Having seen both Ted films in a theatre, I'm convinced the secret to any success to be found in either one of them is the communal experience. This was no more sophisticated or mature than the original film, but I didn't find that nearly as funny as I expected. Having enjoyed the sequel much more, I can only assume it was because I saw the original in a cinema with only about six other people.

Ted's (Seth McFarlane) still with his skanky girlfriend Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth), and when they decide to adopt a baby to save their ailing marriage, Ted finds he doesn't have legal personhood because he isn't human. He gradually loses his apartment, job and everything else, and buddy John (Mark Wahlberg) and he find Ted's only hope is to prove his agency in court.

They enlist beautiful young lawyer Samantha (Amanda Seyfried) to help Ted's cause and hit the road to make his case. There's a whole other thing going on with Donnie (Ribisi), the creepy guy who was obsessed with Ted in the last movie, and a climax set at New York Comic Con, but it's all like the secondary storylines that pad out each episode of Macfarlane's show American Dad.

The two-note plot is just an excuse to string visual and verbal gags and pop culture references together. It's all pretty critic proof. If you're in the mood or of the ilk for this kind of comedy you'll laugh enough to warrant spending your money, MacFarlane's proven definitively he isn't interested in the high road.