S03.E10: International Break

[Capricasix]

There’s another interaction between Roy and Jamie that I noticed and thought was nice. When Beard announced that Jamie had been selected for the English team and everybody applauded, Roy clapped for him as well, and then kind of chucked him on the upper arm without saying anything, and Jamie looked at him with a little smile as if to say “thanks bro” 🥰

[Sakura12]

They did such a great job with Jamie and Rebecca's redemption arcs. We saw them learn and earn them. So why are they being so lazy with Nate's? He got the girl he's been pining after and that suddenly made him see that Rupert's a dick and he was being one too. 

I can see Ted forgiving him because it's Ted. But I hope he tells him he will never forget what he did. I doubt that will happen since they are probably setting up Ted going back to the US and giving Nate the team. 

I love how much Jamie is a team player now. Going to Roy's Uncle's day and giving him a thoughtful yet very Jamie gift and wearing Sam's number to support him. 

Rebecca finally being over Rupert and telling those rich men off. I figured she'd back Keeley. Who I don't feel bad for. That is why you don't sleep with your boss or the person funding your company. 

I'm glad Barbara (and her weird fetish of how she acquires snowglobes) stuck around since she learned to like Keeley. And Keeley really needs someone who knows how to run a business with her at all times. 

Roy wearing his Red, orange and yellow shirt was amazing because of every ones reaction. No one said anything to him, they just stared. He loves his niece so he wears for it her even it makes him uncomfortable. He does deserve an Uncle's day. 

As for Ted, who's that? 

[MissLucas]

I don't see Nate taking over the team - too much damage not enough time for repairs. But does he even want to stay in that line of work? He does have a knack for tactics but his people skills still suck. I'd rather he opt to pursue something new more in line with his introvert side. If anyone should take over it's Roy - his people skills have considerably improved and now that Rebecca kicked him out of his quasi-eternal sulking mood I can see him applying for the job.

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by MissLucas

[Thalia]

I just started rewatching the episode and during the credits noticed that "Leann Bowen" is a co-executive producer on the show. 

[MerBearHou]

Has anyone mentioned that small, but very important, detail that Edwin Akufo paid $20M to have Sam NOT named to the Nigerian team?  Psychopath.  My heart broke for Sam throughout all of this -- he handled everything with incredible inner strength -- way to go, Jamie Tartt, wearing Sam's jersey number.  Loved that.

[Schweedie]

6 hours ago, Capricasix said:

There’s another interaction between Roy and Jamie that I noticed and thought was nice. When Beard announced that Jamie had been selected for the English team and everybody applauded, Roy clapped for him as well, and then kind of chucked him on the upper arm without saying anything, and Jamie looked at him with a little smile as if to say “thanks bro” 🥰

I loved that moment so much. Roy actually looked proud (for Roy) when he gave Jamie that little punch on the arm.

3 hours ago, MissLucas said:

I don't see Nate taking over the team - too much damage not enough time for repairs. But does he even want to stay in that line of work? He does have a knack for tactics but his people skills still suck. I'd rather he opt to pursue something new more in line with his introvert side. If anyone should take over it's Roy - his people skills have considerably improved and now that Rebecca kicked him out of his quasi-eternal sulking mood I can see him applying for the job.

Agreed. Someone so sensitive to criticism won't really do well in a job where he's constantly being judged and every misstep causes a storm that he can follow live on Twitter. Unless he works through that he should really step out of the limelight.

12 minutes ago, MerBearHou said:

Has anyone mentioned that small, but very important, detail that Edwin Akufo paid $20M to have Sam NOT named to the Nigerian team?  Psychopath.  My heart broke for Sam throughout all of this -- he handled everything with incredible inner strength.

Seriously, it's mad. It's not even like Sam turning down his offer embarrassed him publicly or anything like that, the offer itself was all hush-hush and no one even knew about it. So he's doing all of this just because he was *personally* offended - by a very polite and humble "thank you, but no", at that. And it annoys me that it's something I don't really see being resolved this season, which is probably the last, unless Akufo suddenly loses all his money and sway. I want to Sam to achieve his dream to play for Nigeria.

[curbcrusher]

23 hours ago, mrc12671 said:

For myself, regarding the challenges for the season as a whole, I look at it like this:  When I return to this series in ensuing years, this season will be the one I hold in least regard.  But that's like asking a lifelong Laker fan which Kobe-Shaq championship means the least to you -- There's an answer, but that doesn't mean it wasn't also great!

As always, YMMV on the analogy.

 

When I originally watched season 1 & 2, and then rewatched again while waiting for season 3, the way this show worked as fable telling vehicle reminded me of my favorite TV show of all time, the Andy Griffith show.

If you've ever talked to an Andy fan you know the Black & White episodes are considered the finest. You watch them over and over again, can quote dialog and story lines.  The Color episodes are OK, but you don't go out of your way to watch them again. Then there's Mayberry RFD that you may have watched once, but it's the spin off with all the supporting characters that still wanted to keep going when Andy quit.

I think this show is pretty much the same. Seasons 1&2 are awesome, and you can rewatch and enjoy in a timeless manner. Season 3, most will have watched it at least once but it won't be on the must rewatch list to love and know Ted Lasso. And if there's a spin-of like Richmond - Keely PR,  well, ...

[Athena]

Like others, I have mixed feelings about how this season has gone compared to S1 and S2. Something I have come to really appreciate and also remember about this show is how earnest it is and it's why I love it. Its earnestness comes in the writing as well.

