TED LASSO

I know I’m (once again) late to the party, but I needed to write this short but sweet post about one of my favorite shows last year, “Ted Lasso” (Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence & Jason Sudeikis; 2020-?). I strongly believe that “Ted Lasso” was the feel-good show we all needed in 2020.

With just 10 short episodes, “Ted Lasso” has quickly managed to get on my comfort shows list. What is my comfort shows list, you might ask? Well, they’re shows I know I can rely on to make me feel better after I’ve had a bad day. It’s also the shows I go to when I’ve watched a super scary or super sad movie and I need to “cleanse my palate” before going to bed. It’s a list of feel good shows that warm my heart so I don’t have nightmares all night. Not to brag, but I’ve watched quite a but of television in my lifetime and there’s only five shows on my comfort shows list: “Friends” (David Crane & Marta Kauffman, 1994-2004), “Gilmore Girls” (Amy Sherman-Palladino, 2000-2007 & 2016), “Queer Eye” (2018-?), “30 Rock” (Tina Fey, 2006-2013) and now, “Ted Lasso”.

I think it’s fascinating that “Ted Lasso” managed to create such a feel-good show in the world of football (sorry, America. I’m not calling it soccer). The world of football has a great deal of toxic masculinity and sometimes a not-so-healthy competitiveness about it. The show doesn’t ignore this, but it’s Ted Lasso’s kind and slightly naïve nature that really turns this world around. Jason Sudeikis plays Ted Lasso, an American football coach who is hired to train an English football team, AFC Richmond. The catch is, Ted knows almost nothing about football. However, Rebecca, the football club owner, knows all about this. You see, Rebecca inherited the club after she divorced her horrible, cheating husband (played by Anthony Head, for all of you “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” fans out there). All Rebecca wants is to hurt her husband as much as he hurt her, so she’s looking forward to destroying the thing he loves the most, AFC Richmond.

Sadly, Ted’s kindness and optimism is not enough to make the players and fans love him. Especially when the results are not up to expectations. However, Ted will slowly win everyone’s hearts, even while secretly working on his already complicated and now long-distance marriage.

It’s important to note that you don’t have to know anything about football to enjoy the show. However, if you are a fan of the sport, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the references to real-life players and coaches. I actually view Jamie Tartt as a version of Cristiano Ronaldo. Also, although Ted Lasso is far from being Pep Guardiola, some of the decisions and situations he finds himself in mirror what Pep probably lived through while first arriving at FC Barcelona and Manchester City. The show is very meta and has plenty of real-life football references for fans. Although AFC Richmond is a fictional team, they do play against real teams in the Premier League. They even play against Manchester City and Ted fanboys over Pep’s impeccable style. There was also a promotional video where the José Mourinho talks to Ted and prepares him for what is to come.

You won’t only fall in love with Ted while watching this show. Oh no. Even the (at first) cold-hearted Rebecca and the full-of-himself, Jamie Tartt will end up gaining a spot in your heart by the end of the show. You’ll also enjoy the grumpy yet sweet Roy Kent; Keeley Jones, who’s famous for “almost being famous”; the extremely shy Nate the Great; sweet Sam and of course, Dani Rojas whose enthusiasm will have you screaming “Football is life!”.

In conclusion, this show is incredibly funny, sweet and heart-warming. It’s like the comforting hug we’ve all been yearning for this socially-distanced pandemic. If you, like me, will be missing your family during these trying times, this show will make you happy.