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Meanwhile, in a move no one predicted, Coach Lasso has become a guru for our age: a case study of kindness and decency triumphing in a cynical modern world. Sudeikis and the rest of the cast had been invited to the White House to discuss mental-health strategies. Someone – presumably not President Biden himself, but you never know – had taped up a blue and yellow sign reading “BELIEVE”, the motto of AFC Richmond, above the door to the Oval Office. So Long, Farewell” wasn’t necessarily about closure, but coping with change — and how it needs to be a personal decision independent of anyone else. I admire that Ted Lasso’s finale didn’t strive to wrap EVERYTHING up with a neat bow, because some of the issues were too big to fix in 114 minutes. Nate’s character journey in Ted Lasso culminated at the ‘Believe’ sign, serving as a stark contrast to his own beliefs. The pivotal moment arrived in the season 2 finale when Nate, driven by his insecurities and misinterpretations, tore the ‘Believe’ sign in half. This act was not only a reflection of Nate’s inner turmoil but also a commentary on Ted and his coaching philosophy. Nothing has been more grating and insufferable this season than watching people hate on Ted Lasso to earn internet cool points. There are absolutely valid criticisms of the third season. Nate’s character turn came too fast, Sam didn’t get enough time in season three to close out his story properly, and for a show that centered so much on mental health, I think it’s a shame that Ted was allowed to more or less work through his issues by himself, rather than work Dr. Sharon more. Still, with Lasso closing out the big three series finales this week (along with Succession and Barry) it’s so tiresome to see critics lean on the same tired tropes about this show and remain unable to experience its joy due to Tall Poppy Syndrome. The world can be horrible, pessimistic, and soul crushing without being reminded of it in every piece of media we consume. We didn’t need Ted Lasso to mirror the bottom-feeding depravity of Succession. Sometimes we all need to be reminded that for as bleak the world can seem, there really are still wonderful people in the world just trying to do a little bit each day to get better themselves — so long as we believe. Ted Lasso was a reminder to all of us that darkness doesn’t last forever. As bad as things get there has always been a dawn, and the show gave us a place to laugh, cry, think, and feel every single week. I will absolutely miss tuning in every week, but I’m also eternally grateful they didn’t drag this out past its time.
For a show about soccer that was never really about soccer, there was a lot of soccer in the finale. Richmond’s surge in season three was wonderful, albeit a massive deus ex machina for the sports side of the show. A lot of comparisons have been made to Leicester City’s unpredictable 2015-16 Premier League title, but that analogy is a little forced. It was much too convenient to have Richmond rise from cellar dwellers to champs in a year — regardless of what happened off the pitch. The show never touched on the business side, transfers, or players wanting to join new clubs — which absolutely would have happened in real life, but we didn’t need it to. Zava retires because he wants to spend more time with his family and the avocado farm. This is the day after he gives a stirring speech on how Richmond does not need him to win. The end of Ted Lasso is now in sight: if you are watching it as the episodes are released, every Wednesday, there are three left. Sudeikis has not ruled out that there could be spin-offs from the series, but he’s also been adamant that the show, in its current form, ends here. “That was one thing we spoke about on our final day of filming,” he says. “The show may be over, but what we learned here… It’s not like Vegas: what happened here, stays here. No, what happened here, take it, take it to your village, take it to your family, take it to your next project. For real. Aren’t funerals not always to celebrate the dead, but also to remember you’re alive?” The writer and director of ‘Carol of the Bells’ take us inside the Apple TV+ series’ midsummer Christmas episode, balanced ‘on the edge of schmaltz.’