The writers and Nick made Nate too much of a dislikeable character after S2. I do think they have not done the best of writing this redemption arc. And yet I do find myself sympathetic to Nate. Was the father's speech lazy writing and not realistic? Yes. Then again so many things about this show is not realistic at all even for a sitcom. I think the comparison to The Good Place as a fantasy sitcom is good. The Good Place had better character writing in other ways. For me, I give this show a lot of benefit of the doubt because it has so much good going for it. I prefer these earnest shows now and they are few and far between. I find myself buying into this Nate arc because the writers and the actor are trying their best with its measley bits. Obviously not a lot of people are buying it but hey, it's okay with me so far to make a character reflect and move on to become better.

Personally when I rewatch this season, I'll be fast forwarding through Shandy, the Jack arc, and Zava. Zava was funny at the time but didn't really add anything except to influence Jamie to be more ambitious which is a great thing.

Also another minority opinion here: I always thought Rebecca and Sam had  chemistry because of the actors. They both have chemistry with everyone so it's sweet to see them friendly with one another after everything.

So glad finally that Roy has realized his mistake and it seems like him and Keeley are back together.

Rebecca's speech was unbelievable but once again, Hannah was luminous and beautiful. I loved the moment in the mirror and it made me teary just how kick ass she can be.

Anthony Head was so great showing Rupert's range. My view is that things have been messy at home and in his office. The previous assistant left or was pushed out by his wife who didn't seem that in love anymore last we saw. Nate left so now he's got less people to control. That's why he's sniffing around Rebecca again. Oh, he has feelings for her, but he'll always be a grade A Narcissist.

Dani being evil playing for Mexico was an interesting twist. I didn't like that he dumped chips on a plane. I really hope he cleaned that mess up!

Sam being the enemy of a billionaire is scary but Sam has so much strength and resilience.

I heart Jamie Tartt too.

[KittenPokerCheater]

Can anyone explain to me the significance of Sam putting the picture of the National Nigerian Team in his locker? I know it was good, because Sam smiled.

So mad he sabotaged Akufo sabatoged Sam.  It's childish, but I hope Akufo's restaurant flops and he loses all his money.

[debraran]

20 hours ago, dovegrey said:

This is where I see the show's name "Ted Lasso" perhaps not literally about Ted as a character but Ted as a philosophy and way of treating people. Ted doesn't see people as irredeemable or needing to be taken down, and so I'm with the writers on the Nate redemption arc. I don't really like him but I'm interested.

And I'm trying to see it this way: a lot of the characters have arced from complete jackasses to redeemed people. I wouldn't classify anything Nate did or said as worse than Rebecca having a guy move to a different country so she could intentionally and covertly torpedo his personal and professional life to exact revenge on her ex. Nate has the unfortunate fate of not having two seasons to redeem and grow, like Rebecca and Jamie. I never thought Jamie would be a functional part of the team again (and wish that had been fleshed out more, actually), but here we are.

If anything - the whole Zava arc should have been scrapped, IMO. What a waste of time that could have been dedicated to growing out the real storylines.

I agree, people from the show who see many reviews etc. say it really is 50/50 most of the time with Nate. I see lots of support on other forums too. Many fans do want redemption. Its like Dovegrey said, Ted is not very religious on show, but hes moral and kind and doesn't like to hold grudges (except for therapist) ; )

Seriously he is the moral compass, Nate was nasty but not from birth, he's not a killer or any worse than others on show but he had his arc done wrong, that's not Nick's fault, he's trying to do the best with what's written. In a million years I could see Ted taking long to forgive the therapist but not Nate. I think he sees what I do and some others. He saw Jaime and he forgave Rebecca. The others, that would take a bit longer but I think Will was happy with the note. What we want isn't what he might want. I hear that a lot from people, "how  couldo and so forgive this person or deed" IDK, but life is short to be that angry all the time.  Maybe its my age, closer to Ted, but I don't like grudges unless someone did something really awful and that's up for interpretation, or feel everyone has to atone by having awful things happen to them. If they really see the light, they can take their lifetime atoning by doing good, but I don't need to see blood. I think Ted's character is the same. He left Nate on the lego board because he never 100% let go.

I don't know how i want it to end, pairings etc Nothing is great. Ted going home to Michelle, yuck but do i not route for a famioly to be together" Him with Rebecca which I thought WAY back if she wasn't his boss is a bit much and his son will still be seeing his dad on long trips and not often. The rest of them it doesn't matter, but I hope if never coming back they tie things up nicely.

I feel Ted will leave during goodbyes and be on plane or at airport. His son is his lifeline and still young. I'd like to see Jaime happy and Ted looking satisfied as he leaves especially if Nate is there with them. He can always visit with his son and have many places to stay.  : )

Edited May 18, 2023 by debraran

[Kuu-uurija]

Arvo Pärt's  Spiegel im Spiegel is one of his best pieces. So beautiful. Endless reflections in the mirror.

Also, Dani is a psychopath. His immediate on-off switch means he is just pretending. 

[MicheleinPhilly]

3 hours ago, Athena said:

Dani being evil playing for Mexico was an interesting twist. I didn't like that he dumped chips on a plane. I really hope he cleaned that mess up!

When I saw that, my brain immediately went to that pro baseball player who recently raised a stink about his wife being asked to clean up popcorn her kids had spilled on a plane. 

And as someone who HATES slobs and mess, I was immediately side-eyeing Dani even though I want to roll him into a blanket and protect him. 

