A 'Ted' series is set to debut on Peacock. How real is its Framingham depiction?
FRAMINGHAM — Everyone's favorite foul-mouthed Teddy bear is back, and it turns out he's from Framingham.
"Ted" will stream on Peacock beginning Jan. 11. It follows Ted, a sentiment-talking Teddy bear, and his human friend John Bennett. The seven-episode series is set in 1993 and in Framingham.
The seven-episode series is a prequel to the 2012 movie, "Ted," which starred Mark Wahlberg as Bennett and Seth MacFarlane, creator of "Family Guy," as the talking bear. There was also a sequel, "Ted 2," released in 2015.
The show, which follows Bennett as he goes to high school, was always going to be set in Massachusetts, showrunners and executive producers Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh said. Framingham was chosen as the location.
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"It was a little bit organic," said Walsh. "We had a pretty strong Boston and New England presence in the writers room. I think it may have been something as simple as someone shouting out Framingham."
Corrigan added: "It was great to work with so many people from New England."
Who is starring in Peacock's series 'Ted'
MacFarlane returns to his role as Ted. Max Burkholder takes over for Wahlberg, as the teenage Bennett.
The series also stars Scott Grimes and Alanna Ubach as Bennett's parents, and Giora Whigham as Bennett's cousin.
Was 'Ted' filmed in Framingham, Massachusetts?
While set in Framingham, the series wasn't actually shot there — although Walsh said there were some background shots set there. In the trailer, there appears to be a scene with downtown Framingham in the background.
There's definitely a New England feel to it.
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"It's weaved through the fabric of the episodes," Corrigan said.
There's also a joke in one of the episodes about the Katharine Gibbs School, which was featured in many afternoon commercials in New England in the 1980s and '90s.
"That joke is for one region of the country," Walsh said, referring to it being something only New Englanders would know about.
What was Framingham like in the 1980s and 1990s when 'Ted' is set?
Framingham in 1993 was a different place than it is now. Framingham was still a town, often referred to as the largest town in America.
The population hasn't changed by much — a little more than 63,000 in 1993 when the show takes place and about 70,000 now.
The downtown is very different. Longtime residents often describe the downtown in the 1990s as having many empty storefronts. Today it's full of businesses, many owned by Brazilian Americans.
How to stream 'Ted' on Peacock
"Ted" is set to premiere on Peacock on Thursday, Jan. 11. To subscribe, visit Peacocktv.com.
Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date news, follow him on Twitter @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime.
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Where is 'Ted' set? Here's why the Peacock show picked Framingham
