BLOGS
Better Off Ted premiered last night, and I'm already getting ready to bid it a fond farewell. Not because I dislike it -- far from it. I'm saying good-bye now because the show, created by Victor Fresco, feels a hell of a lot like his previous office-based, single-camera series, Andy Richter Controls the Universe. Andy was amazing, and this show is almost as amazing, but Andy only lasted 19 episodes -- a decent run, I suppose, but that's less than a season by most counts, and if Ted lasts as long as Andy did, I will consider it a success. Because, like Andy, Ted may be too smart for the room. (Not my room, but other rooms. Not that I think that other people are stupid, but... a lot of them are.)
Just like its predecessor, Ted features a half-dozen quirky, fun characters trading dry humor in a heightened-reality setting that I would love to watch for years to come. (...You know, if that were even remotely possible.) People may not see that the plain-Jane lead character Ted Crisp (Jay Harrington), while not terribly interesting, is a necessary entry point to this world. He's a good father to his young daughter, whose mother ran off when she was little, he appears to be a charming and compassionate boss, and he talks to his co-workers like a normal, considerate human being. He also talks directly to the audience, a departure from Andy, where Richter simply narrated constantly. Andy had a lot of fantasy sequences (talking to a ghost, imagining he's Superman) as well as bizarre real-life scenarios (owning a leopard), while Ted foregoes the fantasy and instead relies on the experimental research conducted by Ted's employees for its visual wackiness. (In the first episode, researcher Phil Mymen -- Andy alum Jonathan Slavin -- is cryogenically frozen, and part of his brain is damaged, leading to random outbursts.)
It's through Ted's reactions to these verging-on-sci-fi scenarios he encounters that we see that everyone else in his world is freaking bonkers. Like his feisty, humorless boss Veronica Palmer (Portia de Rossi), who relays commands from the higher-ups asking Ted to get his lab techs on top of different projects, like weaponizing a pumpkin, or turning a scratchy, stretchy material into a breakfast meat. It's at these times that we can see that Ted is not entirely normal, since he seems to accept these insane requests with few, if any, questions and an utter confidence in his team to fulfill them. But he's a lot more normal than his team members are: Mymen is super-smart, but has the confidence of a goldfish. Ditto Lem Hewitt (Malcolm Barrett), who still lives with his mother. We see less of creepy genius Dr. Bhamba (Maz Jobrani), who is the one who actually succeeds in weaponizing a pumpkin, but I'm hoping he'll turn up more in the future.
Surprisingly, the company's weirdest employee -- and my favorite -- is Ted's love interest. A pretty blonde at first glance, Linda Zwordling (Andrea Anders) engages in a lot of strange behavior, like stealing drawerfuls of creamer containers, and having bizarre phone arguments over a children's book she's writing about a toaster. She's totally weird, but she's also adorable, and you root for her and Ted to get together, especially since they aren't being kept apart by anything serious -- merely the fact that Ted has already had his one office hookup, (with Veronica) and doesn't want to be known as that creepy guy who has sex with everybody. But his daughter likes her, so maybe it'll happen someday. ...Of course, they'd better hurry up, because the show may not last that long. Better Off Ted is a much catchier title than Andy Richter Controls the Universe (even if it makes no real sense in the context of the show) but that kind of thing can only take a show so far.
What did you think of the show? Sound off below.
Sponsored Links
37 Comments
Add a comment
MOST RECENT POSTS
Parks and Recreation: Who Made the Comedy Grade Last Night?
TWoP 10: Best Rivalries on Scripted TV
The Woman in Black: Straight Outta Hogwarts
Five Reasons Why Chronicle is 2012's First Great Comic Book Movie
I Just Want My Pants Back: Kids Say The Dirtiest Things
Friday, February 3, 2012: Who Do You Think You Are?