[Capricasix]

4 minutes ago, MicheleinPhilly said:

When I saw that, my brain immediately went to that pro baseball player who recently raised a stink about his wife being asked to clean up popcorn her kids had spilled on a plane. 

And as someone who HATES slobs and mess, I was immediately side-eyeing Dani even though I want to roll him into a blanket and protect him. 

Yeah, Anthony Bass, who’s a relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays. I akso thought of that when Dani crushed the chips and dumped them out 😄

[sjankis630]

On 5/17/2023 at 4:30 PM, debraran said:

Keely, I just can't like this season, I thought her and Jack with terrible together and so unseemly. She was her boss, buying her for pete's sake. Is she sad over that or losing her stature. What did she actually do there other than date Jack and pick an awful person to hire?

This. I have said this before but as awful as Shandy was at least she was doing something. I have not seen Keeley do anything at the new firm except fiddle with her office window, fiddle with the boss and clean up goat poop.

When she was with the team she was doing stuff but not since she has left and now her fairy godmother Rebecca has bailed her out again. I bet her first task going forward will be setting up lunches with Rebecca.

I know how some people feel about Nate and I am certainly not a fan but how does this guy keep getting back into the Richmond lockerroom?

I know the first time he messed with the Believe sign but once everyone knew about that how did he get back in to fix up the locker area? I would have put in extra security to keep him out.

[Sakura12]

For me what Nate did was unforgivable. He blabbed about Ted's mental state the world. Something that was shared with him as a friend.  Nate deserves nothing from Ted. But I know Ted will forgive but I just want some real fallout from that kind of betrayal. If he rejoins Richmond, I hope they don't let him be part of the diamond dogs or have Roy and Beard glare at him until he leaves. 

[shapeshifter]

22 minutes ago, Sakura12 said:

For me what Nate did was unforgivable. He blabbed about Ted's mental state the world. Something that was shared with him as a friend.  Nate deserves nothing from Ted. But I know Ted will forgive but I just want some real fallout from that kind of betrayal. If he rejoins Richmond, I hope they don't let him be part of the diamond dogs or have Roy and Beard glare at him until he leaves. 

I expect if/when Nate apologizes to Ted that Ted will respond with how what Nate meant for evil wound up working for good for Ted, etc. etc.

[MissLucas]

1 hour ago, sjankis630 said:

I know how some people feel about Nate and I am certainly not a fan but how does this guy keep getting back into the Richmond lockerroom?

He got in the same way Rupert did by asking René, the guy working in the sewers aka the security guard that would not let young Rupert into the stadion. Rebecca and Rupert talked about him in their first scene and then of course he featured in Rebecca's monologue about the beautiful game. We saw him opening the door (with no entry written on) and letting Nate out who said 'Thanks René' before leaving.

(And I don't care that cc said his name was Rennée).

[Biggie B]

5 hours ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

Can anyone explain to me the significance of Sam putting the picture of the National Nigerian Team in his locker? I know it was good, because Sam smiled.

And what was the significance that picture of Sam's being the 1994 Nigerian team? Did his dad play on that team or something? 

I am very happy that Roy and Keeley are back together. I know most folks really disliked her this season, but I was good with her this season. Yes, sleeping with your boss and source of financing was a HORRIBLE idea but it was pretty obvious it wasn't going to last so that made it easier to get through it, as a viewer.  I do hope that Rebecca now providing funding won't strain the wonderful friendship she and Keeley have. On a super shallow note - her hair looked awfully dried out; it needs a deep conditioning.

Seeing Roy in that little party hat was EVERYTHING. And when he took off the tie-dye shirt in the parking lot, one look at his body and you know damn well he's got a hairy butt! But seriously - he is my favorite character of the show. I only wish we'd had one more chance to see him with that group of older ladies he used to hang out with. 

I wonder if we will find out how Trent's book works out. I hope it's wildly successful. I love Trent; he is such a good mentor of sorts to Collin and just an all-around decent, intelligent, sensitive person.

I don't have anything original to add about Nate that so many other folks have already mentioned. I'm not a fan. He's said and done some really horrible, hurtful, awful things with almost no consequences. I simply found it hard to be sympathetic to his storyline. 

Higgins is 100% correct - those kids in Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory are D-E-A-D! 

I'm sad this show is coming to an end. Even with its less than fab episodes, it is/was still head and shoulders above many other things out there. I will seriously miss this show.

[Kel Varnsen]

I think that is probably my least favourite episode of the series. It seemed overly long and so much time spent on sad Nate playing the sad violin because of the job he quit. Which seems weird since I feel like if you were coach of one of the top ranked teams there would be a lot of other teams wanting to hire you. 

Keeley's story was ok but still kind of annoying. It would have been funny if Rebecca said she was going to use her money to sue the VC firm. Because it seems weird that they can pull their cash out like that, since wouldn't they have bought a bunch of shares of the company?

I liked Rebecca's plot though, although Edwin being super crazy only works in a sitcom. Since I find it hard to believe that other rich people would bother wanting to make deals with someone that unpredictable.

And one little thing, considering that Dani and Van Damme are basically British celebrities, I would thing their seats on an overseas flight would have been way better.

[Thalia]

5 hours ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

Can anyone explain to me the significance of Sam putting the picture of the National Nigerian Team in his locker? I know it was good, because Sam smiled.

