Entertainment
The Raunchy New TV Comedy That's Just Begging For A Spinoff
By TeeJay Small
| Published
When I first heard that Peacock had ordered a prequel series based on Seth MacFarlane’s 2012 movie Ted, I thought it was the worst idea ever. Sure, I remember enjoying Ted upon release as a teenager, but then again, I also enjoyed Family Guy and The Master of Disguise back in the day. Now that I’ve consumed both seasons of the Ted series, I can wholeheartedly say that I was dead wrong, and that this is one of the funniest shows I’ve watched in years.
While the core characters of Ted and his owner John are played hilariously by MacFarlane and Max Burkholder, the real show stealers are John’s middle-aged parents, Matty and Susan (Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach.) No matter what happens to the Ted franchise over the course of the next few years, I must insist that we get more of these two characters, even if Ted himself is not involved.
Isn’t This Show About A Teddy Bear?
Let’s back things up just a little bit. For those unaware, Ted is the story of John Bennett, who wished upon a shooting star that his teddy bear would come to life in the 1980s. Once this scientific anomaly came to pass, the bear underwent a brief period of fame and fortune, only to be forgotten by pop culture and sent back to the Bennett household to live a relatively normal post-fame life. The two Ted movies, starring Mark Wahlberg, follow Ted and John as burnout thirty-somethings with no career goals or ambitions, while the Ted series highlights the pair during their high school years.
In the series, John and Ted live under the roof of Matty Bennett (Scott Grimes) and his wife, Susan (Alanna Ubach). Matty is a Nixon super-fan, Vietnam veteran, and proudly ignorant tradesman, who reminds me of every old-school Boston dirtbag I knew growing up. Susan takes on the role of stay-at-home mom and homemaker while offering chipper, cutesy replies to the insanity her family brings. Some of the biggest laughs I’ve ever experienced in my life have come from Matty’s insistence that eating an egg at night will turn you homosexual, or Susan’s very European-inspired pronunciation of words like “porno” or “Cosmopolitan.”
Ted Is Too Expensive, But Doesn’t Have To Be
As Seth MacFarlane has candidly described in the past, the Ted series is prohibitively expensive to make, clocking in at roughly $8 million per episode. That may explain why Peacock has ordered an animated spinoff series to effectively replace the live-action show, with Wahlberg returning to the leading role. While Ted hasn’t officially been cancelled yet, the season 2 finale effectively bridges the gap between the show and the first movie, leaving very little room for more Matty and Susan stories.
Sure, the couple might appear in the new Ted cartoon, but that would mean aging the couple up to their late 70s. It would also mean that Matty and Susan would only appear as tertiary side characters, if at all, since their kids are grown and out of the house. That doesn’t work for me. I need a whole show of just Matty and Susan hijinks, with maybe an occasional CGI teddy bear thrown in for yuks.
Matty & Susan Vs. The World
Basically, my proposal is to copy the blueprint of another very successful sitcom universe, and make a Matty and Susan equivalent of Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. In case you haven’t been following, Georgie & Mandy is a spinoff of Young Sheldon, which is itself a spinoff of The Big Bang Theory. The show became a must-watch for fans of the franchise after Montana Jordan’s George Jr. completely stole the show with his wicked charm and plucky attitude.
Surely Peacock could spare the money to produce a series under a working title like Matty & Susan Vs. The World, or The Bennetts And the Bees. Without Ted, the series could even be shot like an old-school sitcom, with a soundstage and a live studio audience.
This would give Seth MacFarlane an opportunity to expand into yet another television arena, which he seems to love doing, and it would give me more time with some of my favorite characters. I’d also get to keep doing the Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme every time the characters go to the South Shore Plaza in Braintree, Massachusetts, my childhood mall.
Entertainment
The best deals under $25 ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale — save on Lego, Fire Sticks, and more
Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is nearly here, running March 25 through 31. With the sale on the horizon, deals are trickling in. If you’re not looking to drop a ton of cash during this seasonal sale event, we’ve gathered up some excellent deals under $25 that you can shop right now.
These range from the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, if you’re looking to upgrade your streaming setup this year, to some sweet Lego sets, including the delightfully colorful Lego Botanicals Petite Sunny Bouquet, but there’s much more to explore. As the Big Spring Sale gets closer, we’ll be sure to update this with even more discounts that cross our radar, too.
Mashable Deals
Note: You don’t need to be a Prime member to shop the sale, but Prime members will receive exclusive deals on a variety of items.
Best deal under $25
$24.99
at Amazon
$49.99
Save $25.00
Why we like it
2026 has started off strong when it comes to what’s available to stream, and if you’ve been looking to upgrade your setup to enjoy it all in 4K, the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is worth a look. At the moment, this streaming stick has returned to its lowest-ever price of $24.99 at Amazon, which is 50% off its list price of $49.99. It’s a pretty excellent price to pay for what you’re getting.
Mashable Deals
The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus supports 4K Ultra HD picture quality, which helps bring out the colors and crisp details in the shows and films you watch. It also supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos audio, which provide a little extra boost to picture and sound as well. And with support for Wi-Fi 6, you’ll get to enjoy smooth streaming quality. If it sounds like the streaming package you’ve been searching for, this early deal at Amazon is well worth jumping on.
