeons and Dragons -themed episode will likely amuse viewers familiar with that corner of internet comedy culture. Conceptually, the Dungeons and Dragons episode is one of the season’s most interesting ideas. The combination of tabletop fantasy and the show’s usual stoner humour creates a clever premise. The episode remains funny, though the final payoff feels slightly weaker than the concept itself. 90s as comedy fuel Because Ted is set between 1993 and 1994, many jokes rely heavily on cultural references from that era. The show mines humour from real world controversies of the time. References to Jerry Seinfeld dating a 17-year-old while he was 38, the O.J. Simpson trial and various political scandals become running gags throughout the season. One particularly odd moment involves a scene featuring President Bill Clinton at a Dunkin’ Donuts. MacFarlane plays Clinton using digital effects. While the cameo works as a joke, the use of deepfake technology feels unnecessary. A more traditional prosthetic

Set in the early 1990s, John and Ted’s friendship unfolds against a backdrop of real-life cultural moments and controversies. as Matty, John’s conspiracy-minded father, whose constant clashes with Giorgia Whigham’s politically liberal Blaire remain one of the show’s most reliable comedic engines. Their ideological arguments bring an extra layer of social commentary to the series. Blaire’s progressive worldview colliding with Matty’s stubborn conservatism creates a dynamic that is ridiculous and oddly believable. Max Burkholder also grows more confident as John. Season one focused largely on his teenage growing pains. Season two pushes the character further toward adulthood. By the finale, viewers can begin to see how this awkward teenager eventually becomes the adult version portrayed by Mark Wahlberg in the films. MacFarlane’s extended universe MacFarlane expands the supporting cast with several guest appearances, including actors connected to his other projects. Peter Macon appears as Avery Lawrence, a no-nonsense and vaguely terrifying investigator sent by the school district. He only appears in a single episode but leaves a strong impression and becomes one of the season’s

Top row, from left: Ubach as Susan, Grimes as Matty, Whigham as Blaire. Bottom row, from left: Burkholder as John and MacFarlane (voice) as Ted.

The Bennett family’s attempt at Dungeons and Dragons spirals into chaos, turning a simple game night into one of the season’s most bizarre and memorable adventures. – ALL PICS FROM IMDB