Seth MacFarlane, a proven master of crafting long-running shows like Family Guy (since 1999) and American Dad! (since 2005), believes his new live-action comedy series, Ted, holds the same potential for remarkable longevity. He envisions it lasting for decades – potentially even 20 seasons – provided one crucial condition is met: the sustained funding of the show’s intricate computer-generated bear.
MacFarlane elaborated on his perspective, explaining the fundamental difference between shows built on premises and those centered around characters, a principle he sees as foundational to successful television over the decades. “You look at Friends, you look at The Office, those are character-based shows,” he stated. “If something is character-based, it can go on indefinitely because it’s whatever situation you choose to put those people in, because those are the people your audience shows up for.”
He categorizes Ted firmly within the character-based genre. “Ted is a character-based show. The only thing that holds us back is the expense. Creating the bear costs a lot of money,” MacFarlane revealed. He praised the “fantastic actors” and “fantastic writing team,” underscoring the creative potential. “You can do as much of it as you want. I mean, you could do 20 seasons of this thing, and it would work, but you have the CGI element that makes it difficult. But story-wise, to answer your question, it can be indefinite. There’s no limit to the number of stories you can tell with characters that people want to visit week after week.”
Illustrating the financial demands, MacFarlane likened the creation of Ted’s CGI bear to “making a Marvel movie once every half-hour.” This vivid comparison highlights the substantial investment required to bring the titular character to life. Consequently, the show’s ability to continue for the long haul hinges on its ongoing success in securing the necessary funds to cover these significant animation costs.