Tonight, in the terrific, season-ending episode of Better Off Ted, Ted (the debonair Jay Harrington) and Veronica (pert Portia de Rossi) have job evaluations. As a result, they try to make more of their employees like them. "You so desperately want to be loved," sneers Veronica. "Yes, I do," says honest Ted. He turns to the camera and says to us at home: "I mean, who doesn’t?"
He’s right. And what sitcom doesn’t deserve love more than Better Off Ted, currently struggling for ratings and renewal? This show is, every week, whip-smart and packed with quotable lines and beautifully-staged scenes.
ABC won’t be announcing its new prime-time schedule for another two weeks, so tune in tonight and appreciate what Ted is doing all over again, then tell me whether you think it’s worth saving below, won’t you? Thanks.
I promise I’ll pass on any and all comments below to anyone I can find connected with the show. Sure, it’s a long shot, but it feels good to champion quality, doesn’t it?
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The facts are these: I’d rather yell at ABC for canceling Pushing Daisies – a move that led me to give up television.
Hey ABC! You suck!
SAVE TED!
Please? I mean, otherwise you start looking like Fox, but without an Idol to fall back on.
Ken, please pass along the following:
Dear ABC Network Executive(s):
Better Off Ted is extremely good television, which is becoming more and more of a rarity. You’re fortunate to have it on your network. Please consider the rough start it’s had (schedule-wise) and give it more of an opportunity to grow and find a broader audience. Even if it does not find that audience, please keep it anyway, as it’s far superior to the other typical dreck to be found on your network and others. Bachelor/Bachelorette shows, wife swap shows, etc. do NOT appeal to smart viewers. Please leave us something to see, so that we aren’t put in the position of having no reason to watch anything on ABC at all. There are now hundreds of cable channels, so you won’t likely see many shows draw in the massive numbers they once did (back in the days when the three networks and PBS were all that there was to choose). You prematurely ended Eli Stone. Don’t do the same to Better Off Ted.
Keep this great show.
Dear ABC,
Please keep Ted. It’s a great show! It’s well-written with sharp, witty dialogue. Surely if you saw fit to keep According to Jim for as many years as you have, you can give Ted at least a few more seasons. Thank you.
I was furious at ABC for canceling Pushing Daisies but they redeemed themselves a little with Better Off Ted. It’s smart and funny which is a rarity. Please give it more time to grow. It’s just getting started.
I love this show and I’d be sad to see it go. It’s wacky, funny, smart, and just great television!
ABC (Another Bad Choice)…You’re better off with Better Off Ted than some of the other pablum you’ve kept. Better Off Ted is one of the funniest shows I’ve seen in quite a while and we need this kind of humor at this time.
Are you familiar with the Direct T.V. commercial with Ed Bagley Jr. and this meeting of “Cable T.V. execs who are always lamenting how they can’t compete and are always making some assinine statements and decisions? ABC..is that you?
I won’t be nearly as mad at ABC if they cancel BoT as I was when they axed Pushing Daisies, but they should give it another season. It is a really funny show and has a lot of potential. Also, we know In the Motherhood won’t be back, Samantha Who?’s prospects dont’ look good and Scrubs is probably over, so this would pretty much be the only comedy ABC has.
ABC has me conflicted. They’ve kept my favorite show ever (LOST) in place, giving it the treatment it deserves. They saved Scrubs, another fantastic show which hopefully will also be renewed. But then, they go and threaten to get rid of Better Off Ted, probably my favorite sitcom on TV other than 30 Rock at the moment. “Ted” is similar in vein to the late lamented Arrested Development.
I don’t know, maybe America is just too dumb to get these shows and deserves nothing more than B list celebs dancing, bachelor nonsense, and wife swaps.
Maybe a separate network needs to be created for the intelligent viewer (where AD, Lost, Pushing Daisies, and yes, Better off Ted) can live in perpetuity, somewhere where those of us who like to use our brains for entertainment can go…
I can dream, can’t I?
Now, what’s the theme on American Idiot this week?
I don’t know what other kind of comment to offer that might help except “I really love this show, and if you (ABC) give it a chance it means I’ll give some of your other new shows next season a chance since I stopped watching anything on the network a year ago. This is the first show that brought me back.”
If that works Mr. Tucker, you can use it but only if its use means an implicit promise that you work just as hard to save ‘Dollhouse’!
