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Season 1 & 2 Discussion

Avabelle

By Avabelle
in Ted Lasso

Whimsy
Message added by Whimsy,

This thread is now locked.  There are individual episode threads where you can take the discussion.  Feel free to quote a post from this thread and carry it over to the episode thread to continue discussions. 

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LADreamr

LADreamr

I'm sure I'll have more to say later.  Still processing, and you guys have all said everything so well.

Just wanted to mention loving when Nate was sent to the penalty box (? not sure what the actual term is) for verbally abusing the ref, and Roy was already in there.  We didn't see what he did, and there is no mention of it, but we can guess how that went down.  I love when this show does little things like that.

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xaxat
xaxat
AstaCharles
AstaCharles

Cast in other roles: They're Here. They're There. They're Every F***kin Where.

Crs97
Crs97

I assume you mean you will channel your righteous anger into ways to serve your community.

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mledawn

mledawn

27 minutes ago, Phebemarie said:

As a recently retired teacher, I appreciated that Phoebe's teacher was sympathetic and kind rather than judgmental and shrill.  

 

We've seen her before, no? She was on the pitch with Roy for one of Phoebe's football matches. She told Roy he can't call them little shits or whatever, even if they are little shits. I loved how she handles Roy each time

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SHD

SHD

12 minutes ago, mledawn said:

We've seen her before, no? She was on the pitch with Roy for one of Phoebe's football matches. She told Roy he can't call them little shits or whatever, even if they are little shits. I loved how she handles Roy each time

She seemed a little smitten with Roy this week. I wonder if they're setting up a possible bump in the Roy/Keeley relationship.

How excellent were the music choices this week? George Harrison's "Beware of Darkness" during the Jamie/Roy hug, huge Man City fans Oasis having a song over a Wembley scene, and then finishing up with "Somewhere Only We Know". Just great.

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MissLucas

MissLucas

(edited)

George Harrison, Oasis and Keane - this show sure knows how to score 😁 So much greatness requires a list.

  • Doc, don't ride your bike with earbuds (yes, the accident might still have happened but your savantish nature should know better).
  • Loved her voice messages to Ted.
  • Did not love all the empty booze bottles.
  • Phoebe's teacher was great and probably a little smitten with Coach Kent.
  • Roy getting frustrated by Phoebe's career plans LOL!
  • The haircut scene choreographed and scored like a bull-fight - and Jan not getting it.
  • Rebecca and Sam's not-date was not getting papped as I was expecting.
  • Male emotional sharing - if Nate spells the beans on that he deserves to stay with Jamie's Dad for the rest of the show. Also: Ted's more upset about Coach Beard drinking tea than that it was drugged tea.
  • That locker room scene - I wish someone had intervened before it escalated but I appreciated Coach Beard's 'Watch the door - oops!'
  • Roy f***** Kent hugging Jamie f**** Tart.
  • Worried about Coach Beard now.
  • Ted's call to the Doc...
  • Damn it, Sam - that was smoooooth!!! That said, I still don't think it's a great idea but I'm not sure I would have had the willpower either.

I normally reserve this ranking for CTMW - four out of five hankies, that's what you get for making me laugh-cry-laugh and then again cry, show!

Edited by MissLucas
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nomodrama

nomodrama

9 hours ago, ruby24 said:

I'm not into Sam and Rebecca because I'm just not comfortable with that dramatic an age difference. Rebecca's in her late 40's, right? And he's 21? So almost thirty years? I wouldn't be into that if the genders were reversed either. I think it's too much.

I had front row seats to this same scenario with the roles reversed. I found it icky then and I find it icky now. I agree that this is probably not end game and I just don't see how this ends well for Rebecca. 

Roy Kent continues to be the very best part of this show. I curse a ton so I felt really connected to him during his talk with Phoebe. My kids haven't started to mimic my behavior thank goodness, but I think he handled that conversation beautifully. I absolutely love that in that moment with Jaime he is the one that reacted with what Jaime most needed in that moment and that regardless of their history he didn't hesitate to comfort him. 

The pre-game confession was amazing. My favorite bit was definitely Beard confessing that he was high at a game and Roy knowing exactly which game it was. 

My heart broke for Ted. 

I think the actress that plays Dr. Sharon is beautiful. 

