The AppleTV+ Series TED LASSO Is a Breath of Fresh Air and a Series I Am Really Excited About
This past weekend, AppleTV+ released their new series,Ted Lasso, based on the character that was created by Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis, who debuted the character originally on an NBC Sports video in 2013 to help promote the fact that NBC Sports would begin broadcasting English Premier League games. It ended up being so successful that NBC brought the character back the following year to serve as an analyst.
In the series, Sudeikis plays Ted Lasso, “a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer.” I really enjoyed the trailer for this series, so I decided to check it out when it premiered on Friday. The first three episodes were released, and I breezed through them. Sudeikis’ Lasso is the most sincere character I have ever watched on TV. He has the heart of Coach Taylor from Friday Night Lights, mixed with the unjaded optimism of Kimmy Schmidt.
When Lasso goes to England to coach a beloved soccer team, the Kansas native is faced with many cultural blunders, like trying tea, and learning the very different terminology used in the sports world there. This makes for a lot of fun. But the real core of the character shines through when you realize he truly sees people for who they are, and he gives of himself fully to make others feel good. He is a truly good person, and you find yourself rooting for him from minute one.
The series is one of the funniest I’ve seen in recent memory, with laughs throughout and a rich story that you can’t wait to see unfold. The supporting cast is complex and real. This was such a gem to find, and just the pick me up I was looking for during these weird times. I am looking forward to Fridays and seeing the rest of Ted Lasso season one. Check it out now on AppleTV+.