‘Ted Lasso’ Recap: ‘Inverting the Pyramid of Success’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season two finale of ‘Ted Lasso’.
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Over the course of the past two years, the AppleTV+ series, Ted Lasso, has taken the world by storm. Largely because its positive nature and desire to tackle topics that other shows simply won't, it's been able to to stand out above the rest and inspire us to be more, be better, and look at the bright side of things at a time when the world is quite sour. But while it's been magnificent to enjoy an uplifting pep talk from Coach Lasso and marvel at the wonder of intimate and relatable moments we've taken part in with these characters, one hefty question has weighed upon this series for some time now: Specifically, what is it's central theme? A question we here at NTG have worked to answer... incorrectly.

Thankfully, the season two finale was the moment when this series finally tipped its hand and informed us what this quirky feel-good show is all about: It's about life— the ups and downs we all experience and how we respond to those hardships, Ted Lasso just happens to have a sports theme enveloping the overall theme of life. ‘Inverting the Pyramid of Success’ exposed this reality to us by taking us on a ride full of relatable moments and lessons, such as how sometimes in life, we can feel lost and unsure of where we're going, even when we're enjoying success. Sam Obisanya wasn't sure of where he should be in life or what would come next for him after the biggest match of his career, but eventually, he learned, like the rest of us do, to follow his gut instincts and look at the obvious signs around him. The universe tends to clue us in to which direction we should take, if we take the time to observe and listen, and that paid off in spades for dear Sam. He came to realize that he had everything he needed in London, and with a little effort, he could bring about the influence he so desired in this great city. So, he decided to spurn the offer on the table and stay with AFC Richmond and stay home.

This is an episode that also took the time to remind us that sometimes we'll do everything right in life, yet feel like we've failed in doing so— a lesson that came forth by way of Roy and Keeley. Despite standing by Keeley at every turn and being the most incredible boyfriend he could possibly be, Roy Kent didn't quite get the girl in the end. Keeley was moving up in the PR world, the Vanity Fair article squarely focused upon her, and she even landed her own PR firm thanks to the folks behind Bantr. Sadly, Keeley knew that living her dreams meant leaving AFC Richmond and putting some space between her and Roy, regardless of their connection. Sometimes, sacrifice comes with our dreams, and well, that meant that Roy took the hard L here and was left holding the bag, regardless of the fact that he truly was the perfect boyfriend through and through. Hopefully he won't dwell on the pain of this all-important lesson for too long.

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But most important of all, this show also made certain to teach us to always be true to ourselves and to stand tall when it seems as though the walls are crumbling down around us— something that Ted experienced in this tale because of the questions surrounding him left and right after the exposé  about his panic attack hit the shelves and the web. But rather than shy and hide away, Ted understood that now was the time to be honest about his mental health and to show others that being honest about it brings him no shame— Which is why he stood tall, told his team about his struggles, and even spoke to the press about the reality of mental health after his team won the biggest game of their lives and ascended back to the Federal League. It was quite inspiring to see Ted show us how it's done, and we hope that this show inspires others to follow in Ted's footsteps.

However, while all of these elements were powerful and engaging in their own right, there was one storyline that everyone was dying to see in this tale: How was Ted was going handle Nate's horrible betrayal of his trust? Well, Ted's response was just as powerful as his other journey in this tale. He reminded us that the high road is the way to go here because lashing out and giving into revenge serves no purpose. Often, the guilty party knows what they did, and they have to live with it and their reasoning for it. This is why it's best that we leave well enough alone and try to move forward like Ted did because in the end, we can't control what others do or what they think of us. We can only be ourselves and nourish the people that want to be in our lives and that's a powerful lesson to find here. A lesson that will be put to the test in season three of this incredible series because Nate "the great" is finally getting his day in the sun, thanks to Rupert, and he will undoubtedly go after Ted with impunity when the time comes for them to take the pitch.
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But while we wait for that day, we can bask in the majesty of one solid season finale. One that took a genuinely powerful look at life and all the ups and downs and wild moments that it contains. This show deserves serious credit for choosing this angle to close out year two because it's simultaneously low-key and bold in nature, primarily thanks to how, through his own journey, Ted helped the audience to understand how to objectively look at a crisis and how to attack it in a manner that doesn't involve panic or fury. However, now that Ted Lasso has healed a bit and found a peaceful place with the AFC Richmond Greyhounds, we can reflect on and revisit his powerful journey to this point as often as we'd like on AppleTV+, as we patiently await the next season of this brilliant, heartwarming, and downright moving comedy. Until next year.

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