Better off Ted was a show that was aimed at the idea of a man that was doing the best he could with what he had and was doing pretty well despite the fact that the company he worked for was essentially heartless and quite cold. That thankfully didn’t describe everyone in his life as he continually broke the fourth wall to narrate the story and tell the viewers just what was going on. This has been done numerous times in TV shows and in movies throughout the years and it tends to be a desired effect at times as it seems to integrate the audience with the program while allowing them to still be entertained. Unfortunately the show only lasted two seasons due to the fact that not enough people tuned in, and was gone after the second season. It could have been seen as one of those shows that made a contribution in moving forward with the fourth wall break, but apart from that it was just another sitcom that had a chance and somehow missed it.
Here’s what happened to the cast.
Isabelle Acres – Rose Crisp
Isabelle hasn’t been idle since her time on the show and has been starring as a guest in several TV shows and has also gone on to do a few movies, as well as a few voice roles. Given that she’s still in her teens there’s a lot that she could still do with her life if she so chooses but so far she seems content to stay in show business and make a go of it. After all when you’ve got this much time on your hands there’s a lot out there that seems possible.
Jonathan Slavin – Phil
They say never to judge person by their appearance but Jonathan doesn’t really hide the fact that he’s an animal rights activist, which he shouldn’t, or that he’s gay, which he really shouldn’t have to. He was married in 2016 to his partner of 22 years and together they have a large number of adopted pets. He’s a very passionate actor and activist and while he is a valued part of any cast looking at him seems to indicate that there is a lot more to him than you’re seeing. To date he has continued to act, but there’s not a lot else to talk about from his bio.
Malcolm Barrett – Lem
Malcolm hasn’t been laying low at all since the show and has been quite busy. When it comes to films he’s been Dear White People, Larry Crowne, and several others. In TV he’s been a guest star on a few shows and managed to secure roles in Timeless and Preacher. So you can honestly say that this guy didn’t wait around to find another part when the show was cancelled, he was already out and looking for the next big role that would continue his career.
Andrea Anders – Linda Zwordling
Since the show ended she’s managed to take guest roles and even be seen more than once on other shows. She hasn’t been insanely busy but she’s stayed on the radar and is currently filming the movie Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase. So she’s still around, but she seems to be taking it easy for now.
Jay Harrington – Ted Crisp
As far as movies go he hasn’t done a lot since 2015 but he did star in American Reunion in 2012 as Dr. Ron, the guy that Stifler eventually knocks out at the reunion. But when it comes to TV he seems to have found a few projects that have treated him well so far. He did appear on Suits during season 7 when he became a recurring character, and he is a part S.W.A.T., where he’s a part of the main cast.
Portia de Rossi – Veronica Palmer
Portia hasn’t done much in the movies since 2015 much like her former costar Harrington, but she too found a bit more success in TV where she eventually became a main character on the show Scandal. She’s also had guest appearances in other shows since that time and has continued to act. There was a bit of a scandal in 2017 when Portia claimed that Steven Seagal exposed himself to her while she was auditioning to be in one of his movies.
Better off Ted could have been something fun and amusing to watch in its time but it failed to reach enough people and thus didn’t manage to impress those that were responsible for its continued existence. This is too bad really since it looked like it could have been a good show and it got favorable reviews from those that watched it. Unfortunately this does happen from time to time, the shows that should be kept on the air are taken off simply because not enough people decide that it’s what they want to watch.
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