Ted Lasso

[lizmonster]

Has anybody else watched this? We're 5 episodes in.

I remember hearing some mumblings when it first came out, and I glanced at it and thought "Sports show" and "Some SNL comedian I don't know" and skipped it. Not sure what made me take a look, but two minutes into the first episode, when Rebecca tries to give away the Hockney, the show had me.

It's...kind. Mostly. There are one or two things that feel like slightly rough edges to me, but to have a lead character who chooses kindness - who doesn't lack intelligence or perception, but just chooses to be nice to people - is quite something.

And sometimes I laugh out loud.

 

[AW Admin]

I few of my friends used it as a pick-me-up, one is on the third viewing.

 

[lizmonster]

I few of my friends used it as a pick-me-up, one is on the third viewing.

It is, despite the swearing and locker room jokes, rather wholesome.

 

[MythMonger]

My wife and I really enjoyed this series. It was definitely a perfect feel-good show for 2020.

 

[lizmonster]

We watched through to the end last night. Not sure what I can say about it without spoilers. It worked, I thought. And that final shot was something else.

There's so much here. The representation of the public panic attack...I'm not sure I've ever seen anything like that on (more or less) mainstream TV.

I'll watch it again. It's imperfect, for sure, but it's unapologetically comfort food.

 

[telford]

Four episodes in, and I'm hooked. What a charming, generally gentle story. Oh, there are good people and bad people but Ted sees the good in everyone. At a time when there is little else available this came as a pleasant surprise. Looking forward to season 2.

 

[telford]

As I mention elsewhere on the site, season 2 is now out. Yay.

 

[Introversion]

Yay indeed! We watched S2 E1 with trepidation. S1 was a tough act to follow. But while it felt a bit scattered, on the whole I thought it worked. Just sad I can’t binge it all.

 

[lizmonster]

So...I've been enjoying the second season. Mostly.

I'm finding it a little uneven? And I feel like they're running out of runway to get much proper storytelling done.

Also

Spoiler: About That Plot Point:

Sam is a dear man, and certainly wise beyond his years, but he's drastically too young for Rebecca and I'm afraid the show is expecting us to unequivocally root for them.

 

[Introversion]

Spoiler: Too many notes?

I think S2 is suffering a bit from tackling too many Big Character Threads at once? Lessee, we have

• Ted’s breakdown
• Roy’s soul-and-career-searching, hilarious as it has often been
• Jamie’s violent confrontation with his father and the fallout from that
• Nate’s job and family insecurities and his frankly utter shit behavior towards some of the team, especially the poor kit guy
• Rebecca’s totally inappropriate relationship with Sam, a kid half her age
• whatever the fuck is going on with Beard’s utterly dysfunctional and codependent relationship with Jane

With all of the above, I tend to forget what sport the team plays?

 

[katiemac]

I'm finding it a little uneven? And I feel like they're running out of runway to get much proper storytelling done.

Apple bumped the episode count from 10 episodes to 12 this time around, and that was after they'd already plotted out their main storylines. So we got two extra episodes, which ended up being the Christmas episode and the latest Beard episode, but may be contributing to a sense of 'unevenness' since it's not as tight as season 1.

 

[maditon]

Apple bumped the episode count from 10 episodes to 12 this time around, and that was after they'd already plotted out their main storylines. So we got two extra episodes, which ended up being the Christmas episode and the latest Beard episode, but may be contributing to a sense of 'unevenness' since it's not as tight as season 1.

I didn't know this! I loved the Christmas episode (it did feel like a Christmas special), but the Beard episode was weird, so knowing the unexpected bonus 2 episodes explains that. This has definitely been the feel-good show of the year for me.

 

[lizmonster]

Episode 10!

Hrm... Some tone-deafness here, I think.

Spoiler

1. Those two stories are not equivalent, and should not have been intertwined.

2. Nora would have been devastated. Take it from a former tweenager with a crush on her parents' friend.

3. That was an awful lot of Sam/Rebecca setup for a very short bit of filler.

4. Keely going back to Jamie would be severely soap-opera lazy. Also, do not hurt Roy or I will come after you.

I was entertained, but not satisfied.

 

[telford]

Glad everyone, generally, is still loving this show. BTW it won a stack of Emmys, not that they count for all that much. I'm sure it means a lot to the people involved.

 

[lizmonster]

Glad everyone, generally, is still loving this show. BTW it won a stack of Emmys, not that they count for all that much. I'm sure it means a lot to the people involved.

Well-deserved awards. Of course, I say that having watched absolutely nothing that was up against this show.

My go-to person for Ted Lasso reviews, Film Crit Hulk, shared some of my reservations about the last episode. As he's an unapologetic cheerleader for the show, I feel a bit vindicated in my reaction. (So much more comfortable being a critic when someone Internet Famous agrees with you. )

 

[katiemac]

As he's an unapologetic cheerleader for the show, I feel a bit vindicated in my reaction.