Today's TWoP News: Thursday, February 2, 2012
How Daniel Radcliffe Can Beat the Post-Franchise Blues
BLOG ARCHIVES
The Telefile
February 2012
6 Entries
January 2012
78 Entries
December 2011
49 Entries
November 2011
56 Entries
October 2011
74 Entries
September 2011
78 Entries
August 2011
61 Entries
July 2011
56 Entries
June 2011
57 Entries
May 2011
57 Entries
April 2011
78 Entries
March 2011
73 Entries
February 2011
57 Entries
January 2011
65 Entries
December 2010
39 Entries
November 2010
45 Entries
October 2010
46 Entries
September 2010
62 Entries
August 2010
55 Entries
July 2010
53 Entries
June 2010
65 Entries
May 2010
59 Entries
April 2010
57 Entries
March 2010
67 Entries
February 2010
53 Entries
January 2010
59 Entries
December 2009
32 Entries
November 2009
47 Entries
October 2009
65 Entries
September 2009
66 Entries
August 2009
58 Entries
July 2009
72 Entries
June 2009
71 Entries
May 2009
50 Entries
April 2009
57 Entries
March 2009
66 Entries
February 2009
52 Entries
January 2009
56 Entries
December 2008
51 Entries
November 2008
71 Entries
October 2008
88 Entries
September 2008
86 Entries
August 2008
120 Entries
July 2008
115 Entries
June 2008
90 Entries
May 2008
44 Entries
April 2008
30 Entries
March 2008
26 Entries
February 2008
30 Entries
January 2008
44 Entries
December 2007
31 Entries
November 2007
66 Entries
Television Without Pity • © 2012 Bravo Media LLC • A Division of NBCUniversal •
I seriously enjoyed BOT. Jay Harrington actually has the looks of a romantic lead, and so immediately seems an unlikely comedy protagonist, but by playing the straight man, he makes it work. His daughter is A-Dor-Able. And yes... I'm intrigued by Linda and the fact that she, like Ted, seems to have a whisper of conscience w/in the conscienceless setting. Fun!
Really enjoyed the pilot. I've seen Harrington, Anders and De Rossi (obviously) in other sitcoms and this is honestly the first that's really grabbed me. Now hopefully ABC will be smart enough to give the show time to develop it's fan base.
Sounds like the next Arrested Development (this is not a compliment!) -- loved by a few for no discernable reason, but rejected en masse. The ads were blah and the opening was blah. Much better things to do with my time.
Blah.
Sounds like the next Arrested Development (this is not a compliment!) -- loved by a few for no discernable reason, but rejected en masse. The ads were blah and the opening was blah. Much better things to do with my time.
Blah.
I must be one of those dumb boobs that everyone's talking about, because I thought it stunk. Had high hopes based upon all of the good reviews, but didn't like it at all. Not funny.
I thought it was hysterical. At first I was thinking, "what the heck is this?" but the situations were so ridiculous that I was laughing along with it. I missed the last few minutes, though, so I didn't know Ted's daughter met Linda. I'm assuming the brain-damaged genius wasn't fired, was he???
I agree that the lead actor is handsome and the daughter is freakin' adorable and not overly precocious.
I hope it lasts.
I liked it, ended up watching it by accident but thought it was really funny and set my DVR to record it from now on.
I'm so surprised by the people who hands-down hated the show - I loved it! I too started watching by accident, but I actually laughed out loud, several times. I can't wait to see what else they come up with - if it lasts! Fingers crossed!
I'm so surprised by the people who hands-down hated the show - I loved it! I too started watching by accident, but I actually laughed out loud, several times. I can't wait to see what else they come up with - if it lasts! Fingers crossed!
Reading reviews from critics that lament how a new show is immediately doomed to failure because its too good and "too smart for the room" (implying that if I don't like it, I must be a moron) make me want to watch the show less, not more. Something to think about before you alienate the potential viewers you are supposedly trying to attract to the show.
The good: I thought it was hilarious. The bad: Whenever I really like a new show, odds are it will get cancelled quick.
I watched the premiere for the de Rossi factor but then realized Andrea Anders wa on here! What a bonus! Only good thing about Joey and LOVED her in The Class. She deserves a long running series, but cancel happy ABC (Boston Legal, anyone?)isn't the place.
It's always great to find a show that makes me laugh out loud multiple times in one sitting. De Rossi is great as the Alpha Female, and there is enough reality in the absurd situations to make it really funny to anyone that's ever been employed by a monolithic faceless corporation (lol at de Rossi's consistent reference to "they" as in "they will be unhappy").
It's always great to find a show that makes me laugh out loud multiple times in one sitting. De Rossi is great as the Alpha Female, and there is enough reality in the absurd situations to make it really funny to anyone that's ever been employed by a monolithic faceless corporation (lol at de Rossi's consistent reference to "they" as in "they will be unhappy").
So you're recapping Better of Ted but not Castle? Seriously? Screw you guys, I'm going home.
Sorry, for some reason thought this meant you were recapping it and you're not. Think that's a sign my blood sugar is too low and I really should go get lunch now. Still would love recaps of Castle though.
