Los Angeles, California – Scott Grimes, star of the series “Ted,” revealed that he drew inspiration from iconic TV family dynamics while portraying his character, Matty Bennett, in the prequel series on Peacock. In Seth MacFarlane’s R-rated film franchise, John Bennett’s parents were portrayed by Alex Borstein and Ralph Garman. The new prequel series features different names and actors, with Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach taking on the roles of Matty and Susan. Their dynamic is reminiscent of classic TV sitcom couples, such as Archie and Edith Bunker from “All in the Family.” Grimes explained that taking cues from Carroll O’Connor’s portrayal allowed him to be loud and annoying, yet real.
One of the notable moments for Matty occurs in Episode 2, titled “My Two Dads,” where he shockingly confesses to pleasuring a dog named Scout while serving in Vietnam. Grimes’ co-stars, Max Burkholder and Alanna Ubach, admitted that filming that particular scene proved to be challenging due to its unsettling nature. Burkholder described the intense eye contact that was required, explaining that they had to do numerous takes to get it right.
Ubach shared the difficulty she faced in keeping her composure during scenes with both Burkholder and Grimes, especially during the Vietnam speech. To avoid cracking up at the absurdity of the situation, she chose to tune out the dialogue and focus on maintaining her reaction. Giorgia Whigham, who plays John’s cousin Blaire, also recalled the struggle of trying to remain angry while looking at Grimes and his infectious laughter.
The series “Ted” is written, executive produced, and directed by Seth MacFarlane. Other executive producers include Erica Huggins, Alana Kleiman, Jason Clark, and Aimee Carlson. “Ted” consists of seven episodes and is available for streaming now.
In summary, Scott Grimes drew inspiration from classic TV family dynamics, particularly from “All in the Family,” while portraying his character, Matty Bennett, in the series “Ted.” The intense confession scene involving Matty pleasuring a dog in Vietnam proved to be difficult to film, requiring multiple takes. The series is created and directed by Seth MacFarlane, and it is currently available for streaming.