The Ted films were popular in the 2010s. I remember them being forbidden in my household. But middle schoolers will find a way.

For me, it was a friend named Jon, not to be confused by John in the Ted prequel series, played by Max Burkholder. Jon let me in on the R-rated jokes in Seth MacFarlane's films, telling the 11-year-old me about the “Thunder Buddies” song.

Ted stars Burkholder and Giorgia Whigham both had the benefit of being a little older when the films came out. Both of them were fans and made them perfect fits for the new Peacock prequel series.

Fans first, actors second

Ted series poster next to Max Burkholder.

When it came time for the Ted series, they both had wish lists. Aside from the “Thunder Buddies” song, there are other iconic bits such as Ted and John smoking pot and their love of Flash Gordon. Both Burkholder and Whigham were glad to see the origins of this in the new show.

“I've been [a] fan of both movies for a long time,” Burkholder revealed to ClutchPoints at the show's junket before dropping an even bigger truth bomb. “I actually was at the table read for the first Ted movie way back when. I was playing the creepy child character and they decided I wasn't creepy enough for the role… thankfully.”

He got back on track, revealing that he's glad the Ted prequel series hits all of the film's greatest hits.

“I'm glad we're hitting some solid points. We're hitting weed, we're hitting ‘Thunder Buddies,' we're hitting Flash Gordon. We're seeing the origin of all of this stuff,” Burkholder continued. “I think people who are fans of the movies are really gonna appreciate that.”

Giorgia Whigham shared a similar sentiment.

“I was gonna say the same thing,” she confessed. “I mean, I've been a fan of Seth's work forever and the original [Ted] movies and yeah, I think those are the main things that I think al the fans are gonna hope and be excited for.”

For her, though, Flash Gordon was the biggest bit she wanted to see carried over into the show.

“We hit Flash Gordon, and we hit the juvenile delinquency craziness. It's awesome,” Whigham concluded.

The Ted series

Peacock's Ted show is a prequel to Seth MacFarlane's popular films. Max Burkholder stars as John Bennett, who was previously portrayed by Mark Wahlberg in the films. The series chronicles his adventures with the titular teddy bear as he navigates his high school life and all of the pressures involved: Bullies, hormones, and the social ladder.

Meanwhile, at home, John also has to navigate his home life. Alanna Ubach and Scott Grimes star in the series as Susan and Matty Bennett, John's parents. They take in their niece, Blaire (Giorgia Whigham), while he attends a nearby college.

As indicated by the stars themselves, the Ted prequel pays homage to the films. It references the iconic bits from the two films and shows the origins of those bits while also putting John and Ted on new adventures.

Ted will premiere on January 11, 2024, on Peacock.