S03.E07: The Strings That Bind Us

[Gimmick Genius]

On 4/28/2023 at 12:10 AM, lovinbob said:

I knew that I knew Sam’s dad from somewhere; it was driving me nuts. Then it came to me — he was on S2 of Game of Thrones! He was one of the bad guys from Qarth!

 

He also played Renfield in the 2013 DRACULA series.

[paramitch]

First off:

SO MUCH VOMITING! Why, "Ted Lasso," why? WHY? I have vomit issues and honestly had to fast-forward finally. Oh my God.

And NOPE NOPE NOPE to the strings on penises. Come on. There's no way that would happen without a ton of injuries. Just dumb.

The very sweet opening montage was adorable, however, and an obvious homage to You've Got Mail ("Ted Lasso" does love its rom-communism!). Also, "Dreams" is so joyful and sweet, it just makes me happy. This show always chooses wonderful, wistful music.

TED STUFF

Is the truth being revealed this season that "Ted Lasso" is the story of a profoundly good, inspirational man... who is maybe not really a great coach?

Like, last episode, Ted has this big idea that it turns out is not a big idea, but a known strategy. Then here, he puts it into place and it's a disaster, only saved when JAMIE fixes the strategy.

I mean, that's great, but I really wish it had been TED who fixed the strategy. Jamie could have supported him and still had a nice moment, but for me, presented this way, it's just more fodder for the revelation that Ted is not a good coach. Especially when this is the first strategic thing we've seen him do this season beyond just putting everyone behind Zava.

So this somewhat robbed Trent's adorable realization for me that Ted's strategy is working, because it is ONLY working because of other people! Agh. But it was cute, and I love seeing Trent as part of the office. I'm so conflicted. I think Ted is an amazing emotional coach -- he builds superb teams, inspires them, and that's fabulous. But on a strategic front? Er...

KEELEY

I guess it was good that Jack and Keeley addressed the "boss" aspect of their relationship (even if they softpedaled the "she's your boss" aspect almost instantly).

I did love seeing Rebecca and Keeley together again, and really liked Rebecca warning Keeley about Jack love-bombing Keeley. Which is sweet, but also -- yeah, red flags, since it's so repetitive and overwhelming. (I mean, yes, Arthur Bach did buy out the flower shop for Linda, but we didn't see him do it EVERY DAY.)

I also wonder if Jack's gift was meant to be another subtle red flag. She buys a beautiful rare old book (that doesn't exist!) for Keeley then DEFACES IT. I collect first and signed editions, and this horrified me. It's like buying Keeley a sports car then smashing it into a cube with a cutesy love note. Is there a message here about Jack's disregard for what objects can mean?

I keep thinking of a moment in HBO's "The Last of Us" when one person tells the person they love "Paying attention to things -- it's how we show love." What is Jack saying by defacing the gift she gave Keeley?

NATE

I know people hate Nate, but I don't. I still care about him. I hated his bullying sweet Will (and Colin), but I found his arc last season very moving and sad -- I was horrifically and violently bullied as a kid, and while I did not become a bully myself, I do understand how some succumb to that to feel powerful (and impervious to future bullying). Then we add in Nate's lifelong bullying from his horrible Dad (who is suspiciously softer this season, ugh). Abuse doesn't always make people their best selves, and all the first two seasons, we saw Nate blossom under the attention from Ted. But we also saw how desperate he is for approval, how small and unworthy he still feels, and I believe Ted recognized how much of the hurt child there was in Nate's outburst to him at the end of last season. 

So I like that this season is more complex than just "Nate learns his lesson" or "Ted saves Nate." Instead, Nate has been given respect and he is also kicking ass at his new job, showing he earned it with his ability. We can see Nate being a stronger person, respecting himself more, and he has already openly expressed regret for his treatment of Ted. He is now being brave in his personal life. Already he is not the pompous jerk he was in S3E1. So I like it. And I like that it's mostly due to Nate growing from his experiences.

Nate and Jade was sweet, I guess, although oh man, that diorama was seriously too childlike for me -- I found it a little creepy. But I also thought the show knew that, and that it getting run over sort of "saved" his chance with her (she said yes when she would have said no to the diorama). Still. The whole romance is also just so effin' weird to me. She bullied him. So I'm still wary.

SAM

Loved Sam and his dad, especially the hug after the restaurant was attacked. But it's ALSO weird to me how they're handling Sam's situation with his chef Simi. They are visibly close but the show is still selective about what we see. It just feels overly coy -- but evidently this episode DID answer the fact that she is not family (she doesn't know his Dad), so to me it seems apparent that she is his girlfriend, even if that hasn't been shown yet. I'm guessing it will be revealed just as Rebecca hooks back up with Hot Dutch Guy.