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spaceghostess

spaceghostess

(edited)

I love this show so much and give it a ton of credit for being brave enough to dig deeper into characters and reveal some pretty grim stuff. It’s a a gamble in that for every Jamie, whom I don’t think I’ll ever really be able to dislike again, you can also end up with a Nate, whom I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to like again. My issue with Nate is that he didn’t bank anywhere near enough good-guy points in season 1 for me to tolerate his toxic asshattery this season and root for him to come out the other side a better man. I’m not sure if this is because it’s easier to redeem a bad boy than to redeem a good boy-gone-bad or because I just find Nate’s behavior so extraordinarily gross and off-putting. Jamie’s asinine, in-your-face bullying cards were on the table for all to see last season; Nate is a sneakier brand who shows one face to those who outrank him and quite another to subordinates, and that is the FUCKING <RoyKent/> worst kind of bully. And, as other posters pointed out last week, that kind of emotional abuse doesn’t just stay at work, so yeah, it’s a good thing Nate’s not in a relationship.

I know seeing where it comes from (another crappy dad) should give me more patience with Nate, but I’m not feeling it — especially after the confessional scene came and went without Nate even dipping a toe into the waters Ted dove into headfirst. If Nate had made his relatively superficial “confession” only to cast a guilt-ridden glance at Will, that would have gone a long way to showing that he has at least a bit of conscience about his behavior, even if he’s not willing/able to take responsibility for it yet, but alas, not a glimmer of self awareness. Harrumph.

I’m another one struggling to get onboard the Rebecca/Sam (Sabecca?) train. I think it’s the combination of huge power imbalance and huge age difference that makes it a bridge too far for me.  I could probably handwave one of those boundary crossings for the sake of TeeVee, but both. . . not so much. I feel bad not being into it because they’re both such wonderful (not to mention gorgeous) people, but ehhh. I also worry that this could end up being a big heartbreak for Sam, and I would hate that for him. :(

Edited by spaceghostess
So. Many. Typos.
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Girl in a Cardigan

Girl in a Cardigan

6 hours ago, MissLucas said:
  • Rebecca and Sam's not-date was not getting papped as I was expecting.

Yes, I was expecting that too! I know that Richmond isn't a team like Chelsea or Man City, but Rebecca is still the team owner and Sam is still a player who clearly does post-game interviews. While the dinner could be explained away as a business diner, when he walked her home and then she kissed him, I was waiting for the flash.

I think this relationship is a bad idea for the reasons Rebecca listed plus all of the ways it will be detrimental to Sam's career if/when it comes out, but if they're going to do it, stop kissing in brightly light entry ways please!

Also - what did Sam say about the original date when he got back to the locker room the next day? What did Rebecca say about it to Keeley? These two have involved most of the cast in this romance before they knew what they do now, so how did they proceed??

Quote
  • Male emotional sharing - if Nate spells the beans on that he deserves to stay with Jamie's Dad for the rest of the show. Also: Ted's more upset about Coach Beard drinking tea than that it was drugged tea.

Perhaps it is the way I see Nate now, but he seemed to be noting every secret being spilled (while not sharing anything remotely personal of his own) and I have a feeling that's going to come up later. Especially the thing about Roy and the scouting reports. Nate seems most threatened by Roy, so yeah. I hate seeing Nate in this light now, but I really can't stand him now.

Also - just all of the feels for the Roy/Jamie hug and the deafening silence that preceded it. I'm curious now as to Roy's backgroun as well - we know that his grandfather drove him to Sunderland when he was NINE, so where was his dad? (Or his mum?)

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FnkyChkn34

FnkyChkn34

(edited)

It's the "Return of the Jedi" or "Empire Strikes Back" (whichever he said, I've seen Star Wars but still get their titles confused) season not because something super dark or tragic happens or is going to happen, but because they all have daddy issues. 

Edited by FnkyChkn34
Whichever Star Wars movie he said...
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FnkyChkn34

FnkyChkn34

1 hour ago, Girl in a Cardigan said:

 Also - just all of the feels for the Roy/Jamie hug and the deafening silence that preceded it. I'm curious now as to Roy's backgroun as well - we know that his grandfather drove him to Sunderland when he was NINE, so where was his dad? (Or his mum?)

