9 Fascinating Facts About the Ted Prequel Show
Uncover the hidden gems and surprising connections in the Ted prequel series that will leave you in awe.
The Origin Of The 'Thunder Buddies' Song
The Ted prequel show’s most direct connection to the original movie arrives at the end of the finale episode. As Ted and John are sitting out on the lawn, reflecting on their time at junior high, thunder strikes above them. They both react with terror and yell at the sky, “F*** you, thunder! You can suck my d***!” Then, they realize they’ve struck gold and Ted says, “Get the guitar!” This scene shows the origin of the iconic “Thunder Buddies” song that Ted and John sing when they’re cowering from thunder in the first movie.
Ted and John sit on the lawn in Ted
The Ted prequel show’s most direct connection to the original movie arrives at the end of the finale episode. As Ted and John are sitting out on the lawn, reflecting on their time at junior high, thunder strikes above them. They both react with terror and yell at the sky, “F*** you, thunder! You can suck my d***!” Then, they realize they’ve struck gold and Ted says, “Get the guitar!” This scene shows the origin of the iconic “Thunder Buddies” song that Ted and John sing when they’re cowering from thunder in the first movie.
Ted and John in bed in Ted
The Beginning Of Ted & John's Lifelong Love Affair With Pot
The Ted TV series shows the first time Ted and John smoked weed – but it won't be the last. In the movies, Ted and John are depicted as habitual stoners. The first film’s present-day timeline starts with John getting high and watching Flash Gordon before work. It was interesting to start the TV series with the origin story of the characters’ weed habit. The episode ends with Ted and John vowing to never touch drugs ever again... besides pot, of course.
Ted and John smoke pot in Ted
The Ted TV series shows the first time Ted and John smoked weed – but it won't be the last. In the movies, Ted and John are depicted as habitual stoners. The first film’s present-day timeline starts with John getting high and watching Flash Gordon before work. It was interesting to start the TV series with the origin story of the characters’ weed habit. The episode ends with Ted and John vowing to never touch drugs ever again... besides pot, of course.
Ted and John frosting cookies in Ted
The Ted TV Series And Its Nostalgic References
The Ted prequel show is full of callbacks to the original movies (and some other Seth MacFarlane projects), as well as plenty of fun nods to the history and popular culture of its ‘90s setting. Set about two decades before the movies, the Ted series kicks off with Ted reluctantly enrolling in his best friend John’s junior high school. Throughout the season, Ted and John contend with all kinds of adolescent issues, like bullies, pornography, and drug use. The show doesn’t have many direct ties to the movies, but there are more than a few Easter eggs for eagle-eyed fans to pick up on.
Ted and John sit on the couch in Ted
The Ted prequel show is full of hilariously specific references like this. Everybody Needs A Best Friend Ted's theme song should be familiar to movie fans. As soon as the opening titles of the Ted prequel show kick in, there’s already an Easter egg calling back to the original movies. The catchy, heartwarming theme song of the series, “Everybody Needs a Best Friend,” is the same theme song used in the first movie. The music was composed by Walter Murphy, the lyrics were written by Seth MacFarlane, and the song itself was performed by Norah Jones. When the movie came out, this theme was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Ted and John in a hallway in Ted
Ian McKellen As The Narrator
In the original Ted movies, the voiceover narration was provided by Patrick Stewart, a regular collaborator of MacFarlane’s. In the TV series, the narration is instead provided by Ian McKellen. It’s possible that Stewart wasn’t available, or he probably would’ve done the narration himself, but McKellen is the perfect replacement. He and Stewart played two sides of the same coin in their fight for mutant rights as Magneto and Professor X, respectively, in the X-Men movies. Their voices carry a similar gravitas that makes them perfect narrators.
Gandalf the White standing in front of soldiers in The Lord of the Rings.
In the original Ted movies, the voiceover narration was provided by Patrick Stewart, a regular collaborator of MacFarlane’s. In the TV series, the narration is instead provided by Ian McKellen. It’s possible that Stewart wasn’t available, or he probably would’ve done the narration himself, but McKellen is the perfect replacement. He and Stewart played two sides of the same coin in their fight for mutant rights as Magneto and Professor X, respectively, in the X-Men movies. Their voices carry a similar gravitas that makes them perfect narrators.
Ian McKellen as Magneto moving the golden gate bridge in X-Men: The Last Stand
Genital Hospital
In episode 3, “Ejectile Dysfunction,” Ted and John get fake I.D.s so they can rent some adult films from the video store and watch porn for the first time. The first porno they put on is called Genital Hospital and it’s about a doctor’s sexually adventurous first day on the job. Genital Hospital was also the name of the porno that Chris Griffin and his friends enjoyed in Family Guy, potentially confirming that the two franchises take place in the same MacFarlane-verse.
Chris watches Genital Hospital in Family Guy
In episode 3, “Ejectile Dysfunction,” Ted and John get fake I.D.s so they can rent some adult films from the video store and watch porn for the first time. The first porno they put on is called Genital Hospital and it’s about a doctor’s sexually adventurous first day on the job. Genital Hospital was also the name of the porno that Chris Griffin and his friends enjoyed in Family Guy, potentially confirming that the two franchises take place in the same MacFarlane-verse.