JAMIE

Loved Jamie and Roy on the bikes! So damn cute. Roy was pretty adorable this entire episode.

I do love Jamie's evolution from the arrogant goofball he was in season 1 -- even there, we saw that he was often bullying or acting out in imitation of his dad, not out of inherent cruelty, so I've liked the way he has been shown to learn humility, growth, and kindness (with that confrontation with his dad -- and the hug with Roy -- the turning point for me). It feels real and unforced to me and that's hard to do with that kind of story.

EVERYONE

Speaking of which, the ending with the team cleaning up and fixing Sam's restaurant was an absolutely lovely, beautiful, wonderful moment. Perfect.

And kind of a lovely bookend to the fairytale "shops opening up" beginning.

NOTE: I wrote a big huge post about why Nate deserves redemption but have posted it in Nate's topic. I hope some of you will stop over and discuss!

 

On 4/26/2023 at 12:46 AM, AngieBee1 said:

It was so embarrassingly juvenile and I'm glad they upended it by the diorama being destroyed and Nate having to screw his courage to the sticking place and just ask her like an adult. No bluster, no puffing himself up because of his job - just someone asking another person out. That was growth. And the fact that ultimately he had no one but himself in that moment - no Diamond Dogs; his mum and sister didn't have anything for him because as women they know, if it's not on, it's not on. So I'm glad he found his courage and without having to spit.

A wonderful moment. This was a team where in series on you had Jamie, Isaac and Colin bullying Nate, Jamie and Roy at each other's throats, Jamie being pissy and telling Trent that Ted was celebrating with the team after a loss and now they all come together, again with no encouragement from Ted. They followed their hearts to help their friend. Just as Ted told Beard in the pub, "This is their team, we're just borrowing it." Now, he said that about Baz, Paul and Jeremy but the sentiment is the same. Ted is just passing through. Like Jason said Dr. Sharon was to be like Mary Poppins just coming through, helping out and dashing off leaving no carbon footprint; that's how Ted is. He's there to build a team. And when he wins the whole damn thing he can go home. At least that's me speculating.

Beautifully, eloquently put!

On 4/26/2023 at 1:01 AM, LADreamr said:

It's also a lot like one of the montages at the beginning of You've Got Mail, even using the same song.  I was trying to figure out if Ted's rom-communism was being subtly hinted at.  Maybe that they are coming out of their dark forest finally?

Oh, it absolutely! And not even subtly! I thought it was such a sweet, joyful tribute to "You've Got Mail." They even used some identical shots/angles on the opening stores. And I was here for it. Loved it.

On 4/26/2023 at 5:31 AM, Enigma X said:

I like Ted but still feel at this point that he should be better at coaching. In my opinion, Beard, Roy, and Jamie have all proven to be better at coaching than him. I was hoping his hallucination would cure that. 

I agree. My biggest disappointment this season is of how embarrassingly bad Ted comes across as a coach. It's just... so, so bad.

On 4/26/2023 at 8:01 AM, sjankis630 said:

Oh wow did anyone mention Jamie's reaction to Ola coming into the locker room to comfort his son in comparison to Jamie's dad's reaction?

The look on his face was telling.

I missed that and went back and watched, and oh man, Phil Dunster is SO GOOD. Subtly very moving. Poor Jamie.

On 4/26/2023 at 9:16 AM, Phebemarie said:

The way Jack left her mark in a priceless (albeit fictional) book reinforces the idea that she is Rupert-like.  She took something she didn’t create and claimed it with her “you go, girl”, just like she is trying to claim Keely. 

I’m also wondering about the significance of giving her Sense and Sensibility.  For non-Jane fans:  S&S is the story of two sisters. one cautious with her feelings, the other impetuous and spontaneous (Barbara and Keely).  The spontaneous sister is literally swept off her feet by someone who swoops in and rescues her.  I think the book is significant and gives me hope that Roy may still have a chance.

I love this take and think you are definitely on to something. I would really love it if Barbara turns out to be more important (and Keeley-supportive) than she appears to be so far.

On 4/26/2023 at 9:44 AM, shapeshifter said:

And I kind of have to applaud The Show for at least locating a copy of Austen's signature to use for the real fake signature. 
But might we learn something like Jack paid Barbara to get a signed copy, and Barbara paid someone to insert Austen's signature? Maybe Barbara wrote the additional inscription?
Regardless, the added inscription probably decreases the value of the book a lot, but probably not so much that Keeley will not have to choose to sell it, return it, or owe taxes on it (unless UK taxes are not like that).

That added signature is so straight that it's not even trying to be faked.
A clue to us hyper observant viewers, perhaps?
Or just to emphasize the obvious contrast to the contemporary inscription?

