#Charlie Hiscock can join too

[agentnico]

Ted Lasso - Season 3 (2023) Review

Plot: In the 12-episode third season of Ted Lasso, the newly-promoted AFC Richmond faces ridicule as media predictions widely peg them as last in the Premier League and Nate, now hailed as the 'wonder kid,' has gone to work for Rupert at West Ham United.

Ted Lasso is such a unique show that no one expected to become as popular as it did. Heck, I’m sure Apple is trying every persuasive skill possible to motivate Jason Sudeikis to make more of it even though he’s been adamant that his show would only have a 3 season story-arc. The success of Ted Lasso shouldn’t come as a surprise though - it’s a show that is so refreshing in an otherwise outside world of hate. It’s hard not to look forward every week to a new episode filled with nuanced highs and lows. There is also an unrelentless charge of optimism, especially from the titular Ted, who only wants to see the good in everyone and is adamant in bringing out that good even in the worst of people. There can be an argument made that the first season of Ted Lasso is its best, as it’s simply dripping with that overwhelming feeling of positivity, with every moment feeling like you’re wrapped in a warm blanket surrounded by love and appreciation. The second and now third season go into more darker territories, however I personally think that the show doesn’t lose its charm in the process, as the message is still there that believing in Ted Lasso’s way will in the long run result in success and redemption for all. It’s literally the perfect feel-good show, and it’s a shame that this third season may be its last, but also as evident from the finale the ending is one that makes sense narratively, even though certain characters are left open to continue in their own spin-offs. I’m certain Apple is already writing up checks to make those spin-offs a reality.

So, season 3 of Ted Lasso - does it hold up to the rest of the show? Short answer is yes. And for the most part this final season lacks that sense of finality (minus the last two episodes), with a lot of the episodes simply continuing their focus on developing all the characters in the series. It was evident from the second season with Ted himself taking a backseat, allowing the other side characters to have their moment in the spotlight. The third season puts its focus on the likes of Billy Harris’ Colin Hughes struggling with his identity; James Lance’s Trent Crimm (no longer The Independent) joining Richmond to write a book about their journey in the Premier League; Juno Temple’s Keeley having her own business and her struggles along the way; and of course Nick Mohammed’s Nate ‘the Wonder Kid’ traitorous decision to join Anthony Head’s Rupert in West Ham as their coach, and the ramifications of that decision. Heck, even Charlie Hiscock’s Will the kitman gets more moments to shine, and he’s only the kitman. Yet as the legendary Zava says to Will “I too worked as a ball-boy once for a club when I was just 11 years old. Your passion is why I play.” That reminds me - we have to talk about Zava!!

Let’s talk about Zava! So prior to this season the main narcissist of the Richmond team was the self-obsessed goal scorer Jamie Tartt (played by Phil Dunster). However through the show his character evolved and now has become a proper team-player that puts others before himself, however that means Richmond needed another self-absorbed player to fill that empty void. In cometh the one and only man, the myth, the legend John Wick.....errr...I mean, Zava (played by Maximilian Osinski)! Yes, that is his name. Known mononymously as Zava, this fictional football legend brings arrogance and swagger to the team. Upon his transfer and entrance to Richmond’s locker room, other team players are stuck starstruck as he carves out his own meditative space and shrine to himself in one corner of the room. Evidently the character of Zava is inspired by the Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is one of the most successful footballers of all time and his renowned for his inspirational quotes and attitude. Zava even shares the same hair-style with Zlatan with the pulled back slick man bun. Zava essentially is showcased as the God of football, and Osinski plays him as such, and look - everything with Zava is great! And luckily the writers don’t overuse him, he’s only in a couple of episodes but my oh my does Zava leave an impression! The one and only Zava!!

All the colourful cast return, with Sudeikis’ likeable moustachioed titular Ted a constant delight who you want to hug all the time; Hannah Waddingham (now a Eurovision presenter star) brightens the screen with her energy; Brett Goldstein’s Roy Kent provides his signature grunts throughout, and there’s a great ongoing gag this season with him screaming “whistle”. Anthony Head is devilishly evil as Rupert, and we get to see his home office that looks like the lair of Emperor Palpatine from Star Wars (which I guess makes Nate Darth Vader??). Brendan Hunt’s Coach Beard is an icon at this point, and Jeremy Swift, Cristo Fernandez and Kola Bokinni round up the colourful cast. 

If you loved the previous seasons you’ll enjoy the third season of Ted Lasso. It has the same charm and DNA of the previous episodes, and is a pure delight to watch, even during the darker moments as you know that in the end everything will be set straight. Even with Nate turning into the villain - we already know he’s going to have a redemptive arc, this is Ted Lasso overall. It’s about the journey and how he gets through that redemptive arc, and look, by the end of the show you as an audience may not have forgiven Nate, and most people wouldn’t. But sure as hell Ted and his crew do. So it is indeed with great sorrow we say goodbye to Ted Lasso, at least for the time being, and we shall miss all these characters we have grown to love over these past few years. It’s a bittersweet finale, but as Trent Crimm, The Independent stated back in season 1 - “If the Lasso way is wrong, it’s hard to imagine being right.”

Overall score: 8/10