Ted prequel series smashes streaming records amid poor reviews

Peacock’s Ted prequel series hasn’t let a few bad reviews stand in the way of setting a new record for the platform’s original productions.

We can’t be the only people who weren’t expecting a spin-off series for the 2012 comedy Ted. Don’t get us wrong, Family Guy creator Seth McFarlan’s crude yet heartwarming movie about a sentient teddy bear and its sequel were hilarious, we just didn’t see the need for the expanded universe treatment.

Critics have widely panned the series as redundant and repetitive. Our own review found a lot to laugh at but also couldn’t seem to find any lasting appeal.

This reception hasn’t stopped the Ted series from taking off in a massive way. According to Collider, this recent take on the talking teddy bear is one of Peacock’s most popular shows ever.

Despite not having released official numbers as of yet, Peacock has reported that Ted is now the most-watched original title on the streaming service. An impressive feat considering it achieved this record in just three days.

People have credited this to the platforms hosting of the NFL playoff game between the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs which drew millions of new subscribers to the platform. Although, this might be downplaying extremely positive word of mouth and a bunch of clips of the Ted series going viral on TikTok.

While the series only has a 58% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes with reviewers calling Ted “played out” or “not worth viewers’ time,” audiences seem to love it. Casual viewers of the show have collectively given it a score of 90% on the same aggregator showing a clear disparity of opinion.

Audience reviews have heaped praise on the Ted prequel series with more than a few calling the show “absolutely hilarious”. One even went as far as to call it “just as funny, if not more than the movies”.

With a positive reception from the audience and the viewership numbers to back it up, we just might see more of the titular teddy in the future.

The Ted prequel series is currently streaming on Peacock in its entirety.