Signature from Wikimedia Commons:

Great details!

As someone who collects signed and first editions, I was kind of heartbroken at what Jack did to this (fake) first edition of the first volume. And the inscription is just so silly and shallow (it looks like it's in SHARPIE, for God's sakes). Why destroy the book when a card inserted would have preserved it for Keeley as something beautiful? 

As far as value, the added inscription would definitely be a huge knock against the overall value of the volume. It would still be worth something, but not nearly as much.

On 4/26/2023 at 9:47 AM, Thalia said:

From what I can tell there are two groups when it comes to Nate:  Group one will accept a Nate redemption arc, but they want to see him suffer first.  Group two wants to see him suffer, period.  We are over halfway through the season and it is beginning to look like the only bad thing that has happened to him is that his new boss tried to tow his green mini. 

Furthermore, we haven't seen whether Nate has changed his persona at work.  In episode one we saw him be a jerk to players and staff alike.  Then all of a sudden we get Nate feeling sorry about Ted and being all Nate v. 1.0 with the hostess at the restaurant.   Does he still have the idiot line for players during practice?   

I think there are three groups when it comes to Nate: Group 1 wants him to find redemption and forgiveness, Group 2 wants him to suffer then get it, and Group 3 wants him to suffer, period and doesn't think he deserves redemption, period.

Meanwhile, I disagree: We've seen signs in every single episode this season that Nate has been evolving. And we saw as early as Episode 4 that he wanted to apologize to Ted. But come talk about it in the Nate topic! :) 

On 4/26/2023 at 10:25 AM, DEL901 said:

Adding to the above, Jason and Hannah were on Today and the host told him she hoped Nate died and Jason looked legitimately shocked and didn’t have a comeback.   

I find this absolutely terrible. Jesus Christ, this is a show about kindness, and Nate is visibly the product of bullying and abuse. I cannot imagine wanting Nate dead simply because of his childish acting out against Ted last season (especially as we know Ted forgives him).

On 4/26/2023 at 11:16 AM, Zaffy said:

For a show that promotes kindness, it is weird to see so many people not wanting any redemption for Nate.

Yeah, I agree. I've been really saddened by a lot of the fanbase hatred for Nate, when to me he's one of the most interesting characters on the show. And I do want to see him redeemed -- not with Ted, but simply with himself. For him to like, respect, and forgive himself. And to apologize to Ted simply because it's the right and loving thing to do.

On 4/26/2023 at 2:11 PM, kwnyc said:

Also: one of the reasons that Trent was so happy about the change to Total Football is: HE'S GOT HIS BOOK. He's spent the season wondering what the spine of it is going to be, what the throughline/themes are, and he finally figured it out. Writing a game story is much easier: who won, who lost, some analysis. But a full-length book about a team, that requires a lot more craft, and Trent just got his big idea.

What a fabulous observation! You're right -- I just wish I felt like Ted was a better coach. But I agree that Trent has his book now.

On 4/26/2023 at 4:13 PM, overtherainbow said:

This is what I wish the show would explore more. I can understand why Nate did it though (he was very broken at the time). We have a few more episodes left, we'll see

I wrote about some of this over in the new Nate topic I started in case you want to engage. No pressure!

On 4/26/2023 at 8:13 PM, juno said:

This is my problem this season. Nate has his own story now and I can't figure out why? He is not connected to Richmond, Ted or anyone else. He was a minor character for 2 seasons and somehow he now has his own storyline. Even if his character wasn't a POS I still wouldn't care about his story.

Easy answer: Because Nate is a main character on the show. Because he's important to Ted Lasso and to the team. He's still being followed this season because we have always followed his character's big moments. It's the same reason we've also followed Higgins, Roy, Jamie, Keeley, Rebecca, Sam, etc.

On 4/26/2023 at 9:42 PM, Xantar said:

With respect, I think that is a very one-dimensional view of the show. Ted Lasso isn’t simply about kindness. It’s about how kindness is difficult because the world is sucky and cynical but being kind is an admirable thing. Ted gets insulted on the streets and keeps on moving forward with a smile. Sam is subjected to horrible racism but ultimately maintains his positive outlook with his friends and teammates. Roy is angry and disappointed, but he still finds it within himself to hug Jamie when he needs it.

And the thing is all of these people are still struggling. Richmond is still on a losing streak. Ted is a mess. Sam is…well, he didn’t get to show up that bigoted politician, did he?

Contrast this with Nate. When has he shown a moment of kindness or generosity to another person this season? And yet, everything is just kind of going his way. He is famous and respected. He got a date with a woman he has a crush on. You know who else is having everything go their way without showing any kindness towards another person? Rupert.

