Written by John Edward Betancourt
Caution: This article contains spoilers for the Season Three Premiere of ‘Ted Lasso’. To revisit the Season Two Finale, click here.
We like to believe that when we achieve our dreams or make great progress in doing so… that life is going to get easier and understandably so. After all, we’re chasing that which fuels us and nourishes us and getting closer to it or getting our hands upon it… is the greatest thing one can ask for, and it should undoubtedly bring us peace and contentment. And of course, reaching the top… or being close to it, means we’ve paid our dues and we can now just kick back and enjoy the fruits of our labor. But what’s funny about that belief is that it is woefully and utterly wrong. Because while there is indeed some relief and comfort that comes with getting what we want… there are some new wrinkles to the fold as well. For instance, imposter syndrome is a very real thing. Because we spent so long dreaming of the end game that we forgot to cherish the moments along the way that let us know of our progress, and we didn’t quite relish in it, leaving us to wonder if we belong. Not to mention… there’s more work to be had the closer we get, and when we achieve. Because we must maintain what we have and the standards we created and that can be overwhelming and scary and well… all of that is critical to our discussion today, simply because all of it served as the focus of the season three premiere of Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. For when we returned to London in ‘Smells Like Mean Spirit’, a little bit of time has gone by and that has allowed for everyone to settle into their new roles in life and deal with that very problem. Which for some… involved simply forging ahead and doing the work to not have to think about the overwhelming nature of it all. Which is precisely what Keeley did in this tale. Since she was clearly a touch overwhelmed by being the boss, but she just kept plugging away and making use of her support network when available. And even someone you could call the ‘villain’ in this tale, found new roadblocks in their new role. Since Nate, while now the leader of West Ham, often found himself wondering how he reached this position and he struggled with the weight of being the ‘Wonder Kid’. To the point where some of that mousey persona he presented when we first met him at Richmond… bubbled to the surface here again, putting Nate in an uncomfortable place when he should have been relishing the moment.
Plus, such conundrums extended to Richmond as well. Since Ted was trying to figure out how to get the team to live up to the high standards of the Premier League, and that was daunting. For everyone expected the team to finish dead last, and saw their arrival as a mistake, and that put a lot of pressure on he and Rebecca. To the point where the latter was turning up the pressure and the angst for the first time since she and Ted made amends and found a common goal. All of which, made for a powerful opening to this tale. One that informed us that the true happy ending is rare, and how much work goes into maintaining what we’ve built from a mental standpoint, when we climb the ladder of life, and that definitely was a unique way to plunge us back into this world. Mainly because… it made it seem as though, no deeper or beautiful lesson was waiting for us.
But perhaps that was the point, to make us uncomfortable and worried… to allow for a lesson to surprise us. One that spoke to how we maintain our standards when we’re in that moment of transition and how to handle the negativity that we sometimes experience in our journey toward the top, and the answer to how we continue along… is to just… stick with what we know. Because that is what allowed for us to find a way forward in the first place, and when we hold to what we know, we feel comfortable and our confidence is oddly boosted and that’s why… Nate was able to be the Wonder Kid again since Rupert enabled the dark side that landed him the job and why Ted was able to speak to what is to come for the team… and inspire them. Because he didn’t deviate from what made him a great manager in the first place. Not to mention, Ted’s journey in this tale also allowed for him to handle some negativity with grace, since Nate did take a few pot shots at his old boss, and by handling them smoothly and in a disarming manner, he did teach Nate a little lesson in class and humility and taught us how to handle similar situations. Plus, he reminded Rebecca of the importance of trust, and well… all of that made for one powerful episode. One that spoke to a new chapter for the characters, one where they have their dream or are near it, and that we are going to be privy to all the highs and lows that come with the chase and the arrival. Because this remains a series about life, and all its wonders and pratfalls and it is wonderful to know that the series is going to continue to lean into that as this fascinating new chapter in the life and times of the good folks of AFC Richmond, and West Ham, and KJPR… continues along. Until next time.
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