More deals under $25
Entertainment
Shark devices on sale ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale: Stick vacuums, stain removers, hair tools
A quick look at the best Amazon Shark deals ahead of the Big Spring Sale
There are few home categories that Shark doesn’t have a stake in. Floor care has been its bread and butter for a while, of course. But skincare, hair care, and and air care, too? It’s Dyson-level variety at this point. But when it comes to deals during major Amazon sale events, there are typically more good Shark deals than good Dyson deals. The early deals of Amazon’s 2026 Big Spring Sale tell the same story.
We’re tracking all of the best early deals on Shark vacuums, Shark beauty tools, Shark air purifiers, and more, live ahead of the sale’s March 25 kickoff. A handful of our absolute favorite Shark products are already on sale, but we’ll be updating this story as more deals on Shark devices trickle in throughout the week. (Fingers crossed for a legit CryoGlow red light mask deal.)
Best Shark vacuum deal
$249
at Amazon
$399.99
Save $150.99
Why we like it
It’ll be hard for any spring vacuum deal to beat this Shark Clean & Empty model as the best affordable stick vacuum setup. It automatically empties itself and charges every time you hang it back up on the dock (which also acts as built-in storage). That means you’re starting every cleaning session with an empty dustbin, and that means you’ll have unmistakeable visible proof of the gunk that’s been sucked up in the room at hand.
It’s not Shark’s most powerful self-emptying stick vacuum, but it is almost 40 percent cheaper than Shark’s most powerful self-emptying stick vacuum when it’s on sale. Weighing in at just under six pounds, this Clean & Empty model is lighter than most cordless vacuums out there — including 30 percent lighter than the popular Shark Vertex Pro, which doesn’t come with an auto-empty dock.
What about Shark robot vacuum deals?
The Shark robot vacuums on sale so far are decent if you really want a Shark, but I hesitate to hit full send on recommending one unless it’s the PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1: The best Shark robot vacuum right now. The $1,299.99 robot vacuum and mop combo with blacklight stain detect hasn’t even been out for a month, and the chances of it seeing a discount this soon are iffy. If you have $300 or $600 to spend on a robot vacuum this spring, there are more value-packed robot vacuum deals from other brands live at Amazon.
Mashable Trend Report
More early Shark Big Spring Sale deals
Robot vacuums
Cordless vacuums
Corded vacuums
Hair tools
Skincare devices
Upright and portable carpet and upholstery cleaners
Air purifiers
Entertainment
The best early Big Spring Sale deals at Amazon include record-low prices on portable power stations
Table of Contents
Best early Amazon Big Spring Sale portable power stations deals at a glance
Amazon saw the sun setting later, smelled flowers blooming, and felt warmer temps and decided to celebrate. The Amazon Big Spring Sale is slated to kick off tomorrow, March 25, with big discounts. That’s proving to be great news if you’re in the market for a portable power station.
A portable power station has become a must-have tech item. It’s like your favorite noise-cancelling earbuds — no idea how we survived without them. A portable power station will be a savior during power outages, keeping the refrigerator running, phones charged up, and the WiFi router giving off a connection. A portable power station is also well worth packing along on upcoming camping trips. Think of movie nights under the stars thanks to a powered-up portable projector and with fresh popcorn.
The one snag here is that batteries aren’t cheap, and that’s especially true of high-tech and long-lasting batteries found in portable power stations. Because of this, shopping for a power station during major sales like the Amazon Big Spring Sale is a wise move. Here are some of our favorite models that are already seeing steep discounts before the sale officially begins.
Best Bluetti deal
$394.98
at Amazon
$799
Save $404.02
Why we like it
If you’re hoping to keep phones and small devices charged up during a power outage or while camping, the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 comes with 1,024Wh of battery power. Bluetti mentions this battery power will recharge a phone about 52 times or keep the WiFi router on for nearly 50 hours. Its compact size and weight of about 25 pounds makes it especially easy to pack along on the camping trip or carry around the house during a power outage.
The early Amazon Big Spring Sale price brings the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 down to $399, which is a 50% discount compared to its list price of $799.
Mashable Deals
More Bluetti deals
Best Anker Solix deal
$4,399
at Amazon
$7,397
Save $2,998
The massive Anker Solix F3800 is ideal for home backup should the power cut out. On its own, the Solix F3800 comes with 3,8400 Wh of battery capacity to keep your tech running without grid power, but Anker made this deal even better ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale. The Solix F3800 comes bundled with BP3800 Expansion Battery and a 400W solar panel. The extra battery brings the total capacity up to 7,680Wh while the addition of a solar panels puts you in line for recharging off-grid.
More Anker Solix deals
Best Jackery deal
$429
at Amazon
$799
Save $370
Why we like it
If you’re looking for a portable power station to take along to the campground this summer, the Jackery Explorer 100 V2 is an ideal model. It’s a mix of portability, durability, solid port options, and it’s on sale for under $430. This Jackery model comes with 1,070Wh for recharging your phones while camping, keeping the speaker ready to go, and powering up the projector for movie nights. Plus, it weighs under 24 pounds, so you won’t have to struggle lugging it around camp.
More Jackery deals
More portable power stations on sale at Amazon
Topics
Outdoors
Amazon Big Spring Sale
The best deals under $25 ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale — save on Lego, Fire Sticks, and more
Shark devices on sale ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale: Stick vacuums, stain removers, hair tools
