Ted

When John Bennett was seven he wished his beloved teddy bear would come to life, and the wish actually happened. Years later Ted is still by John's side, loud, crude and more interested in partying than settling into grown-up routines. John has a steady girlfriend, Lori, who wants a normal, adult relationship, but Ted's constant presence keeps pulling John back into childish habits and awkward choices. Their conflicts play out through outrageous set pieces and crude jokes that test loyalties, while the movie mixes slapstick with unexpectedly sentimental beats, asking whether nostalgia can outweigh the needs of a maturing life.

Directed by Seth MacFarlane and co-written with Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild, Ted hit theaters in 2012, marking MacFarlane's feature film debut behind the camera and voice of the title character. The film mixes live action with a CGI Ted.

It was a surprise commercial success, outperforming expectations and helping to cement adult-oriented, R-rated comedy as a viable mainstream draw for studios. It appealed widely to adult audiences and fans of MacFarlane's television sensibility. Marketing leaned into its R-rated novelty.

Ted's image and foul-mouthed personality quickly entered pop culture, inspiring references, Halloween costumes and merchandise, and a broader acceptance of irreverent, anthropomorphic comedy in films and TV. The character became an unexpected icon of crude, nostalgic humor that filmmakers and comedians would echo. It also sparked discussions about nostalgia.

Critics were mixed to positive, reflected by its user vote average of 6.449/10, praising Mark Wahlberg's chemistry with the vocal Ted and Mila Kunis's grounded performance, while some reviewers faulted the film's coarse jokes. It tackles friendship, adulthood, responsibility and the pull of comfort versus change. Noted a sweet core.