’Ted Lasso’ (Season 3)

The third and final season of Ted Lasso neatly ties up loose ends (and unravels a few others) as the much loved American coach of Richmond AFC follows the inevitable path scaffolded in season two.

Plenty of subtexts maintain interest as a generally predictable plotline unfolds – with that underlying competitive streak between key personalities of Richmond and London rivals West Ham, a team now managed by former bootboy Nathan (Nick Mohammed).

Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) as owner of Richmond takes the moral high-ground against philandering former husband Rupert (Anthony Head) – and now she has to deal with the fall out from the purchase of superstar Zava (Maximillian Osinski) and the proposed international super league. Closer to home, Roy (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley (Juno Temple) have split – with Keeley, having left Richmond to set up an independent advertising agency finds herself involved in an unexpected and steamy relationship with Jack (Jodi Balfour). But Roy is never far away when needed – even providing former nemesis Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) support when needed. But central remains manager Ted (Jason Sudeikis) as he navigates depression caused by the separation from his family that even success on the field cannot fully rectify.

Sadly, season three is a patchy affair. A squirm-inducing petulance of an episode when the Richmond/West Ham rivalry hits rock bottom is the nadir of Ted Lasso as a series. And the ill-conceived, childish Zava subplot adds little and detracts from the central relationships between players and backroom staff. And that is ultimately what Ted Lasso is about. Outfield football scenes are generally amateur – the real interest lies with the soapy melodramas of Rebecca’s quest for love, Roy’s softening of attitude, Sam Obisinya’s (Toheeb Jimoh) restaurant, the friendships and banter of the players. And after three seasons, Ted Lasso introduced plenty of likeable characters and storylines to hold interest, even if season three failed in consistency of its storylines.

Rating: 63%

‘Ted Lasso’ (Season 2)

If it works why fix it as season two continues where the multiple Emmy-award winning first season left off as former American football coach Ted Lasso is now confronted with AFC Richmond relegated from the Premier League and into the second tier Championship.

The light, engaging dramedy continues to unfold characters in the board room, offices, dressing rooms – and those highly critical supporters in the local pub. But things are not going too well at the start of the new season – whilst undefeated in the first eight games, the team also remain winless. Eight successive draws is a league record. Ted (Jason Sudeikis) and club owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) are concerned but panic has yet to set in.

Season two shifts an element of focus away from Ted and the dressing rooms to look to former team captain Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) and girlfriend Keeley (Juno Temple), an on-the-rise marketing guru – an inspired narrative decision based on the immense popularity of the two in the earlier season. No longer involved in the club, Kent is lost (coach to an Under 7s girl’s team!) but is reluctant to take the offer from Lasso to join his staff.

But Ted Lasso being Ted Lasso, there’s plenty of other intertwined narratives with psychologist Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles) bought in to provide support to the team; the arrogant Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster), former star, is back having been released from his contract by Manchester City and rising star Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh) is wanted by Ghanaian billionaire Edwin Akofu (Sam Richardson) for his Pan-African super club. And, of course, the glamorous Rebecca continues to look for love – and appears to find it in the most unexpected of places.

Warm hearted and generally non-confrontational, Ted Lasso does drift into dark places (Ted’s own issues of abandonment, Coach Beard’s (Brendan Hunt) strange and disturbing night out following the FA Cup semi-final) added to which is the unexpected turn by Nate (Nick Mohammed) – former kit boy and now on the coacing team feeling ignored and under-appreciated.

Expect more of the same (and even more four letter expletives from the ever splendid Roy Kent) from Ted Lasso with the series able to take time in developing characterisation of the main players in the series – including family man and administrative director Higgins (Jeremy Swift). It can get a little too saccharine sweet (the Christmas special a case in point) but that’s balanced by a few vicious turns. And talking of vicious turns – that final over the shoulder backwards glance to end the series certainly sends shock waves, setting up the third and final series.

Rating: 69%

‘Ted Lasso’ (Season 1)

A less than inspiring series of trailers failed initially to raise interest in the comedy tale of an amateur American Football coach (Jason Sudeikis) taking over a struggling English Premier League football team. But recommendations came in fast and furious (and 20 Emmy nominations), so…

The fictional AFC Richmond finds itself in the hands of a new owner – namely Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) – as part of a divorce settlement. Looking for revenge on philandering husband Rupert (Anthony Head), his beloved team is to be run into the ground. Hence the appointment. Naive idealist Ted Lasso arrives with Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) as his sidekick – and immediately finds himself at odds with veteran team captain Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) and the young, arrogant star, Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster).

Needless to say things do not go according to plan although the team do continue to struggle throughout the season (thankfully Ted Lasso does not fall into the comic book trope of waving a magic wand and, in the face of adversity, AFC Richmond become overnight champions). Ted is immensely likeable and non-confrontational, and, through promoting a believe-in-yourself philosophy, wins over the begrudging respect of Rebecca, Kent and Jamie’s girlfriend, Keeley (Juno Temple).

The reality is that the series as a whole is generally non-confrontational – a light, warm-hearted dramedy with a focus on the characters in the board room, offices, dressing rooms – even a few of the highly critical supporters in the local pub. And then there’s the fabulous, understated Nate (Nick Mohammed) – kit boy, ignored by all, jostled in the dressing room – until, by simply remembering his name, Ted changes Nate’s world.

Rating: 70%