Ted Lasso (2020-): Season 1

Title: Ted Lasso

Year: 2020

Genre:  Comedy | Drama | Sport |

Seasons: 1 | 2 | 3 |

Runtime:  30 min /Episode

Creators:  Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Bill Lawrence

Starring:  Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham

8.8/10

American college football coach Ted Lasso heads to London to manage AFC Richmond, a struggling English Premier League football team.

IT’S NOT JUST SUDEIKIS

WITH A MOUSTACHE

Ted Lasso is a comedy-drama series that follows the story of an American football coach, Jason Sudeikis, as he takes over a struggling English Premier League team. The show explores the world of sports but also delves into the relationships between players and coaches and how they deal with adversity. It’s a great mix of comedy and drama that will have you laughing one minute and crying the next.

Ted Lasso is a brilliant show and a show to follow for those who enjoy sports, relates to the American-England differences with how a coach abroad influences the whole new club. What’s impressive is how fluent the writing is and a major part of the characters. The episodes are limited to a half hour, featuring a work day or week of the coaches. It makes it not drag out too far storywise. Even the editing works out. Right from the start it delves into British culture which also deals with how the media, and press, are represented. Both dark and light sides. The characters are enough deep written and colorful and nuanced. With Jason Sudeikis, it’s obvious how talented he is in the role that’s been given to him. The role is originally from a sketch from NBC Sports. He fits surprisingly well in a dimwitted coach dealing with a new home and job. Sudeikis coaching is humble and funny, even serious.

Rebecca Walton, the owner of ACF Richmond, is the opposite of Lasso. She’s rude, obnoxious, and motivated to take down the club at every cost. Her motivation feels a little unprecedented. Sure, it fits the series and the plot for her to be the antagonist in the background. However, it could be cemented right from the beginning to earn her place. Hannah Waddingham does have a role in the first season as an interesting counterweight to Lasso. However, the prediction of the whole season, even seen the trailers, how the underdog soccer team ends up winning matches in the end.

The soccer team and the coach delivers both heart, drama, and humor that’s rare these days. Few series have delivered in both writings and acting like this one, especially how kindness is important and appreciated, which in the end is the cornerstone of this first season. Well, it’s worth a first watch and binge the whole series in five hours.