 

6 minutes ago, Biggie B said:

And what was the significance that picture of Sam's being the 1994 Nigerian team? Did his dad play on that team or something? 

 

Per a podcast I just listened to:  in the season 1 episode where the team each sacrificed something to chase out evil spirits, Sam's offering was a photo of that particular team.  1994 was the first time that Nigeria's team made the World Cup.  During the ceremony Sam said something about his dream of some day playing for the World Cup as a member of the Nigerian team.  

[Capricasix]

23 minutes ago, Kel Varnsen said:

And one little thing, considering that Dani and Van Damme are basically British celebrities, I would thing their seats on an overseas flight would have been way better.

And unless Mexico was playing Canada in Toronto, why the heck were they on the same flight?? /aviation geek

[angora]

On 5/17/2023 at 5:33 AM, justmehere said:

Rebecca was ready. She's been valuing herself, finding her power, speaking out where needed, and that day, she found her moment to let go of Rupert. She might have thought she wasn't ready, but it came in the moment. I was a little surprised about the "humanization" of Rupert, but her tapping into those memories was for her. She knew his history and his vulnerabilities. And while he became a bully and remained one, she has become a powerful, self-confident woman who isn't under his thumb anymore. We know that people snap in a negative moment, but sometimes they can also click into place in a positive one. Rebecca did that. Something else must have happened for Rupert to be at all sincere, if he was (more below), but Rebecca has moved on. Yay. I'm interested to see what's next for her. That green matchbook is still hanging around; maybe she'll hop on over to Amsterdam. (Side note: In a way, her speech reminded me a little bit of James Earl Jones' baseball speech in Field of Dreams - how much the sport has meant to people, its legacy.)

This was wonderfully expressed. Yes, that's exactly what happened with Rebecca. All the pain and growth she's experienced culminated in this moment. Finally, she was at peace with herself, which helped her gain perspective on everything else.

On 5/17/2023 at 9:37 AM, Lady Calypso said:

I think what helped the men being swayed was Rupert clearly agreeing with her. That, and Edwin throwing a temper tantrum probably happened right after her speech. I'd like to think even those men recognized what a bad idea it would be to get into business with a man-child once they saw him throwing food.

It might've been an even bigger red flag than that! When Akufu stormed out, it looked like Handshake Francis was wiping off his hands--that makes me think they realized they didn't want to get into business with a man-child who orders his *subordinate* to throw food at them for the sake of *his* tantrum.

On 5/17/2023 at 12:34 PM, kwnyc said:

Well, Ms. Bread's comment about his "fecal" being good might have been a subtle health thing, and I agree with how well Head acted his scenes...it's the first time we've seen him not being in complete control, and what Rebecca might have meant to him. I didn't peg him as a working-class kid become billionaire, but he's obviously acquired all the accoutrements of old money. And if he vacations with the Sacklers, he's a ruthless SOB.

The only thing that made me wonder in previous episodes about his background is his accent, which isn't posh.

8 hours ago, Athena said:

Dani being evil playing for Mexico was an interesting twist. I didn't like that he dumped chips on a plane. I really hope he cleaned that mess up!

That bothered me too. The "mean Dani" thing was the part of the story that fell the most flat for me, and making a mess like that on a plane was just a shitty thing to do. It might've worked for me if a flight attendant had come along and Dani had immediately reverted to sunshiny Golden Retriever Dani, apologizing for the mess and getting down on his hands and knees to clean it up.

Nate being the one to quit West Ham was interesting. Obviously, he was really disturbed by "guys' night" with Rupert, but I wouldn't have thought he had it in him to make such a decisive break so quickly. While I'm glad he tried to make amends to Will and left him an apology, I agree with those who think he should've said that to Will's face; preparing the locker room was a thoughtful gesture, but the note felt a little cowardly. And in general, it bothers me that throughout Nate's redemption arc, we really haven't seen him interacting with his players. When he was being soft/fumbly Nate with Jade, was he still using a "dum-dum line" at training? And now that he's left West Ham, we won't get an answer on that. He can apologize to the Richmond folks he hurt, but unless he's learned not to treat his "inferiors" like that, he's just going to keep winding up in the same places.

Loved everything about Uncle's Day. Even though Roy clearly hated everything that was going on, he was a good sport about it, wearing the party hat during the celebration and then wearing the T-shirt everywhere. Kudos to whoever speculated upthread that Phoebe's mom helped her create Uncle's Day because Phoebe's dad wasn't in the picture, so this way she'd be able to celebrate the male figure in her life without being bummed out about her dad. It's hilarious to me that 1) Phoebe invited Jamie, 2) he said yes and brought Roy a beautifully thoughtful gift (with a Prick Jamie twist!), and 3) he paid Phoebe when he swore. There was nothing I didn't love about that scene, right down to Roy's sister warning him and Jamie that the performance Phoebe had prepared had an intermission. Ha!

I also howled at everyone's reaction to Roy's T-shirt, especially in the coaches' office. Beard seeing it first and trying to subtly clue in Ted, the two of them peering through the doorway, Trent Crimm coming by with his "wtf?" look. The whole thing was just *chef's kiss.*

I really liked Keeley meeting Mae and admiring her as a successful business owner. Buying the snow globe for Barbara too, even if Barbara had to pay her for it so it "counted," hee! Obviously, Roy's apology/note/speech to her meant a lot, but I think she was already finding her way back to "Keeley fucking Jones" before that. It was just the final piece of the puzzle for her.

