Susan Granger’s review of “Ted Lasso – Season Three” (Apple TV+)
Why did “Ted Lasso,” a television series about a heartbroken but relentlessly optimistic Kansas football coach who tackles a new job as manager of an underdog British soccer team, capture our hearts at just the right time?
Dispensing homespun wisdom along with kindness and freshly baked cookies, Ted Lasso’s (Jason Sudeikis) first conquest was his boss, bitterly brittle Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), who acquired the (fictional) AFC Richmond team as part of her divorce settlement from feckless Rupert (Anthony Head).
“You know what the happiest animal in the world in the world is?” Ted asks. “A goldfish…it’s got a 10-secon memory.”
After struggling for respect, once-floundering AFC Richmond is now in the highly competitive Premier League – but can its victory streak last? What of the rivalry between grumpy, growly veteran Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) and the upstart ruffian Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster)? Plus, there’s the p.r. woman they both adore, kooky Keely Jones (Juno Temple).
In this third and final season – Ted crosses paths again with his protégé Nate Shelley (Nick Mohammed), who defected to Richmond’s West Ham rivals, and – desperately missing his young son – conflicted Ted re-examines his priorities.
“For me, success is not about the wins and losses,” Ted has always maintained. “It’s about helping these young fellas be the best versions of themselves – on and off the field.”
In 2021, the series won a coveted Peabody award…“offering the perfect counter to the enduring prevalence of toxic masculinity, both on-screen and off, in a moment when the nation truly needs inspiring models of kindness.”
If you’re yearning to see where the series was filmed, take a short subway ride from central London to picturesque Richmond. There you can have a pint in the 300 year-old Prince’s Head pub, dubbed the Crown & Anchor, where there’s a “Ted Lasso” shrine assembled by the series’ production designer. You can also buy souvenirs along Paved Court and eat at Chango Empanadas.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Ted Lasso – Season Three” is a totally satisfying 10, streaming on Apple TV+.