I was getting a real Don Draper vibe from lead actor Jay Harrington -- part satire, part homage. But there were too many quick cuts, as if they were trying to cram too much in -- I assume that's just because it's the pilot. Worst part: voice-over narration. Pul-lease! Show, don't tell!
I don't really need Ted to keep breaking the 4th wall. If you are going to narrate I like the way Arrested Development did it. I prefer shows that are "too smart for the room." If that sort of description is offensive for people go watch Two and half Men; it's not too smart for anybody.
I hope Better Off Ted lasts.
Watched on a lark because of Portia de Rossi, and my love for AD and am now totally in love with it. Quirky and cute, of course it is doomed.
I have to agree with a lot of other posters when I say... I liked it a lot, thought it was weird and quirky and fun, and it is so going to be canceled in very short order
Ditto, Marin.
The opening title/faux commercial grabbed me! And then Portia and Slavin worked their strange magic over me and I was completely sold! DVR'ing these few weeks for posterity... sigh...
I watched and I did not hate it but found it rather forced at times with it trying to keep pace with its weirdness. I like Portia de Rossi but she always seems to play these type of cold controlling damaged females,as for the Ted guy Jay he just struck me as a poor man's Don Draper/Jon Hamm. Yes he is handsome but I don't care about him, or what he will do next.
I love quirky funny like Arrested Development (Chicken Dances!),30 Rock (If Portia wants to learn how to do a cold calculating boss she should study Alec Baldwin, he knows more than one way to deliver a line!,and Pushing Daisies which did heightened reality really beautifully.
I will give it one more viewing to decide if I will ever watch it again.
Well, I thought it was really funny. Never heard of it before reading this article here, though.
I had such high in the sky hopes for this show and I just found it to be boring.
If this comedy is to smart for the room, then call me stupid! I like funny quirky comedy as much as the next guy but this was neither. And to compare it to Arrested Development is just a joke! Why because they both have Portia de Rossi on them. Arrested Development was way better then this show.
I think that I will stick to East Bound & Down, Flight of the Concords, and Scrubs for my comedy.
Very few sitcoms in the passed 5 years make me laugh. This one did. Since it's a non-studio/live audience show, I'd say it doesn't have a chance. Since it's smart and funny, I'd say it doesn't have a chance. Things like Andy Richter and Arrested Development and yes, even Notes from the Underbelly. These are all wildy unappreciated shows. The fact that shows like the office and 30 rock have made it (and samantha who?!), the show may have a chance. But I seriously doubt it. *sigh*
There has to be some way to pressure ABC to keep Better Off Ted going. What a terrific show. I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow night's show.
Caught the show tonight thanks to this article. It is adorable, I love it, and it is totally doomed. *sigh*
Well I watched it again and gave it a second chance and... I didn't laugh once sadly. I found it too predictable, and I hate being telegraphed laughs. I really wanted to love this show but I don't think that I can. If it gets canceled I'll be sorry for the actors.
Third episode was the best one yet. I haven't liked a new show so much since 30 Rock.
Third episode was the best one yet. I haven't liked a new show so much since 30 Rock.
I see they're saying now, right out in the open, that diabetes can be cured by diet. This has been suggested for years, though, in the underground press, that and more too; some have said that cancer can be cured, or at the very least slowed down, by low-carb dieting. A few years ago that would have been held improbable, but so would the diabetes cure. We are indeed what we eat, apparently. How much more has been kept from us, I wonder?
The most fashion-Patzer are obliged to abandon the operation of the game with Best Replica Handbags or vice versa. Most women would not even know until someone tells you, or run the same as the rolling eyes, how they are dressed in a social event. It might look that bad. It¡¯s okay if someone is not to fashion-conscious or not this type of fashion trend. If you know that you are not good, we must avoid treating clothes or shoes extreme fashion, to avoid any embarrassment in the fall.
Thank you a lot for giving everyone remarkably memorable possiblity to read from this site. It's usually very useful and also full of fun for me personally and my office co-workers to search your website no less than three times in 7 days to read through the newest guides you have got. Of course, I am certainly happy considering the unique ideas you give. Selected 2 tips in this posting are completely the most suitable I've had.
Play informative for me, Mr. internet wrtier.
This article acheeivd exactly what I wanted it to achieve.
Lake Forest Gold Exchange 23635 El Toro Rd., Suite E, Lake Forest, CA 92630 949-707-3100
Wonderful site. Plenty of useful information here. I’m sending it to some pals ans additionally sharing in delicious. And certainly, thank you to your sweat!