Better Off Ted might be dead

…word on the street is that Better Off Ted didn’t get picked up as one of ABC’s early pickups, and has generally had disappointing ratings. Nonetheless, I remain hopeful that ABC will give this show some time to find an audience. More than any recent show, it reminds me of Andy Richter Controls the Universe, which you can see below on my list of favorite (cancelled) shows. This show is ostensibly about Ted, who helps run the research division of a large, frighteningly powerful multinational corporation (the fake commercials for Veridian Dynamics are one of the highlights of the show, I think), but the supporting characters (particularly the two lead scientists in the lab) steal the show. Very funny stuff, and with a satirical bite that often cuts surprisingly deep into issues such as racism, greed, and elementary school fundraisers.