Did Ted Lasso Season 3 Fumble by Focusing Less on Soccer?
If a crucial ingredient is stripped from the recipe for success, the formula inevitably falters.
As a sports comedy-drama, Ted Lasso has captivated a vast audience with its blend of humour, optimism, compassion, and teamwork - elements indispensable to both football and the rhythm of everyday life, and the show’s characters are well aware of that.
Yet, it is football itself that emerges as the real protagonist of the series. Without this sport, the show would lack its central conflict, motivation, and the unifying force that rallies the club. However, fans have noticed a significant reduction in football scenes in Season 3, leading some to question whether this shift has detracted from the show's essence.
Ted Lasso has morphed into more of a drama where the workplace simply serves as a setting that brings the characters together. This shift mirrors The Office, where everyday work life is the primary plot vehicle. Conversely, in Ted Lasso, football now serves as a tenuous link, akin to the functional 'mother' leitmotif in How I Met Your Mother.
'I really hated that the team’s Total Football successes just boiled down to a short 10s montage of commentators talking about Richmond’s wins instead of showing us them,' a fan noted.
In the season's seventh episode, Ted introduced the team to the Total Football tactic. This strategy, where every outfield player can substitute for any other player—a defender, midfielder, or striker—showcases the team's understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses and underscores the importance of cooperation and trust.
However, viewers are only offered post-game commentary and punditry praise as the narrative quickly transitions to personal dramas. This abrupt shift seems to suggest that all is well on the football front, essentially sidestepping the shared goals and ideas that bind the characters together.
'I want to see more football in the show, not football scenes, but stories about football, coaching etc,' another fan noted.
In the latest episode, viewers finally witness a match featuring Dani and Van Damme on opposing teams. Regrettably, Dani's character undergoes a drastic transformation as he breaks his Canadian counterpart's nose. This scene not only feels out of place but also disrupts the camaraderie cultivated over three seasons, seemingly without a compelling story behind it.
Hopefully, the finale will give football a more substantial role and significance. Perhaps AFC Richmond will finally face off against West Ham, offering a profound moral takeaway.The final episode will air on 31 May.