I have to agree. Given that this show really snuck up on me somewhere in the middle of its first season, I'm trying hard not to be overly critical as the second season continues on. But I think the latest episode is the first time they really swung in a big way that just really didn't land; I agree fully that those stories should not have been delivered together. One, Rebecca was really going for it as opposed to Ted's matter-of-fact delivery and two, giving them the same weight when we only learned about Rebecca's dad literally seconds ago was just empty. And the same day? Nope.

I liked having Rupert back when Rebecca is in a mood not to fall for his schtick but I am just not here for the Sam/Rebecca relationship.

Danny continues to be the personification of joy.

Overall when it comes to the second season, I'd say this is an example where a larger production budget maybe doesn't help your storytelling. Previously they were able to do so much within the confines of the stadium.

 

[katiemac]

Spoiler: Finale

I saw the final moments coming as soon as they said Rupert bought West Ham (there was a small moment in the background at Rebecca's father's funeral, where Rupert was whispering to Nate) but the Believe sign? That's the real betrayal.

 

[lizmonster]

Very small

Spoiler

NO NO do NOT hire your best friend. That's like moving in with your best friend: almost always a huge, huge, huge mistake.

 

[TStarnes]

I just started watching the first season and I'm only 5 episodes in (so I'm not clicking on any of the spoilers yet), but I am loving this show. I agree with those who've called it uplifting. So many shows I've watched over the last year have been heavy and serious, but I always feel better after watching this.

 

[llyralen]

Love Ted Lasso... tons of heart in this show and it's not afraid to address the tough stuff. The writing is an inspiration. I agree the first season was the best but Roy still makes me laugh every time he comes on camera and who can help caring about

Spoiler

Rebecca and Sam

.

I will add this about appletv: Ted Lasso is worth getting appletv for and now there's the new Jon Stewart plus the new "The Foundation" which is based on Asimov's work and it's gorgeous and the concepts are huge. The writers added to the world a lot, imo, with the continually cloned 3 person king-- the main ruler is the middle-aged one, but he's always got the last ruler looking over his shoulder. He's trying to top the older one's legacy and yet constantly schooling the younger one to be just like him. Very interesting to me and is a very strong archtypal concept just like the Fates or Norns, Still, the first episode is still the best one which has been a bit disappointing. I wish they would return to what is going on with Gaal.

 

[lizmonster]

I'm feeling like an outlier, but

Spoiler

I find Rebecca and Sam entirely inappropriate. She's more than twice his age, and she's his boss. I kept waiting for the writers to address that, but it's become clear we're all supposed to say BUT ROMANCE and root for them.

Both characters are lovely, and they're in entirely different places in their lives. Twenty-one. Sam is twenty-one. Wise beyond his years notwithstanding, he's not fully baked yet, and Rebecca had a responsibility to walk away before anything started.

 

[Introversion]

That's like moving in with your best friend: almost always a huge, huge, huge mistake.

And of course, here we are…

 

[llyralen]

I'm feeling like an outlier, but

Spoiler

I find Rebecca and Sam entirely inappropriate. She's more than twice his age, and she's his boss. I kept waiting for the writers to address that, but it's become clear we're all supposed to say BUT ROMANCE and root for them.

Both characters are lovely, and they're in entirely different places in their lives. Twenty-one. Sam is twenty-one. Wise beyond his years notwithstanding, he's not fully baked yet, and Rebecca had a responsibility to walk away before anything started.

Spoiler

I agree they are totally inappropriate. The power difference concerns me. I agree... I was pretty surprised that the show didn't discuss her being his boss more as a moral obligation for her to step on the breaks. This^ will sound like I'm flip-flopping, but I should have clarified in the original. I care about Sam and about Rebecca each individually and I'm kind of more concerned for them each individually because they hooked up... I think they'll both get really hurt and they are so lovely individually.

 

[telford]

I'm writing my sixth book in a series, but I will catch up with Ted and his gang in due course. In the meantime, I will religiously avoid all spoilers.

 

[lizmonster]

Rewatched the finale last night. Some great stuff there.

Spoiler

Roy/Jamie was hilarious and felt so genuine. Also: Jamie's giving the winning kick to Danny was just lovely. More Jamie next season, please.

The Nate/Ted scene was so well done, and Nick Mohammed was the reason. The Kid told me she'd been side-eyeing the whole "Nate is now evil" subplot, especially to the degree they took it in E11. The finale scene made the whole thing click for her.

I know Beard/Jane is fairly thinly developed and played for laughs, but oh, I did laugh. Poor Beard, and he needs to grow a spine.

Love how the patron who had his newspaper snatched sort of shrugged it off and kept drinking. Clearly they all know Mae. Also: We all need a friend like Mae.

I loved Sam's reaction to Akufo's meltdown. No self-doubt, no attempts to fix the situation and placate the tantrum - just "Wow" and moving on, confident he'd made the right choice.

Maybe it's just me, but Ted's ex texted him, and she gets bitchy when he asks her a "so what's up with you?" question? I get that she found him a boundary pusher, but either be a friend (and draw friend-level boundaries) or leave him alone.

I do love the character work on this show.