A comment this long needs its own thread. Also spoilers. Heaps of spoilers. Elana writes re Lasso: I love this show so much. I heard all the buzz about it and very skeptically picked it up when the second season was weeks away from dropping, and then of course binged the whole first season in a matter of days and then had to eke out the second season as it dropped.
Two things. One of my favourite reveals was the late season showdown between Roy and Trent, where we suddenly found out they had about 20 years of backstory between them. And the backstory revealed an awful lot about both characters. Really great writing.
As for all of the think pieces and hot takes and reaction spots about S3 being a disaster, that's just the Internet, innit. This show became a genuine global phenomenon, which meant there was suddenly money to be made drawing eyeballs to links about Ted Lasso, and one of the easiest stories to write, and one that tickles our reptilian hind brain super hard, is "Season three of Ted Lasso is a disaster."
I just ignored them. Hot garbage, the lot of them.
OMG yes! That was a masterpiece. 20 years of backstory revealed in a single devastating scene. It revealed so much about both of them, but also their individual growth in the present, in being able to confront each other about that backstory. That these two 'tough' men were able to be so vulnerable with each other, and for Trent to acknowledge his shame and for Roy to forgive him was both incredible writing and acting.
And the team sitting in paroxysms of shared horror and grief listening to it all play out, as we the audience were at the same time was very good writing too. It really made the audience feel like we were in the room experiencing it, rather than watching it in our living rooms. Same as the moment in the Wembley locker rooms when Roy comforted Jamie after his Dad abused him. I felt like I cried for hours over that one.
What annoyed me on the ending was Beard’s wedding. As Ted’s best fried surely he would have flown over to the wedding. Other than that was a good season
Yeah, I interpreted the wedding as being from Ted's POV, so that he was there but we were watching through his eyes. Admittedly that's a stretch, but they did seem to imply that the final sequence was either a dream or maybe his interpretation of the updates he got from everyone? But you're right, he should have been there.
Season 3 was, for me, by far the weakest. I still enjoyed it, but I had significant concerns through the season - particularly around the Nate Redepmtion Arc. The final couple of episodes did kinda bring me around on that (less that it was a redemption arc but a forgiveness arc), but still - I'm interested to see how I feel on a rewatch.
I probably feel more disappointed, though, about Roy and Keeley not ending up together. They were _so good_ together in season 2, growing together and supporting each other, and it all just... fell apart in a rush in the postscript to that season. Not satisfied by that.
"Her reward was the hot Amsterdam pilot."
This is one of my favourite subtle jokes from the final - she ends up with the Flying Dutchman.
It felt like some of the reviewers didn't watch S2. It has to have some tougher episodes to build for the payoff of the latter part of the series. If it was all utter joy and humour it would not work as a series. There can be no redemption through kindness if there is nothing to redeem.
Great post Elena, really great reflection on the show.
Thank you very much, I had a lot of feelings about this show 😂
I think you nailed it with the reviewers either not watching, or not remembering, S2. The confidence of the writing of Ted Lasso really speaks to the fact that they had a 3 season story they wanted to tell, and they were going to tell it, and they did. End of.
Now that it's complete I'm looking forward to going back and rewatching the whole thing end to end, I think that will be a very different viewing experience and put a lot of stuff in context that we may have missed in the agonising wait between seasons.
I've not watched Yellowjackets so can't comment, but I think it's great. Yellowjackets is in my watchlist so maybe we should swap shows and compare notes after 😂
Imma trying to persuade ms insomniac to dump one of our streaming services so I can pick up Apple TV to watch this for the delicious first time. Our choices are BritBox or Netflix because I ain't giving up on Prime or Stan because I like "free" delivery and rugby. I want to can BritBox but there is resistance.
Maybe negotiate a temporary pause on Britbox so you can binge Lasso and then Shrinking (because if you love Lasso you'll end up loving Shrinking too), and then once you have Apple you'll have to watch For All Mankind as well, and probably The Silo. Foundation is also worth a peek, its season 2 is en route. And then after you and Mrs Insomniac have burned through all that Britbox will be forgotten?
Thank you both for your recommendations, and they look great...for me. I think Shrinking would get an ok, and perhaps Ted, but the others will not get approval, which is why we watch things on BritBox. Tastes do not align 100%; not even close.
