Ted Lassoburst onto audiences’ TV screens in 2020 amidst an uncertain time in which many were, and still are, in need of hope and a bit of laughter to help them through. ThisApple TV+series was a surprise hit, captivating audiences in a way that nothing else on this particular streaming service has since. Starring Jason Sudeikis in the titular role,Ted Lassofollows an American soccer coach as he’s hired to manage AFC Richmond, a smaller team hoping to avoid relegation from the English Premier League with an owner who has ulterior motives, as fans of the show will know. This series is a comedy, yet also takes on many different forms across two seasons, and might full well be heading into the drama territory in its third season, which is now filming in the U.K.
AlthoughTed Lassois a comedy, it is still a sports show at heart. It certainly has impressive company in this sports genre, withRemember The Titans,Moneyball,The Blind Side,All American, and more as classics in the field. It would be understandable if thisApple TVseries, originally an NBC Sports short video made to promote the English Premier League in 2013, was unable to hit the heights of the projects that came before it. However, it remarkably does, and surprised audiences with the quality of writing and acting in particular. At the end of the day,Ted Lassois the ultimate wholesome show, nailing any genre it attempts (and they go through many) to form what might be the best sports show or movie ever made.
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At the heart of this series is Jason Sudeikis, who serves as an actor and a writer. In his acting role as Ted Lasso, it’s Sudeikis who really holds the whole show together,proving to be the glue for all the other charactersand plot lines to not only survive and work, but to succeed and thrive. Almost everything goes through Lasso in this show, such as when another character has a problem. When this happens, they often come to Lasso for advice, highlighting that Sudeikis’ character is at the center of this series. Lasso has an intimate, close relationship with almost every other character in this show, and is ultimately a launchpad for the other storylines woven through throughout each episode and season more broadly.
It’s Ted Lasso’s sheer likability that is the key to the success of the show. There are many great, successful shows with characters that aren’t exactly likable, especially when one thinks of it in the context of real life (i.e., if a show was real, then they wouldn’t sympathize with these characters). FXX’sIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphiais a prime example of this, with the humor of this long-lasting series coming from just how detestable the main characters are. The lesson of each episode is oftenfor the audience to act in the exact opposite waythat the gang does, and to watch these immoral people with caution.
Ted Lassois virtually the exact opposite of this, with Sudeikis’ character in particular proving to be incredibly wholesome and kind, essentially exactly what many audiences felt they needed right now and a big reason why the show is such a phenomenon. Lasso is kind to everyone he meets, even if someone is aggressive or rude to him. Even if he encounters someone like this, Lasso always seems to approach the situation with the goal to teach them a lesson and make them a better person rather than humiliating them or doing anything unnecessary. It’s this wholesomeness that is such a big part of why this series is so good, and possibly the best sports thing ever made.
This show also tackles many heavy topics too, and navigates these with a real grace that can only be praised and is incredibly impressive. For example, Ted Lasso himselfis a character that appears light and jolly on the outside, yet actually has a harder time with things than he lets off. Lasso went through a divorce in the first season, something that brought him great distress and anxiety, as did being thousands of miles away from his son. It’s a real, serious story line that many fans will relate to, but the writer’s don’t use it as a platform for jokes or anything of the sort. Rather, in a show full of comedy, this plot line shows a serious side to the title character, and embraces that fully rather than shying away from it. Ultimately,Ted Lassoembraces the humanity of its characters in way that improves the show drastically overall, and adds a different dimension and uniqueness more broadly that most other sports projects, and shows overall, don’t always have.
Season 2 ramps up the drama, and the episodes get longer and less sitcom like.Ted Lassohas further personal problems, something he hides from most people once again (until the latter episodes), but he does talk to a therapist. Once again, the show proves to be relatable as Lasso is initially hesitant of opening up to a therapist given the stigma attached to the profession. Eventually, though, he does, and audiences learn more about Lasso through this relationship, including that his father died by suicide when he was a teenager. It’s a tragic story, yet is excellently well done and ultimately improves the character so much.
With this, the show also increases the lessons for the audience. Lasso suffers from panic attacks, and one of these, unfortunately, occurs in the middle of the match, forcing him to run to the dressing room to escape from everything and everyone. After hiding this fact from everyone in his life, he eventually embraces it after it gets leaked to the English press, teaching audiences the lesson that it’s okay to say what you’re going through, and to encourage speaking out about mental health struggles.Amidst the great comedy in the show, and it is truly funny, it nails these dramatic moments even better than many more serious series do.
The show is very funny, too. It uses the sports setting and genre more broadly for many comedic situations, such as conversations in the locker room and between coaches in Lasso’s office. With the interspersing of dramatic, serious scenes, the show is mostly comedy. Every character has a particular running joke or comedic element they bring to the series, meaning that they all contribute greatly to just how funny the show is. Jason Sudeikis is the best of the bunch, which is natural given his starring role.
Sudeikis has proven his comedic chops plenty of times in the past, with big roles in projects like the twoHorrible Bossesfilms,We’re the Millers,Hall Pass,and his many seasons onSaturday Night Live.Ted Lassois arguably the show where he gets to show just how funny he is more than any other thing he’s ever been in, and it’s Sudeikis who ultimately sets the rest of the show up in terms of the type of comedy they’re going for. Ted Lasso doesn’t rely on making fun of others for humor, just as it doesn’t lean into any darker jokes as many shows do. Rather, the comedy is refreshingly light, making it rather original in a comedy TV landscape full of edgy shows and dark humor. It makes this show stand out, and is one of the main reasons forTed Lasso’s success.
Despite all of this, this show definitely doesn’t abandon the sports theme. Rather, it embraces it just as much as other projects in this genre do, but uses it as a launchpad for humor and serious situations too. Ted Lasso does a great job of integrating soccer references and plot lines. For fans of the sport, and in particular those who watch the English Premier League on a regular basis, there’s plenty of exciting material included in the show. Frequent references to very real teams like Liverpool, Manchester City (a common opponent for AFC Richmond throughout the show), and more are accompanied by cameos from actual players like Thierry Henry.It doesn’t shy away from the soccer aspect of the show, and it’s clear that the writers are knowledgeable about the sport and the league and country that Richmond (a fake team made for the show, but nevertheless) are in.
Ted Lassohas a lot of competition in the sports genre, with many other iconic movies and shows. Still, this show beats out the rest and proves to be the best of the bunch.
