He's Gotta Have It

"He's Gotta Have It" is the first season finale of the American fantasy comedy series Ted. Written by Paul Corrigan and Brad Walsh and directed by series creator Seth MacFarlane, it premiered on the American streaming service Peacock, along with the rest of season one, on January 11, 2024. The series acts as a precursor to the Ted film franchise, showcasing the childhood lives of the protagonists.

The series, set in 1993, focuses on John Bennett (Max Burkholder), the series' primary protagonist, an awkward high-school aged boy; along with Ted (MacFarlane), the series' titular anthropomorphic teddy bear. The two live with John's family, Susan (Alanna Ubach), his mild mannered mother, and Matty (Scott Grimes), his conservative father. Also residing with the family is Blaire (Giorgia Whigham), his radically liberal cousin whom often clashes with Matty. In the episode, Ted attempts to help John both lose his virginity and get a date for the prom. After succeeding in the latter, John ends up alienating his date by lying about his sexual experience.

Much like the rest of the first season, the episode continues to parody popular culture in the 1990s, notably the 1992 film Aladdin. The episode's conclusion helps give a proper origin to the "Thunder Buddies" song seen in the first Ted film. Upon release, the episode received positive reviews from critics, with certain scenes being highlighted as some of the season's greatest moments.