Two things. One of my favourite reveals was the late season showdown between Roy and Trent, where we suddenly found out they had about 20 years of backstory between them. And the backstory revealed an awful lot about both characters. Really great writing.
As for all of the think pieces and hot takes and reaction spots about S3 being a disaster, that's just the Internet, innit. This show became a genuine global phenomenon, which meant there was suddenly money to be made drawing eyeballs to links about Ted Lasso, and one of the easiest stories to write, and one that tickles our reptilian hind brain super hard, is "Season three of Ted Lasso is a disaster."
I just ignored them. Hot garbage, the lot of them.
OMG yes! That was a masterpiece. 20 years of backstory revealed in a single devastating scene. It revealed so much about both of them, but also their individual growth in the present, in being able to confront each other about that backstory. That these two 'tough' men were able to be so vulnerable with each other, and for Trent to acknowledge his shame and for Roy to forgive him was both incredible writing and acting.
And the team sitting in paroxysms of shared horror and grief listening to it all play out, as we the audience were at the same time was very good writing too. It really made the audience feel like we were in the room experiencing it, rather than watching it in our living rooms. Same as the moment in the Wembley locker rooms when Roy comforted Jamie after his Dad abused him. I felt like I cried for hours over that one.
What annoyed me on the ending was Beard’s wedding. As Ted’s best fried surely he would have flown over to the wedding. Other than that was a good season
Yeah, I interpreted the wedding as being from Ted's POV, so that he was there but we were watching through his eyes. Admittedly that's a stretch, but they did seem to imply that the final sequence was either a dream or maybe his interpretation of the updates he got from everyone? But you're right, he should have been there.
Season 3 was, for me, by far the weakest. I still enjoyed it, but I had significant concerns through the season - particularly around the Nate Redepmtion Arc. The final couple of episodes did kinda bring me around on that (less that it was a redemption arc but a forgiveness arc), but still - I'm interested to see how I feel on a rewatch.
I probably feel more disappointed, though, about Roy and Keeley not ending up together. They were _so good_ together in season 2, growing together and supporting each other, and it all just... fell apart in a rush in the postscript to that season. Not satisfied by that.
"Her reward was the hot Amsterdam pilot."
This is one of my favourite subtle jokes from the final - she ends up with the Flying Dutchman.
It felt like some of the reviewers didn't watch S2. It has to have some tougher episodes to build for the payoff of the latter part of the series. If it was all utter joy and humour it would not work as a series. There can be no redemption through kindness if there is nothing to redeem.
Great post Elena, really great reflection on the show.
Thank you very much, I had a lot of feelings about this show 😂
I think you nailed it with the reviewers either not watching, or not remembering, S2. The confidence of the writing of Ted Lasso really speaks to the fact that they had a 3 season story they wanted to tell, and they were going to tell it, and they did. End of.
Now that it's complete I'm looking forward to going back and rewatching the whole thing end to end, I think that will be a very different viewing experience and put a lot of stuff in context that we may have missed in the agonising wait between seasons.
It sounds great, is it Yellowjackets great or just great?
I've not watched Yellowjackets so can't comment, but I think it's great. Yellowjackets is in my watchlist so maybe we should swap shows and compare notes after 😂
Love to
Imma trying to persuade ms insomniac to dump one of our streaming services so I can pick up Apple TV to watch this for the delicious first time. Our choices are BritBox or Netflix because I ain't giving up on Prime or Stan because I like "free" delivery and rugby. I want to can BritBox but there is resistance.
Maybe negotiate a temporary pause on Britbox so you can binge Lasso and then Shrinking (because if you love Lasso you'll end up loving Shrinking too), and then once you have Apple you'll have to watch For All Mankind as well, and probably The Silo. Foundation is also worth a peek, its season 2 is en route. And then after you and Mrs Insomniac have burned through all that Britbox will be forgotten?
That is a great plan. Perhaps I will implement it without further consultation...
Can endorse For All Mankind, especially if you time it to when the next series of "For all Mankind" drops with MARS.
Thank you both for your recommendations, and they look great...for me. I think Shrinking would get an ok, and perhaps Ted, but the others will not get approval, which is why we watch things on BritBox. Tastes do not align 100%; not even close.