Season 1 & 2 Discussion

[DEL901]

Did you notice…on the uniforms, their new sponsor is Bantr.

[Traveller519]

Definitely the best episode of Season 2. They really started hitting the beats. It built well off last week's episode, was one of the funnier episodes and did all things Ted Lasso well.

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about Sam being on the other end of Rebecca's Bantr chat. Obviously they've done a lot to set up their friendship, which is great. If they were going to push the romantic angle I'd kind of hope they build on that, as opposed to this avenue. That said, it facilitates the "deep conversation" that may not have been possible in an employer/employee dynamic.

Great work not showing Ted from the time he left the field until the very last scene. The ambiguity while everything else was going on was a well constructed thing. Like Rebecca, we have to take everything happening at Face Value while secretly fearing the worst.

39 minutes ago, DEL901 said:

Did you notice…on the uniforms, their new sponsor is Bantr.

Yeah, that was the same as last week. Pretty cool that the writing staff trusts the audience enough to know how this played out without a scene that would have been necessary to do the same. It's definitely going to come up again to pay off Chekov's Financial Statements.

 

[MerBearStare]

There were so many lines that made me laugh out loud this episode:

"It really takes the anger wind out of his butt sails."

"I don't really know how to talk to you."

"If we actually win this match, I will burn this pub to the ground...I will knock over a chair...I will channel my raging enthusiasm into ways to help my community."

Higgins' gagging noises will never not make me laugh.

Hunky Luca is indeed very hunky. Get it, Rebecca! I don't love the idea of Rebecca and Sam because he's so young. His 20th birthday was in the first season, so I assume he's only 21 now. But I think like 10 years from now it could work. 

I LOVED Rebecca's game day outfit.

Loved Ted hiding his middle finger behind his jacket; it's those tiny details that make the show special. But I feel like Roy would suggest the British backwards peace sign and not the American middle finger.

While I've enjoyed this season and laughed a lot, to me the best episodes of Ted Lasso are the ones that are bittersweet, so I think this has been the best episode of the season.

Edited August 27, 2021 by MerBearStare

[KittenPokerCheater]

These last few episodes have been excellent.  This one is award worthy- Bravo everyone, especially the writing team. 

Only one question:  I loved Higgins talking to Beard. But why didn't Beard break up with Jane then?

[TimothyQ]

12 minutes ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

These last few episodes have been excellent.  This one is award worthy- Bravo everyone, especially the writing team.

And this one was written by Roy Fucking Kent himself, Brett Goldstein!

[AngieBee1]

18 minutes ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

Only one question:  I loved Higgins talking to Beard. But why didn't Beard break up with Jane then?

It's realistic, though. So often I've seen friends be in bad relationships w/ the absolute worst people and we counsel and give advice, but people do what they want to do and have to find their own breaking point. And it's obvious Beard is as obsessed with Jane as she is with him. 

[Kostgard]

Beard seems to crave drama in his relationships, so Jane fits the bill even though it’s bound to end in some sort of disaster. Like arson. I mean, following Keeley all the way home just to ask if Beard was shagging Ted? It’s a good thing Beard doesn’t have any pets. Jane would totally kidnap his cat if he had one.

I can’t decide if I want to know what Beard’s deal is or if it is better that he remains an enigma. I mean, it’s crazy that Ted accepted a job overseas to coach a sport he knew nothing about. We now know why he really did it. But why did Beard follow him? I’m not sure I want to know the answer.

I love Mae and the pub gang.

[LADreamr]

8 minutes ago, Kostgard said:

I mean, following Keeley all the way home just to ask if Beard was shagging Ted?

OT, but... someone should be shagging Ted! Besides Sassy Smurf six months ago.

[MargeGunderson]

10 hours ago, MissLucas said:

And while I loved how Higgins' trying to help played out I had a hard time thinking that Higgins of all people would not know that that kind of interference is risky at best and can end friendships. (And damn it - Keeley get that office that she decorated in the most girly way possible while poor Higgins has to eat lunch on the floor. I know it's a running gag but it's not fair.)

