by As football continues to be life, so does it Ted Lasso continues to be his charming, touching (and occasionally heartbreaking) self in Season 3.
If you enjoyed its Emmy Award-winning first two seasons Ted Lassowhich sees American Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) coaching London-based football club AFC Richmond, then you will definitely enjoy Season 3. Based on the first four episodes given to critics for review, Ted Lasso he stays consistent in laughs and tones while also raising the stakes for his beloved characters.
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Ted Lasso and AFC Richmond face many new challenges in the Premier League.
Juno Temple and Hannah Waddingham in “Ted Lasso.”
Credit: Apple TV+
After their promotion at the end of season 2, AFC Richmond Greyhounds are back in the Premier League. Unfortunately for them, everyone expects to finish dead last. It’s up to Ted, Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) and Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) to keep their team’s spirits high — though a win or two would certainly help.
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It doesn’t help matters that rivals West Ham United are predicted to do very well in the Premier League under new manager, Coach Nate (Nick Mohamed). Not only did Nate leak Ted’s panic attacks to the press and tear his “Believe” sign in half, but when he joined West Ham, he also fell for Rupert (Anthony Head), Rebecca’s (Hannah Waddingham) piggy ex-husband. Her confrontation with Rupert continues to light a fire in Rebecca, with this season seeing her become the owner of the club.
As in season 2, Ted Lasso continues to expand its world beyond its core cast. Keeley’s (Juno Temple) new PR firm introduces her new employees and friends to the series circle, while Trent Crimm (James Lance), former The independent, takes on a bigger role as he plans to write a book about the Richmond era. Otherwise, the show gives more time to the Richmond players, including Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster), Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh) and Dani Rojas (Cristo Fernández), who remain an excellent comedic ensemble. A fun addition to the cast is Maximilian Osinski as top footballer (and total diva) Zava, whose move to the Premier League surprises Richmond and its player dynamic. Still, it’s a lot to cram into a comedy, and the episodes’ 50-minute runtimes feel a bit heavy compared to Season 1’s faster half-hour pace.
Ted Lasso continues to deal with mental health in season 3.
Nick Muhammad, Anthony Head and Jason Sudeikis in Ted Lasso.
Credit: Apple TV+
Mental health remains a big part of it Ted Lasso Season 3, with Ted continuing to talk to therapist Sharon (Sarah Niles) as he processes his panic attacks and divorce. The show’s treatment of these scenes is sensitive and sad, as we see how Ted’s overly cheerful exterior hides a deep sadness that he’s still reckoning with. Whenever they feel his jokes or lessons very saccharine, as with a group outing in the very first episode, there’s a constant sense that Ted is overcompensating for his own anxieties and fears.
And Ted is far from the only character dealing with mental health issues. Players like Jamie and Colin Hughes (Billy Harris) struggle with their self-esteem, while relationship problems affect both Roy and Keeley. Then there’s Rebecca, whose wounds from her time with Rupert are reopened every time their teams face off – whether it’s on the field or in the press.
The most exciting of these arcs is about to be Nate’s. Now completely isolated from Richmond, Nate finds himself lured by the riches of both Rupert and West Ham. He begins to embrace toughness on and off the field, though his occasional hesitation suggests a hope for redemption. It stands out from the brilliant set of Ted Lasso for most of the season so far, Muhammad does a great job of bringing out Nate’s complicated inner battle in every scene.
Nate’s eventual return to the light side is helped by the fact that Rupert is the closest thing Ted Lasso has a mustache-twirling villain. As he wanders around the sleek West Ham offices in all black, it’s not hard to make a connection between him and Nate and Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. Since season 2 was Ted Lasso‘small The empire strikes back time(Opens in a new tab)we could see Nate turn on Rupert the same way Vader turns on the Emperor Return of the Jedi?
A possible redemption arc for Nate is just one of many storylines Ted Lasso is meticulously set up in these early episodes, along with the ongoing Richmond-West Ham rivalry and the honest look at each character’s vulnerabilities. Do I know exactly what the future holds for our Greyhounds? No. Believe Ted Lasso will it transport us to a sweet, satisfying narrative? Most definitely.
Ted Lasso airs on Apple TV+ starting March 15, with new episodes every week.