I agree that having your friend fund your business seems dicey (though at least a step up from the whole Jack situation,) but I think Keeley and Rebecca will handle it fine. For one, Rebecca thought it was a pretty trivial amount--"I think I have that on me in cash"--and two, I imagine that Keeley is accepting this money but doesn't plan to run to Rebecca for continued funds if she runs into any problems. As she gets back to Keeley Jones, The Independent Woman, I think she'd take her friend's investment, then want to succeed on her own.

Jamie playing for England with Sam's number was such a nice gesture. You could tell the spring was back in Sam's step after that. Jamie was always an entertaining character for me, but I never would've expected to genuinely love him as much as I do this season.

I lol'd at Higgins going on about Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, especially solemnly telling Rebecca, "Those kids are dead," and warning her to bail on the Super League meeting if the others started dying in what seemed like mysterious accidents caused by their own hubris.

[OtterMommy]

On 5/17/2023 at 3:47 AM, DEL901 said:

Like the present Jamie gave Roy…but with the Jamie twist of spelling Kent with a “u”.

I actually had to explain that to my husband.  Sadly, Phoebe figured it out before he did.

[Schweedie]

7 hours ago, Capricasix said:

And unless Mexico was playing Canada in Toronto, why the heck were they on the same flight?? /aviation geek

I got the sense that playing in Toronto was exactly what they were doing - the commentators said something about "When Mexico comes to our yard". Friendlies between countries are usually played in one of the two, and in Canada Toronto is the obvious pick.

(But yeah, they would definitely have been flying business or first class, that stuck out to me, too.)

[debraran]

Re he the chips crushed, I was appalled too but in watching it in rewind one more time I saw hands under them. Still messy and some probably fell on floor but Dani did it over his hands.

[Schweedie]

7 hours ago, angora said:

The "mean Dani" thing was the part of the story that fell the most flat for me, and making a mess like that on a plane was just a shitty thing to do. It might've worked for me if a flight attendant had come along and Dani had immediately reverted to sunshiny Golden Retriever Dani, apologizing for the mess and getting down on his hands and knees to clean it up.

I said before that I loved Dark Dani and I stand by that, but it actually would've been even funnier to me if the flight attendant and return to Golden Retriever Dani had happened, only for him to go from smiling back to stone-faced the second the flight attendant turned away after he cleaned up the mess.

(But yeah, like debraran said above, most of the mess ended up in Van Damme's hand.)

[sharifa70]

8 hours ago, OtterMommy said:

I actually had to explain that to my husband.  Sadly, Phoebe figured it out before he did.

Phoebe’s face while she worked it out…it’s so good to see child actors who can act. I loved that moment, and her argument for why Jamie owed her a pound.

[AD55]

So many great comments!

A couple of Nate observations:

1. What Rebecca did was awful, and I won't make excuses for her. But as others have said, the showrunners did a better job with her redemption arc than they have (so far) with Nate's. What she did landed differently with many viewers, including me, however, because it wasn't personal. Nate's attack on Ted was, and viciously so. The worst part was his telling Ted he had abandoned Henry, hitting Ted where he's most vulnerable. The psychology works because Nate felt abandoned by his father. He was conflating Henry with himself. But it was still mean, not least because Nate was not completely wrong. Ted didn't abandon Henry, but his decision to put an ocean between himself and his son has had and will continue to have consequences for their relationship. That's simply the reality, even if Ted's reasons are defensible.

2. I also hope that Nate apologizes to Will in person, but what he did do worked for me. He acknowledged in a concrete way that he and Will were both kit men, which shows real growth. He was mean to Will because Will reminded him that he was one degree of separation from a job he thought was beneath him. I hope he has a similar light bulb moment with his prejudice against Jade's family business. Sorry about the pun. I'll let myself out.

Edited May 19, 2023 by AD55

[Capricasix]

3 hours ago, Schweedie said:

I got the sense that playing in Toronto was exactly what they were doing - the commentators said something about "When Mexico comes to our yard". Friendlies between countries are usually played in one of the two, and in Canada Toronto is the obvious pick.

Unless they’re playing a World Cup qualifier in Edmonton at -10C plus windchill 🥶😄 (I think actually they played Costa Rica? I can’t remember)

[Kel Varnsen]

4 hours ago, Schweedie said:

(But yeah, they would definitely have been flying business or first class, that stuck out to me, too.)

As soon as they sat down I thought it was weird that with their level of wealth/fame they wouldn't be in those pod seats you can lie down in.

3 hours ago, Schweedie said:

I said before that I loved Dark Dani and I stand by that, 

I liked Dani being super competitive too. Like we know he loves football and the premier league is a big deal, but I can see how playing for Mexico would be a whole other level for him.

[mledawn]

1 hour ago, Capricasix said:

Unless they’re playing a World Cup qualifier in Edmonton at -10C plus windchill 🥶

Canada’s first win vs Mexico in over 20 years happened in 2021 at Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium.

I know it’s tricky for the show to track things that happen IRL but it was fun as a Canadian soccer fan to see the CAN v MEX rivalry for the International break. Canada (in men’s soccer) has not been strong.

[Ilovepie]

On 5/17/2023 at 1:34 AM, EtheltoTillie said:

Akufo is such a weasel, but I loved all his hilarious accents for the cancelled reservations. 

Not only that, but the parting handshake diss between Sam and Francis ha ha ha!!! They are cartoon villains for sure!

