#ted why are you actively getting dressed. trent why are you looking at him like that he just called you a roomba

[trentcrimminallybeautiful]

"roomba." "that's the one."

[kutputli]

God, I am annoyed at Nathan only being given a contractually obligated split second of screen time this episode.

I am diverting all my irritation into talking about how networking and nepotism intersects with race, using Ms Shandy Fine as my beauteous example. I need to to do a rewatch with subtitles on to make notes for that. Meanwhile quick reaction post for the rest of the stuff -

I have been so immersed in fanon for so long that I had to deliberately shift my gears down to remember that Colin wasn't known to be gay for the average het viewer. Or for us, really - one grindr comment does not a canonical queer make, not with picking up on twenty years of subtext that never makes it into text. So yay, I guess, for the first undeniably queer character on the show. I head 'sex after you get back' instead of 'text' and I thought this was a hookup situation, but it turns out he's a boyfriend? I have been looking through the internet trying to find the actor's name, but omg finally an East Asian character with speaking lines! And he's very very cute. I hate that he has to act like a wingman for Colin, and I just hope he doesn't get too hurt in the inevitable outing that the show is leading up to.

I see that the gentle, kind, Ted Lasso effect does not extend towards casual homophobia in the dressing room. This is where HR rules being strictly implemented brings about better DEI reform than one Nice White Saviour.

I enjoyed Zava a lot. I think he was very well written, and beautifully acted. A completely batshit diva who is genuinely as good as his press, and who isn't an asshole. Two pointed differences - him saying the kitman is the most important person in the room, and him not actively being mean towards any one individual. That's the difference between him and Jamie. Appropriative meditative techniques aside, this is a man who has a stable marriage which is loving enough for him to relocate for - which makes him better at adult relationships than most of the other characters we've seen on the show so far. Carry on chewing that scenery Maximilian, its very entertaining.

What is not entertaining is the white people trainwrecks going on with the women. I get Jane is an abusive shit, why must this point be belaboured? There is no entertainment nor pathos here, and I see no point to it, unless it is for the one Beard centric episode where Men Can Be Abused Also becomes the theme.

Rebecca side-eyeing the flirtation between Sam and his head chef is also wearying. The chef is very cute, and I'm so happy for Sam to have his restaurant, but also - same uneven power dynamics in a workplace! Aaaaa

The psychic storyline is just complete twaddle. Give that screentime to literally anyone else. It is the worst of all rom-com elements to introduce.

Speaking of unethical relationships - holy fucking hell what the fuck show writers having TWO female therapists dismiss as mildly unethical a marriage counsellor having a romantic relationship with his ex-client???!!!!! How, what why.... I am just. Gobsmacked. I was getting irritated with Ted still being hung up over Michelle, but of course the poor guy will have trust issues if the first therapist he opened up to is now shagging the mother of his child! And his current therapist doesn't act like its a massive violation of ethics he should be reported for. And his casual hookup therapist makes an extremely dark joke about paedophilia to brush it off. AAAAAAAAA

OK a rewatch then to post about Nate and Shandy and how I couldn't spot Mr Bhargava anywhere though I tried to keep an eye out!

(Trent Crimm remains as hairsome and louche as every, and he is my mary sue because I too, can never spell diahhreoa.)

[troglobite]

t/d l/sso THOUGHTS for tonight's ep

OKAY SO.

more of ted and roy complimenting men's appearances. roy actively "hating" the fact that ted has rubbed off on him and he now makes silly jokes (ass-squatch, etc.)

"look at that head'a hair. god had to take it away just to make things fair"

[stares]

but also

I LOVE HOW MUCH TRENT WAS IN THIS EPISODE

and my THOUGHTS are mainly this:

the fourth thing. what is the fourth thing. why are they harping on that. TRENT even got stuck on it.

possible attachments/meanings/etc.

they don't need a fourth season, quite literally it's a three act structure, the fourth thing is the end and who knows what comes next

nate's storyline was right up against everyone else's in an episode called the strings that bind us (and that WASN'T just referring to the literal strings that roy had them tie around their dicks, which also--ROY. WHAT KIND OF SHIT ARE YOU INTO.)

so is NATE that "missing" fourth thing?

or is the conclusion w trent getting all dorky and excited abt "it's gonna work!" meant to imply that they DON'T need nate?

alternatively

"leave the door open for god to walk in" so to speak

the trio of them

the open door that trent comes through

him making four.