Roy's dad is around - "he's in his late 60s and lives in South London so of course he's a little bit racist." We learned that in season 1. Maybe his grandfather drove Roy because his parents had to work.  

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Turtle Wexler

Turtle Wexler

2 hours ago, Girl in a Cardigan said:

Also - what did Sam say about the original date when he got back to the locker room the next day? What did Rebecca say about it to Keeley? These two have involved most of the cast in this romance before they knew what they do now, so how did they proceed??

Especially since Rebecca told Keeley that she ran into Sam?

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MissLucas

MissLucas

I just realized something about Doc Sharon - in the opening scene she complains about Ted not opening up to her and her therapist tells her that she needs to go first. Which she does when she tells him how scared she was (what happened before was more a consequence of her accident). And it worked - so, well done Doc Sharon's Doc!

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DearEvette

DearEvette

I don't usually watch the show on Fridays.  I like to save it as a little treat for myself over the weekend and anticipate it.  But I was really impatient and couldn't hold out.

This episode was fantastic and felt packed!

That last scene in the locker room was amazing.  It was well constructed, well acted, perfectly written and had such a emotional wallop.     Roy. Fucking Kent.  Holy cow.  That was perfect.  I loved it.

So much so I think between that and Ted's revelation it might have eclipsed that this was still quite a funny episode.  I guffawed in so many places:

- Beard and Roy's silent staring contest.

- Poor Colin being choked by his own weights because both Isaac and Jamie were terrible spotters.  And each time it was (unwittingly) Sam's fault.

- The entire hair cutting scene.  So fun. also "shut the fuck up Jan Maas!"

-Actually all the scenes with the players in the locker room.  I am loving this season fleshing out the different personalities.

-“Ain't no policy like a hospital policy cuz a hospital policy don’t stop"  Ted homilies can be corny and a little eye rolling and, well, a bit much, but I admit this made me surprise laugh. 

-Ted's voices.  They even surprised a laugh out of Doc Sharon.  I especially liked his SlingBlade voice.

- Roy's face as he  comes to the slow realization that he is the reason for Phoebe's profanity.

But then besides all that we got such a great glimpse into Doc Sharon's life and her burgeoning relationship with Ted is wonderful to watch unfold.

And then there is Sam and Rebecca.  Sigh.  I love Sam.  I love Rebecca.  I do not love Sam and Rebecca.  I don't usually care about age differences as long as the two are consenting adults.  But this one feels a little uncomfortable to me.  Maybe because Sam really reads as young and Rebecca reads as mature.   But it did bring another guffaw with Rebecca's horror at learning he was only 21 and feeling that she was a pedophile who was grooming him.  LOL.

Beyond the age thing though, she is his boss in a situation where not only is such a relationship inappropriate, it can really mess up the team dynamics.

I really, really , really wish the show had decided to keep them both in the friend zone.  Let them be embarrassed and appalled.  Had a nice dinner and let that be the end.  My one remaining hope is that it doesn't implode too terribly.  

But yeah, this was a fantastic episode.

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DEL901

DEL901

With Sam and Rebecca, we only saw them kiss. It was passionate, but we don’t know yet it things went further.  

I love this cast and so excited for the Emmys.   If there can’t be a 4-way tie for best supporting actor, comedy, then I hope it goes to a Roy Fucking Kent, but I’ll be happy if any of them win.  Same with the 2 women.  For best actor, I think Jason is a lock. 

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Insert Username

Insert Username

This show better not harm Coach Beard. That would destroy me (as would Keeley and Roy breaking up, so back the f*** off slutty teacher)

Roy Kent continues to be one of the best characters on TV. I love him. I also would never have predicted how much I would love Jamie Tartt. 

I am a no on Sam and Rebecca. That cannot end well.

 

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SnarkShark

SnarkShark

20 hours ago, ruby24 said:

I'm not into Sam and Rebecca because I'm just not comfortable with that dramatic an age difference. Rebecca's in her late 40's, right? And he's 21? So almost thirty years? I wouldn't be into that if the genders were reversed either. I think it's too much.

The age thing?  In the real world a challenge, but from a practical standpoint even more than a moral one. 

The boss - employee thing?  No matter how they Romanticisize it, insurmountable. 

Roy Fucking Kent rules, even if that was a damn manipulative scene.  

