Year: 2009
Running Time: 300 minutes
Rated: G
SRP: $ 29.98
Studio(s): 20th Century Fox
Release Date: December 1, 2009

Film/Feature: A–
Working in scientific research, is not as glamourous as other high profile careers. I come to that conclusion based on how many movies and television shows have been based on science and research… yeah, it’s tough to come up with one–until now.

Better Off Ted is about the inner-workings of global think tank, Veridian Dynamics, a research and development company in the dozens of fields including innovative industrial products, biomedicine, cryogenics as well as, defense technology. They come up with innovations such as biocomputers, exploding pumpkins, cow-less beef, and hair-growth remedies. This particular division of Veridian is headed by Veronica Palmer (Portia De Rossi) and in charge of research is Ted Crisp (Jay Harrington). Ted talks directly to the camera and is our main entry point to the company. He’s a confident, organized, corporate stiff who’s wife ran out on him and their daughter, Rose (Isabella Acres) who keeps her father in check.

Reporting directly to Ted are Head Scientists Phil Myman (Jonathan Slavin) Lem Hewitt (Malcolm Barrett), who are kept in the basement away from corporate but are always involved in the episode as they have to update the uppers of their progress, present in front of the board, and some of their experiments make their way up the building. Linda Zwordling (Andrea Anders) also reports to Ted. She works in the Testing, is the company idealist, flirts with Ted, and looks to violate company policies in protest of the anti-autonomous corporate culture.

De Rossi plays what she does best, and that’s playing a cold, heartless bitch. Borrowing familiar notes from her character in Arrested Development, De Rossi embodies corporate management perfectly lacking any sensitivity, looking for ways to cost-cut, and living the coda of ‘company first, employees last.’ She carries out mandates by her superiors and throws enough bones and scrap meat to the employees to keep them satisfied that they have a job.

It’s not comedy because it’s made up, folks.

Also separating Better Off Ted from the TV trash is accurate nonsensical workplace foibles, like the conversations between technical and marketing where there’s something lost in translation, unreasonable deadlines, cubicle communities, and dozens of other Dilbert-esque situations that all too many people can relate to. There’s also one Veridian commercial each episode that eerily mimics the style of science marketing, in painfully dry, and hilarious summations of that particular show. They have a special way of giving you hope and terrifying you at the same time. Sometimes the show even goes where it probably shouldn’t, and gives it a great satirical edge, like when the a cost-cutting move to install inferior motion light sensors keep all of the African American employees in the dark, or when Ted wrestles with the morality of helping his daughter outsell her classmate who is disabled.

I pray this show doesn’t fall prey to the same endings as Sports Night or Arrested Development as shows being so smartly written that it scares off a lot of people, and they’re run is cut too soon. Despite the setting, this show should strike a familiar chord with anyone who has worked in a corporate environment. It’s not important to have worked in corporate science to laugh at Better Off Ted because the comedic situations are universal. Corporate mentality and culture is so deeply engraved in our minds and what better to laugh at than life itself, right? But if you do work in science or technology be proud that your profession is so cleverly portrayed on television. You’ll get even more out of this show than the average person. And if you just know someone who works in science, tell them to take their head out of the books and watch this show.

Video: B
Better Off Ted has a standard definition, 480p transfer in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. I watch the show regularly in high definition when it’s originally broadcasted so in comparing that to the DVD, it has a much less sharp and detailed pop off the screen. Still, it doesn’t detract from what is overall a solid looking transfer. Good color and reproduction of skin tones are there; there are not many night scenes to really determine how good the black levels are, but contrast, shadow delineation, and saturation are at satisfactory levels with thankfully no post-production “enhancements” visible. Early on, especially in the Pilot episode, compression artifacts are visible in the Veridian commercials. As the series continues, though, they seem to correct that problem. Otherwise a fine looking show.

Audio: B+
A 5.1 English Dolby Digital audio track is a bit overkill for this series which is mostly weighted in the center channel. Dialogue from the center channel is the bread and butter of the series but a haunting brew of corporate choral music will surround you from all directions. Other audio selections include: a 2.0 Spanish Dolby Stereo track and ugly white and pixelated subtitles are available in English SDH, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Extras: F
There are no extras. This is a big disappointment but hopefully with more viewers, more money can be budgeted for some fun extras.

Overall Shock Value:A–
With all of the suffocating reality shows, it’s good to know that well-written shows still exist. Better Off Ted is one of those shows with enough quirks, wit and charm that you just can’t help but want more of it. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone in this thought because it was nominated for the Emmy Award for Best Comedy Series and was renewed for a second season and follows Scrubs at ABC on Tuesdays 9:30/8:30 Central. Despite the lack of extras, I’m still highly recommending this DVD as a stocking stuffer, or just a simple treat for yourself; because in the abyss of bad television, network shows as good as this deserve the attention. I have no doubt that people who work in any tech field will enjoy this, as will fans of Dilbert and Arrested Development. Buy it! and Long live corporate nerds!