In 2010, the sitcom Better Off Ted aired its final episode after just two seasons. The show was praised by critics but failed to find an audience, and was eventually canceled. Better Off Ted was created by Victor Fresco and starred Jay Harrington, Portia de Rossi, Andrea Anders, Isabella Acres, and Jonathan Slavin. The show tells the story of Ted Crisp, the head of research and development at the fictional Veridian Dynamics corporation. With one critic naming the show one of the best comedies of 2010, Better Off Ted was a show canceled too soon. Not to worry about its cast, however, who have gone on to work on exciting projects after the show went off the air. Here’s what the cast members of the show have been up to since Better Off Ted was pulled off the airwaves:
Jay Harrington
Jay Harrington portrayed the titular Ted on the show. After Better Off Ted was canceled, Harrington starred on the short-lived USA series Benched. He has also guest-starred on a number of shows, including Suits and Hot in Cleveland. Most recently, he had a lead role in the drama series S.W.A.T. In an old interview with Entertainment Weekly, Jay Harrington provided a description of the character he played in the series, agreeing with the interviewer who characterized Ted as a “smart guy who’s more than a litle naive?” “I think he is. We’ve talked a little bit about his ex-wife who went on to save the world, and there’s probably a part of that in Ted as well. But he somehow found himself in a conservative right-wing world. In a sense, he’s a fish-out-of-water who’s just trying to stay the course and do the right thing, as morally as possible at Veridian Dynamics. And being a single dad helps motivate his decisions. There’s so many selfish characters on TV, and there’s so many selfish characters on this show, it’s nice to have someone who’s ultimately there for somebody else.”
Portia de Rossi
Portia de Rossi is an actress from Australia who began her career appearing on several popular television shows in her home country before moving to the United States in the early 1990s. De Rossi made her Hollywood debut in the movie Scream 2 and went on to star in a number of films and television shows, including Ally McBeal. After her role as Veronica on Better Off Ted, de Rossi starred on the hit ABC show Arrested Development for three seasons. She has also had roles in a number of films, including Unity and Now Add Honey. De Rossi is married to talkshow host Ellen DeGeneres.
Andrea Anders
Anders played Ted’s love interest, Linda, on Better Off Ted. After the show’s cancellation, she had a recurring role on the show Mr. Sunshine. She has also guest-starred on shows like Modern Family, Young Sheldon, and The Good Fight. Most recently, she had a role in the Emmy-favorite comedy Ted Lasso.
Isabella Acres
Acres played Ted’s daughter, Rose, on the show. After Better Off Ted ended, she voiced the character of Katie in Phineas and Ferb. She has also had recurring roles in Touch and Sofia the First.
Jonathan Slavin
Slavin played Phil Myman, Ted’s research and development assistant, on Better Off Ted. After the show ended, he had a lead role in Dr. Ken and recurring roles on the series Speechless and Santa Clarita Diet. He has also guest-starred on shows like Raising Hope, The Finder, Grace and Frankie, and Friends with Better Lives. Outside of his work as an actor, Slavin is a known animal advocate. In an interview with The Pet Gazette, Slavin discussed how he spends his free time away from the cameras advocating for and rescuing animals: “To date, I have spent some time out at Farm Sanctuary and also Best Friends out in Utah and some volunteer work with them locally. I have done mobile adoption events and I always do the shelter dog events because the dogs that are fosters go back to fosters and dogs that are in shelters and going back to shelters, so I try to focus some of my energy there. But, once you start being an advocate for animals, people kinda find you.” It looks like Slavin has been particularly busy on this front since leaving Better Off Ted.
Malcolm Barrett
Malcolm Barrett portrayed Tim, one of Ted’s colleagues, on the show. After Better Off Ted was canceled, Barrett had a recurring role on the AMC series Preacher. He has also guest-starred on shows like The Office, Key & Peele, and Truth Be Told. Most recently, he starred in the films Literally, Right Before Aaron and The Comeback Trail. In an interview with Cryptic Rock, Barrett explained how he got into acting, which led him to Better Off Ted and many other impressive projects: “At the end of the day I like telling stories. I like telling stories about people who are from the same place I am. I love telling stories about things I don’t usually get to see or that interest me – whether it be Comedy, Horror, or getting a deeper look into who we are as people. I used to write stories when I was kid and my first grade teacher would have me read them to kindergartners. I was also a big reader, so that winded up translating into doing poetry and the stage. I just had a huge passion for performing in one way or another and it wound up bleeding professionally into acting.” He also declared that he has a particular attraction to comedy among all the genres: “I don’t know. I apparently have some sort of an affinity for comedy. To be honest, I like whatever challenges me in a new way. I like language, so I think the better the writing is for a character, it’s always going to be interesting to me; whether it’s Horror, Comedy, or a Drama. As long as I get to express myself through the writing in a smart, complex way, it’s probably always going to grab my interest.”
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