With a 94 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.8/10 on IMDb, it’s no exaggeration to say that Ted Lasso is a highly-rated show with a third season that has been highly anticipated. The Apple TV+ hit television series follows the life of a man the whole show’s name is based on, Ted. Played by actor and writer of the show Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso is your typical, guy-next-door, midwestern dad. He’s offered the chance to coach a British soccer (or should I say football) team.
At face value, it might seem to be just that, a show about a coach and his team. Over the course of the first two seasons, however, there are layers of intricate character depth unveiled. At its core, it is a show about relationships, both platonic and romantic. The show gives a space for the important discussion of male mental health. It’s light-hearted, hopeful and undeniably feel-good, but it brings important human issues to light.
After over a year of waiting, the third season of the show finally arrived on March 15. In an interview with Deadline, Sudeikis expressed that this is intended to be the last season of the show, “This is the end of this story that we wanted to tell, that we were hoping to tell, that we loved to tell.” If you haven’t had the chance to watch the first two seasons, I highly suggest you do. A fair warning: don’t be surprised if you find yourself hand-making your own Believe sign to put above your bedroom door as I did. Here’s your slight spoiler warning, the rest of this article will be my review of our first glimpse into the final season.
Season two ended on a wild cliffhanger. There was Rebecca and Sam’s relationship. There was Ted’s personal mental health journey. And, last, but certainly not least, there was Nate becoming, how do I put this? A major traitor! Of all the interweaving plot points of the show, I was most astounded to see Nate going over to the dark side, and by the dark side, I mean becoming the head coach for Rebecca’s ex-husband’s team.
The first episode of the show drops us right back into the world of Ted Lasso, touching upon each of the plotlines fans had been anxiously waiting to hear more on. The episode begins with a reminder that the show is not just about soccer (ahem, football). It’s several minutes in before we even touch on the topic. The episode begins with Ted dropping off his son at the airport. The heartbreak at having to send his son back to the U.S. to the rest of his family while he stays in the U.K. is evident in Sudeikis’s acting. The subtle touches of Apple product placement are artfully utilized to further the plot. For example, when Ted sees the text from his ex-wife to his son (once again reminding the audience of his struggle with his divorce), or when he calls his therapist on the way home from dropping his son off.
Humor is ever present in this first episode. We get a glimpse into Keeley’s new work office, and despite her crying fits, her first scene is upbeat as she reunites with Rebecca. Their friendship continues to be both unexpected and fun to watch unfold. Roy and Coach Beard’s dry banter in the locker room provides for an entertaining introduction to the team’s dynamic this season.
Nate’s villain arc is in full-blown effect in this first episode. What the show does well is give depth to his character. A great example of this is in his first press interview with West Ham. He doesn’t start off being hot-headed and cruel. In the first moments of the interview, we see him crack and watch the pressure build up within him to put on the face of a man that he wants to be rather than actually is. In this scene, the show also reveals a new relationship that I’m sure will unfurl throughout the season between coach Nate and owner (and Rebecca’s ex-husband) Rupert. Nate evidently seeks the man’s approval but is driven to immoral ends to attain this approval. My question is, just how far will Nate dig himself in hate to reach this approval, and will it eventually destroy any chance of him rekindling a friendship with Ted?
The episode also includes a heartwarming and didactic speech from Ted in a London sewer to the team. I can’t help but wonder if such speeches on clearing your head from all the “poopy” of the world and relying on those around you for support in this, come from a lesson that writer Jason Sudeikis has learned in his personal life. The episode ends how it started, with a reminder of the internal battles Ted incurs in his personal life as his son shows off a gift one of his mother’s male friends bought for him.
New episodes of the show are released each Wednesday on Apple TV+. If this season opener was any indicator, we are in for another wild ride of cheesy dad jokes and emotional life lessons this final season.
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