Speaking of villains......look, I know this show is a feel good experience, but I don't need Rupert or Nate redeemed. Sometimes people are just assholes - I don't care why they got that way and I wish they had just let them stay like that because that is how it is in real life. I know Rupert tried to kiss Rebecca, but it did seem like they were trying to make Rupert a tad more sympathetic here. Just no. The Devil indeed....

As for Nate, the apology to Will was sweet, and maybe the title of this show this season should have been changed to Nate Shelley instead of Ted Lasso. But I don't care. Also, I HATE what they did to Keeley this season. When this show first started, she was smart, funny, and also a Boss Ass Bitch. This season she seems timid, weak and dumb. I don't like it. This whole season with Nate and Keeley seemed like a waste of time - both are ending up kind of where they started, maybe a little wiser, but still. I am glad she is back with Roy, but I wish they had never broken up in the first place, just like I wish Nate had evolved slowly and with some self doubt into the Wonder Kid without his walk to the dark side....

My favorite thing this episode was once again the boys in the locker room. Mean Dani, "Of course I'm Swiss - look at me", Jamie checking on Sam, Van Damme - his confusion on the plane when Dani crushed his Doritos was hilarious. I love all the locker room scenes and moments with the players. That is when this show shines.

It's sad that Ted is now a side character on his own show.

[Kel Varnsen]

26 minutes ago, Ilovepie said:

But I don't care. Also, I HATE what they did to Keeley this season. When this show first started, she was smart, funny, and also a Boss Ass Bitch. This season she seems timid, weak and dumb. I don't like it. This whole season with Nate and Keeley seemed like a waste of time -

The weird thing about Keeley's story is we spent so much time at KJPR but hardly ever saw her working or with clients. So we have no idea if the company was successful or struggling. Because if they were doing well right from the start it makes Jack pulling her funding look way worse than if they were losing money. But we have no idea.

[Quickbeam]

On rewatch, a lovely bit. When Rupert was attempting to kiss Rebecca, he had to reach up. You never ever see that in TV or movies….they always height-adjust so that the man is taller. It’s a shot I don’t think I’ve ever seen before. I adore Tony Head (always Giles to me) and Rebecca Waddingham. They are terrific scene partners. 

[shapeshifter]

7 hours ago, Quickbeam said:

When Rupert was attempting to kiss Rebecca, he had to reach up. You never ever see that in TV or movies….they always height-adjust so that the man is taller. It’s a shot I don’t think I’ve ever seen before.

Isn't it only in the US that hetero men are supposed to be taller than their partners?
I've heard that in Europe, it's fairly common for a wife to be taller than her husband.

Edited May 20, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Capricasix]

Does anyone else remember Anthony Head in those Taster’s Choice commercials from the late 1980s? When I first saw him on Buffy, I thought, “hey, it’s the Taster’s Choice guy!” 😄

[Athena]

1 hour ago, Capricasix said:

Does anyone else remember Anthony Head in those Taster’s Choice commercials from the late 1980s? When I first saw him on Buffy, I thought, “hey, it’s the Taster’s Choice guy!” 😄

 

 

[paramitch]

I thought this was still rough, like everything else this season, but with some real moments of beauty and thoughtfulness. Definitely better than last week for me.

I loved Jamie being at Roy's party (and his truly thoughtful, funny gift). I also loved Roy's note to Keeley, and was happy they got back together.

Akufo is really vile. All Sam did was turn down his offer! That's it. And yet Akufo is still going scorched-earth—spending millions to keep Sam off the Nigerian team, planting a bad review of his restaurant, setting up a competitor a few doors down, etc. I mean, just because Sam politely refused his offer! He was kind, appreciative, never rude. And now Akufo is going to use all of his money to torture this incredibly nice guy. What a horrible person -- he's certainly the nightmare billionaire man-child we've all heard stories about.

But I so loved Jamie wearing Sam's number in tribute! It's especially meaningful when you look back to Jamie bullying Sam in season 1. That's a journey that has been really well handled across all seasons -- that these two guys respect each other so much now.

Thank you to those who pointed out all the genuinely vile things Rebecca did to Ted in season 1—pretty much right up to the penultimate episode—before repenting. Nothing Nate has done comes remotely close IMHO—while yes, he was mean, shallow, and childish on occasion, Rebecca uprooted a man from his family and plotted to publicly humiliate and destroy him (and her husband's team), even setting him up for a fake sex scandal while Ted was still married. Yet I forgave Rebecca right alongside Ted in the end, because this show is about understanding that people sometimes do awful things when they're in pain (as Ted told Rebecca directly).

I mean, this is Ted Lasso. Do we really think Nate won't get redemption?

But I do think they're handling it unevenly. And I hate that they're now trying to erase Nate's father's actual abuse with some stupid speech about "you were a genius so I was tough on you." I mean, this is the guy who treated his child with silence and seething anger, who refused to congratulate him even when he was the talk of the entire country, who told Nate's first girlfriend she could do better. The show is retconning Nate's Dad's behavior all over the place here.

I did love the montage over Nate's violin piece (especially with the violin as the counterpoint to the sweet Ted theme we've heard before).

Most of all: I loved Nate's apology to Will, and thought it was generous and very sweet. It is literally something I have wished for, and am so happy for it. And I loved that he added the lavender (referencing his being angry when Will used lavender in the dryer), that he signed "Wonder Kid" (owning the slightly mocking nickname he gave Will such a hard time for putting on his jersey), and -- is it just me? It looked to me like Nate had also gone in and silently done all of Will's setup work for the day (you see Will looking around at a perfect locker room, slightly in shock, before he opens the note).

