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Ted

Ted

You can't spell 'family' without FML.

2024–2026Ended2 seasons15 episodes~30 min/epTV-MAMidcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

It's 1993 and Ted the bear's moment of fame has passed, leaving him living with his best friend, 16-year-old John Bennett, who lives in a working-class Boston home with his parents and cousin. Ted may not be the best influence on John, but when it comes right down to it, he's willing to go out on a limb to help his friend and his family.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Ted?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Ted streaming on Peacock and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Rent / Buy

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Highlights

What stands out about Ted?

Ted earns 5 badges, led by Audience favorite and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Content

Reception

Is Ted worth watching?

Ted's Midcredits score is the 83rd percentile of all shows, from 108K ratings across 6 sources. 88% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

83rd percentile

Better received than 83% of shows

81st percentile among Comedy87th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)72nd
Approval (how many liked it)89th

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

75 /100

72nd percentile of all shows

72nd percentile among Comedy76th percentile among 2020s

Critics 53 · Audience 77

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

88% liked it

89th percentile of all shows

87th percentile among Comedy91st percentile among 2020s
88% rated it 7–1012% rated it 1–6

Critics 87% · Audience 91%

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics and audiences approve at similar rates.

Reach

How many have seen it

97th percentile

107K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Comedy98th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

A foul-mouthed talking bear living with a 90s family in a crass, sitcom-style comedy that mixes nostalgia with Seth MacFarlane's signature humor.

Fans praised

  • raunchy, unapologetic humor that pushes boundaries
  • strong chemistry between Ted and young John (Max Burkholder)
  • effective 90s nostalgia and sitcom-style family dynamics

Detractors panned

  • preachy political and social messaging, especially from Blaire
  • anachronistic dialogue and behavior that doesn't feel like the 1990s
  • over-reliance on crude shock humor and recycled MacFarlane gags

What stands out

ActingDivisive78

Max Burkholder praised as believable young John; Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach shine; some find Blaire's performance grating

Effects and spectacle75

CGI Ted looks convincing and integrates well with live action

HumorDivisive72

Core strength: fans call it laugh-out-loud funny; critics say jokes often miss or rely on shock

DialogueDivisive72

Witty one-liners and sharp banter praised; overuse of swearing criticized as lazy

AtmosphereDivisive68

Nostalgic 90s suburban setting works for fans; detractors find it inauthentic

CharactersDivisive65

Bennett family dynamics praised, but Blaire widely criticized as preachy and one-dimensional

Plot and storyDivisive55

Episodic sitcom structure with standalone stories; detractors call it aimless and repetitive

OriginalityDivisive40

Divided: fans see fresh prequel take, critics call it rehashed Family Guy tropes

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Men

Men scored it 27 points higher than women.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s even
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart
  • US vs non-US 4 points apart

