Ted Lasso Fans Are Conflicted Over Rebecca's Behavior in Season 3
The third season of Ted Lasso continues the story of AFC Richmond as the team and staff try their best to succeed in the current Premier League season while dealing with problems in their personal lives.
However, the last episode left fans wondering about the cohesion of some of the characters' storylines.
The second episode of season 3 is largely built around Rebecca Welton (portrayed by Hannah Waddingham).
In the first season, Rebecca hires Ted to run AFC Richmond into the ground to get back at her ex-husband and former owner of AFC Richmond, Rupert Mannion, a powerful and abusive individual who now owns West Ham United. However, Ted Lasso's unwavering faith in the goodness of people brings her around to the realisation that if she destroys AFC Richmond just to get back at Rupert, she is no better than him.
In the new episode, Rebecca seems obsessed with Rupert again: she tries to poach a gifted footballer, even though she knows the man has an ego the size of Jupiter, never stays with the same team for too long, and has recently become a free agent.
It looks as if Rebecca has reverted to her old pattern of seeking revenge against her ex at all costs, seeing how Rupert had his sights on the player in question first. So did the Ted Lasso writers just flush Rebecca's entire storyline and emotional growth down the toilet?
“She has not done ANY of the painful and necessary work of actually moving on in a healthy way. And now Rupert is back front-and-centre in her life,” Redditor MiloTheMagnificent points out.
But then again, even though Rupert's return to Rebecca's life definitely seems to have thrown a spanner in the works for her, it's important to remember that in real life, progress is hardly ever linear.
“She has definitely progressed, but being incredibly angry or petty can be seen as progress too - she isn’t with him, and that’s progress, even when it hurts as much as it does,” Redditor fill_the_birdfeeder notes.
In sum, Rebecca seems to be a very complex character who can be interpreted in a number of different ways. And her obsession with her ex-husband represents how difficult it can be to let go of the past when it has an abusive partner in it.