Jason Sudeikis Recruits 'Ted Lasso' Co-Stars Hannah Waddingham, Brendan Hunt for Kansas City Charity Concert Winning team: at the White House in March, with fellow Ted Lasso cast members. Photograph: UPI/Alamy
The expectations of the truth bomb at the end of the penultimate episode were dead on. We all saw this coming. Ted informed Rebecca that this was going to be his last season at Richmond, with the realization he had to return home to establish a deep relationship with his son before he wasted too much time. Ted achieved everything he needed to at Richmond, both professionally and personally — making him more at peace with the decision that anyone else in his orbit. Fact is, it’s just a sign,” Ted replies — before ripping it up some more, causing an uproar among the players. Ted then delivers what is maybe the most pointed speech he ever has to the team (and himself). Here’s the whole thing: At its heart, Ted Lasso was a show about perseverance, and doing one's best in every endeavor, even if that isn't enough to succeed. Early on in the series, it became clear that Ted's can-do attitude wasn't enough to turn the team around on its own, and his Believe sign was looked upon with a fair amount of skepticism. However, as his fellow coaches and players got to know Ted better, they too began to see that the sign was a symbol of Ted's approach to life, and it began to wear off on them. There’s been more: a “bombshell interview” from their former nanny (Sudeikis and Wilde then united to refute her claims as “false and scurrilous”). But reps for Sudeikis request not to go there today, to avoid stirring the pot further. Balancing act: Jason Sudeikis, as Ted Lasso, keeping a lot of balls in the air. Photograph: Julian Broad/Contour RAGiven the journey that Nate’s gone on in Season 1 in building his confidence — not completely, he’s still got insecurities and demons and a toxic relationship with his dad and so on — he’s been feeling empowered because of Ted, and now suddenly Ted and others are slightly blindsiding him a little bit and it’s tearing him apart. He finally voices that in Episode 12. In Episode 10, we can guess that maybe he’s gonna offer him a job or “Keep up the good work, I think you’re doing great.” Who knows. [While filming that scene,] Anthony said some very, very funny and obscure things. He was basically trying to make me laugh. I must admit I didn’t realize Nate’s hair color had been gradually graying until very, very well into the season. I personally knew I would find it difficult because it’s certainly not my comfort area in terms of acting or performing. I usually do comedy, and I will always go for the laugh over anything else — almost as a defense mechanism, really, in real life! Ted Lasso was never about true realism. This was not a show that aimed to explore the ins and outs of professional soccer. It was a workplace comedy, with the struggles of a team being an extended metaphor for life.
I’d been sent the script early. Jason had written it, and we talked for ages about it. The whole season, there’s no other scene between Ted and Nate; they’re in scenes together with other people but it’s never a two-hander. And that’s really important. In fact, the last two-hander between them was in Season 1, Episode 7, just before Nate gives the pregame roast, when Ted apologizes for having a go at him the night before in the hotel. I remember Jason was like, “This is really important, that this is the only scene between those two.” Unveiled during the show’s inaugural season, the ‘Believe’ sign became Ted’s tool for motivating his players, paying homage to the beloved American TV series ‘Friday Night Lights.’ Initially dismissed as frivolous, it swiftly evolved into a unifying force, not only for the players but also for the team’s coaching staff. Even Ted, often grappling with his personal issues off the field, found inspiration in this visual cue. The biggest, and unquestionably most debated will be the love triangle between Roy, Jamie, and Keeley. Though, truth be told this wasn’t really a triangle. Jamie and Roy made the decision they were vying for Keeley’s affections, and someone would be the winner. Ultimately she rebuffed them both and stood as the independent woman she’d grown into over the course of the show. This is really something you could see going any number of ways. Perhaps one of the lads ends up with Keeley, maybe they don’t — but in the end it doesn’t really matter. The three have a deep friendship that endures, and even if it’s not the relationship Roy or Jamie hoped for, it wasn’t up to them to make the decision.
While Ted Lasso is celebrated for its humor, the ‘Believe’ sign serves as a prime example of the series’ conscientious storytelling, employing visual symbols to mirror the characters’ inner struggles and triumphs. The Believe Sign Symbolizes Ted’s Biggest Value (& The Show’s Theme)
Ted’s Coaching Philosophy: It explores Ted’s coaching philosophy, known as the ‘Lasso Way,’ centered around belief, and how it influences the characters and players in the series, reinforcing the idea that belief is a key component of success. After their loss, Ted talks to them and rip the BELIEVE sign himself and tells the players that it's just a sign. They need to believe that they can do the best they can instead of depending on a piece of paper. Because 'Believe' is something that is coming from within, not from the outside.Yeah, it might be all that we get. Ted Lasso ended season three on Wednesday, and while nothing official has been said about the future of the show, it’s impossible to view “So Long, Farewell” as anything but the series finale. Our last trip to Richmond AFC was nothing short of perfection, which gave us satisfying conclusions to all the storylines that could be settled — while leaving others open for interpretation as they move on with their lives.
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