Ted Lasso - Complete Review
Ted Lasso
I remember watching this 5-minute clip on YouTube starring Jason Sudeikis promoting the English Premier League, and I only watched it because I love Jason from SNL and all his characters, I always felt that he was so funny when shouting angrily (which is the complete opposite in Ted Lasso). In the clip a US Football coach comes to England to coach a soccer team. And it is just plain funny to see how Jason reacts a coach who knows nothing about European Football. So, this was about 7 years ago and now we see that Apple Tv+ has made a whole show out of this character. And it is one well thought out show.
Episode 1
The show starts with Rebecca Welton played by Hannah
Waddingham firing the existing coach of AFC Richmond (the football team).
Rebecca is the owner of the club but we soon learn that she got the club in the
divorce from her husband whom she despises because, well because the husband is
a jerk. So, she wants to humiliate her ex-husband and the way she feels best is
to hire a good for nothing coach who will destroy his own team and she would
just sit back and watch.
We see Ted Lasso for the first time on the flight to England
and from the moment you see him you will notice 2 things about him. The thick
Kansas accent of his, and that smile that he always carries with himself
forcing you to like this one and you just know he will be a joy to watch. He
always is supported by his friend and assistant coach, Coach Beard.
Ted meets Rebecca and the team. His kindness is shown when
he meets Nathan the kit man for the team and asks his name. Nathan tells him
that nobody ever asks for his name and Ted just waits for Nathan to say his
name. He does not show any condescending behaviour or sympathises with him, hinting
to the audience that he is genuinely a person who is good and expects that
others will be too.
The last 3 minutes of the episode are a complete contrast to the rest of the 27 minutes in the episode. When Ted reaches his apartment at night the tone of the show changes completely. We hear some sombre music in the background and we suddenly realize how alone Ted is. He calls his son and then talks to his wife where we realize that the reason, he accepted a job offer so far was because his marriage is falling apart and his wife needs some time and space.
Episode 2
The 2nd episode introduces a new character to the
show that is COOKIES. Yes, you read it write cookies brought out by Ted. They
turn out to be something rather special which you will see later in the episodes.
With these cookies Ted makes an effort to get to know his boss well, but
Rebecca is not too keen on that. On training day, we see Jamie (the golden boy)
being smug about his performance. Rebecca comes up with a plan to antagonize
Jamie by getting a photograph of Ted and Keeley (Jamie’s girlfriend) looking
intimate. Ted goes to see Keeley to ask her about how to motivate Jamie in
being a team player where the news reporter captures a photograph of the two of
them together.
At the end of the episode there are two things that we realize. One that the cookies that Ted gets, he bakes himself at home, but hasn’t told anyone. Second the devious plan of Rebecca to destroy this club is fuelled by her divorce and the affairs of her husband that the media keeps highlighting and blames and taunts her.
Episode 3
On the third day the devious plan of her to rip the image of
Ted and anger Jamie falls apart because Keeley gets a hold of the picture
before hand and shows it to Ted who can only think of one person who can make
this problem go away. And they both go to Rebecca. Rebecca scared that they
might be able to trace back the person who was hired to take the photograph
tells Ted and Keely that she will talk to the owner of the newspaper. In
exchange for this Trent Crimm from The Independent (news reporter) will do a
profile of Coach Ted by spending a day with him. On the other side of the team
we notice that Ted wants the team’s captain Roy Kent to step up to Jamie who
along with a couple of his teammates is bullying Nathan and playing pranks on
him. Ted wants Roy to lead his team.
Trent Crimm from “The Independent” meets Coach Ted on the
field where the team is practicing. He is shocked to learn that a new tactic
that they are training for was the idea of their Kit Man, Nate the Great. For
the first time we see Keeley and Rebecca connecting, where Keeley tells Rebecca
that she is quite intimidated by her or let’s just say scared.
While having dinner with Ted, Trent Crimm realizes that Ted
is very serious about his job as a coach because he loves coaching. He tells
Trent that he is not concerned by wins and losses but on how the players will
achieve the best versions of themselves on and off the field. Trent says in his
article “Although Ted Lasso will fail because of his unusual coaching style but
you cannot help but root for him.”
So even the resilient Trent Crimm has succumbed to the magic
of Ted Lasso. Ted has won over him and maybe through this article some more
people of the town. Turns out a genuine smile and kindness without any ego is
really the key to winning people over, truly. Even if they don’t like you. You
will see. This thing infuriates Rebecca.
Episode 4
This whole episode takes place in the Annual charity Ball for
Underprivileged Children that Rebecca throws every year but this time for the
first time without Rupert. (that’s what she thinks). In the auction, people bid
for the team players to go on a date with. The main musical guest has cancelled
and Rebecca is all tensed up about it.
Meanwhile realizing that the team is divided between Jamie
and Roy, Ted seats them up on the same table to sort this mess out. Rebecca, while
giving a speech at the ball sees Rupert, her ex-husband waltzing in and she is
absolutely shocked to see him. He comes and steal the show from her and she
cannot do anything. Rebecca introduces Ted to Rupert. The three of them talking
Rupert makes some classic misogynist and patronizing comments about Rebecca.