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Gwendolyn

Gwendolyn

I'm not sure how I feel about the Sam & Rebecca relationship. Though shouldn't he be 22 by now? He turned 21 at beginning of season 1 and I'd have thought a year had passed by now in Ted Lasso world. I think if he were like 24 or 25 I'd probably be more go for it Rebecca, but 21 makes him soooo young. Then again maybe this will play out like Luca where he makes Rebecca happy and builds her confidence and she gives Sam some fond memories. Unless, like someone suggested on twitter they're modeling her after Karren Brady who as managing director of Birmingham City who married one of her players (though there was no age gap there). Based on the show so far, the writers have earned my patience and open mind.

Loved how Roy realized he was rubbing off on Phoebe, but not necessarily in a good way. The thing is Roy Kent is presented as rough, gruff, and hard, but the man is mush! I think we're to imply that no matter how Roy got to be this constantly (supposedly) angry guy, he had a loving family. Maybe it was being sent away to play at 9 yrs old that made him that way. But he clearly loves supports his sister and was there when Phoebe's father bailed (I loved the line "he's a living sh*t" when the teacher worried her father had died) and he's always been there for Phoebe. Also he's loyal, I mean this is a guy who put off his first date with Keely because one of his yoga buddies was getting divorced and needed emotional support. So of course, no matter what history he and Jamie had, it was Roy of all the coaches that walked across that locker room after what he saw and embraced Jamie and held him while he cried.

And between Phil Dunster's face work in The Signal (joy at being told to go back to being a pr*ck, and then disappointment that it couldn't be all the time) and what he did in this episode, especially in that locker room better get an Emmy nom next year.

I saw a lot of people worrying that Sharon and Ted were crossing a line that therapist and patient should not cross (complaints about him buying her bike and seeing in her home, but that was Ted the work colleague, not Ted the patient) but like Sharon's therapist told her, Ted needed to know she was human (not just a walking intellect) before he could expose his trauma to her. And when she opened up to Ted it wasn't super personal (like why she only has wine and water in her apartment), but I think this accident helped Ted get past his block about therapists, because she was no longer just aloof and firm, she was the person who left show tunes on his phone! He saw behind the curtain that she was vulnerable like him, which is why it was fitting he finally told her about his dad. We're seeing that a lot of Ted's positivity is a mask/shield and it's getting harder to maintain.

Finally, you just know Nate is going to use what he learned about Ted and the panic attack at some point in the final 4 episodes and even more than what he did to Will last week, I'm not sure that's something the character could be redeemed from.  And hopefully next week highlights Coach Beard, because like everyone else he deserves an episode to shine in (this season has really been about the entire ensemble).

 

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laprin

laprin

15 hours ago, Good Queen Jane said:

 By the way, if anything bad happens to Coach Beard on his way home, the writers had better hide from the Wrath of Me, for it will be terrible to behold.

I loved this episode. I think Coach Beard is frustrated by Ted’s nonchalance when they lose. Winning matters to him. He vented this frustration in S1. 

I don’t know how it happened but Coach Beard is my second favorite character. Roy Kent is my favorite. I think because they are both so emotionally honest. I really like Ted, but he hides his emotions. It makes him less genuine.

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funnygirl

funnygirl

10 hours ago, nomodrama said:

I had front row seats to this same scenario with the roles reversed. I found it icky then and I find it icky now. I agree that this is probably not end game and I just don't see how this ends well for Rebecca. 

If (when) this becomes public, Sam may at worst get blowback from his teammates and his father (who, btw, is most likely around the same age as Rebecca. ick Ick ICK this pairing is ICK). But Rebecca is going to get raked through the coals by media and/or Rupert. Her career and reputation are on the line, especially since her new luvah was the one who protested former-sponsor Dubai Air and he got to keep his position on the team as well as get the sponsorship dropped. Even though that happened before this dalliance, the press don't know that nor will they care because media loves a scandal. Rebecca stands to be hurt more than she's ever been before, and for what? A twenty-one year old. 

A disservice to the leading lady, to say the least. 

Take out the Rebecca/Sam stuff, and this episode would be damn near perfect. 

