When Better Off Ted first premiered last year, I liked it. I didn’t immediately love it, as some folks did, and I certainly didn’t see the similarities to the far superior Arrested Development. I thought it was quirky, fun, and most importantly, different. I also think it looks fantastic, especially in high definition.
As time went on, the series grew on me, and now that it’s back on my TV, I think it’s better than ever.
Better Off Ted turned out to be one of the pleasant surprise renewals from last season, which included Dollhouse (even though it has since been canceled) and Scrubs (even though it had a great series finale). Toward the end of last season, and the small sample size that we have seen this season, Better Off Ted has turned into a legitimately funny show. Don’t worry, the quirk is still there (in spades), but the writing and characters seem tighter, with more laughs per episode than ever.
There is a ton to love about Ted. The show is really well cast. It seems like this is the key to a great comedy. Think about some of the best on TV right now. Can you picture anyone else playing Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock? How about Phil or Jay on Modern Family? I could go on for a while, but the point is that casting is a huge part of a successful comedy, and I think that Better Off Ted has done it well. In particular, Jay Harrington is able to hit every note of Ted really well, and Portia de Rossi shines as the almost-human boss, Veronica.
I also love the over-the-top workplace satire that the show uses. This may be one of the areas that the average viewer just doesn’t “get,” but I think it is wickedly clever and very funny. Whether it’s Veridian Dynamics trying to get employees to participate in eugenics to save money on healthcare, or awkwardly trying to fix their racist sensor system, the company vs. employee storylines always work.
I’m glad that I stuck with Better Off Ted and hope (as silly as it may be) that the ratings improve. If you gave up on it, however, you should definitely give it another chance.
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Dec 15, 2009 @ 13:00 EST5EDT
I love Utah!
I don’t have to give it a “second chance”. It was great the first time around, and I suspect it will continue to be great. Hopefully ABC will see this also.
a really really funny show! thanks to hulu, i was able to watch it.
It just keeps getting funnier. I’ve only caught a few episodes but I enjoy it … not sure why I don’t have it season-passed?
BoT > Modern Family, which is saying a lot. Get back to me when Modern Family gets its own Octo-Chicken.
I have to admit that last year, I ignored Better Off Ted, because I thought it’d be one of those quirky shows, similar to Pushing Daisies, that focused more on the quirk and less on the humour. However, I discovered it a few weeks ago and it is hilarious. It reminds me of Arrested Development and not just because it uses Portia de R. in the role of the pretty, cruel female. It’s just very smart – the past few episodes which included the company’s forced co-worker dating policy, it’s habit of charging employees who date company lawyers for the time they spend with them and side comments about Portia de R’s character as a child-eating witch, not just do to her baby-eating comments but her little candy cottage in the woods.
My entire household has loved BOT since the very first Veridian Dynamics “commercial” graced our screen. There are only a couple of comedies I enjoy and this is top of my list. ABC has earned my respect for giving Ted another chance to be enjoyed by (hopefully) many more viewers.
I’ve been a fan since the beginning so please keep preaching the word on BOT!
i LOVE the show, and i still don’t know why ABC just use it as an after-thought to fill their schedule.
case in point: when it debut mid-season earlier this year, ABC only intended to air 7 episodes out of the 13 ordered because they didn’t have enough time slot. Then surprisingly they ordered second season.
But instead of airing the unaired episodes with the new season episodes, they decided to air them during summer that most people thought the show was cancel and episodes being burned off along with other canceled ABC shows. Now in second season, ABC still don’t give the show a break by premiering in DECEMBER no less. WHY ARE THEY INTEND ON KILLING A GREAT SHOW!?
we should savor what we’ve got because it won’t be back next year. the show’s produced by 21th Fox, so ABC is less incline to bring it back since they don’t own the show.
I was an ardent fan of Andy Richter Controls the Universe long before I saw any of Arrested Development, so I didn’t think much of the comparison. I think fans are focusing too much on de Rossi, when Veronica seems closer to her Nell from Ally McBeal than Lindsay Bluth Fünke.
Loving Season 2.
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