Better Off Ted (2009-2010)

USA

Television Series

Creator: Victor Fresco

Cast: Jay Harrington, Portia de Rossi, Andrea Anders, Jonathan Slavin, Malcolm Barrett, Isabella Acres

Fresco’s inspired, laugh-out-loud funny series follows the misadventures of five amoral employees of a giant, evil corporation, Veridian Dynamics, which manufactures everything from unbreakable plates and aerodynamic bagels to weaponised pumpkins and cowless beef, all whilst treating its workers like disposable pawns.

Season 1 (2009)

Frequently hilarious, often brilliant, and never less than thoroughly entertaining, this outstanding first season, with its beautifully-drawn, strangely likable protagonists, effortlessly mixes much satirical workplace lunacy with some gentler, character-based laugh-getting.

Season 2 (2010)

It’s a case of more of the same, really, in this hugely entertaining second season, which certainly isn’t a bad thing, though it seldom reaches the inspired heights of the first season, with very few episodes coming even close to the likes of the first outing’s trouser-soilingly funny Racial Sensitivity. Iain.Stott