Ted and John sit in the principal's office in Ted
Ted Invites Over Sex Workers With Extravagant Names
In the endlessly quotable first Ted movie, to illustrate Lori’s point that Ted is a burden on the household and needs to go, there’s a hilarious scene in which John and Lori come home and find that Ted has invited over four sex workers named Angelique, Heavenly, Charene, and Sauvignon Blanc. In the first episode of the TV show, the exact same setup is used to illustrate why Ted should go to school. This throwback to the scene from the first movie also has a nod to the extravagant naming gag; this time, one of the sex workers is called Beef Stroganoff.
Ted sits on the couch with sex workers in Ted
In the endlessly quotable first Ted movie, to illustrate Lori’s point that Ted is a burden on the household and needs to go, there’s a hilarious scene in which John and Lori come home and find that Ted has invited over four sex workers named Angelique, Heavenly, Charene, and Sauvignon Blanc. In the first episode of the TV show, the exact same setup is used to illustrate why Ted should go to school. This throwback to the scene from the first movie also has a nod to the extravagant naming gag; this time, one of the sex workers is called Beef Stroganoff.
Ted giving a thumbs-up in class in Ted
Did Steven Spielberg Use Real Dinosaurs In Jurassic Park?
Since the Ted TV show takes place in 1993, it’s set at a time when Jurassic Park had just hit theaters. After Ted and John watch the sci-fi classic, they’re convinced that Steven Spielberg was given real dinosaurs to make the movie. They believe that live dinosaurs were Hollywood’s reward to Spielberg after the success of E.T. and Jaws. Obviously, Spielberg didn’t use real dinosaurs to make Jurassic Park, but this gag is a nod to how groundbreaking the visual effects were, and how awestruck ‘90s audiences were.
Steven Spielberg sits with an animatronic dinosaur on the set of Jurassic Park
Since the Ted TV show takes place in 1993, it’s set at a time when Jurassic Park had just hit theaters. After Ted and John watch the sci-fi classic, they’re convinced that Steven Spielberg was given real dinosaurs to make the movie. They believe that live dinosaurs were Hollywood’s reward to Spielberg after the success of E.T. and Jaws. Obviously, Spielberg didn’t use real dinosaurs to make Jurassic Park, but this gag is a nod to how groundbreaking the visual effects were, and how awestruck ‘90s audiences were.
Brian talks to his mother-in-law in Family Guy
Borgwort
John’s love interest in the Ted TV show is called Betheny Borgwort. The running gag is that Borgwort is a painfully unattractive name. This name was previously used in Family Guy; it’s the maiden name of Brian’s mother-in-law. In Family Guy season 17, episode 1, “Married with Cancer,” Brian married a woman he’d just met and immediately regretted it. When Brian winces at his wife Jess’ maiden name, Schlotz, Jess’ mother shouts out that her last name is Borgwort, and Peter cracks, “That’s also bad.” MacFarlane really doesn’t like that name.
John and Betheny sit on a bed in Ted
John’s love interest in the Ted TV show is called Betheny Borgwort. The running gag is that Borgwort is a painfully unattractive name. This name was previously used in Family Guy; it’s the maiden name of Brian’s mother-in-law. In Family Guy season 17, episode 1, “Married with Cancer,” Brian married a woman he’d just met and immediately regretted it. When Brian winces at his wife Jess’ maiden name, Schlotz, Jess’ mother shouts out that her last name is Borgwort, and Peter cracks, “That’s also bad.” MacFarlane really doesn’t like that name.
Ted and John sitting on the lawn in Ted
'Eventually, No One Gives A S***.'
Not only is the use of voiceover narration a callback to the style of the original Ted movies; the opening narration also ends on the same line. As the narrator explains how Ted became famous when he first came to life, he goes on to say that, over time, people stopped caring, because “eventually, no one gives a s***.” Stewart said the same line in the first Ted movie’s opening narration, and both he and McKellen delivered it with the perfect deadpan timing.
Ted talks to John in Ted
Not only is the use of voiceover narration a callback to the style of the original Ted movies; the opening narration also ends on the same line. As the narrator explains how Ted became famous when he first came to life, he goes on to say that, over time, people stopped caring, because “eventually, no one gives a s***.” Stewart said the same line in the first Ted movie’s opening narration, and both he and McKellen delivered it with the perfect deadpan timing.
John talks to Ted in Ted
O.J. Simpson Kills John's Chances Of Losing His Virginity
In the Ted finale – episode 7, “He’s Gotta Have It” – John is desperate to lose his virginity after learning that he’s one of the last remaining virgins at his school. He falls for Betheny Borgwort, woos her at the prom, and they go back to her house to have sex. But just as they’re about to do it, a breaking news story interrupts the TV’s broadcast to show O.J. Simpson’s infamous white Bronco chase. This distracts Betheny and they end up watching the chase instead of having sex. The O.J. trial was the biggest news story of the ‘90s, so it makes sense to conclude a ‘90s-set series on that.
Ted and John sit in church in Ted
In the Ted finale – episode 7, “He’s Gotta Have It” – John is desperate to lose his virginity after learning that he’s one of the last remaining virgins at his school. He falls for Betheny Borgwort, woos her at the prom, and they go back to her house to have sex. But just as they’re about to do it, a breaking news story interrupts the TV’s broadcast to show O.J. Simpson’s infamous white Bronco chase. This distracts Betheny and they end up watching the chase instead of having sex. The O.J. trial was the biggest news story of the ‘90s, so it makes sense to conclude a ‘90s-set series on that.
