First off, I would like to start by saying that I would not be here without the guidance and recommendations from Katie Sampalis and Theja Chitneni. Guys, this is for you.
The best way to describe the character of Ted Lasso can essentially be summed up in one short sentence: he is a man brimming with self-confidence but completely lost.
If you are looking for a feel-good comedy that will put a smile on your face during these bleak times, please turn towards Apple TV+ 30-Minute Dramedy, Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis). The Series was released in August of 2020 and was met with strong reviews, strong enough to garner a second season fairly quickly. The character of Ted Lasso was actually developed a few years prior as an advertising technique to leverage the Premier League in England.
Ted Lasso Apple TV+ Series Trailer:
The character of Ted Lasso that was created in 2013, is very similar to the one that we see in the Series today, except with a much more fleshed out back-story. The original sketch sent American Football Coach, Ted Lasso, over to England to take the head coaching position for Tottenham. The sketch was meant to boost ratings and poke fun at the obvious, yet subtle differences between English and American sport antics.
In the Apple TV+ Series, Ted Lasso is back. Arriving to coach the AFC Richmond Football Club from Kansas City where he has made a name for himself. Ted Lasso is a fish out of water, attempting to learn the ins and outs of English Football (Soccer) without so much of a guide book to go on. However, his ever optimistic and bright outlook on the forthcoming challenge is enough for audiences to cheer for this new underdog.
The former American football coach becomes the new Manager of a perpetually average AFC Richmond Club under the Ownership of Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham). After enduring a scathing divorce from her ex-husband, Rupert, Rebecca received full ownership of his Football Club through the divorce settlement. Wanting nothing more than revenge, she begins plotting to drive the Club right into the ground with the help of Rookie and perceived moron, Ted Lasso.
As Rebecca and Lasso begin working together, her subtle but conniving plots to soil Lasso’s reputation begin to fall apart when she realizes that there is nothing to Lasso other than what he presents to the world – he is an incredibly decent, kind and optimistic American who wants nothing more than to grow the success of the team and build relationships with his players. Guys, Ted Lasso has quickly become one of my favorite characters in television, ever.
However, the optimistic nature of Ted Lasso doesn’t come across as trying too hard and certainly doesn’t compare to like TV Character optimist Chris Traeger from NBC’s “Parks and Recreation.” Sudeikis’ genuine performance is endearing and touching in the best was possible and forces you to cheer for him despite the enormous obstacles that he has to overcome.
The series features great and strong performances from all the supporting roles. My favorite comes from Keely Jones (Juno Temple), the girlfriend to Club superstar Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster). Her stand-out performance as the “mom manager” for the boys is smart and successfully achieved as she looks out for the team players and Rebecca throughout the series. The series does a fantastic job to give Ted Lasso a relatable back-story as well as all the other supporting characters. The character narrative at play has you cheering and rooting for your favorites throughout the entire series and as each episode closes, you watch with a big grin on your face.
This show easily exceeded my expectations and has quickly become one of my new Comedy favorites. Check out Season 1 of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ streaming service. Also, fun fact, if you have bought an Apple Product in the past few months, you should be eligible for a Free 1-Year Trial to the streaming site.
Please keep me posted new viewers if you loved this show as much as I did!
And that’s the sitch!
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