It makes sense to me that Higgins would take that risk. I think he was truly remorseful for not telling Rebecca about Rupert’s other women, and he took away the lesson that he should do the right thing by his friends, even if it is difficult. I loved Beard’s reaction. 

I do not love Sam being Rebecca’s mystery man. Noooooooooo! For so many reasons.

[MissLucas]

Good point about Higgins and his past behavior with Rupert's infidelity! Rebecca called him out for it and so now he tries to be a better friend no matter what the Diamond Dogs have to say. (I thought it hilarious how Roy just left when the meeting started and knew exactly what signals that it's over.)

[DearEvette]

How has no one made a Puffenstuff reference when someone talked about HR before?  So many missed opportunities!  But of course Ted "hold me closer Tiny Dancer, Prancer, and Vixen" Lasso would.

I don;t want Sam for a romantic interest for Rebecca any more than I wanted Ted.  Interesting to wait and see how they play it out.  I am getting the hint that Sam really wants to meet his mystery lady face to face but Rebecca is really just enjoying the texting without the physical meet.  The real unpredictable route would be for them to not meet at all and stay BANTR buddies ad infinitum or for the show to pull the trigger on a meeting somewhere wayyy down the line in future seasons.  It would be an interesting thing to have hovering over the show.  Much more fascinating that a  typical will they/won't they.

The Jane/Beard pairing is also pretty interesting.  It is clear she is intense as Rebecca says and possibly toxic.  But she seems to make Beard happy.  Between Beard/Jane and Rebecca's parents it is clear that an outsider can't and may not be meant to  understand why or what makes other people's relationships work for them.

So happy Nate has his moment of triumph.  Good for him.  Maybe he can get that stick out his ass now.

Love the pub crew those scenes are super fun.  And I love they are just as passionate about the Great English Bake off as they are about their football.

[mledawn]

9 hours ago, MerBearStare said:

There were so many lines that made me laugh out loud this episode:

"It really takes the anger wind out of his butt sails."

I thought she said black sails, which gave me a different visual entirely!

I LOVED "Earl of Risk" and had to pause the scene. I know that was in the trailer but it still cracked me up.

Ted's panic attack was so well done. It is absolutely awful that the only way off the field is in front of all those people. I prefer hockey where you can just duck out the bench (usually).

[AstaCharles]

1 hour ago, DearEvette said:

Love the pub crew those scenes are super fun.

"Temper your chocolate you twat!"

I love that line.

Also caught in the Bantr exchange..Rebecca believes in Bigfoot.

[MerBearStare]

20 minutes ago, mledawn said:

I thought she said black sails, which gave me a different visual entirely!

Ha! I turned on closed captioning and she said brat sails. I guess I just had butts on the brain because of the earlier scene with Hunky Luca.

Edited August 28, 2021 by MerBearStare

[Kiddvideo]

13 hours ago, MissLucas said:

A little bit disappointed by the Doc. While she does not know about Ted's panic attacks like Rebecca does, I still expected her to get off her seat and go check on him since it's clear she had him on her radar for quite a while. For dramatic purposes it had to be Rebecca but that was not a good look for the Doc.

I felt she was letting him decide to come to her in a “you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to help himself” sorta way. She reminds him she’s there, but he has to make the overture. 🤷‍♀️

[Schweedie]

A thing I'm thinking about - when Ted started having his panic attack, the things he was hearing was Jamie's dad was shouting at him after that match last season ("You're better than that, Jamie!") and then his son saying "Jamie Tartt?" in awe. I wonder how those two situations are connected. Was the panic attack a reaction to Ted realising that Jamie WAS better before he "fucked him up", making him question his ability to coach the team? Or does Jamie himself trigger something in Ted with his father issues?

And on a completely different note, on rewatch I noticed the other app Rebecca's using where she's talking to Hunky Luca is called 2MSCNT, which, bahahaha.

