It feels like forever since the Season 2 finale of Ted Lasso aired two years ago. Finally, it was time for our most beloved American football coach to get back into the field. When the show first aired back in 2020, it quickly became one of my favorite television series. The fish-out-of-water story was refreshingly told, the comedy is sharp and Jason Sudeikis’ charm added to its appeal. Needless to say, my level of anticipation for the new season was extremely high. I’m sure most of you feel the same, so let’s get down to business. I’m going to share my impressions of the first four episodes without giving away any spoilers or major story details, but I can already say that I’m enjoying this season so far.
Synopsis: “Jason Sudeikis plays Ted Lasso, a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer.”
This review may contain spoilers for Season 1 & 2 of Ted Lasso.
While the beginning of Season 3 of Ted Lasso may not showcase the series' best moments, it continues to exude its irresistible charm. This show's appeal lies in its ability to provide a delightful serotonin boost through its endearing characters, valuable life lessons, and clever humor, all while offering a thrilling ride for sports enthusiasts. This season continues to offer new challenges for Ted and manages to deliver a few twists & turns for AFC Richmond.
By the time Episode 4 ended, I was fully invested in the storyline and sold by the different dynamics between the players and the staff. If all episodes of the season were available, I would have probably binge-watched them in a short amount of time. It's not surprising since the show has always been incredibly addictive and easy to binge. Even though the social commentary and pop culture references don't always hit the mark, the show's portrayal of mental health in the world of sports remains consistently strong and well-balanced.
The new season seems to be on track to surpass the previous one, which had its highs and lows. However, the show is losing some of its novelty as time goes on. One interesting aspect of the first season was Rebecca's hidden agenda and betrayal towards Ted. This added complexity to their relationship, and while it's great that they are now friends, the show benefits from this kind of tension every now and then.
The introduction of former assistant-coach Nate The Great as a villain at the end of Season 2 has the potential to be a game-changer for the series. Although we haven't quite seen that impact in the first three episodes of the new season, he gets to prove himself a bit more in Episode 4. If the fans of Ted Lasso are not convinced after the first episode, hold on to your butts because the following 3 episodes are a lot of fun and proves it was time for Ted to come back.
Initial Score: 8/10
Season 3 of Ted Lasso starts streaming on March 15th on AppleTV+