The season is finishing already? Wow. I sure hope ABC gives this show a chance. Look at HIMYM after a few years. It’s a brilliant show and it deserves to be saved!
Dear ABC,
I implore you to keep “Better Off Ted” on your schedule. It is an intelligent, very funny show that deserves more than a fleeting chance to find an audience.
As a matter of fact, it is the only show on your network that can make that claim. To be perfectly honest, I’ve lost all confidence in ABC. Many shows that started out with great promise (“Grey’s Anatomy,” “Brothers & Sisters”) have turned into ridiculous skeletons of what they were capable of becoming. Others that were smart and entertaining have been prematurely killed off (“Life On Mars,” “Eli Stone”). And even more depressing, shows that are nothing but mindless, insulting drivel remain on your network (“Wife Swap,” “The Bachelor,” “Extreme Makeover”).
PLEASE! Let us have ONE show that will still give us a reason to tune in to ABC. “Better Off Ted” deserves the chance to survive and we deserve the chance to enjoy it!
This show has a real Arrested Development vibe. It’s very funny. Give it time to get an audience. PLEASE!
Best new comedy since 30 Rock. The “racist motion detectors” episode is Emmy-worthy. I laughed till the tears ran down my cheeks. The Veridian ads? Masterpieces. Honest to the Lord God Above, ABC, if you can find space on your schedule for umpteen years of “According To Jim” and cancel Better Off Ted after 6 weeks, then you deserve your own special circle in he||.
I’ll hop in here. I was aprehensive about the pilot, which was solid, but by the time “Racial Sensitivity” rolled around I saw the potential this show had as satire of corporate America. Phil and Lem are one of my favorite TV duos now.
Too bad tonight’s season finale, along with Scrubs’, is on a different night than usual, which will undoubtedly mean the ratings will suck, and ABC will have the excuse they need to can it. UGH.
Best new comedy on TV!!!! (that I have not actually see one ad for…)
Advertising for it and reshowing the one where Linda gets drugged would be a fantastic plan.
Better Off Ted does comedy better than anything on televion today with exception of 30 Rock. It is laugh out loud nuts, it is rioteous, masterly quirky and ingenious. I’m surprised it only got 6/7 episodes. It deserves to be renewed AND get a full season.
BOT is funny and well-written, with an expert ensemble. ABC can atone for their terrible decision to cancel Pushing Daisies by keeping the show around a little longer.
It has to be saved. A good, unique, smart comedy doesn’t come around very often.
Please, please keep Better Off Ted!! The cast is wonderful and have great chemistry.
Hysterical. Best new comedy since Arrested Development. It has already taken a place among the top five best comedies on tv right now. Coupled with Scrubs and followed by Lost, Wednesday is now the best night for TV. Please ABC, have faith in it and market it the way that it deserves!
Please save this show. I laugh out loud at the cleverness of the writing and acting.
Better of Ted needs to be saved! Its one of the freshest, smartest comedies out there!!
I watched the first three episodes and couldn’t get into it. Maybe I’ll check it out again.
We must save this show. It is the most intelligent show on TV and the funniest I’ve seen in a very long time! It needs another season, at least, to build up a following. ABC finally has a true gem, it would be a shame to throw it away. RENEW TED!!!!
Better Off Ted is the most intelligent sit com on current television. I’ve recorded and watched each episode at least 3 more time because I laugh so hard during the show I inevitably miss something. Love the show. Please renew my faith in good programming and renew Better Off Ted.
This is a great show. It reminds me so much of the comedy style of Arrested Development. It needs to stay around!
First thing I did after seeing the first episode was buy them on Itunes. Please ask them to keep the show…
Special thanks to Ken for pointing out that this show is airing tonight. I’ve seen no mention of it on ABC. Also, even though they’re promoting the season (series) finale of Scrubs tomorrow night, they’re neglecting to mention that a key Scrubs episode is airing tonight “on a special day and time.”
I know, it’s not 100% their fault (thanks, Pres.), but if they want their shows to succeed, they need to fix stuff like this.
I bought ABC from my TV-company in Norway to watch this show Live. Seems like I have to cancel it… :’(
Best new show on ABC since Pushing Daises. Renew this show and I promise to buy season one on DVD and let everyone I know borrow it so they’ll watch season 2!