“Ted Lasso,” last summer’s sleeper TV hit, returns for a much-anticipated second season Friday on Apple TV+ and the smiles plastered across our faces couldn’t be any toothier.
For the uninitiated, “Ted Lasso” follows a folksy, twangy-voiced and perpetually optimistic American football coach (Jason Sudeikis) who is hired to oversee a mediocre British soccer team by the squad’s frosty new owner Rebecca Walton (Hannah Waddingham).
The catch? Ted doesn’t know a lick about soccer.
Yes, it’s a wacky premise, but the feel-good, underdog story struck a nerve with locked-down viewers desperate for some upbeat vibes (and some heartfelt laughs) during a trying year. “Ted Lasso” went on to become an unlikely phenomenon, as well as an awards darling. Last week, it was showered with 20 Emmy nominations — the most ever for a freshman comedy.
How, exactly, did this happen? Let us count the ways:
1. The power of positive thinking
At a time when the television landscape is littered with dark dramas, apocalyptic storylines and substantial dread, Ted Lasso’s ever-sunny demeanor stands out like a refreshing oasis.
Yes, the odds are stacked against him: The British fans and media think he’s a joke. His players on the AFC Richmond club can’t believe they’ve been saddled with this clueless poser.
Still, he approaches his job — and life — with a mustachioed smile and a can-do spirit (“I believe in hope. I believe in BELIEVE,” he insists). On top of it all, he’s a people person who treats everyone with kindness and respect — even the team’s lowly equipment manager (Nick Mohammed).
Along the way, Ted steadily wins over many of his detractors — and us, as well.
2. The quotable life lessons
Ted is way more shrewd than his golly-gee demeanor might suggest. In many ways, he holds the keys to helping those around him unlock their true potential.
This knowledge is imparted via seemingly silly — but spot-on — verbal gems. Like when one of his players becomes glum over some insults hurled his way, Ted encourages him to quickly shrug off the negativity.
“You know what the happiest animal on Earth is?” Ted asks. “It’s a goldfish. You know why? Got a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish.”
And then there’s his take on the pitfalls of self criticism.
“You beating yourself up is like Woody Allen playing the clarinet,” he says. “I don’t want to hear it.”
3. The humor mixed with heart
A sports sitcom that really is about so much more than sports, “Ted Lasso” delivers plenty of broad, goofy humor and laugh-out-loud moments. It also has a way of sneaking up on you and striking unexpected emotional chords.
Among the show’s more moving subplots is one tied to Ted’s personal life. We learn in Season 1 that he is in the midst of a painful divorce and greatly misses his young son back in America.
Sudeikis, a “Saturday Night Live” alum, obviously knows how to smack the funny bone. But the surprise is that he possesses enough elasticity as a performer to effectively convey vulnerability and crack open your heart.