One nice thing: as a cellist, I loved seeing Nick Mohammed play for real. The moment he brought the violin to his chin, I knew he actually played. (And thank you, show. God, the bad string miming in TV and film. So painful to watch!) I liked that he did a bit of tuning, also, although in reality he would've had to change the strings completely after storing it for so many years.

Meanwhile, I liked Rebecca's speech, but that entire scene felt so weirdly paced to me. I didn't believe a word out of Rupert's mouth, I didn't believe that he was softening toward her when he has been an absolute monstrous person who has gone out of his way to torture and hurt her any way he can. But I did enjoy her speech, and loved seeing her with Keeley again.

And oh, man, Jack is a piece of work. What an asshole. Keeley sure dodged a bullet, although honestly, I have no idea how KJPR was doing, whether it was a good firm, and I hated it anyway. 

What I don't get is why Keeley needs a firm anyway. Why doesn't she just stay an independent, high-powered, pricey publicist? PR firms suck. I say this with fervent experience.

Things I didn't like:

• Nate quitting offscreen: Seriously, show? We really don't get to see Nate quitting from Rupert because he sees what a bad person Rupert is? The single moment that may show us how much he has changed? What is it with this show this season and not showing us pivotal moments? (Like Colin coming out to the team?) Aghghg.
• (Also, if Nate was quitting to make a statement, why didn't he -- make a statement? At the very least -- that he was quitting, so that everyone doesn't assume he was fired?)
• Once again, barely any Ted in "Ted Lasso." Really frustrating. I did like that he called Beard out on enjoying Nate's downfall. (Also, Beard still feels like a caricature. Sure, Beard has 17 axes. Eyeroll. I just miss last season's Beard, where he was a calm, smart, and slightly mysterious person but not a cartoon character.)
• Really frustrated Trent's book is such a non-entity. He just wanders around now as a fun, sweet guy who's part of the team, but we haven't seen a single moment of him actually interviewing people or working on it. I can't help it, it bugs me.
• Keeley returning to that drab, dreary, ugly-ass office. I was hoping she would pick some new vibrant, smaller office that was more her vibe.
• I thought Barbara was kind of an asshole about the snowglobe, honestly. Just thank Keeley for the thoughtful present and move on. Sheesh.
• Dani being an evil asshole because he was on another team. The chips scene had me livid -- it's one of those "only on TV" scenes where Dani is making an absolute mess of Zoreaux/VanDamme's hand AND the airplane aisle floor. It's also stupid -- Dani has never been mean to opposing players anyway (much less those he is on a team with).

I still love the show and am looking forward to next week. I'm just sad it continues to be so uneven. It's very clear that Sudeikis is not at the level of Lawrence as a showrunner -- it shows.

Edited May 20, 2023 by paramitch
Oops Nate, not Ted

[DEL901]

I was thinking about Keeley and KJPR.   I think when she worked for the firm that a rich VC firm funded for her that she felt intimidated and pressure to be a certain way.   Everyone mentions not seeing her accomplish much…except that shoot where Shandy stepped up, but there we saw her doubting herself.   I think she was originally Shandy, the poor girl, lower class girl, but then she made good first as a model and then in PR, but without an education or training.  
 

When it was just her, she was as free as Shandy, having ideas (but with more common sense), but being beholden to a bunch of anonymous money people made her second guess everything.   And then Jack shows up, all rich and guided and part of her felt inferior.     But now with Rebecca,…she knows Rebecca respects her.  Sine day and she was already on the phone to the client Shandy cost them and winning her back with her creativity and confidence.  

[shapeshifter]

51 minutes ago, DEL901 said:

I was thinking about Keeley and KJPR. . . I think she was originally Shandy, the poor girl, lower class girl, but then she made good first as a model and then in PR, but without an education or training.

Yes, and Keeley has always seemed to me to be a reflection of Ted. The kind of reflection you see in a pond — or even just a little puddle — rather than a mirror, so not quite as much in focus. 

Edited May 20, 2023 by shapeshifter

[Sakura12]

8 hours ago, paramitch said:

Thank you to those who pointed out all the genuinely vile things Rebecca did to Ted in season 1—pretty much right up to the penultimate episode—before repenting. Nothing Nate has done comes remotely close IMHO

To me what Nate did is a far worse a betrayal than anything Rebecca did. Rebecca wasn't friends with Ted, she was his boss. Nate was supposed to be a friend. 

Nate told Trent Crimm, a reporter that Ted had a mental breakdown.  Nate revealed private information to a reporter something Ted shared with Diamond Dogs which is supposed to be a safe place for them to share their feelings and get advice. And he did that with intent to hurt him. Trent told Ted that it was Nate that told him and that is why Trent is no longer a reporter. 

Rebecca even in all her anger wouldn't have done that. We saw her see Ted have a panic in season 1 and she helped him through it. She didn't run to tell any reporters about it. Which could've helped her vendetta. But even she knows you don't blab about someone having a mental crisis. 

What Nate did was a personal attack to Ted. That takes more than a I'm sorry imo. 

[shapeshifter]

16 minutes ago, Sakura12 said:

To me what Nate did is a far worse a betrayal than anything Rebecca did. Rebecca wasn't friends with Ted, she was his boss. Nate was supposed to be a friend. 

