Ted Lasso season two wins over people’s hearts
With the arrival of season two, “Ted Lasso” remains one of the top shows in modern television. The comedy series had an extremely successful first season, winning seven of its twenty Emmy award nominations.
Streaming on Apple TV+, the series follows a former American football coach named Ted Lasso, whose optimism and puns seem never ending. Lasso gets hired from across the world to manage England’s beloved sport of football (soccer in America) for the Premier League team AFC Richmond. In season two, the adventures continue as viewers watch the lives of the staff and players unfold.
“Ted Lasso” is accomplished in remaining true to the comedy genre while tugging at heartstrings like a feel-good drama. Season two continues to demonstrate Emmy-worthy episodes showcasing strong and artistic direction by Sam Jones in the episode “Beard After Hours,” and moving performances in “No Weddings and a Funeral” by powerhouse leads Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso and Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton.
The characterization and scriptwriting are especially exceptional in the newest season. Every character is developed on an equal level which gives the audience an understanding of each individual’s behavior. The series’ titular character, Lasso, may become one of television’s most lovable characters yet, because of his outstanding growth. Although he acts like a put-together happy-go-lucky father, the show equally displays his natural flaws and imperfections. This makes him easy to empathize with and keeps the show true to human nature.
Season two especially dives into the characters’ relationships, past lives, and emotional well-being. The accurate depictions of mental health especially stand out as the characters enter their senior season. While the show seems like a goofy sports comedy on the surface, they do not shy away from conveying honest scenes of anxiety disorders, trauma, and panic attacks. The writing humanizes the struggle of having these difficulties in ways that will especially hit home with those battling mental health issues.
However, no production is perfect, and even “Ted Lasso” encounters common flaws. In its first trailers, the show was marketed as a sports comedy with a coach blindly trying to coach a British soccer team. Although this narrative is the premise of the series, this sports lens is somewhat lost in the second season. Now that Lasso’s character has acclimated to his new environment, this conflict is no longer at play. As the story follows more interpersonal plots, the sports element of the show is pushed aside, which may come as a disappointment to fans who stuck around for that aspect.
When it comes to quarantine TV shows, Ted Lasso is as close to perfect as it can get. With feel-good vibes and characters that feel like family in every episode, the series offers a little bit of everything for anyone to enjoy.