I wouldn't say that describing the show as being about kindness is "one-dimensional," given that it is literally how Sudeikis envisioned and still defines it.

Meanwhile, I think it's interesting that you compare Nate with Rupert, because I feel like the show has done a really good job this season showing us that Nate, flawed and in pain as he is, is NOT Rupert, even when he tried to be. Rupert is cruel to his new wife, already sleeping around, and we also see Nate silently notice and disapprove of this. We've also seen Nate be kind to several people as he has evolved this season, and as early as episode 4, he openly wished he could apologize to Ted.

I think the irony of "everything going Nate's way" this season has been to show him that his rage and outburst at Ted were wrong, that what Nate needed to fix was himself. But YMMV.

On 4/27/2023 at 8:21 AM, kwnyc said:

Nate is a hot mess who did some terrible things. Nick Mohammed is such a good actor that Nate's behavior in this episode makes you melt a little. He, too, is like his father: critical and demanding, quick to say terrible things. But he's also got some of his mother in him, and the look of joy on his face as he approaches Jade with his pop-up invite is sweet.

Also: Trent Crimm's book will probably be called "The Lasso Way: Total Football."

I agree that Nate has picked up too many of his horrible father's lessons, but I hope he is learning that he doesn't have to do that -- he doesn't have to become the bully to overcome bullying. He doesn't have to become his father to be a man, etc.

Also, I love your book title, but I think it will be: Total Football: The Ted Lasso Way!

20 hours ago, kwnyc said:

I realize part of the problem of Keeley and Jack is that Jack is not a real person. That is, we know very little of her character. She might be a Rupert-style baddie, but we saw plenty of evidence of Rupert's assholery. We've only seen Jack fly in and out and sweep Keeley off her feet. Other than their drunken first kiss, we haven't really seen what makes them a specific couple. Jack could be a man, and it wouldn't matter. Right now, she's just a cardboard cutout.

Agreed. Jack is just pretty and charming and rich. She isn't a real rival to Roy because we haven't seen a single moment where she seemed to be an actual vulnerable person. I feel like this was a missed opportunity -- she could have confessed to Keeley that she's insecure, or scared, that she wants to be liked. Etc. Something.

7 hours ago, Captain Carrot said:

I've been thinking of Jade and her behavior towards Nate and I realized that we may have misinterpreted her behavior in S2.

I've worked in customer service, so I should have realized that Jade is the face of the restaurant as the hostess, but she doesn't make up the policy for things like the window seat. The tool of a manager does. My assumption is that he set guidelines about who could sit in the 'good table' and per his criteria Nate didn't qualify. So Jade was actually going against the manager's policy when she changed her mind and gave the table to Nate.

I'm thinking that she doesn't like Nate when he doesn't have any confidence, but she also doesn't like him when he goes to the other extreme and does things like whistle for his parents. (She did say she's picky). This would explain why she started showing interest in Nate when he stood up to the model about his choice to come to the restaurant. He showed backbone without turning into a prick.

I'm also thinking that we haven't gotten to Nate's redemption arc yet. We're just seeing him get to the emotional place he needs to be in to realize that he needs redemption. And I think Jade will be important for that. She wasn't impressed by his new job, so I doubt she would be impressed by Rupert. I have a feeling that she's going to act as a counter to Rupert's ability to bring out the worst in Nate and make Nate realize that he needs to make things right with Ted. (As I'm typing this I'm also wondering if Rupert will make a move on her).

THANK YOU. I have been struggling with Nate/Jade and have really disliked that subplot after she was so cruel to him.

Your post here however makes me rethink my position. I like the POV you're suggesting here, and if that's the case, then I can totally support Nate and Jade as a couple. Kudos!

Edited April 29, 2023 by paramitch
stupid italics!

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, paramitch said:

SO MUCH VOMITING! Why, "Ted Lasso," why? WHY? I have vomit issues and honestly had to fast-forward finally. Oh my God.

And NOPE NOPE NOPE to the strings on penises. Come on. There's no way that would happen without a ton of injuries. Just dumb.

Ditto x 1,000,000!
I guess the fictional fans watching the practice and some of the real life viewers of the series might also be fans of the Jackass franchise, but I am not one of those fans.
IDK. Maybe Ted Lasso is for viewers who like that stuff and think it's funny?
But I started watching this show because of the homemade biscuits. 
Now? Ugh. I guess I'll stick with it to the bitter end, although I'm wondering if this week's scenes of the glorification of projectile vomiting and threats of penile severing, following last week's middle-aged Rebecca not being able to tell what happened to her hoo-hah in the night, might both be warnings of more horrors to come.
What's next?
Which main character suffers a catastrophic amputation injury? 🙁

[Kabota]

3 hours ago, paramitch said:

TED STUFF

Is the truth being revealed this season that "Ted Lasso" is the story of a profoundly good, inspirational man... who is maybe not really a great coach?

