The first episode of season 3 of ‘Ted Lasso’ (which premieres on Apple TV + this Wednesday) closes with the coach played by Jason Sudeikis in full press conference. Faced with the blood he’s been asked to do in response to Nate’s (Nick Mohammed) comments, he does what he thinks he should do: put on his friendly face. However, there is a nuance between disappointment and resignation, which sets the course.
It is curious to watch this new installment with the uncertainty of whether it is, as its creators point out —not Apple TV+—, the end of the series. Especially since many script decisions that we find in the first four episodes (those provided to the press) seem to be made with certain pretensions, both conclusive and expansionist.
Something that can be seen in how, from one year to the next, the series has broadened the focus of its history by proposing three different scenarios. One is our already familiar offices and changing rooms of the Richmondwho face dire odds that position them last in the next Premier League.
Another setting is the headquarters of its great rival, the West Ham United Rupert (Anthony Head) who has the very spiteful “Wonder Kid” (Nick Mohammed); the third scenario is the adventure of Keeley (Juno Temple) as the CEO of her own PR company.
Expanding, which is a gerund
In this way, the scriptwriters room led by Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Brett Goldstein, Joe Kelly and company are seen to be somewhat more determined than usual to develop everything they can in the universe lassian. For this, it definitively abandons the structure of 30 minutes per episode to present 45 per installment, like the last chapters of the previous season.
We could say that there is a great desire to tell many things… but, on the other hand, they are not too smart when it comes to doing so when presenting them. Throughout the footage there is a lack of fluidity and even a certain tension in what the events in Richmond are happening and new dynamics are being formed with the characters.
There is wear caused by not removing ballast. Although personal baggage is very important for fiction, the “rules” of comedy often prevent being able to qualify or “caricature” situations. We have a clear example with Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), who seems to be back on track with her relationship with her ex. I am not referring so much to the usual advances and setbacks of her, but rather to the reactions more typical of her, perhaps from the beginning of the series.
I don’t want to dwell too much on these issues, more than anything to avoid getting into things that we will see in the coming weeks, but ‘Ted Lasso’ shows a certain tiredness for simply wanting to cover too much. The fault is more of the writers for not filtering that of the characters, who are all so adorable and so charismatic that it is impossible not to want more and more of them. Even embeds are powerful in this regard.
But he’s still the ‘Ted Lasso’ we need.
Beyond these expansesthe core is still delicious and very interesting. With that philosophy of life of our protagonist healing the souls and hearts of both the rest of the characters and ours. Although season 2 revolved around the mental cost of being Ted Lasso as we entered his panic attacks, in this installment we see Lasso tired, practically surrendered.
It’s in Sudeikis’ character arc where we see that, really, the season It can work as the end of the journey for the series. As if it were a Mary Poppins, he has done the job he came to do and his mind is thousands of miles away for better or worse.
Regardless of whether or not we reach the end of the series, season 3 of ‘Ted Lasso’ It’s still that warm, nice, cozy place. in which we would all stay to live and the quality of the series continues to be remarkable. However, as often happens, sometimes less is more.