Episodes

2 seasons

Season 2 · 2026 · 8 episodes · 7.9 average across 8 rated episodes

  • S2E1

    Talk Dirty to Me

    Mar 5, 202634 minTMDB rating 8.0
  • S2E2

    Mrs. Robicheck

    Mar 5, 202634 minTMDB rating 8.2Season best
  • S2E3

    Dungeons & Dealers

    Mar 5, 202631 minTMDB rating 8.0
  • S2E4

    The Mom's Bombed Rom-Com

    Mar 5, 202637 minTMDB rating 7.6
  • S2E5

    The Sword in the Stoned

    Mar 5, 202633 minTMDB rating 8.0
  • S2E6

    Roe v. Weed

    Mar 5, 202632 minTMDB rating 7.7
  • S2E7

    Susan Is the New Black

    Mar 5, 202633 minTMDB rating 7.8
  • S2E8

    Fraudcast News

    Mar 5, 202633 minTMDB rating 7.9Finale

Watch experience

What is Ted like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Ironic, light and charged — an even-paced watch that leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
AbsurdManicWarm
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Irreverent · 2% of showsAbsurdist · 6% of shows: Deliberately illogical; embraces nonsense.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Resets each episode · 10% of showsStatus quo each season
ToneThe show presents its absurd, raunchy humour with a straight face, using deadpan delivery and heightened comedy to mock social conventions.
The rideConsistently high-energy and absurd with raucous humor, but punctuated by moments of genuine warmth toward the Bennett family.
StructureEach episode follows a conventional sitcom structure: setup, complication, and resolution with status quo restored.
Episode formatEach episode is a self-contained comedic scenario; the status quo (Ted living with the Bennetts, John being a teenager) resets by episode's end.
Season formatTwo seasons that continue the same family dynamic and setting; the core situation does not evolve between seasons.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
FunFeel-good
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves viewers laughing and in good spirits, with a warm feeling from the friendship.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).ComedyFarce
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18%: Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12% (this title): Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% (this title) · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Comedy: Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony. · Farce: Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).

12% of shows fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThe typical episode follows Ted and John into escalating absurd situations driven by a simple premise, with chaos and physical humour.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31% (this title): Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% (this title) · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% (this title) · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11%: Justice 14% · Duty 2% · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Bonds

FriendshipComing of age · 9% of showsFamily bonds
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores Ted's unwavering loyalty to John as a chosen friend, balanced against John's growth amid family chaos.
StanceThe series celebrates Ted and John's friendship despite its messy consequences, treating it as the anchor of John's teenage life.

The world

Late 20th centurySuburbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral classicalPopSupportive music · hybrid
SettingA working-class Boston-area home in 1993, shared by teen John, his parents, and his cousin.

Content guide

Is Ted okay for kids?

TV-MA

Ted is rated TV-MA. As of August 18, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (30/100), sexual content at moderate (54/100), language at severe (93/100), drug and alcohol content at severe (86/100) and frightening material at minimal (11/100). Overall it is heavier than 67% of TV-MA shows.

Ratings in 9 other countries
  • UK15
  • Canada18+
  • Germany16
  • South Korea19
  • Brazil16
  • PRTV-MA
  • RO15
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeR21
Overall
Intense · all five categories
Heavier than 82% of all showsHeavier than 67% of TV-MA shows
Violence & Gore
Mild
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 13%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-MA show
heavier than 51%
Profanity
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 96%
Alcohol & Drugs
Severe
heavy for a TV-MA show
heavier than 92%
Frightening / Intense
None / Minimal
light for a TV-MA show
heavier than 5%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language and drug and alcohol content. Everything else sits at or below what TV-MA shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Ted have?

MovieCove's classifier found 4 depicted content warnings in Ted: Addiction or relapse (moderate), Domestic violence (mild), plus 2 withheld here because they would spoil the plot. 2 more are mentioned only, in dialogue or backstory: War atrocities, plus 1 behind the spoiler gate. Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

ModerateAddiction or relapse
MildDomestic violence
MentionedWar atrocities

Mentioned: referenced in dialogue or backstory, not shown in the story’s present.

Cast and crew

Who is in Ted?

Cast

At least 3 of the 10 billed cast had never appeared on screen; 1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Seth MacFarlane
as Ted
Established: A standing when this show came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Max Burkholder
as John Bennett
Best so far: Their highest-reaching show role to date — the title is too recent to say more.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alanna Ubach
as Susan Bennett
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Scott Grimes
as Matty Bennett
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Giorgia Whigham
as Blaire Bennett
Best so far: Their highest-reaching show role to date — the title is too recent to say more.
Ara Hollyday
as Andrew
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Liz Richman
as Polly
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Marissa Shankar
as Sarah
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Francesca Xuereb
as Erin
Erin Moore
as Jessica

More like this

What are shows like Ted?

TMDB's suggestions for shows like Ted include The Inbetweeners (2008), That '90s Show (2023) and The Man Show (1999).

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What other shows share a tag with Ted?

2.3K other shows share the rarest tag below, relationship: buddy duo. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.