Like, last episode, Ted has this big idea that it turns out is not a big idea, but a known strategy. Then here, he puts it into place and it's a disaster, only saved when JAMIE fixes the strategy.

I mean, that's great, but I really wish it had been TED who fixed the strategy.

The way I see it, Ted is NOT a great football coach. But he IS a great life coach. The show repeatedly presents us with his lack of basic football understanding. It's the reason Rebecca hired him in the first place.

When he comes up with the concept of Ted's Triangles, it is a breakthrough for him. Even though it's a riff on a set strategy, he did figure it out on his own, and I think it gives him confidence and a reinvigorated approach to his position. (I think before the season ends, we'll see him actually make sense of an offsides call!) It's been said before that, at Richmond, Ted is what they call in the NFL, a CEO coach -- he oversees assistant coaches who are specialists in aspects of the game, while he creates the team and locker room culture.

Jamie "fixing" the strategy is about "fixing" himself, as much as the team. And that would not have happened if he hadn't bought into The Lasso Way. Which leads, in turn, to Total Football. Again, none of this happens without Ted. Can't wait for Trent's book!

Edited April 29, 2023 by Kabota

[Lois Sandborne]

Not them trying to humanize Nate and his dad in one episode. I hit the fast forward when Nate headed into the bathroom, so I'm relieved to hear that he managed a saliva-free self-esteem boost. I did note that Siri called him Wunderkind, and emphatically not "Wonder Kid."  I'm not especially invested in whether or not Nate gets redeemed, but I don't think there is enough season left to do it well. They may wrap it up efficiently; knowing this show they may even do it sweetly. But to my mind no real redemption arc has even yet begun, so if they do squeeze it into these last five episodes, it won't be good TV.

Thank you to my fellow Austen lovers and pedants who pointed out the whole first edition mess they made. I don't really get anything from Keeley and Jack, except sadness that even in this relationship Keeley seems like a shell of her former self. I will say though that whenever someone mentions "lovebombing" it reminds me of one of my favorite Designing Women B-plots: when Mary Jo met Donald Banks and ended up warning all area women about him on public access TV.

I liked everything about Ted-all Football, including the team's resistance and even Ted's surprise insistence that they would try it out next game. Trent watching it all play out, finding the metaphor, and achieving a literary epiphany was really great writing. Jamie providing the final strategic link was good too. I hope it means a realization is coming that they have been underestimating him, if not on the field pitch then everywhere else. Give him some credit for growing already.

I also loved Ted asking Roy if he wanted a plastic whistle. They do make rubber and silicone covers. That guy's larynx cannot be okay.

The quick cut to Will-as-Beard was fantastic.

Generally I liked this episode, but it was noticeably uneven. I'm not plugged in enough to follow the behind the scenes stuff, but this ep was the first to make me wonder if there were changes to the staff after last season. Not only is Keeley in a new setting, but they've given her this attaché of new people with their own things going on: Shandy, Jack, Barbara, etc. The same with Sam and his restaurant crew, and Nate being an emotionally stunted menace on a whole other team, plus falling in like. It's pulled too much focus from our already huge Nelson Road ensemble, without adding any new depths or insights. Or if they are adding something, it's missing me. Expanding the show's universe is okay. Some of my favorite shows have done it beautifully. But even with long runtimes and extra episodes, I'm not convinced they're making it work.

(Fans used to wish every season for Insecure to have 45 minute episodes, and every season Issa Rae (lovingly?) mocked us for it. This Ted Lasso season might be proving her right.)

Apologies for being American, but does soccer football have a lot of dribbling?

On 4/27/2023 at 10:21 AM, kwnyc said:

Also: Trent Crimm's book will probably be called "The Lasso Way: Total Football."

I thought Lasso Football.

Edited April 29, 2023 by Lois Sandborne

[kwnyc]

7 hours ago, paramitch said:

, I love your book title, but I think it will be: Total Football: The Ted Lasso Way!

On 4/28/2023 at 11:22 AM, kwnyc said:

We'll user test it and let marketing decide. ;-)

[Phebemarie]

56 minutes ago, Lois Sandborne said:

Generally I liked this episode, but it was noticeably uneven. I'm not plugged in enough to follow the behind the scenes stuff, but this ep was the first to make me wonder if there were changes to the staff after last season. Not only is Keeley in a new setting, but they've given her this attaché of new people with their own things going on: Shandy, Jack, Barbara, etc. The same with Sam and his restaurant crew, and Nate being an emotionally stunted menace on a whole other team, plus falling in like. It's pulled too much focus from our already huge Nelson Road ensemble, without adding any new depths or insights. Or if they are adding something, it's missing me. Expanding the show's universe is okay. Some of my favorite shows have done it beautifully. But even with long runtimes and extra episodes, I'm not convinced they're making it work.

