Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more!
Ted Cast and Creators Tease What to Expect From New Series: "More Vulgar Than Ever"
All seven episodes of Ted are streaming now on Peacock.
Everyone’s favorite talking Teddy bear with a penchant for chaos and cursing is back — and this time he’s bringing the whole family.
Peacock's Ted sitcom-style series is set in the 1990s with Max Burkholder (Parenthood, The Purge) taking on Mark Wahlberg’s character John Bennett as a teenager. Creator Seth MacFarlane returns as the voice of the beloved bear. Still, Burkholder and MacFarlane aren't the only actors filling up the ensemble cast.
RELATED: Seth MacFarlane Reveals Why We're Getting a Ted Prequel Series Instead of Ted 3
“It’s a world-class cast,” MacFarlane told NBC Insider. “Every one of them is a superb actor.”
We caught up with the cast and creators of the show to get the inside look at what to expect from the new crop of characters.
Who Is John Bennett’s Cousin Blaire in the Ted TV Show?
A new addition for viewers to meet from the Bennet family is John’s cousin Blaire played by Giorgia Whigham (The Orville, Scream: The TV Series).
“It was a bit different than, you know, working with [Seth] on the The Orville because that was—both [Max and I] had just—like guest star spots so it was quick and you’re in and out,” Whigham said, describing working with MacFarlane. “He’s a genius…it was cool to watch his brain at a speed that’s about 10 times faster than any of ours.”
A protective older cousin of John, Blaire is living with the Bennett family as she goes to school and often gets pulled into the hilarious family frenzy. Ted Executive Producers Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh were a similar age to Blaire in the early 90s.
“[Blaire] was one of the characters that I related to the most,” Brad said. “To bring in [John’s] family and especially Giorgia Whigham as his cousin, I think is a fantastic addition to his life and sort of opens up his world a little bit.”
The writing duo are both Co-Showrunners alongside MacFarlane and previously worked on Modern Family.
“There were similarities in how we develop the stories,” Corrigan said comparing writing for the two different shows. “It only sort of diverged from that when you started to pitch dialogue and pitch jokes.”
Some of the comedic plot lines in Ted stem from their own real-life experiences like Brad being “petrified” he’d spill his secrets during a medical procedure.
“I don’t really have any secrets, but maybe there’s something relatable there, where we all think that if we…opened up to people you know they wouldn’t love us anymore,” Walsh said of turning his fears into a storyline for a character. “We tried to sort of take that... kernel of truth and then turn it into, you know, hopefully a funny episode of TV.”
Who Stars Alongside Seth MacFarlane and Max Burkholder in Ted on Peacock?
Scott Grimes (American Dad!, The Orville) and Alanna Ubach (Euphoria, Legally Blonde) round out the cast as John’s parents Matty and Susan Bennett.
MacFarlane is a "conductor" when it comes to his approach to composing and executing comedy on screen, Ubach told NBC Insider.
"[Ted's] the most favorite project I've ever worked on," Ubach said. "Hands down."
Both have voiced and played iconic roles, including on some characters on MacFarlane’s animated TV shows.
“I think the energy Seth wants from a voice, which is Family Guy, American Dad, is the same energy he wants in a live action so all you’re really doing is putting an American Dad or a Family Guy on its feet," Grimes said.
Although John’s parents make a short appearance in the first movie during a flashback when Ted is brought to life, Grimes thinks the series is a fresh start for the characters. Adding the feel of the show is "completely different" than the movies.
“The one thing that binds it all together is Ted and Seth’s amazing acting, right, because Ted is the only thing that’s really the same thing," Grimes said.
Ubach thinks fans of the movies will have a blast watching.
“Funnier, bawdier, more vulgar than ever,” Ubach said, describing what’s in store for viewers.
Ted is available to stream now on Peacock.