YMMV

 

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AllyB

AllyB

I'm in my early 40s and have friends in their 20s and while I love and really enjoy our friendships. The thought of a sexual or romantic element to them feels as weird as all hell. As much as we have lots in common as friends, enjoy each other's company, laugh, have in jokes, scientific, literary, political discussions, etc. Those don't have to translate to a relationship other than friendship. I feel genuine love for my friends but the thing is, that sexual and romantic relationships almost always contain a power dynamic. And if both partners aren't starting out on both an equal footing and a perception of an equal footing, it's too easy for something fundamental to go wrong. The massive age difference as well as the, very public, employer/employee relationship between Rebecca and Sam just makes a sexual and romantic relationship between them too disturbing.

I would actually have really, really enjoyed seeing Sam and Rebecca acknowledge that a relationship between them would be a mistake but that they had potential for a really healthy friendship. A big strength to this show has been the developing friendships. Ted and Rebecca, Rebecca and Keeley, Higgins and everyone. But friendships between people with big age gaps, especially opposite sex, is rarely seen on television. Especially ones where they are just friends, not with the older person taking on a wise elder/parent substitute role. I find it so fun and fulfilling and it would be nice to see that mirrored on screen.

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Schweedie

Schweedie

10 hours ago, Girl in a Cardigan said:

Also - just all of the feels for the Roy/Jamie hug and the deafening silence that preceded it.

The acting in that scene was so bloody great all around. The way Jamie was completely frozen after the punch, like, his right hand was still clenched in a fist when he started to return the hug. His flinching when Roy first came up to him. Everyone else, the way they didn't know what to do or where to look - Dani and Colin especially looked so uncomfortable when Jamie started crying. Roy's hand on Jamie's back opening from a fist to a palm.

And I don't know if it's wishful thinking on my part, but I thought Nate looked quite affected. Like he was maybe realising other people are also products of shitty dads, but Jamie stood up to his and is clearly trying to break free from his influence. I'm hoping it could lead to him looking closer at himself and his relationship with his own dad, and what kind of effect that's had on him.

5 hours ago, AstaCharles said:

Really liked the little touches in the show like Jaime and his dad have the same swagger when they're being assholes. 

I don't know how this season will end but I really hope  Higgins gets a goddamn office

Yes! I thought that, too - like, his dad stuck his tongue out the same way Jamie did when he finally got to be a prick on the pitch again. Love those little details.

I thought for sure Higgins' confession before the match was about to be that he actually wasn't okay with being shunted around and really wanted a proper office where he could do his work. But no, he just apologises for messing up a transfer. Bless him.

17 hours ago, SHD said:

She seemed a little smitten with Roy this week. I wonder if they're setting up a possible bump in the Roy/Keeley relationship.

I thought she did, too, but I can't really see Roy even being tempted. He's way too committed to Keeley.

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Crs97

Crs97

I loved this episode!  I had hoped Sam and Rebecca would end after the dinner and am sad they are moving forward romantically, but that happens in life, too.  Crazily enough, they do look good together.

One of my favorite scenes was the teacher’s patient and encouraging look when Roy couldn’t  figure out where Phoebe is hearing all the swearing.  She may be a little smitten, but she was not inappropriate.  I loved that of course they got ice cream, and his speech melted me.

Nate’s “confessional” was completely self serving, and I immediately thought he is going to use those comments against them in some sort of panicked, public way.  Or he isn’t going to know how “off the record” works in an interview with Ted Crimm of The Independent.  I am painfully waiting for this screw up, knowing it will break my heart because he absolutely cannot come back from that. The writers are amazing, but not miracle workers (though a small part of me hopes the writing room just said, “challenge accepted!”  I still want to like Nate, but certainly don’t now.)

Sharon and Ted were terrific, though I was surprised at the beginning that Sharon’s therapist knew Ted Lasso by name as Sharon’s patient.  I would have thought confidentiality would extend even into her own therapy sessions.  That bothered me a little.

Shout out to the ref who puts Nate in the penalty box with a shrug and almost apologetic, “You can’t say that to me.”

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MissLucas

MissLucas

(edited)
On 9/11/2021 at 12:06 PM, Crs97 said:

Sharon and Ted were terrific, though I was surprised at the beginning that Sharon’s therapist knew Ted Lasso by name as Sharon’s patient.  I would have thought confidentiality would extend even into her own therapy sessions.  That bothered me a little.

