If you are not yet acquainted with Ted Lasso, let us fill you in. SNL-alum Jason Sudeikis stars as the titular character in this feel-good fish-out-of-water comedy as an American Football coach called to England to coach a Premier League Football Club, in other words, a professional soccer team. The only caveat being he has no experience coaching soccer—or any sport—at a professional level, and very little knowledge of the game.
An underdog from the start, Ted faces an uphill battle of earning the favor of the British press and is immediately labeled a “wanker” by the diehard AFC Richmond fan base. He, however, takes the pessimism in stride, ever maintaining his infectiously positive attitude. Coach Lasso believes. He believes in himself, and in the innate good in everyone else. So much so that one of his first acts as the new instructor is to tape the word in the AFC Richmond locker room for all to see. His unflinching belief in the goodness of those around him slowly begins to manifest in people as they rise to Ted’s expectations. Imagine the state of the world if we all believed in ourselves, and others as fervently as Coach Lasso. "Do you believe in ghosts, Ted?" asks club owner Rebecca in one scene of the pilot episode. "I do," he replies. "But more importantly I think they need to believe in themselves."
While the juxtaposition of Ted across the pond in a world that is foreign to him certainly produces some good comedy, it is far from the only reason to watch. Ted Lasso, which is about to enter its third season, is more than just a show, it is a vibe, that you simply can’t get enough of. Here's why it's the show the world needs right now.
Ted Lasso is a Lesson in Being a Better Human
To understand the premise of Ted Lasso, one needn’t look any further than the show’s opening sequence. Ted, walking in an open stadium looking for a seat... the seats surrounding him are blue and marked with graffiti, that is, until he sits down and the surrounding environment subsequently changes. The seats once blue and marked, now tidy and red. Which is not dissimilar from how people respond to Ted in the show. The characters do not change because of their environment, but rather the environment changes because of the influence of one good person.
Good is an understatement, rather Coach Lasso embodies kindness, decency, compassion, vulnerability, and forgiveness, without an ounce of cynicism. Which is a revolutionary concept in a world rife with discord, negativity, and pessimism. Ted wanted to show us there was good in the world at the exact moment we all needed it. Apple released the show in the latter half of 2020 when audiences were stuck at home looking for a new binge-worthy TV series. Not only did Ted Lasso fit the bill, but it also offered a heartening and hopeful tone which many of us needed as the pandemic took its toll.
The show's lead character offers empathy, humility, and affability, even when faced with cruelty and abuse. His unwavering optimism could have been an annoying attribute, if not for Sudeikis’s skillful portrayal. Sudeikis lends the character an endearing quality, making it impossible not to root for him. Even Ted’s biggest critic in the show Trent Crimm (James Lance) eventually comes to respect and encourage him.
In an episode of the podcast Unlocking Us with Brene Brown, Sudeikis discusses the inspiration for Ted Lasso’s ethos which was largely based on the lessons of legendary basketball coach and teacher John Wooden. He also wanted Ted to embody curiosity and empathy in a sincere and genuine way, as is evidenced when Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham of Game of Thrones) confesses to Ted the dubious reason she hired him, and all the things she did to sabotage him along the way. While many would respond with anger or negativity, Ted immediately leans into forgiveness, and empathy, having just been through a painful divorce himself. In this episode Coach Lasso teaches the valuable lesson that kindness is possible, even in the most difficult of situations.
The Show Deals With Profound Issues in a Disarming Way
The beloved Apple TV+ comedy has touched on some heavy-hitting issues, such as mental health, systemic racism, environmental issues, and toxic masculinity, amongst others. Despite touching on these difficult topics, it manages to never feel preachy or uppity. The way the characters approach the situations in a lighthearted and disarming way allows the audience to absorb them fully rather than dismiss them entirely.
In the latter half of Season 2, we see Ted struggling with anxiety and panic attacks. At first, he keeps the information to himself but eventually confides in his fellow coaches and Doctor Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles), the onsite psychologist. The panic attacks are eventually leaked to the press, who along with the public begin throwing around a lot of judgment and shame. When Ted addresses it in the press, however, the conversation is not centered around justifying his mental state to anyone, but rather a pointed statement about how mental health is talked about in sports, and removing the negativity and stigma surrounding it.
Likewise, when Sam (Toheeb Jimoh) stages the silent protest against sponsor Dubai air’s parent company Ceritheum Oil, the episode dealt with environmental issues, government corruption, and systemic racism all in the same show, but never felt arduous or weighty. After the game, the press was in a frenzy, and upon being questioned about the event, Ted Lasso responds with: “When bad things happen to people like me, y’all have the tendency to write about it without it being asked, but Sam had to go and get y’all’s attention.” The episode won an Environmental Media Association Award for its context.
The show also tackles toxic masculinity which is something Sudeikis himself referred to in a recently released email he wrote to Uproxx entertainment writer Mike Ryan. Sudeikis uses the writing of Ted Lasso to convey his message to the world. Ted is never afraid to be vulnerable or open about his feelings and encourages other men in the series to follow his lead. When Jamie (Phil Dunster) and Roy’s (Brett Goldstein) conflict comes to a head, Jamie approaches Lasso for advice, who promptly tells him to “woman up” and discuss his issues with Roy directly, when Jamie tries to correct him, Ted doubles down, stating “Y’all been manning up for a while now and look what that’s got you”.
Laughter is the Best Medicine and Ted Lasso Features a Team of Accomplished Comedians
Brendan Hunt and Jason Sudeikis were both a part of the Boom Chicago comedy troupe which toured in Amsterdam in the 90s. This is where the true roots of Coach Lasso began. Amsterdam had a huge soccer scene, and Hunt and Sudeikis’s response to their limited knowledge of the sport was to channel it into a fumbling American Coach character, which eventually turned into the Ted Lasso of the NBC Premier League promos (albeit a shallower version of the one we are familiar with today). In addition to Ted Lasso, Hunt has had roles in various tv shows and movies, such as How I Met Your Mother, Parks, and Recreation, We’re the Millers, and Horrible Bosses 2. While he’s most well known for his acting roles, he is also an award-winning screenwriter.
Brett Goldstein got his start as a stand-up comedian in 2006 and starred in sitcoms Derek and Drifters. He is an award-winning comedian, actor, and screenwriter. He was hired by producer Bill Lawrence as a writer on the show, and throughout writing the character of Roy Kent, decided to submit an audition tape, feeling he was well suited to the role. He has since won an Emmy Award for his role as aging footballer Roy Kent. He has also penned a multi-year deal with Warner Bros. T.V.
Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence is a screenwriter, producer, and director. He created the popular television series Scrubs and co-created Cougar Town and Spin City. In his early career, Bill also wrote for successful sitcoms such as Boy Meets World, Friends, and The Nanny.
Jason Sudeikis is a comedy veteran who got his start doing improv for ComedySportz which later became Second City. In 2003, he began working as a writer for SNL and was a cast member from 2005 to 2013. He has since starred in several movies, including Hall Pass, Horrible Bosses, and Were the Millers.
Ted Lasso however seems to be more of a labor of love for Sudeikis. According to GQ magazine, there was something about the NBC Promo character that Sudeikis just couldn’t shake, so he wrote a show about him. “It's the closest thing I have to a tattoo,” Sudeikis said “It's the most personal thing I've ever made.”