Nate told Trent Crimm, a reporter that Ted had a mental breakdown.  Nate revealed private information to a reporter something Ted shared with Diamond Dogs which is supposed to be a safe place for them to share their feelings and get advice. And he did that with intent to hurt him. Trent told Ted that it was Nate that told him and that is why Trent is no longer a reporter. 

Rebecca even in all her anger wouldn't have done that. We saw her see Ted have a panic in season 1 and she helped him through it. She didn't run to tell any reporters about it. Which could've helped her vendetta. But even she knows you don't blab about someone having a mental crisis. 

What Nate did was a personal attack to Ted. That takes more than a I'm sorry imo. 

Thanks, @Sakura12, for the succinct recap of Nate-gate. 

Although working for a boss (Rebecca) who is undermining you (Ted) can be more stressful at the time and have life-long impact on career and finances, I think in hindsight it is the hurtful deeds of so-called friends (Nate) or family that stick with the injured party longer emotionally.

Of course, in the show, Rebecca was not really as evil as she tried to be, and Ted has super powers of persuasion, so Rebecca's negative impact on Ted was magically reversed, except for the impact of Ted's being an ocean away from his young son.

[Sakura12]

Ted choose to take the job away from his family. I can't put that on Rebecca. Now he didn't know that she was trying to destroy the team. So he didn't have all the information for his hiring, but that is the nature of jobs you never know what they are hiring for or how long you'll have the job. I don't know much about sports, from what I've seen its pretty easy to get fired from coaching based on the teams performance. So Rebecca was hoping that hiring an American Football coach that knows nothing about the sport would work itself out. 

Ted was hiding his mental breakdowns from himself so it took a lot to share that with his friends and to have one of them intentionally use that hurt him is huge betrayal to me. You would hope you could trust your boss but that's not a guarantee. Your friends on the other hand are built on trusting them. 

I'm fine with Ted forgiving Nate because that is what Ted does. But I would hope he makes Nate earn his trust back and not let him be in the diamond dogs. I've been betrayed by a friend and unlike Ted I cut that person out of my life and haven't spoken to them since. So this storyline may have brought that back up to me and it's probably why I'm judging Nate harder than  Rebecca. 

On a happier note I think I watched the Uncle's day scene too many times. That was my favorite scene of the episode. Jamie's gift was great and Phoebe working out what it meant. That girl can probably buy her own Landrover by now. They did a good job with the casting of Roy's sister she does look related to him. Although Phoebe's father must come from a long line of blondes. And I just read that we saw his sister in season 2, she was the ER doctor that helped Dr. Sharon after her bike accident. I don't know if they knew she was Roy's sister or they just decided to use the same actress. 

[Crs97]

3 hours ago, Sakura12 said:

Ted choose to take the job away from his family.

On the advice of his marriage counselor and encouragement of his wife to give her space.  Yes, he ultimately made the decision, but it was based on strong personal and professional persuasion.

[Kabota]

Loved Uncle's Day. Absolute perfection. Cha-ching. Chef's kiss.

The sports mystique montage speech was a bit hokey-tropey, but Hannah Waddingham can sell me anything. And, of course, this show wants us to remember that even Rupert has feeling(s).

Director Matt Lipsey has talked about what a privilege it was to get to film at Wembley, not just once, but twice, and the cinematography for that brief scene was so beautiful. 24, as well.

I'm still so confused about the time wasted with KJPR. With Rebecca so easily refinancing Keeley...what was the point of ANY of that? For Keeley to learn how NOT to run a business? For her to be mopey for like, what, an afternoon? Why not have Rebecca finance from the first and keep Keeley closer? That would've been a natural source of tension already. Or, heck, let Keeley raise the money on her own. I'm so sad to feel this way, but the Roy/Keeley reunion just fell flat to me, partly because of their lack of interaction for episodes and my general dissatisfaction with the PR firm plot.

Rather nervous for the last two eps. I've heard that they were both written by

Spoiler

Jason Sudeikis.

I love these characters and will miss them all if this is indeed the end.

 

Edited May 20, 2023 by Kabota

[KittenPokerCheater]

The way Will came into the locker room, I thought maybe Nate had cleaned it all up for him, as well as the note he left Will.

Is it enough?  No.  Is it a start?  Yes.  

I hope that we find out exactly  what drove Nate to quit.
 

[Juneau Gal]

20 minutes ago, KittenPokerCheater said:

The way Will came into the locker room, I thought maybe Nate had cleaned it all up for him, as well as the note he left Will.

Is it enough?  No.  Is it a start?  Yes.  

I hope that we find out exactly  what drove Nate to quit.
 

Nate had cleaned the locker room and set out the kit. You see Will's expression of wonder before he sees and reads the note.

 

[QQQQ]

At this point, I'm hoping that in the finale we learn Ted's actually a psychopath. We see him kill Nate then go back to his aw-shucks persona with nary a second thought. He returns to the US, everyone fondly remembering him as their mentor and hero.

Edited May 21, 2023 by QQQQ

[Athena5217]

I rewatched this episode, and I can’t believe how much time screen time Nate moping gets while Roy and Keeley getting back together happens offscreen. It feels very unsatisfying. We know what Roy said to Keeley, but I want to know what Keeley said to Roy.

[Crs97]

14 hours ago, Juneau Gal said:

Nate had cleaned the locker room and set out the kit. You see Will's expression of wonder before he sees and reads the note.

To juxtapose the scenes, Will looks around in wonder, but when the same thing happened with Nate he started insulting everyone because he thought he’d been fired.