[MissLucas]

8 hours ago, Kiddvideo said:

I felt she was letting him decide to come to her in a “you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to help himself” sorta way. She reminds him she’s there, but he has to make the overture. 🤷‍♀️

Which is the right approach under normal circumstances but Ted leaving the field should have been a red flag that IMO required a more proactive approach. I expected her to at least try to check on him after the match.

[DearEvette]

We knew he was having a panic attack because we saw it. But from the Doc’s vantage point it probably looked like the food poisoning that the announcers speculated it was. His posture as he was leaving didn’t necessarily read ‘panic attack’ IMO. It really did read gastrointestinal upset.

[Schweedie]

5 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

We knew he was having a panic attack because we saw it. But from the Doc’s vantage point it probably looked like the food poisoning that the announcers speculated it was. His posture as he was leaving didn’t necessarily read ‘panic attack’ IMO. It really did read gastrointestinal upset.

Yeah, agreed - the doc might suspect Ted has issues he needs to talk through with her, but she has no idea he's suffered panic attacks before and no reason to assume that was what was happening here.

[Trillium]

I’m glad Ted was in Dr Sharon’s office because he went there on his own. No one dragged him there, or tricked him into it. Had she followed him after he left the field, it wouldn’t have been the same as him showing up on his own. I cannot wait for whatever is about to happen there. 
 

“I’m an ugly, ugly boy with bad hair”  😂😂

[Pj3422]

11 hours ago, DearEvette said:

 

Love the pub crew those scenes are super fun.  And I love they are just as passionate about the Great English Bake off as they are about their football.

I’m holding on to that “soggy bottom” chant  for the next series. 

[Good Queen Jane]

I was so happy to finally meet Laughing Liam and see/hear that Higgins and Rebecca were not exaggerating about his laugh.

Coach Beard, please run away from my toxic namesake. Anyone whose kink involves you wearing that awful hat will definitely not make you greater. By the way, what book was Beard reading? My ancient eyes couldn't make it out.

[Garden Wafers]

1 hour ago, Good Queen Jane said:

By the way, what book was Beard reading? My ancient eyes couldn't make it out.

Simon Kuper's Football Against the Enemy. I think it's interesting how the show contrasts Beard's continuing education in football (he's also shown reading Jonathan Wilson's Inverting the Pyramid in the pilot episode) versus Ted's continued ignorance (e.g. Lasso still not knowing to use the term "nil-nil" for a scoreless game in the last episode). At the beginning of the season, Dr. Fieldstone asked him point-blank if he was a good at his job and he could only stutter out a weak "yes". Based on the team's performance prior to Roy's arrival, there's a strong case to be made that Ted's actually a bad manager, even if he's a great person. 

[Juneau Gal]

43 minutes ago, Garden Wafers said:

Simon Kuper's Football Against the Enemy. I think it's interesting how the show contrasts Beard's continuing education in football (he's also shown reading Jonathan Wilson's Inverting the Pyramid in the pilot episode) versus Ted's continued ignorance (e.g. Lasso still not knowing to use the term "nil-nil" for a scoreless game in the last episode). At the beginning of the season, Dr. Fieldstone asked him point-blank if he was a good at his job and he could only stutter out a weak "yes". Based on the team's performance prior to Roy's arrival, there's a strong case to be made that Ted's actually a bad manager, even if he's a great person. 

Ted is great at motivating people, but is clueless as to how to make someone a better soccer player. The players have been left to translate the “feel good positivity” into teamwork on the field…..and that hasn’t happened. Now that Roy Fucking Kent is back in the job, Ted is, almost, not needed. 

[LADreamr]

Yeah, but Ted is intuitive about what is needed and how to get it, whether through his own tactics ("Led Tasso"), or knowing that Roy would be the one to get to the guys in a way that he couldn't.  He has also helped with Nate's confidence, which allowed him to step in, when Ted had to leave.  So, Ted is very valuable; he just knows that sometimes other people can do what's needed better than he can.

[Pallida]

Considering the word “wunderkind” literally translates to wonder kid, I wanted to throat punch the reporter. 