Whenever you hear those be aware that, that person is supposed to be the
villain of the story. Ted learns that
Rupert actually cancelled the musician booked for the event. So, Ted finds a
local street musician and puts him on the stage. At the end of the episode
Keeley breaks up with Jamie.
Episode 5
Ted’s wife and son visit him in this episode. Michelle (his
wife) and his son (I don’t remember his name so let’s call him buddy). All
three of them are seen having good family time and this makes Ted hopeful that
his marriage is going well. But he is shocked when he sees Michelle crying and
she tells him that she is trying very hard to love Ted like she used to but she
is not able to. She is just hanging on to the marriage because she does not
want to hurt Ted.
Meanwhile Ted is trying his best to make Jamie realize what
being a team player means but Jamie doesn’t consider this team worth it. He
believes that the crowd comes to see him and the only reason AFC Richmond wins
is because Jamie is scoring goals. Which might be true because there are no
other strikers in this team or so it seems. On the field Jamie scores a goal
for the team but his celebration of the goal is too self-centred for Ted and
then he makes a radical decision to show Jamie that this team is something even
without him. He decides to sub Jamie just before the half time when the scores
are tied 2-2 where both the goals were scored by Jamie. Jamie naturally is
livid with this and so is the crowd. But it is all part of the plan of Ted
Lasso of getting through Jamie which could have worked if you asked me but the
writers had to throw a curve ball there for a great ending of the show.
Surprisingly they win the match.
At the end of the show you will fell sorry for Ted because
of what he does or rather he has to do. He tells Michelle she doesn’t have to
keep trying anymore for his sake and that he is going to be okay. At this point
I realized that I know the name of the random girl on the street with whom Ted
meets every day, Shannon and plays football with but his son is either big guy, kiddo or
buddy.
Episode 6
Conveniently when Jamie is angry for what happened in the
last match, we get to know about another striker that AFC Richmond has, who was
injured but now has recovered and he plays in the same position as Jamie’s.
Convenient right. And turns out he is as good as Jamie or maybe even better.
Dani Rojas is his name. It is now we learn that Jamie Tart is actually a player
of Manchester City and is here on a loan. Rebecca asks whether he plans to
bench Jamie again or not because if so, they would like him back but he says
that he has a plan for him.
Dani while practicing trips and suffers a minor injury. The
team then tells Ted that the treatment room is cursed. Ted realises that this
curse needs to be revered and also this would be a great team bonding exercise.
For the curse to be lifted all the players bring something that they hold dear
to them to sacrifice. It is here when Jamie tells us the reason why he is such
a self-centred person and not a team player. It is because he wants to impress
his dad, gain his approval and that only happens when he dominates, that is
scores goals on his own. So, for that Jamie cannot pass the ball to his team
and never become a team player. I have seen that every time in a TV show or a
movie whenever there is a bad character not evil, just bad rest assured that
there is a good enough reason behind it that will be explored later in the
plot. It is all part of their character arc.
Now are you ready for this, I hope you are sitting down. Ted
lasso is not smiling here, moreover he is angry and furious. Why? Because
Rebecca got rid of Jamie. I know right, just when the team was getting
together, she took away the star player because she wants this team to
burn. Ted is so angry at Rebecca that he
gives her the cookies while shouting at her that this is the best batch he has
ever made. At this point I realize that
all the horrible things that Rebecca is doing and all the good things Ted is
doing is making Rebecca feeling guilty but it is not enough to stop her because
of all the HATE that she has for her ex-husband. That hate can only be gone
from inside and it will take her jerk ex-husband to do so. Those who giveth
shall take it away.
Episode 7
Michell sends the divorce papers for Ted to sign and the
team leaves for Liverpool for their match against Everton. Keeley and Rebecca
decide to have a girl’s weekend since this is Rebecca’s anniversary weekend and
she is quite sad. In the hotel Flo Collins visits Rebecca who is her best
friend but they haven’t been in touch for quite a while now.
AFC Richmond had not won against Everton in 60 years but
thanks to a great and angry speech by Nate the Great they manage to win the
match. They all go out to celebrate in a karaoke bar. Where Ted has a panic
attack and comes out of the bar having trouble breathing. Rebecca sees this and
calms him down. If any of you all ever have a panic attack, remember just
breath.
Episode 8
Ted walks into Rebecca’s office to thank her for helping him
that night. Rebecca asks him for a favour to join her to go and meet with some
minority holders of the club because she finds them appalling. Roy and Keeley
finally start dating, this romance had been kindling since quite a while now.