Her therapist would know that she works for AFC Richmond and it would be quite tiresome if Sharon had to use aliases for all her patients. Not something that is usually done anyway. If you happen to live in a small town with a therapist working there, s/he will have to deal with the fact that s/he knows a lot of things about its citizens who are not patients. It requires some sort of Chinese wall. In the not so good old day the same applied to parish priests.

On a lighter note: one more thing to love Roy Kent (as if we needed that) - when playing Princess and Dragon he lets you be the dragon!

Edited by MissLucas
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Crs97

Crs97

1 hour ago, MissLucas said:

Her therapist would know that she works for AFC Richmond and it would be quite tiresome if Sharon had to use aliases for all her patients. Not something that is usually done anyway.

I guess I am surprised that she would need a name at all.  “I have a patient who just won’t open up to me.  Uses jokes and obscure references anytime we get close to an emotional moment.”  That seemed to provide the relevant information without outing Ted.

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DearEvette

DearEvette

It could be that Ted was a topic of discussion with her therapist before he became her patient. And once he was it was difficult to disassociate pre-patient Ted with post-patient Ted. Especially since it is obvious he has such an impact on her that she felt the need to talk about him in the first place. 
 

I can also imagine that a therapist’s therapist may unconsciously fall into the role of colleague esp. if your frustration with a patient becomes a stressor that you need to then turn around and work through in therapy.

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marceline

marceline

(edited)

Two thing I noticed in this episode that seemed kind of subtle but captured my attention:

  • During the confessional when Higgins admitted to screwing up the time so they didn't book that player from Brazil, we immediately see Nate get angry but the other coaches immediately forgive so Nate pretends to do the same. More and more we see that he's hiding who and what he really is.
  • At the end of Sam and Rebecca's date when she goes back inside and leans against the door, you can see through the glass that Sam stands there on her steps for a few moments, no doubt looking back at her silhouette on the other side. I thought we might get a scene of Sam on the other side but we didn't. Just the image of his blue suit through the glass.
7 hours ago, Crs97 said:

Sharon and Ted were terrific, though I was surprised at the beginning that Sharon’s therapist knew Ted Lasso by name as Sharon’s patient.  I would have thought confidentiality would extend even into her own therapy sessions.  That bothered me a little.

A big part of a supervising therapist is so the doc can be honest about their own issues with clients. If Sharon has to worry about using the names of her client then the supervising relationship isn't giving her the support it was designed to.

Edited by marceline
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Turtle Wexler

Turtle Wexler

12 hours ago, Gwendolyn said:

I'm not sure how I feel about the Sam & Rebecca relationship. Though shouldn't he be 22 by now? He turned 21 at beginning of season 1 and I'd have

Yes, I think so. In Diamond Dogs (?) Higgins says he’s been married for 28(?) years, and then in Rainbow he tells Rebecca he’s been married for 29(?)

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meep.meep

meep.meep

I loved that the beauty of Sam's haircut was recognized on national TV.  Isaac has mad skillz.

Now we know who Rebecca has been bantering with, are we ever going to find out who Ted is talking with?  I hope it's someone unexpected like the bar owner.

And I wish you would all stop talking about the Empire Strikes Back, because I get worried that a character is going to lose a limb!

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whiporee

whiporee

I like that they are showing, in the end, Ted is not good enough for this job. He might be great a building culture, or being the guy to talk to about stuff, but he simply doesn't know enough about soccer to be a major league coach. I think that's what is getting Beard -- this started as a lark, but they've been at it two years now, with very limited success and very visible failures. They have a team that was in the Premier League last season, with the same players returning -- and added a legit superstar -- and not only did they get blown out in a marquee game, they aren't dominating the lower division they were relegated to. He's taken a mediocre Premier League team and turned it into a mediocre Championship team in just over a year. The team only got better when they brought in someone who knws what he is doing -- Roy. But Ted is just not good enough, and I'm glad the show is showing that, intentionally or not. 

I like Sam and Rebecca, though I think there'd be a lot more paparazzi around both of them. 

I had thought Ted's father had killed himself. That explains his therapy aversion more than his marriage counseling issues. 

