For the past three years, Ted Lasso has won over its audience—-not only because it is one of the best comedy shows currently on television, but because of its heartfelt stories and undeniable relatability. The show is centered on Coach Ted, played by Jason Sudeikis, who leaves his hometown and moves to London to lead AFC Richmond. The show involves the sport of soccer, or football as it is addressed in the UK; it follows a struggling Premier League team under Ted’s leadership. The larger focus of the show is that of mental health, which has always been a prevalent topic in society, but now more than ever. If you look back a couple years, we have been hearing more and more about a lot of mental health awareness such as anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide. The show serves as a voice discussing mental health themes such as anxiety, depression, and the importance of getting help and how difficult that can be for some.
I regard Ted Lasso as one of television’s greatest marvels for its constant warmness and realism. The show constantly is a breath of fresh air with a persistently positive energy and a great lead performance from Jason Sudeikis. Not only is Sudeikis good though, the whole cast is fantastic. This is a very comforting show that makes you feel welcomed and heard. All of the characters are truly fascinating, and it is great getting to understand who they all are as people. Throughout the show, you can see the attention to detail and evidence of the many rewrites and story changes that it took to make this the wonderful show that it is! By the end of the show, fans learn to appreciate Ted and his optimism. With the recent confirmation that the show is over after three amazing seasons, most viewers will sorely miss this great ensemble and comedy show.
Ted is best known for being a constant ray of positivity and kindness. He is the type of person who believes anything is possible when you work hard enough for it. The show’s writing is consistently phenomenal, creating the perfect mix of comedy and drama while always managing to come across very heartfelt. The show has been a major draw for schools who have been adding “Believe” posters to their classrooms in honor of the poster hanging from Richmond’s locker room in the show. I believe the everlasting effect this show has had on society is something so amazingly rare and further proves what an incredible mental health movement this show has sparked.
The show is also very present in the media. In March of this year, the cast visited the White House and spoke with President Joe Biden about the morals the show is aiming to teach and the change it is hoping to achieve. Sudeikis hopes the show will spark a conversation about the importance of good mental health and says to start “checking in with your neighbor, your co-worker, your family and ask how they are feeling.” It’s the kind and proper thing to do as we don’t know how they are feeling on the inside.
The character of Ted struggles with depression and anxiety within the first two seasons of the series. He has a lot of personal problems buried behind the smile he constantly mantles on his face. For one, he had to leave his wife and young son to travel to an entirely unfamiliar country. On top of that, he bears the pressure to coach a successful Premier League football team. We later learn that his wife wants a divorce, and it’s hard for Ted to come to terms with that truth. He starts having severe panic attacks (to the point of unresponsiveness) but continues to put on a smile and spread love and positivity to all.
Ted pursues this lifestyle until he finally realizes the severity of getting the help he needs. Ted is so inspiring and motivating with making the changes he needs to lead a better and healthier lifestyle. This is something many need to hear nowadays. The show’s main strength is that while it is very heartwarming, it is not afraid to explore the realities and obstacles that many people face daily.
In life, I think everyone at one point has been in denial or struggled to come to terms with a difficult reality of some kind. It matters that you do get help if you need it and have a support system like Ted eventually finds in his friends and team. Another key part of his growth is speaking with a professional therapist, Dr. Fieldstone. With her help, Ted is able to get past his personal pain gradually over time. She teaches him that kindness is great, but sometimes it’s okay to be upset. Most importantly you need to be honest with yourself and others about how you truly feel.
As the show continues, Ted continues to find more and more happiness within himself and with others. He accepts the situation with his wife and becomes more involved with his son. This leads him on a journey that ultimately lands him with a stronger understanding of who he is.
Ted has such a unique view on society that makes us as audience members feel as if he is a real human being. As a massive fan of all things entertainment-related, the thing I truly believe most is the fact that a show’s purpose is to make you feel for its characters and story. This is something that Ted Lasso really nails. It tries to inspire others to be better and recognizes America’s stereotypes, especially the “alpha-male” stereotype that is highly prevalent today. The main takeaway viewers are intended to recognize is that no matter how you feel about yourself on the inside, it’s never too late to fix yourself and change (even if that takes outside help). Ted believes everyone is able to make a change, even if difficult.
I think the main difference between this and other comedies is how easily digestible it is. It’s a very empathetic and understanding show that showcases the benefits of therapy and possibilities of finding happiness after living in depression. The lead actor Jason Sudeikis is amazing, and much deserving of his two back to back Emmys, as is the rest of the supporting cast. The end goal of the show is to not only watch Ted, but to learn and grow from him. It has successfully connected America in its encouragement of the mental health conversation, and has made the greatest impact possible. For that, it really is one of television’s greatest marvels.
Photo by Daniel Norin from UNSPLASHED