WHAT ARE YOU IMPLYING, SHOW????

i'm ESPECIALLY intrigued bc the whole thing w total football is TRIANGLES. which are mathematically and structurally VERY sound. jokes are in threes, etc. three three three. three seasons.

but then also "what a fucking dork" (most loving compliment ever given by roy kent) and "yeah but he's our dork" WHAT DOES IT MEAN?!

also!!!!

i saw someone point out on twitter that ted's talking abt all of them getting out of the boxes that have been assigned to them

and not only do they manage to figure it out

jamie steps out of his box--and is SAD he couldn't be someone else, when he started saying "why would i wanna be anyone else but me?" in season one--and takes the lead!

they all swap spots and understand things, they have a breakthrough

sam steps out of "line" out of his "box" that society puts him in as a footballer and entertainer to take a stand abt the state of the world--and he gets punished for it, but then his team helps him rebuild bc that's what they do

but then nate literally makes a box and puts himself in it and then it gets smashed and he asks jade out anyway

do you have ANY idea how proud i was of him for NOT spitting in the mirror before going to ask jade out???

PROGRESS!!!!

PROGRESSSSKASFJ LKSJDLFAJSDF!!!!

i literally said, when he ran to the bathroom, DON'T DO IT YOU DON'T NEED TO DO IT

and he didn't

then he tried to be a version of his dad

and then fuck that, just be yourself. be a little awkward, a little weird. but be sincere.

i love that.

i ALSO love the comeback of his arts and crafts time w his niece. literally the sweetest little callback.

and also the decision to not be like his dad. to be his own person. LAJSLDKFJ ALSDKFJ DLS v proud of him.

also trent's dressing EVEN MORE GAY if that were possible for the man

as if colin knowing made it even more okay

ALSO the mug was back

ALSO ALSO

ted's whole thing abt facial hair.........

"as a straight man in sports in kansas who's afraid of needles, my ways of expressing individuality were limited"

and then going on and on abt fucking that blue collar comedy foursome, jfc. lol

but i'm just.

INTERESTING.

that he has to pointedly say that he's straight.

and yet

he and trent did a LOT of talking. and he claims trent as theirs.

OKAY LISTEN.

i don't actually 100% believe that that's where they're going.

i'm not even 100% sure that roy and/or ted are actually gonna be confirmed queer (although i stg, roy riding in a little rickshaw COVERED IN LITERAL PRIDE FLAG TYPE RAINBOWS WHILE QUOTING ROMCOMS BACK AND FORTH WITH OTHER MEN)

but it's just like--

i'm having to play catch up, basically

for two seasons, i just presumed that they weren't gonna go there. that they were gonna be throwaway silly little jokes from Straight Characters that weren't offensive, but did kinda normalize queerness in casual convos.

BUT NO

WE NOW HAVE FOUR QUEER MAIN CHARACTERS!

not including their partners! (michael, jack, and will's couple from the threesome)

so i'm truly over here like Holy Fucking Shit.

and that romcommunism/rainbow episode--i just.

it feels really interesting and sweet that the episode that was quoting all these romcoms--NOTORIOUSLY HETEROSEXUAL--was also VERY FUCKING GAY BUT WE DIDN'T REALIZE IT. or at least i didn't! lol

and that's the episode that implies that things will work out, but not the way you expect or want or think you need.

and i am FASCINATED.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?! WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?!

also trent is truly loosening up around all of them

"hey trent"

"hi ted"

FASCINATING.

ALL OF THE DETAILS ON THIS FUCKING SHOW MATTER AND I AM ENTHRALLED THAT AFTER AMSTERDAM, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GETTING WITH TRENT

my brain is ON FIRE and while i'm excited the show's not over yet, i also desperately need ANSWERS. lol