[LADreamr]

3 minutes ago, Pallida said:

Considering the word “wunderkind” literally translates to wonder kid, I wanted to throat punch the reporter. 

Same.  That was unnecessary.

Although, side note: how young is Nate supposed to be?  Wunderkind seemed like kind of a stretch, either way.

Edited August 28, 2021 by LADreamr

[Kiddvideo]

1 hour ago, LADreamr said:

Yeah, but Ted is intuitive about what is needed and how to get it, whether through his own tactics ("Led Tasso"), or knowing that Roy would be the one to get to the guys in a way that he couldn't.  He has also helped with Nate's confidence, which allowed him to step in, when Ted had to leave.  So, Ted is very valuable; he just knows that sometimes other people can do what's needed better than he can.

I agree that’s a good manager. The goal isn’t for you personally to be the best at everything but to put together teams (players, coaches, whatever) who are collectively.

[DEL901]

16 hours ago, Kiddvideo said:

I felt she was letting him decide to come to her in a “you can’t help someone who doesn’t want to help himself” sorta way. She reminds him she’s there, but he has to make the overture. 🤷‍♀️

I thought it was an interesting parallel to Roy waiting until Jamie was ready. 

[SnarkShark]

Well, they definitely fooled me with where they were going with Nate after Roy arrived.  Well done, show. 

The Higgins/Beard plot also went in a different way than I expected. 

The bantr plot?  I saw someone call this last week and didn't agree they'd do this.  I'm glad to be wrong.  Unlike the notion of it being Ted, this is a genuinely interesting idea.  Still a potential horrorshow for Rebecca's credibility as a boss if they actually go through with it, but since it's so much less obvious than Ted, it's given me faith they've actually thought this out. 

This is a huge return to form for the show, despite being a bit more disturbing in some ways. It was charming and unexpected in all of the right places. 

[Schweedie]

6 hours ago, Good Queen Jane said:

I was so happy to finally meet Laughing Liam and see/hear that Higgins and Rebecca were not exaggerating about his laugh.

Oh my gosh, I'd completely forgotten about that! Good catch. I did wonder why they spent so long showing him laughing.

3 hours ago, LADreamr said:

Although, side note: how young is Nate supposed to be?  Wunderkind seemed like kind of a stretch, either way.

Yeah, I've been wondering this, too. I feel like the actor has aged quite a bit looks-wise (sort of looking a little grey around his temples) since season one, when I thought he came off as much younger.

1 hour ago, DEL901 said:

I thought it was an interesting parallel to Roy waiting until Jamie was ready. 

I actually never got the impression Roy was executing some kind of strategy when it came to Jamie, I think he genuinely didn't want to coach him. I mean, I love him, but the man can hold on tight to a grudge. Jamie straight out asked for advice out on the pitch and Roy just turned his back and ignored him, and Jamie's frustration when he asked the others to tell Roy to start coaching him indicates to me it wasn't the first time. I think Roy really was just being a brat here - if Ted hadn't stepped in when he did it looked to me like it would've just ended up being another Roy/Jamie bust up like in the old days.

[LADreamr]

True, although I loved that once he gave him the signal, he knew exactly what he'd attempt and that he'd be successful at it.  It was one of those small but big Roy moments. Like telling Rebecca, "don't you dare settle for fine," or growling at the little kid who recognized him.  I love those Roy moments.  There's no acknowledgement of them.  They just happen, and pass, and they're kind of beautiful.

[HerkyJerky]

On 8/27/2021 at 8:59 PM, DearEvette said:

How has no one made a Puffenstuff reference when someone talked about HR before?  So many missed opportunities!  But of course Ted "hold me closer Tiny Dancer, Prancer, and Vixen" Lasso would.

Really! I LOVED H.R. Puffenstuff when I was a kid!🥰

[Kostgard]

15 hours ago, LADreamr said:

Same.  That was unnecessary.

Although, side note: how young is Nate supposed to be?  Wunderkind seemed like kind of a stretch, either way.

