Better Off Ted

I do not know what happened with ABC between 2004 and 2016, but they underfunded, misrepresented, lacked promotion, and otherwise failed every worthwhile TV show they produced. Better Off Ted is the poster-child of this complete corporate incompetence.

What should have been a 6-9 season show was reduced to a measly TWO seasons. The show had some of the best on-screen chemistry between characters -- Phil and Lem, Linda and Ted, Veronica and Veronica. Very rarely do TV shows cause me to laugh out loud, and even rarer than that do they make it happen every episode, often a few times.

Yes, the show is corny. Yes, it is light-hearted. Yes, it actually has a lot of humanity and critique of the industrial military and corporate culture of America while making you think it's corny and light-hearted. Yes, it even handles issues of gender and race in a respectful, yet still corny and light-hearted way. Does anyone at ABC understand how difficult that is to do? What a shame.

I've always thought there would be a few shows I would like to revive once I hit the lottery (I've got a system, it's a sure thing!). Better Off Ted is in the Top 5.

Much like the doomed and also extremely well done Sports Night, Better Off Ted is a hysterical comedy with a top notch cast. The interaction between Ted and his co-stars is fantastic, his nonchalance with Veronica over the fate of innocents, his empathy with Linda, his ability to get past the jargon of Phil and Lem, all classic. The story lines are funny, the fake commercials a riot and the "anti-dilbert" vibe is refreshing. While each character is indeed a caricature of a typical corporate employee, Better Off Ted makes those caricatures come to life in ways not often seen in prime time comedy. I hope this series get renewed for 10 years. I love Better off Ted.

I just saw the pilot for this show and want to write about how I liked it. Mainly because I feel shows aren't given time to find an audience and maybe me voicing my like of the show will give it a chance.

The show reminded me a bit of the movie Brazil, except a sit com. The music, the setting -- especially the part about making chairs uncomfortable with workers in order to increase productivity --, a few of the characters, though I doubt this show would even touch the dark comedy of Brazil. What I am saying is that it has that sort of bleaker comedy spirit.

It's smart too. Jokes are pretty rapid fire and I think it will do good playing after Scrubs because I feel Scrubs fans would stick around to watch this. Originally I thought maybe this was a spin off from Scrubs with the character Ted...no really I did. Andrea Anders was in the short lived spin off from Friends, Joey, so maybe I have that on the brain.

I was hooked from the whole, "can you make a mouse that can stand 195 degree temps?" to the pumpkin weapons, so I hope this show is given a chance to get an audience. I'll watch it whenever it's on. It's got a lot more going for it than your typical sit coms.

Veridian Dynamics is a large corporation that invents, tests and markets everything from deadly pumpkins to beef that tastes like despair. Ted works there as a manager. He's a good and sane man in a heartless--and often insane--corporate environment. The comedy in this series comes from seeing just how insane work at Veridian can be and the hoops Ted jumps through to keep the insanity in check.

Each episode begins with a commercial for Veridian Dynamics, parodies of commercials put out by real world corporations. These commercials are so biting--and funny--one wonders who would dare advertise on a show like this. Portia De Rodsi steals the show as Ted's boss, Veronica, who embodies all that is beautiful, perfect, devious and heartless at Veridian. Veronica is the kind of woman who likes having Ted's young daughter around, because her presence makes it easier for Veronica to fire people.

The show never lets you get too comfortable, and that's a good thing. It is brilliant, hysterically funny and original, so much so that it's a wonder it hasn't been taken off the air . . . yet. Catch it while you can.

I am a big fan of this show. It really compliments my Wednesday nights of Scrubs and South Park. I don't expect this show to do well or even stay on the air long, which is a bummer. The humor is dry, intelligent and very targeted to a specific audience. Lucky I think I am their target audience...

The show plays heavily off stereo-types. You have the uptight Female boss, the nerdy scientists, slightly crazy blond, and Ted. Ted is the man who has to sift though the insanity that is corporate America, aka Veridian Dynamics.

Give the show a chance, You might like it....