Seth MacFarlane's Ted: A Peek into the R-Rated Prequel Series

The Return of Ted: A Midquel to the Comedy Movies

Seth MacFarlane is bringing back one of his fan-favorite franchises with Ted. The Peacock show serves as a midquel to the self-named comedy movies, going back to the titular talking teddy bear and John's high school years and exploring their family dynamic with John's parents and cousin, college student Blaire.

Seth MacFarlane in Ted

Max Burkholder and MacFarlane lead the ensemble Ted cast alongside Alanna Ubach, Scott Grimes, and Giorgia Whigham. Taking the story back to the '90s, the show is full of irreverent pop culture references, heartwarming characters and the R-rated humor fans of the movies are looking for with the franchise.

Seth MacFarlane and Max Burkholder in Ted

Ahead of the show's Peacock premiere, Screen Rant interviewed writers and producers Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh to discuss Ted, their collaboration process with MacFarlane, and pushing past their comfort zones into more R-rated writing.

Seth MacFarlane in Ted

Inside the Ted Writers' Room: A Chat with Paul Corrigan & Brad Walsh

Screen Rant: I'm very excited to chat with you both for Ted. I am a big fan of the movies, a big fan of Seth's, and you guys have done a phenomenal job in continuing this franchise with this show. What was it like when you were first approached by Seth to help continue Ted and John's legacy on screen?

Giorgia Whigham and Seth MacFarlane in Ted

Brad Walsh: Well, that started with a meeting with Seth, not surprisingly, and we immediately hit it off. We have a lot of the same reference points and sensibilities, and so we were kind of fast friends there. I remember Paul making a very funny joke during that meeting that actually wound up in the pilot. So, it was just sort of a quick collaboration, and it kind of got off to a pretty quick start.

Max Burkholder and Seth MacFarlane in Ted

Paul Corrigan: And, we haven't worked with Seth before, we've known about him for a long time, and were really anxious to have the chance to work with him. It seemed like a once in a lifetime opportunity. Hopefully, it'll be more than once in a lifetime opportunity.

Seth MacFarlane and Max Burkholder in Ted

Looking Ahead: Ted Season 2 and Beyond

Brad Walsh: We do, we do, and I think there are a lot more stories to tell. Obviously, you've got a teenage kid in this family in the '90s in Boston, and we've only made seven, eight episodes. So yeah, we'd love to. We don't know if that's gonna happen, but it would be a great thing. We'd love to be a part of it.

Seth MacFarlane, Max Burkholder, Scott Grimes, Alanna Ubach and Giorgia Whigham in Ted

Paul Corrigan: Yeah, this season was his junior year in high school. It makes sense to me that the next season potentially would be the senior year, and going to college, or not going to college. However that works out.

Ted Show Poster

Brad Walsh: Also, it is a labor of love for Seth, and he's very hands-on, and it is an intense show for him. So, he's in the writers room the entire time. He's directing, he's acting, it's a lot of things. So, certainly, it's a laborious process, so that might be a reason we might not see anything too soon.