Ted Lasso returns this week, and not a moment too soon. It was the feel-good show of 2020, and since 2021 is its own kind of dumpster fire—guys, I’m starting to think things are just sh-tty now, everywhere, all the time—we could use a little of that Ted magic back in our lives. Also, season two premieres the same day as the Olympics begin, which is great synergy for those of us who would rather watch a show about fictional athletes doing everything BUT playing sports than watch actual sports. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the Olympics for the fanfare and the international posturing, and this year will feature surfing and skateboarding, which is cool, but I’m not an Olympics junkie who watches every single second of every single event. Like I’ll tune in to see Simone Biles destroy the gymnastics arena, but I am not going to pretend to care about shotput. Besides, my favorite part of the Olympics are the inevitable stories about how much f-cking goes on in the Olympic Village. Why isn’t there a sex comedy about this? Someone cast Tom Hiddleston as a tennis player who gets eliminated early and spends two weeks hanging out in the Olympic Village as our POV character for an Animal House-like romp on what is basically the Mount Olympus of the hottest, fittest people on the planet. Anyway.
A new clip from Ted Lasso shows Keely and Rebecca having girl talk! while Ted attempts to participate from the sidelines. There are some intriguing hints here for season two. First of all, Rebecca has a new man. Good for her! Though I am 100% Team Ted and Rebecca. They bring out good things in one another. Second of all, Keely and Roy are still going strong, though it is a little worrisome how sure Keely is that Roy isn’t busy. One thing that fascinates me about professional athletes is how early they retire after dedicating their lives to this one hyper-specific thing, and then they just have to like, figure out a whole second life after that. There are only eight episodes in this season of Ted, but I hope it touches on this at least a little bit with Roy. And finally, there is something about Ted in this clip. A certain squirrely quality. I think he doesn’t like being excluded?
We already know season two is going to delve more into Ted’s darker side, but maybe that’s not entirely a joke? The dude has been through a LOT, and for all that he is positive and encouraging, he struggles with true emotional vulnerability. He discusses everyone else’s problems much more easily than he does his own. I won’t be surprised to find out Ted is the type to find it easier to be needed than admit he that he needs. Also, something’s got to be behind those panic attacks, something he is not confronting (yet). Ted Lasso is planned as a three-season show. In any three-act structure, the second act is when everything falls apart, when the hero reaches their lowest point before rising for the finale. I wonder what Ted’s lowest point looks like.
Attached - Juno Temple and Hannah Waddingham at The Hollywood Reporter and Apple TV+ Ted Lasso season two preview at Ross House in LA on the weekend.