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mledawn

mledawn

3 hours ago, whiporee said:

I like that they are showing, in the end, Ted is not good enough for this job. He might be great a building culture, or being the guy to talk to about stuff, but he simply doesn't know enough about soccer to be a major league coach. I think that's what is getting Beard -- this started as a lark, but they've been at it two years now, with very limited success and very visible failures. They have a team that was in the Premier League last season, with the same players returning -- and added a legit superstar -- and not only did they get blown out in a marquee game, they aren't dominating the lower division they were relegated to. He's taken a mediocre Premier League team and turned it into a mediocre Championship team in just over a year. The team only got better when they brought in someone who knws what he is doing -- Roy. But Ted is just not good enough, and I'm glad the show is showing that, intentionally or not.

I agree. Offsides is really not that hard, either. It’s annoying.

Unrelated: Wear your helmet properly, Doc! You might not have gotten a concussion if you were wearing it properly. 
Sigh. 

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Kostgard

Kostgard

(edited)
8 hours ago, marceline said:

During the confessional when Higgins admitted to screwing up the time so they didn't book that player from Brazil, we immediately see Nate get angry but the other coaches immediately forgive so Nate pretends to do the same. More and more we see that he's hiding who and what he really is.


I also noticed that in the locker room after the loss and everyone is quiet and contemplative, Will tries to hand Nate a water bottle and Nate just glares at him. We are, unfortunately, not at the end of Nate’s ugliness.

 

3 hours ago, whiporee said:

I like that they are showing, in the end, Ted is not good enough for this job. He might be great a building culture, or being the guy to talk to about stuff, but he simply doesn't know enough about soccer to be a major league coach. I think that's what is getting Beard -- this started as a lark, but they've been at it two years now, with very limited success and very visible failures. They have a team that was in the Premier League last season, with the same players returning -- and added a legit superstar -- and not only did they get blown out in a marquee game, they aren't dominating the lower division they were relegated to. He's taken a mediocre Premier League team and turned it into a mediocre Championship team in just over a year. The team only got better when they brought in someone who knws what he is doing -- Roy. But Ted is just not good enough, and I'm glad the show is showing that, intentionally or not. 


I do think this show is slowly but surely indicating that good intentions are great, but you gotta back that up with work and/or reality will set in, and it can be a rude awakening.

Ted is a good life coach, and he knows how to get teams to work together, but the skill set is limited. He fixed a lot with the team in season one, but he couldn’t fix Dani in season two, and they had to bring in an expert. He couldn’t fix himself, and had to go to an expert. He brought on Roy and promoted Nate to fill in the gaps.

But there’s something else here - why the hell has Ted STILL not learned a lot of the basics about the sport? At this point it is inexcusable. I’ll bet he knows plenty about American football (he even identified himself as an American football coach at the hospital) but he hasn’t bothered with what the rest of the world calls football. I know it’s most likely because Ted’s been hanging on by his fingernails since before he came to London, dealing with anxiety and probably depression, and right now he literally doesn’t have the mental real estate to dedicate to learning about the game. So he’s leaning into his strengths and coasting by. That only takes you so far. And that’s gotta be what’s eating Beard. He blew up at Ted last season about it, and yet here’s Ted still all, “Y’all got some crazy rules in this sport! I don’t get it at all!” It’s at the point where it’s not cute any more. And if they keep losing like this, the team will start to resent him. And if Ted gets the Axe, Beard might get it too (or he may feel compelled to go, we don’t know why he followed Ted). Ted’s in for a rude awakening soon.

And the same with Rebecca and Sam. It’s nice now because they both really like each other, but even if the age difference doesn’t cause issues (though someone in their early 20s must be in a different place in their life than someone their 40s) the reality of the fact that she’s his boss will weigh in sooner or later and cause trouble for them both.

Chapter two in a trilogy is when your chickens come home to roost and wreck up the place. 

Edited by Kostgard
  • Love 7
MissLucas

MissLucas

Ted's lack of football knowledge seems to be a running gag - it's not just the offside rule. There's also the bit about pitch sizes, or nil-nil and plenty of others. It was okay in season one but it does get old in season two. I admire Beard who keeps acting as Ted's football Google. But maybe it's a plot point - Ted just does not want to be where he is. With a less likeable character that would have been the conclusion a long time ago.

  • Love 2
Whimsy
Message added by Whimsy,

This thread is now locked.  There are individual episode threads where you can take the discussion.  Feel free to quote a post from this thread and carry it over to the episode thread to continue discussions. 

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