TV Jots

A Matter of Perspective

I was pretty bummed yesterday when I realized ABC had pulled the previously scheduled episode of always-fun comedy Better Off Ted in favor of a 20/20 special honoring Michael Jackson. The programming change wasn’t a huge surprise, of course, since Tuesday was the day of Jackson’s big memorial event. However, Better Off Ted was missed, at least in my home.

So, in tribute to one of television’s more entertaining sitcoms, the latest TV Quotable focuses on Better Off Ted and a little exchange that occurs during the June 30 episode “Bioshuffle.”

When a toxic leak invades the administrative section of Veridian Dynamics, employees who work in the area are forced to dig up their cubicle roots and relocate temporarily, including lovely, sarcastic Linda (Andrea Anders).

Her boss Ted (Jay Harrington) understandably doesn’t want to share his spacious office with her because they’ve got this whole inappropriate attraction thing going on. But how can he refuse when Linda barges on in anyway and sets up shop?

Unfortunately, Ted has no idea just how difficult it will be to remain productive in the same room with Linda. Not only do their work styles clash like a ton of bricks hurtling to the ground, but then there’s also the following issue.

Ted stares at Linda’s butt as she bends over doing something.

Linda [turns around and notices before Ted can look away]: Are you staring at my butt?

Ted: Hmm? No, your butt is in my staring place. So, technically, it’s staring at me.

Linda [smiling]: Sorry. It’s from a small town. It’s never seen a big businessman like you before.

Ted [with a dead-serious look on his face]: Well, tell it to act more professional. It’s making a spectacle of itself.

Linda smiles harder and turns back around to bend over in the same position.

Oh, get a room — outside of the office — already!