Title: Ted Lasso (2020 – present)

Network/Platform: Apple TV

Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt

Written by: Jason Sudeikis et al.

There is something that transcends the unlikely premise of Ted Lasso that explains its success, and this is my go at finding that “something.” The set-up goes like this: Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis), an American college football coach, is unexpectedly recruited to coach English Premier League side A.F.C. Richmond, despite having no experience of soccer. The team’s new owner, Rebecca Welton (a terrific Hannah Waddingham), gained ownership of the club in a divorce from her unfaithful ex-husband, Rupert (the dastardly Anthony Head). Secretly hoping to wreck the team as revenge against Rupert—who cared more about Richmond than her—Rebecca hires Ted as the unlikely saboteur. Yet Ted’s warmth, humour, and charm begin to win over Rebecca (and us), the players, and even the sceptics.

Whatever the premise, the show has clearly struck a chord. It quickly began piling up awards: the first season alone received 20 nominations at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, the most ever for a freshman comedy. It won seven, including Outstanding Comedy Series and acting awards for Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein, and Hannah Waddingham. Sudeikis also picked up the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy, plus back-to-back Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2020 and 2021.

This success makes sense when you consider the likeability and interplay between the main characters. Ted himself is a folksy, bumbling sporting fool, hopelessly out of his depth in the shark-infested waters of the Premier League—cynical journalists are out to skewer him, abusive fans call for his head after every defeat, and Richmond’s players are hardly a dream squad. They range from prima donnas to psychopathic hard men. Rebecca, meanwhile, gradually softens under the influence of Ted’s optimism and homespun wisdom, and the show builds its feel-good chemistry around that dynamic. Sudeikis gives Ted real depth—flawed but hopeful, naïve yet willing to learn—an archetypical and oddly loveable fish out of water.

The football scenes themselves aren’t particularly convincing, but the character interplay is often hilarious. Special mention must go to Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent, a clear nod to Roy Keane. Kent is the veteran box-to-box midfielder, captain, and later assistant coach of Richmond. By turns gruff, funny, and unexpectedly heartfelt, he steals almost every scene with lines such as: “Football isn’t about feelings. It’s about f**ing winning… I don’t do hugs. I do high-fives… reluctantly… I’ve got a heart of gold… covered in a lot of rage.”

There is, of course, plenty to like in Ted Lasso, but also things to puzzle over. The tone can veer unevenly—from the sweetness of Ted’s positivity to a surprising level of crudity and F-bomb humour. At times, this X-rated streak jars against the show’s otherwise wholesome optimism, leaving you wondering what audience Apple TV had in mind. Still, its message shines through: everyone deserves a chance, and the best you can do is try your best.

Most reviews echoed this positivity. In Variety, Caroline Framke highlighted the show’s charm: “At a time when just about everything feels catastrophic, there’s something undeniably satisfying about spending some time with good people who are just trying to be the best they can, on and off the field.” In Entertainment Weekly, Kristen Baldwin remarked that Season 2 is “sweeter, weirder, and almost as funny.” Meanwhile in the UK, Lucy Mangan of The Guardian described it as “the most joyous show on TV,” praising its deeper dive into characters while retaining its feel-good spirit.

Interestingly, Jason Sudeikis has himself addressed criticisms of Season 3, particularly claims of a scattered narrative. He argued that critics lacked imagination and weren’t engaging fully with the content. He reaffirmed the show’s central theme of “curiosity over judgment,” stressing that every character ends in a better place than they began. He might also reflect that the series plays in the country where football is not just entertainment but the beautiful game, where fans still echo Shankly’s immortal words: “Some people think football is a matter of life and death… I assure you, it’s much more serious than that.”

Overall ,Ted Lasso is a smart signing for Apple TV and a feel-good win for the team. Give that man a sponge down.

Score: 8/10