The actor who plays Nate is 40, but I read Nate as in his 30s. He probably comes off a bit younger, but that’s because he basically spent a long time kinda hiding from life and didn’t take the necessary risks to gain life experience due to his lack of confidence/timid nature. The “wonder kid” comment was a bit of Nate’s delusion, like him believing he was a “big dog” in the previous episode.

He may be closer to a lot of the players (who are probably mostly early to mid 20s) in terms of maturity, but he’s probably a lot closer to Roy in terms of chronological age.

[Catfi9ht]

I guess this show has decided to abandon its original theme, that Ted can turn underdogs into winners. I find it really strange how lost Ted's character has gotten.

I do really like this show and the characters, but it seems to be meandering a bit.

Also as close a Ted and Beard are, there is absolutely no way Beard does not know about Ted's panic attacks.

Roy's treatment of Nate this episode was as expected, and it was lovely.

I really do enjoy people with Roy's personality. There's no bullshit, no drama, and you always know exactly where you stand with them. The world needs more people like Roy and fewer people like Jane.

Edited to add: I'm with everyone else. Sam and Rebecca are a big "no" for me, especially since she's his boss.

Edited August 29, 2021 by Catfi9ht
Sam+Rebecca=no thank you

[AngieBee1]

Quote

I guess this show has decided to abandon its original theme, that Ted can turn underdogs into winners. I find it really strange how lost Ted's character has gotten.

But was that the original theme? Even Ted says to Trent Crimm The Independent in the episode of the same name that he's not concerned with winning or losing. And considering Richmond still went into relegation shows it's more about turning them into winners - the Lasso Way is to give his team guidance on being better versions of themselves on and off the pitch.

[DEL901]

And the show was written to have a 3 season story arc.   

[Dminches]

2 hours ago, Catfi9ht said:

I guess this show has decided to abandon its original theme, that Ted can turn underdogs into winners. I find it really strange how lost Ted's character has gotten.

That wasn’t the original theme.  Ted may have had that reputation from American football but the theme was Rebecca wanted the team to crash and burn to get back at her cheating husband.  It was only after she learned to like Ted and try to eliminate negativity from her life that she became interested in winning.

I also don’t think Ted has changed.  He has always hidden behind his goofiness.  It worked well when he was married but now that he is on his own in a foreign country away from his kid he can’t keep those feelings bottled up.

 

[twoods]

This show went from me being delighted to see Jamie become a prick (his scene with Roy was gold) to being terrified over Ted’s panic attack. I’m glad that Rebecca knew sort of what was going on and went after him, but it was so sad to see. I’m looking forward to seeing his sessions with Dr Sharon and glad he’s finally getting help.

It was nice for Nate to get a win, and for Roy to not take credit for it. I love that he wants nothing to do with the Diamond Dogs and knows that when they bark a second time the session is over so he can rejoin them.

Higgins gagging throughout the episode put me in fits. I just wish Beard broke up with Jane because she’s terrible.

Edited August 29, 2021 by twoods

[mledawn]

4 hours ago, Catfi9ht said:

I guess this show has decided to abandon its original theme, that Ted can turn underdogs into winners. I find it really strange how lost Ted's character has gotten.

I do really like this show and the characters, but it seems to be meandering a bit.

Also as close a Ted and Beard are, there is absolutely no way Beard does not know about Ted's panic attacks.

Roy's treatment of Nate this episode was as expected, and it was lovely.

I really do enjoy people with Roy's personality. There's no bullshit, no drama, and you always know exactly where you stand with them. The world needs more people like Roy and fewer people like Jane.

Edited to add: I'm with everyone else. Sam and Rebecca are a big "no" for me, especially since she's his boss.

I didn't see the original theme as Ted turning the team into winners - he was brought in because he was expected to be useless. He's succeeding at what *he* came to do, which was help the players be good people.

I agree about Ted and Beard but with Jane maybe Beard is otherwise occupied. She seems a bit of a tyrant.

I'm a big fan of grumpy people like Roy also. Not truly mean, just a little gruff on the outside but big-hearted. I love his relationship with Phoebe, and I really love that he's the kind of honest, secure person who doesn't take credit for the work of others. Nate deserved that (personal and actual) win.

