History Series / BetterOffTed

Ted Crisp (Jay Harrington) is the head of Research and Development for Veridian Dynamics, a company that manufactures anything and everything that could make them a profit (weaponizing pumpkins and cryogenically freezing employees is just the tip of the iceberg - no pun intended). His boss is Veronica Palmer (Portia de Rossi), a terrifyingly go-getter executive always looking to cut costs and seem intimidating so that employees do not feel encouraged to talk to her. Although Ted and Veronica had a brief affair, neither seems to be holding a torch for the other in the first season, though in the second season their friendship deepens. On the other end of Verdian Dynamics' employee list is Linda Zwordling (Andrea Anders), a sweet, if off-beat, member of Ted's team who often provides the voice of humanity when the team gets carried away with science.

''Better Off Ted'' is a 30 minute WorkCom with a twist (besides the insane and hilarious inventions that are produced by Veridian Dynamics that occasionally turn the series into stealth sci-fi); Ted often uses the camera as a confessional, breaking the fourth wall and offering commentary on the strange events constantly unfolding around him. Unlike in ''Series/{{The Office|US}}'', Ted is the only one who speaks to the camera and does it while going about his business (as opposed to ''The Office'' which takes the form of a documentary). Most (but not all) episodes also feature a faux commercial from Veridian Dynamics reflecting the theme of the episode. For example: "Man and Machines. Best Friends Forever ([[CrushKillDestroy We Hope]])."

* {{Rickroll}}: The elevator music in 2x06, "Beating a Dead Workforce", is a cover of this sung by Veronica. Ted even dances to it later in the episode. Lampshaded by the fact Veronica "boop-de-boops" most of the lyrics because she doesn't actually know the words beyond the chorus (which is all most people hear when they're rickrolled).

* AltumVidetur: Apparently the company has a PretentiousLatinMotto that translates as "Money Before People" (according to Veronica "it sounds more heroic in Latin").

* GratuitousGerman: Subverted, kind of. The Germans appearing in one episode might not be real Germans but they do a pretty good job at faking it. As does Phil.

* PretentiousLatinMotto: We are told that one of these is engraved in the lobby floor, as a [[AltumVidetur more attractive]] translation for "money before people."

** exploding pumpkins
** solar-powered ovens that leach poisons into food when exposed to ''sun light''
** killer androids

** plates that light on fire when smacked against a hard surface

* SoBeautifulItsACurse: Parodied in "Racial Sensitivity." Veronica, handling a complaint from a group of black employees, tell them that she, too, knows what it's like to deal with discrimination... and then proceeds to talk about how no one liked her in high school because she was so pretty.

* {{Office}}: The main setting, often with a fairly surreal bent.

* WorthlessTreasureTwist: Veronica helps an eccentric CEO search for files he hid years ago to prevent him from being forcibly retired. They finally discover it, the man gloating on how his board will do anything to avoid the public knowing of such things as smoking causing cancer or the dangers of various building materials. Veronica stares as she realizes the "secrets" are all things that have been public knowledge for years.

* WorthlessTreasureTwist: Veronica helps a CEO search for files he hid years ago to prevent him from being forcibly retired. They finally discover it, the man gloating on how his board will do anything to avoid the public knowing of such things as smoking causing cancer or the dangers of various building materials. Veronica stares as she realizes the "secrets" are all things that have been public knowledge for years.

* DancePartyEnding: The series closes as Phil, Lem and Linda happily dance badly in the lab, while playing the game "Bowling at Nachos", which appears to involve cheese sauce and lab equipment.

*** Ted refers to the sexual harassment group as a [[TheLeagueofExtraordinaryGentlemen "league of extraordinarily perverted gentlemen"]] in this episode as well.
** In "Beating a Dead Workforce", Veronica is able to convince everyone at eulogy to get back to work with a long speech that ends with "Now let's go upstairs and get back to work, [[ThreeHundred for tonight, we dine in Hell!]]"

* ActionGirl: Linda appears in TheTag of "You Are the Boss Of Me" in full XenaWarriorPrincess regalia, complete with sword.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Better_Off_Ted.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Left to right: [[TheHeart Linda]], [[TheProtagonist Ted]], [[IceQueen Veronica]], [[CloudCuckoolander Phil]], and [[BlackAndNerdy Lem]].]]

Ted Crisp (Jay Harrington) is the head of Research and Development for Veridian Dynamics, a company that manufactures anything and everything that could make them a profit (weaponizing pumpkins and cryogenically freezing employees is just the tip of the iceberg - no pun intended). His boss is Veronica Palmer (Portia de Rossi), a terrifyingly go-getter executive always looking to cut costs and seem intimidating so that employees do not feel encouraged to talk to her. Although Ted and Veronica had a brief affair, neither seems to be holding a torch for the other in the first season, though in the second season their friendship deepens. On the other end of Verdian Dynamics' employee list is Linda Zwordling (Andrea Anders), a sweet, if off-beat member of Ted's team, who often provides the voice of humanity when the team gets carried away with science.

Better Off Ted is a 30 minute WorkCom with a twist (besides the insane and hilarious inventions that are produced by Veridian Dynamics that occasionally turn the series into stealth sci-fi); Ted often uses the camera as a confessional, breaking the fourth wall and offering commentary on the strange events constantly unfolding around him. Unlike in ''Series/{{The Office|US}}'', Ted is the only one who speaks to the camera and does it while going about his business (as opposed to The Office which takes the form of a documentary). Most (but not all) episodes also feature a faux commercial from Veridian Dynamics reflecting the theme of the episode. For example: "Man and Machines. Best Friends Forever ([[CrushKillDestroy We Hope]])."

* TheCastShowoff: Portia de Rossi's real-life singing skills are spotlighted for laughs when a recording of Veronica performing "Never Gonna Give You Up" is played in an elevator, and later in a more straightforward manner when she duets with Ted on "I Got You Babe". Malcolm Barrett, who is also a rapper, gets one of his songs played in an episode, too.

* FakeAmerican: Portia de Rossi is actually Australian. Like [[Series/{{House}} a certain actually-British doctor]] most people never figure this out (it should be noted that in interviews de Rossi uses an American accent as well). Though you can still hear it in the "y" when she says "anything".

* ScrewedByTheNetwork: Between terrible promotion and shifting time slots it's not too surprising they decided to get the trifecta and pre-empt its final two episodes.
** Possible further screwing action by the decision not to release Season 2 on DVD.
** In ABC's defence it should be noted that the network did announce plans to air the final two episode in June 2010, contingent on that year's NBA Finals not needing a 7th game. The inconsiderate basketball players went overtime, however, and the broadcast was cancelled and not rescheduled.
** A number of critics have noted that [[EpunymousTitle the show's title was meaningless]] and didn't help the show gain awareness; the network could have had the title changed, but chose not to.

-->'''Veronica:''' A ''roof garden?'' Will you two just bang, already?

* ShoutOut: "Where's the [[Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined frakking]] aspirin?"

* NoodleImplements: Several are mentioned, usually in relation to something Phil and Lem shouldn't have done.

* BlatantLies: Veronica frequently uses these to achieve her means.

* TheILoveYouStigma: Ted, on a first date ([[HowIMetYourMother hmm, that sounds familiar]]) in "Love Blurts".