Note: The following story contains spoilers from Episode 2 of “Ted.”
“Ted” star Scott Grimes says he purposefully channeled iconic TV family dynamics when crafting his performance as Matty Bennett in Peacock’s prequel series.
Audiences were first introduced to John Bennett’s parents in Seth MacFarlane’s R-rated film franchise in 2012, with Alex Borstein playing Helen and Ralph Garman portraying Steve.
The new prequel series reintroduces the characters with new names and actors — Matty and Susan played by Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach, respectively — and more screen time to boot.
The pair’s dynamic resembles older TV sitcom couples such as Archie and Edith Bunker, and actor Scott Grimes told TheWrap that that was exactly the image he was going for when it came to fleshing out his character for the first time.
“I remember Seth did tell me [to think of] ‘All in the Family.’ To be loud and annoying but also real,” Grimes told TheWrap. “He would just point at Carroll O’Connor and how he did that. It’s impossible to do what that man did. But that was definitely something that we looked at.”
A highlight for Matty comes in Episode 2, titled “My Two Dads,” when he delivers an unsettling confession that he pleasured a dog named Scout while serving in Vietnam — a scene Grimes’ costars say proved difficult to film.
“He reaches over and cups my face after he’s just told me this horrifying information and he’s looking so deeply in my eyes,” Max Burkholder, who portrays John, recalled in an interview with TheWrap. “And we probably had to do 30 takes of that.”
Ubach told TheWrap that both Burkholder and Grimes “drove me up the wall” when it came to keeping her composure during scenes, citing the Vietnam speech as particularly difficult.
“My reaction was important and I thought, ‘I’m not going to really listen to his words. Whatever he’s saying, I’ll tune out all of the dialogue,’” she said. “It was the only way I could keep from cracking up at the absurdity that’s going on.”
Giorgia Whigham, who portrays John’s cousin Blaire, looked back on constantly breaking while working with Grimes on set, which happened frequently throughout the series.
“It’s hard to keep a straight face and be really mad while you’re looking at Scott Grimes,” she said. “He’s laughing and I have to be yelling at him.”
“Ted” is written and executive produced by MacFarlane and his co-showrunners Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh. MacFarlane also directs.
Other executive producers include Fuzzy Door Productions’ Erica Huggins, Alana Kleiman, Jason Clark and Aimee Carlson. Fuzzy Door, MRC and UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group, serve as producers.
All seven episodes of Ted are available to stream now.