I've been wondering if some of the reason we're seeing less of a few of our favorite characters is because the actors have become popular and have more opportunities.  Maybe Sam hasn't been as involved because the actor was filming another series.  Hannah Waddingham has certainly been in a lot of different movies in the past few years (she's in Tom Jones beginning soon on your local PBS Station).  

[bugsmum]

I loved this episode, it’s a great follow up to last week.  We’re clearly on our way out of the dark forest and I am here for it.  
 

That said, Jack has got to go.  She’s a controlling, manipulative bitch, and if I didn’t already despise her, defacing that book should send her to the Bad Place for several eternities.

[ML89]

16 hours ago, bugsmum said:

I loved this episode, it’s a great follow up to last week.  We’re clearly on our way out of the dark forest and I am here for it.  
 

That said, Jack has got to go.  She’s a controlling, manipulative bitch, and if I didn’t already despise her, defacing that book should send her to the Bad Place for several eternities.

I'm ready to send her away for that awful outfit with the big collar she wore when she announced the romance to the whole office. If that's a designer outfit, that designer should be sentenced to wear it out in public. That was a Project Runway fail.

[cmfran]

Really wanted some comeuppance for Nate after being terrible for so long, but I guess we aren't going to get that.

[Uncle JUICE]

I guess I'm in the vast minority here, but this episode was ridiculous, and it seems to me that Lasso's one of these shows where the second I find something, some flaw in the armor of it, then all of a sudden it's ONLY the problems I can see. I feel like I need a folksy one liner to get me back on track here. 

The first sin here is there's no two ways around this, the Jack / Keely relationship is inappropriate and uncomfortable to watch. I'm sure it's mentioned above, but if Jack were a man (and I don't appreciate the cheap sleight of hand on the name, either), that relationship is far less cute than it is currently reading. The gift itself is inappropriate and announcing your relationship in front of the office doesn't make it better. 

THe Sam stuff; first, his dad is indeed Xoro Xarandoxos from Qarth and that was the best thing about his appearance. What happened at Sam's restaurant is clearly awful, but there's zero chance they get it all painted and back together in what feels like 24 hours, and you definitely can't just leave broken mirrors where food's going to be served without treating them. THere was no news coverage? Why not? The team would have definitely made a big deal out of that, it'd be everywhere!

Speaking of being everywhere, I'm sorry but there's zero chance anyone would be employed at RIchmond the moment that string around the dicks thing got out to the press. Literally everyone in leadership would be fired. You simply can't do that with grown up men (OR ANYONE), I'm sorry, that was nonsense. I also hated the clearly for the audience history lesson on Total Soccer. 

I don't like when things all just work out perfectly, maybe I'm just a crab. I also hated last week's nonsense pillow fight in a hotel lobby, that's a BAD story for AFC Richmond, but here it's like "aren't those grayhounds cute." They're adults, folks. Pros. 

[Uncle JUICE]

1 hour ago, cmfran said:

Really wanted some comeuppance for Nate after being terrible for so long, but I guess we aren't going to get that.

Ugh, I didn't even TOUCH on this Nate stuff. I can't for the life of me understand what the show wants me to do with Nate. I can tell you if it's root for his redemption, they've done nothing to make his character amend or realize how his actions were super douchey. I'm currently rooting for that waitress to humiliate him, or for Nate's boss / Rebecca's ex to fuck her behind Nate's back (okay, maybe that last one's a little harsh!), because I can't figure out what the redeeming factor for Nate is. You can't make him into a villain, have him act like an ass this whole season, then literally just DECIDE he's a good dude again. There's nothing to show us that. Bad job show!

[DearEvette]

2 hours ago, ML89 said:

I'm ready to send her away for that awful outfit with the big collar she wore when she announced the romance to the whole office. If that's a designer outfit, that designer should be sentenced to wear it out in public. That was a Project Runway fail.

I thought I was the only one! I hated that collar like it did me wrong! Also, she did wear those pretty awful bedazzled sneakers. 

[tennisgurl]

That was a really fun episode, I feel like we are finally starting to see the light after this rather sad season. The guys didn't win, but they did show improvement, it seems like the plan is slowly starting to work!

Loved getting to meet Sam's dad, what an awesome guy, you can see where Sam gets his kind heart and constant optimism. It was too sweet when all of the guys showed up to fix Sam's restaurant, it really is just how Trent Crimm explained it. The team has changed so much since we first met them, they really have come to work together and care about each other, everyone bringing their own skills to table.