[AstaCharles]

1 hour ago, twoods said:

 I just wish Beard broke up with Jane because she’s terrible.

I think it may be awhile, maybe he's drawn to that type of relationship..now that we learned his mom is "full blown QAnon"..perhaps another case for Dr Sharon 

[Crs97]

I am loving the second season as much as I loved the first.  Every character has an interesting story and journey.  I wonder, too, about Beard and Ted, but maybe they have already worked out that Ted wants Beard to keep his space during a panic attack.  In the pilot Beard noticed Ted’s hands tensing and reminded him to relax.  He asks, but lets Ted go as needed.  I trust this show to flesh out their friendship properly.  I also thought it was in character that Rebecca called not only to check on Ted, but also to get a pep talk from him.  I desperately want it to be Friday now!

[theajw]

I suffer from chronic terrible anxiety, and I usually get crabby at the over-the-top media depictions of what a panic attack looks like.  Ted looking at his hands seems like a small detail, but it meant the world to me because that's when I know it's happening.  My hands start tingling.  

I really appreciated that moment.  

[Juneau Gal]

34 minutes ago, theajw said:

I suffer from chronic terrible anxiety, and I usually get crabby at the over-the-top media depictions of what a panic attack looks like.  Ted looking at his hands seems like a small detail, but it meant the world to me because that's when I know it's happening.  My hands start tingling.  

I really appreciated that moment.  

I live with panic disorder. Last season's depiction of a panic attack was the realest I have seen on a TV show. My husband asked, "What's going on with Ted" during that scene, I knew immediately and told him, "That's what it's like." Bravo to the show for that.

[mledawn]

1 hour ago, theajw said:

I suffer from chronic terrible anxiety, and I usually get crabby at the over-the-top media depictions of what a panic attack looks like.  Ted looking at his hands seems like a small detail, but it meant the world to me because that's when I know it's happening.  My hands start tingling.  

I really appreciated that moment.  

Yes! Mine start with tingling hands and lips. Both panic attack depictions in the show have really hit home for me.

[AngieBee1]

The Hollywood Critics Association's TV awards were announced tonight.  TED LASSO won four awards. 

Best Streaming Series (Comedy)

Best Actor in a Streaming Series (Comedy) - Jason Sudeikis

Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Series (Comedy) - Brett Goldstein

Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Series(Comedy) - Hannah Waddingham (a tie w/ Hannah Einbinder of HBO Max's HACKS)

[funnygirl]

Disappointed in the Bantr reveal. I hope it's played out for awkwardness and laughs, and not for any actual romantic pairing for Rebecca and Sam. 

Looking forward to seeing Ted have a session with Dr. "Doc" Sharon. She had Ted clocked from the beginning and knew eventually he'd need an appointment, but seeing Ted like that broke my heart. The sequence with Rebecca going to look for him was well done, too. 

[Schweedie]

About the panic attacks, I'm not sure Ted had even had a full-blown one before the one we saw in the first season - he seemed completely taken aback by what was happening and it was Rebecca who told him he was having a panic attack. He may have had anxiety tendencies before, with his hands tingling etc, but if that was the first 'real' one he had it makes sense to me that Beard wouldn't know about it.

[DearEvette]

This is really quite funny.  Someone on twitter has re-imagined the Ted Lasso cast as Lord of The Rings characters,  The phonetic spelling of how Jamie's accent sounds in the thread is perfect.

 

[FnkyChkn34]

18 hours ago, Schweedie said:

About the panic attacks, I'm not sure Ted had even had a full-blown one before the one we saw in the first season - he seemed completely taken aback by what was happening and it was Rebecca who told him he was having a panic attack. He may have had anxiety tendencies before, with his hands tingling etc, but if that was the first 'real' one he had it makes sense to me that Beard wouldn't know about it.

I agree. I don't think it's fair to think that Beard should automatically know what's wrong with Ted when Ted doesn't even know. I think the panic attacks are new since he's moved to London and divorced his wife.