Is the Ted prequel show better than the movies?

Introduction

Seth MacFarlane has expanded his Ted franchise into television with a new prequel series set in the 1990s \\u2013 but how does the show compare to the original movies? Released in 2012, Ted marked MacFarlane\u2019s feature-length directorial debut. It tells the story of a young boy, John Bennett, who brings his beloved teddy bear to life with a Christmas wish. The movie catches up with John as he approaches 40 and still spends all his time getting high and watching TV with his teddy bear. Ted 2, released in 2015, continued the saga with Ted\u2019s fight for civil rights. The new Ted prequel show on Peacock fills in Ted\u2019s backstory as he\u2019s forced to attend junior high with a 16-year-old John in 1993. The TV series maintains all the fan-favorite traditions of the movies: foul-mouthed banter between Ted and John, darkly hilarious subversions of familiar tropes, and a surprisingly heartwarming message about the power of friendship.

Ted in a car with John and Sam in Ted 2

The Ted prequel show takes audiences back to the 1990s for a glimpse at Ted and John\u2019s upbringing in a Massachusetts suburb. This TV show is arguably a new high point for the franchise, with more laughs, sharper characterization, and a softer soft side than the movies. The Ted prequel show combines the family sitcom nostalgia of The Goldbergs with the pitch-black humor of It\u2019s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. It balances its crude humor with heartfelt sweetness more effectively than either of its feature-length counterparts.

Ted giving a thumbs-up in class in Ted

Both of the movies could only really count on Ted and John\u2019s banter for laughs, with most supporting characters playing the role of \u201Cstraight man,\u201D but the TV show has a hilarious supporting cast to fall back on. Blaire\u2019s radical progressive views make her an interesting counterpoint to Ted, Susan\u2019s cartoonishly mild-mannered personality makes her lovable and side-splitting in equal measure, and Matty\u2019s brash, loudmouthed dad persona provides endless entertainment. Thanks to this TV show, more than a decade after it started, the Ted franchise is stronger than ever.

Matty and Susan on the couch in Ted