Apple TV+’s announcement that Ted Lasso would be returning for a third, and seemingly final, season appeared to be an early Christmas present for fans of the sports-based series, but apparently it was just one part of their gift as the platform released a stop-motion animated short featuring the popular American college football coach. We have already seen Lasso in animated form like this before, in the opening credits of Ted Lasso Season 2 episode "Carol of the Bells," and the new short is an expansion of that short sequence. The four minute video sees the central characters of the show on a search for Ted’s precious moustache which has gone missing.

Ted Lasso has gone from viral ad sensation to iconic TV character almost overnight, with Jason Sudeikis starring as the coach drafted in by an English football team, and despite having no experience in that particular field, Lasso’s unfaltering enthusiasm he manages to win over team. The series has also weaved a similar spell in the real word, receiving accolades for its positive messages and approach to relationships and mental health, and also clinching a number of awards in the process.

The series has become the most praised original offering that Apple TV+ has put out, and considering that includes exclusive work from the director Steven Spielberg and big hitting actors like Jason Momoa and Tom Hanks, that is no small feat. Since debuting in 2020, the series has won Outstanding Comedy Series at the 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards and Best Comedy Series at the 2021 Critics' Choice Television Awards. It also managed to nab three major acting awards at this year’s Emmy’s with Jason Sudeikis taking Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series being won by Brett Goldstein, and Game of Thrones star Hannah Waddingham taking Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series . If all that wasn’t enough, the first two seasons of Ted Lasso hold a 92% and 97% Rotten Tomatoes score respectively.

Creator Bill Lawrence, who is also the mind behind hit series Scrubs and Cougar Town, previously said that the series was only meant to run for three seasons, but in a June interview with EW, the writer gave a glimmer of hope that there could be more to tell. “The initial story Jason had in his head is a three-season arc, [but] I'm hopeful there's more Ted Lasso stories to tell after three seasons," Lawrence said. "Hey, in my head, I'm like, Ted Lasso moves home and he should coach the professional team that's a block away from Jason's home in real life."

In the last few weeks, it has been suggested that Sudeikis’ upcoming schedule could be the stumbling block when it comes to more Ted Lasso. Sudeikis himself seemed to be more than happy to be back for a third season, but has not said much beyond that point. With season three beginning filming in February, we will likely see new episodes arriving towards the end of 2022, and beyond that, we can only wait and see if there is more life in the Lasso tank.