WEEKEND REVIEW OF TED 2

2015 rating: *1/2

For what's considered a silly stoner buddy comedy, TED was pretty philosophical, taking on everything from pop culture to relationships to religion. Through the safety net filter of a foul-mouthed, pot smoking Teddy Bear, Seth McFarland could channel everything he loathed without restraint and, providing the voice of the titular doll turned human-like sidekick of Mark Wahlberg’s sweet-natured Boston slacker John, the sky was the limit.

Like any comedy sequel, the main agenda here is to go so overboard, fans will forget the past. Right off the bat is a dance number opening credit sequence, as if Seth’s Oscar gig inspired an extravaganza that might lead to something maybe not better, but definitely bigger this time around... Nothing doing.

With a semi-serious plot about Ted going to court to prove he’s human enough to have a baby with his wife; a new love interest for the divorced John in cool chick lawyer Amanda Seyfried; a pointless road trip and a handful of lazy cameos seeming like guests at a stranger’s funeral, TED 2 doesn’t try for anything, really, that would push the envelop any further in this bland vehicle, too contained to be extemporaneous, too restrained to be raucous, too reserved to be controversial, and using the same lame villain, can’t even die with dignity.