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Better Off Ted follows Ted (Jay Harrington), the Head of R&D at the most morally dubious company conceivable, Veridian Dynamics. They specialise in everything from office chairs that increase productivity to weaponised pumpkins - and of course, the big joke here is that Veridian Dynamics don’t care one bit about anybody, least of all their own employees. I’d be concerned that humour-wise the show doesn’t have loads of potential for longevity, but the first two episodes still make for an enjoyable and witty satirical take on consumerism and the corporate world.
Tonally, Better Off Ted sits somewhere between Scrubs and 30 Rock. It’s warped, quirky and loads of fun, with a really likeable cast to boot. Everyone (and I mean, everyone) who works at Veridian loves Ted, he’s funny and handsome, and Harrington plays the role perfectly. His boss, Veronica (Portia de Rossi), is the other highlight of the cast (she’s where all the wacky ideas come from). She’s got brilliant comic delivery, and her scenes with Ted are without doubt the show’s greatest moments.
The first episode sees Ted deal with the decision of cryogenically freezing one of his most valued employees, Phil (Jonathan Slavin). I found it amusing that it was Ted’s adorable eight year-old daughter Rose (Isabella Acres) who ended up giving him moral guidance, I love that she’s the one teaching him right from wrong! The second in Tuesday night’s double-bill showed Ted’s team of scientists attempt to create beef without using cows. For now, these experiments serve as an inspired recipe for laugh out loud jokes, but I do fear that Better Off Ted could run out of ideas and become too repetitive.
However, the best way to judge a comedy is to simply ask yourself if it makes you laugh. And Better Off Ted does. Over and over again. The reason the show is so frequently hilarious stems from how lighthearted it is. It’s comfortable and easy to watch whilst being a little predictable - exactly what I expect from a sitcom. In terms of the story, I think it’s obvious that Ted will grow to feel bad about working for such a morally reprehensible corporation and the show has already made it clear that there’s a love-interest waiting for him (Linda - played by Andrea Anders).
Ted regularly breaks the fourth wall to talk directly to the viewers about the demands of his job and the nature of Veridian Dynamics. This narration only strengthens the comedy and at the same time makes Ted a character that is easy to relate to. Better Off Ted also provides mock-adverts for the company at start of each episode - which are really entertaining and tend to end with some sort of ridiculous slogan like, “Veridian Dynamics... Food, Yum.”
Honestly, there’s barely a weak moment in the first two episodes of Better Off Ted, and it proves itself to be a more than competent sitcom with a funny and charismatic cast who’ve got real chemistry. The jokes are brilliant and it’ll have you laughing all the way through. Personally, I’m sold... what’s not to love about a quirky show that’s full of laughs?
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