The meeting which is at the local bar to save money for a
new scouting location I presume. Rupert is already present there before hand
and tells Rebecca that he has bought the stake from the minority holders. Well
Rupert isn’t exactly allowed to own any stake in the club so his fiancée gets
the stake, who is also called Rebecca but goes by the name of Bex to as to
avoid any confusion to the viewers. It is clear that Rupert is trying to rub
this in the face of Rebecca and showing her that he will destroy her every
chance he gets. Seeing this humiliation our hero Ted finally steps up to bet
Rupert never to come near the owner’s box in the matches till Rebecca’s in
charge, by playing a game of Darts. Yes, you heard it correctly. The
fascinating, exhilarating and exciting game of darts. Ted wins this easily by
his left hand and gives some speech too that kind of humiliates Rupert.
On the other side of the story Roy and Keeley are walking
around the town on their first date when a photographer sneaks a photograph of
them kissing. Roy angrily takes his camera card which was in his pocket
somehow. I guess this newspaper needs more reporters because turns out that
this was the same reporter who took Ted and Keeley’s photograph in the
beginning. Keeley confronts Rebecca about this and warns her to come clean to
Ted about this or she will. Also,
Higgins who is the director of football operations for the club and to Rebecca
is mostly there to serve as a punching bag finally bursts into anger when he
realises that his owner is so blindsided by her goal of destroying Rupert that
she doesn’t care how many lives she destroys or how many hearts she breaks. And
he quits
Episode 9
It is the end of the season and there is one major change
that needs to take place. Roy Kent is not playing as well as he used to well
because he is getting old now. Coach Beard and Nate both agree that Roy should
not be in the starting line up of their next game. Ted does not agree to this
but soon realizes that this is best for the team.
On the other hand, Rupert (the evil ex-husband) pays Rebecca
a visit and tells her that he and Bex are having a baby together. Rebecca is
shocked and deeply saddened because Rupert always told her that he never wanted
kids but it was just with her. This was the last straw for Rebecca and she
finally, finally realizes that he is not even worth humiliating. This scene is
very critical and deeply sad especially because of what follows next. Rebecca
finally goes to Ted and comes clean about everything, the reason she got Ted to
coach, the photograph and Jamie Tart leaving.
Now this is probably my favourite scene of the entire season because Ted after
listening to all this says those 3 magical words that we can all hear more of.
I FORGIVE YOU. Watching Ted say these three words will sink
your heart.
He tells Rebecca that divorce is hard and it makes people do
crazy things and that they are okay. Also, he convinces Rebecca to bring back
Higgins.
Episode 10
At the start of the episode Nate is promoted to a
coach. Their last match is against
Manchester City who happens to be the team of Jamie. AFC Richmond will be
relegated from the premier league if they lose this match. All they need is a
draw to stay.
Now the last 15 minutes of this episode are full of suspense
and shocking turns. Plus, if you were waiting to watch some real football, you finally
get to. AFC Richmond has managed to stay in the game till the half time with
the score of 0-0. But as soon as the 2nd half starts Manchester City
scores 1 goal through penalty. Roy Kent has been subbed in. Jamie Tart is
running towards the goal with no one to stop him, but that’s when we see Roy
Kent giving everything he has got and tackles Jamie to stop the goal from
happening. This might be the last tackle of Roy Kent as he gets injured and
with his age this seems to be the farewell for this player. It’s the last few
minutes of the game and the score is 0-1 Manchester City.
AFC Richmond manages to score 1 goal by causing utter
confusion that Ted brought in inspired from American Football. The whole
stadium goes nuts, everyone is celebrating and this seems like the perfect
ending to a very happy show. But this happiness is short lived as we see Jamie
on the counter attack he runs with the ball, he might score the goal but makes
the extra pass to Hendricks and he scores. The crowd goes dead. AFC Richmond is
relegated.
In the locker room Ted sees Jamie’s father shouting at him
for passing the ball. And that’s everything you need to know about Jamie. Coach
Beard gives an envelope to Jamie in which Ted congratulates him for making the
pass. Jamie shows his emotional side and we realize that he is a human after
all. And maybe this character arc will do well in season 2. At the end of the
episode Rebecca obviously decides to keep Ted for the next season. Well why
wouldn’t you the show has already been ordered for a 2nd and 3rd
season.
My Views
This is a very kind hearted, feel good show which has some
intelligent comedy but never over the top. With elements of sadness and deep
emotional pain this show makes humans to all of the characters in the story.
The writing is very good and clear. No plot points felt unfinished to me. The
characters evolve with time. The background music comes in whenever there is an
emotion to highlight. The cast is as good as it gets. Nothing too fancy. If you
like Jason Sudeikis there is no doubt in my mind that you have already watched
it. If you like light hearted comedy shows that you can watch anytime, then you
should watch this show. There are only 10 episodes. If you want to give it a
try then I strongly suggest watch the first 3 episodes. In the 3rd
episode you realize that Ted is not just a good for nothing idiot but a very
good coach. This episode is my favourite because of what Trent Crimm writes in
his article about Ted Lasso. This coach is impossible not to root for. And that
sums up the show for you.
Must Watch - Yes
Please
Should Watch
Can Watch
Don’t watch
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