AppleTV+’s ‘Ted Lasso’ Continues Its Winning Streak with Season 3 [Review]

THIS IS A NON-SPOILER REVIEW FOR EPISODES 1-4 OF TED LASSO SEASON 3.

Sadly, the long-awaited third season of Apple’s flagship comedy series, Ted Lasso, is also it’s last.  And after the events from the prior season, it’s hard to imagine the creators being able to wrap everything up neatly in these final twelve episodes.  Apple has released the first four episodes for review, although I don’t know how it all ends… I am, at least, excited to share with all of you how the beginning of the end has turned out.

WHAT IS TED LASSO SEASON 3 ALL ABOUT?

Season 3 starts out with the newly-promoted AFC Richmond facing ridicule as media predictions widely peg them as last in the Premier League, while Nate (now hailed as the ‘wonder kid,’) has gone to work for Rupert at West Ham United.  Ted is also dealing with his own demons as he struggles being away from his son and with finding out who his ex-wife is now dating.  Will his personal life and struggles with his old friend; stop him from taking Richmond to the very top?

WHAT MAKES TED LASSO SO SPECIAL?

Ted Lasso really came out of nowhere in 2020 and ended up blowing everyone away.  In just two short seasons, the show has racked up eleven Emmy wins and stands as the 79th Best Show of All-Time on IMDB.  And even though I have to admit that I was apprehensive of the show at first, not being a fan of soccer *ahem* football in any way… the series quickly became one of my current favorites, with its clever comedy and incredible ensemble cast.  But, most of all, and why I think the show has captured so many people’s hearts… is that during a time when everything was so frightening and tumultuous when people were so ready to attack each other during the pandemic … Ted Lasso made us take pause, to portray to audiences all across the globe what it means to be kind and have empathy.

DOES THIS SEASON IMPROVE ON THE SECOND?

In that way, this show is like a comforting, warm hug.  And I cannot put into words how excited I was when I turned on Episode One of this new season, to be embraced again.  And after only a few minutes, I really felt like I was right back at home with these characters.  Now, I do have to say that I found Season 2 to be a far lesser entry than the first.  I wasn’t a huge fan of where they took Nate’s (Nick Muhommad) character arc. And there was a much darker and more dour tone to all of the episodes, which made the show more grounded and a lot less fun.  There was a part of me that felt like the show would never hit that benchmark that it originally hit, though it could still continue to be wildly entertaining. 

WHAT ARE SOME NEW INTRIGUING STORYLINES?

I am happy to report though, that this new season has started off incredibly well.  It retains some of those more serious, darker vibes from Season 2… while capturing the first’s more light-hearted, effervescent feel.  Basically, the creators have found a near-perfect happy medium.  There are a lot of intriguing plot lines that are being cultivated here: Like the introduction of an all-star Italian player named Zava who supposedly causes chaos to every team he joins, reporter Trent Crimm writing a tell-all book about Richmond, and of course, Nate going to the dark side and coaching for West Ham. 

While I hated seeing Nate, who was one of my favorite characters, pulling a complete 180 and turning into a vengeful traitor last season… I can see that the writers are dedicated to giving him a fully fleshed-out arc this time.  And maybe in the end, he could have a redemption that will make his character that much more memorable. 

HOW IS THIS SERIES ALREADY COMING TO AN END?

My only problem with Season 3 so far… and maybe this is just a “me problem”, is that during all four of these episodes, I couldn’t stop thinking about how it was already coming to an end.  How can they possibly give this huge ensemble enough screen time for their stories to come full circle?  Why are we introducing more new characters when others, like Sam and Dani, deserve the spotlight?  Why bring this show to a quick conclusion, when it’s still in its prime?  All of these questions would not stop filling my head.

Now, co-creator and star Jason Sudeikis has promised that this is the perfect end to the show and what all of the creators had envisioned… but, there’s a part of me that is still having a hard time believing that.  I’m a huge supporter of finishing shows before they’ve jumped the shark, but Ted Lasso feels like it still has so much life left in it.

THE WORLD NEEDS TED LASSO…

Of course, there are still 8 more episodes to prove me wrong.  And what Hunt, Kelly, Lawrence, and Sudeikis have cooked up so far, has been outstanding.  The football matches are still edge-of-your-seat intense and brought to such vivid life. The actors are all at the top of their game (especially Hannah Waddingham and Sudeikis, the latter having a stirringly powerful monologue in Episode 4), the comedy is still as sharp as ever, and its heart is still in the right place, delivering all of the feels without ever coming off as too syrupy sweet.  

In the end, the world still needs Ted Lasso… even if he’s leaving us too soon.

Ted Lasso Season 3 Premieres on Apple TV+ Wednesday, March 15th, 2023.

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