Normally I love Keeley's 90s girl group chic outfits, but some of those outfits she wore in this one were...painful. Especially that puffy hat, it was like someone cut up a sun visor and a ushanka, sewed them together, and dumped them in a vat of pink paint. I don't care about her thing with Jack, and it sucks that she's so separated from the rest of the show.

[cmfran]

7 hours ago, Uncle JUICE said:

Ugh, I didn't even TOUCH on this Nate stuff. I can't for the life of me understand what the show wants me to do with Nate. I can tell you if it's root for his redemption, they've done nothing to make his character amend or realize how his actions were super douchey. I'm currently rooting for that waitress to humiliate him, or for Nate's boss / Rebecca's ex to fuck her behind Nate's back (okay, maybe that last one's a little harsh!), because I can't figure out what the redeeming factor for Nate is. You can't make him into a villain, have him act like an ass this whole season, then literally just DECIDE he's a good dude again. There's nothing to show us that. Bad job show!

Totally agree. The worst that happened is he went on a date with a vapid model that didn't like him.

[Captain Carrot]

I've been having the feeling all season that something's going on with Jamie that we're not seeing on the show. Apparently he's not dating anyone, he's able to state his comments are hypocritical and not ironic, and in this episode he was able to determine how to make Total Football work. This isn't S1 Jamie, and I have to wonder if he's gotten into self improvement recently.

[anna0852]

2 minutes ago, Captain Carrot said:

I've been having the feeling all season that something's going on with Jamie that we're not seeing on the show. Apparently he's not dating anyone, he's able to state his comments are hypocritical and not ironic, and in this episode he was able to determine how to make Total Football work. This isn't S1 Jamie, and I have to wonder if he's gotten into self improvement recently.

My head cannon is that he's maintained his therapy with Doc Sharon. He was delighted that she was someone he could just talk to about himself.

[DEL901]

2 minutes ago, anna0852 said:

My head cannon is that he's maintained his therapy with Doc Sharon. He was delighted that she was someone he could just talk to about himself.

And that he and Roy have really developed a friendship that is benefiting them both.  

[Kel Varnsen]

This one was pretty good. I think my favourite thing was that the new strategy didn't automatically turn the team around enough to have them win. With lesser writers that would have definitely happened. I also liked how in the running practice Jamie had no problem with it and was ahead of everyone, I always enjoy little payoffs like that.

Don't really care about Keeley and Jack. Because nothing is really going on with it. I wish we had spent more time at Sam's restaurant getting to know his kitchen staff instead. For Keeley it would also help if we had a better idea of how much of the company Jack owns. Is it a 50-50 thing which wouldn't be so bad or does Keeley only own line 20% of KJPR?

Also Keeley being basically off in her own show was really obvious since if she had been interacting with the team and doing PR she could have mentioned to Sam that his message was important but there is no way to win a twitter fight.

Trent at the end was pretty fun. A nice reminder that if you become a football writer for a major newspaper it's probably because it is a sport you love. Although I am wondering if in the end he is not going to be able to publish his book at all because he won't be able to remain the impartial fly on the wall observer.

On 4/29/2023 at 7:22 AM, paramitch said:

 

 

I think there are three groups when it comes to Nate: Group 1 wants him to find redemption and forgiveness, Group 2 wants him to suffer then get it, and Group 3 wants him to suffer, period and doesn't think he deserves redemption, period.

There is also me who is ok with seeing Nate realize he was an asshole and trying to be better without any kind of forgiveness or acceptance from Ted or the Richmond team.

Edited May 2, 2023 by Kel Varnsen

[Atlanta]

I wonder why they didn't tie the string around their waists instead of going for the cheap laugh? Nice seeing Jamie be a leader. 

There's no way they'd keep cracked mirrors as part of a restaurant's decor, and, as others mentioned, wouldn't there be outrage and press coverage? 

[Kel Varnsen]

9 hours ago, Atlanta said:

and, as others mentioned, wouldn't there be outrage and press coverage? 

If only there was someone that Sam knew that works with the team and could help him navigate the press coverage on this. Too bad there is no one like that.

Also as a beer nerd, specifically a British beer nerd I can't believe that I never noticed the Fuller's ESB and London Pride hand pumps at the Crown and Anchor. It makes sense since the real pub is a Fuller's pub. It also happens to buy my favourite brewery in the world. Now I am trying to remember if we ever got a scene with Ted trying cask beer. Since he hates tea, I am guessing he would also hate low carbonated, cellar temp beer.

