For those who are still unaware: Ted Lasso is a superb comedy on Apple TV+ and rated 8.7 on IMDb. To some extent, the main character borrows from the feel-good movies Forrest Gump (1994, IMDb) and Jerry Maguire (1996, IMDb). Ted Lasso is heart-breaking, hilarious, sexy and vulnerable.
While the mix is superb, the ingredients are simple. Ted Lasso is an American football coach who is invited to coach AFC Richmond, a (non-existent) Premier League soccer club in south-west London. His invitation is rooted in retaliation by the current owner towards her former husband. AFC Richmond was his pet project.
Although the series is about European football, there are very few soccer scenes. The few field scenes feel as if they were “borrowed” from a video game (eg, FIFA). Many of the scenes are about team-building by using positivity rather than any criticism. This (funny) ingredient feels (very) out-of-touch with today’s reality.
Most of the characters assume that Ted Lasso’s positivity is make-believe (sic!). Slowly, they start to realize that he is not pretending (eg, Trent Crimm of the Independent). Ted’s vulnerability is warming their cold and cynical hearts. However, Ted cannot help everyone; his own marital problems are heart-breaking and touching.
The American-British culture clash in Ted Lasso works very well. It reminds me of another one: the American-Scandinavian culture clash in Lilyhammer, a superb comedy by and with (Little) Steven van Zandt, which is rated 8.0 in IMDb. Also see my 2017 blogs on Netflix gems: part 1 and part 2.
Three leading themes (and ingredients) in Ted Lasso are (i) arrogance versus vulnerability, (ii) humiliation versus empathy (my blogs), and (iii) confident humility (my blogs). Remarkably, this series is never spinning out-of-control despite using these ingredients. Most of all, Ted Lasso is a do-good and feel-good series.
Last week, I binge-watched the 10 episodes of season 1 (trailer), which are about 30-minute each. Fortunately, season 2 will start on 23 July 2021 and its trailer is promising. Ted Lasso made his first TV appearance on NBC Sports in 2013 (video). You may recognize some of the 2013 jokes in the 2020 Apple TV+ series.
“I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book.” A quote by Groucho Marx (1890-1977), an “American comedian, actor, writer, stage, film, radio, and television star”.
Ted Lasso (2020-onwards) – trailer of season 1
Apple TV+, IMDb, video, Wiki
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless stated otherwise.
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