COMING out in the middle of the pandemic, during the height of doom and gloom, Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso was kind of a breath of fresh air – especially when compared to a lot of the heavy dramas led by brooding anti-heroes.
The show is centred around Jason Sudeikis as the titular character, a hilariously out of his depth American football coach now tasked with managing a moribund ‘soccer’ (his words, not mine) team, AFC Richmond. Initially treated with hostility and derision by snobby and crass Brits, Ted eventually wins them over with his overwhelming optimism and wholesomeness.
It can read as corny, but the show is entirely unafraid of embracing sentimentality – which is a big part of the appeal. Its complete lack of cynicism is kind of an antidote to the dire times we find ourselves in.
Of course, this sweetness can go too far and in fact, turns off plenty of people. The second season of the show received plenty of criticism for going too far with its heartwarming tone, specifically in the special Christmas episode. It also had the feeling of a sophomore slump, with the overall plot being aimless at points.
A couple episodes into Ted Lasso’s third season, it seems the writing staff – which includes Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), and Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent) pulling double duty – have managed to right the ship. A part of that is a sense of direction in the story.
Promoted back into the Premier League, AFC Richmond is ranked dead last and has to prove the doubters (which seems to be the entire UK) wrong. Former kitman-turned-wunderkind Nathan Shelley (Nick Mohammed) – in one of the more outlandish developments – is now the manager of West Ham United FC.
You know they’re the bad guys because they wear black and team owner Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head) has an office that seems to be inspired by Emperor Palpatine’s decor. Rupert is of course AFC Richmond owner Rebecca Welton’s (Hannah Waddingham) ex-husband.
In the centre of it, while trying to keep a happy face, Ted is seemingly getting more homesick by the day as he’s afraid of missing out on his son’s childhood – London is a long ways away from Kansas City.
Part of what makes Ted Lasso work as a show – besides the often well-written rapid fire jokes – is how it balances being wholesome and crass (there is a lot of cursing), as well as comedy and drama (depression is a major throughline of the show).
When it doesn’t work, it can be cloying to the point of sickness, but when it does work, as it often does, it will make you laugh and cry in the same scene, sometimes all at once. Sudeikis has been vocal about wrapping up this story in three seasons, so hopefully Ted Lasso goes out on a high note. – The Vibes, March 19, 2023
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