Edited May 2, 2023 by Kel Varnsen

[shapeshifter]

9 hours ago, Atlanta said:

I wonder why they didn't tie the string around their waists instead of going for the cheap laugh? Nice seeing Jamie be a leader. 

O-o-o-oh! So that's what the weird penis string web was based on!?!!!
Sheesh. Could have given a throwaway line to explain, but maybe I'm the only non-sports fan watching?
Anyway. Thanks, @Atlanta, for mentioning the sane origin of that weird bit.

[AncientNewbie]

I find that I'm willing to forgive most of the individual episode excesses in the hopes that it pays off in the end. So something like Nate and his dad both being humanized a little? At one level, it's about how no one (perhaps Rupert) is every truly evil and even bad people can still be good people to someone. Or about how maybe Nate's insecurities are related to his dad's insecurities, if he went the art method of seeking a date instead of talking about it. 

I see a lot of things that would never really happen in the PL with this level of players. But I also recently was reminded about the year Leicester won it all and the videos of their celebration as they clinched the title, all gathered together in a really casual way at Jamie Vardy's place. So there's some wiggle room on the ongoing suspension of disbelief. 

[Schweedie]

14 hours ago, anna0852 said:

My head cannon is that he's maintained his therapy with Doc Sharon. He was delighted that she was someone he could just talk to about himself.

I agree - if not with Sharon, then with someone else. He's acting like someone who's Done the Work. (I don't think it was a coincidence that his breakthrough with becoming part of the team again in 2x03 came shortly after Keeley dumped him in Sharon's office, when before that he was talking about buying them PS5s.)

38 minutes ago, AncientNewbie said:

I see a lot of things that would never really happen in the PL with this level of players. But I also recently was reminded about the year Leicester won it all and the videos of their celebration as they clinched the title, all gathered together in a really casual way at Jamie Vardy's place. So there's some wiggle room on the ongoing suspension of disbelief. 

*starts singing "Jamie Vardy's having a party"*

[sharifa70]

Regarding Jack defacing the book: aside from the general horror of defacing a valuable first edition, am I the only one who caught Jack’s not-at-all-red-flaggy line about being jealous and possessive and not wanting anyone else to be able to have the book/Keeley? Which she (Jack) quickly laughed off as a joke?

If anyone at the beginning of season 1 had told me I would end up completely loving Jamie, I would have recommended that person for a psych eval. 

I have come to completely love Jamie. 

This show is a roller coaster. Laughing out loud (scaring the dog) over Will’s Beard impression, then crying over Sam’s breakdown, then happy tears over the last restaurant scene. I downloaded that final song and have been playing it on perma-loop.

[ahisma]

On 4/29/2023 at 12:08 PM, Lois Sandborne said:

Apologies for being American, but does soccer football have a lot of dribbling?

Sure, lots of it!  Just like basketball, the ball gets moved around either by passing or by one person keeping it in their possession as they run. In the big play during this episode’s game, there was a ton of passing, but very often, either because someone is very skilled and/or because they’re a hotdog, one person will dribble the ball up the field. 

[blackwing]

On 4/26/2023 at 11:42 PM, Xantar said:

Contrast this with Nate. When has he shown a moment of kindness or generosity to another person this season? And yet, everything is just kind of going his way. He is famous and respected. He got a date with a woman he has a crush on. You know who else is having everything go their way without showing any kindness towards another person? Rupert.

This.  I loathe Nate.  I loathed him even during season 1 when he was still with the team when he was making fun of Colin and Roy and the others.  I loathed him when his head got big and he was trolling the internet looking for praise.  And then he left the club and became full on villain.

So I'm wondering why the show has spent so much time on him.  He's the villain.  The villain usually doesn't get his own storyline, especially not one that seems to be on the path of redemption.  We don't get any storylines focused on Rupert because Rupert is a villain.  

I just don't care about Nate at all anymore.  I'd prefer to barely see him, like how we barely see Rupert.

I echo everything said above about how he's still a truly awful person with an enormous ego.  He hasn't grown at all, despite his fame and success, he's still the insecure nerd who isn't good enough to get the window table at his favourite restaurant.  His comments about Richmond and Ted at that press conference were petty.

They never explained the grey hair.  He's supposed to be in his 30s or early 40s.  So he went grey prematurely and was dyeing it, but stopped when he became all Evil Nate?  Doesn't make that much sense, but whatever.

If I were writing this show, I'd make West Ham suffer some bad injuries and free fall in the standings. Rupert fires Nate.  Nate comes crawling back to Ted and asks for his old job back.  Ted is a nice guy and is about to do so when Rebecca, Roy and Keeley show up and tell him to go F himself.  Series end.

[Anela]

I love Sam and his dad. I’m really loving the show now, but it’s making me homesick.