MovieChat Forums > Better Off Ted (2009) Discussion > ted crisp controls the universe???

ted crisp controls the universe???

posted 14 years ago by candyassmonkeysuit
5 replies | jump to latest

is it just me, or is this show just a reboot of andy ricter controls the universe?

hear me out, there are many similarities:

- both set pretty much entirely within an office building
- both centre around 5 characters - 2 girls (1 a commanding boss (veronica/jessica) and the other a cute girl that the main character can joke with and is trying to get with (linda/wendy)) - & 3 boys (a main character that can narrate the show (ted/andy), jonathan slavin who pretty much plays the same character in both shows, and another boy (lem, keith)
- both have the same sense of quick witty humor with no laugh track
- both are produced by garfield grove and 20th century fox

so i reckon they thought andy ricter was perhaps cancelled before its time, and after the success of shows like arrested development and the office, fox thought they should do a similar show that would now be more 'with the times'

(oh and this doesnt mean anything but ted looks A LOT like keith)

i like both shows but what do u think?

[–] Spongeyone 14 years ago

Yes, they decided to try doing ARCTU with an attractive male lead to see if that might work.

[–] BrianAwesome 14 years ago

It almost worked. I personally loved both shows. Ted wasn't as funny as Andy, but he was an easy guy to root for.

Also, to the OP's point, i think the white scientist from Ted was also one of Andy's friends on ARCTU.

[–] shanx24 14 years ago

Geez. Based on this thread, out of curiosity, I downloaded a session of ARCTU. What steaming drivel! BOT is much easier to relate to, and despite the one single similarity of who the lead may be, BOT is far more modern, relatable, and sharper comedy with excellent timing. ARCTU was for weirdos.

[–] candyassmonkeysuit 14 years ago

brianawesome - i said jonathan slavin played the same character in both shows. thats the white scientist and andys friend. duh

[–] thatguyandrew 14 years ago

It makes sense. After all, Victor Fresco created both shows.

However, while I love both shows and wish they had each continued longer, Andy Richter was more brilliantly wacky most of the time, mostly due to Andy's stream-of-consciousness voice-over.

Meanwhile, Better Off Ted was sharper with the office-satire. Viridian is one of the most sinister companies ever invented... and it's brilliant!

More visually stunning than Avatar:

- Inception
- Scott Pilgrim
- The Matrix
- Star Wars