Ted Lasso Sesason 3, brings the Bill Lawrence-produced series once more this month after almost two years since its second season aired. The Emmy award-winning series has amassed quite the audience since its premiere and its third season won’t likely be any different. Picking up where season two left off as the soccer team AFC Richmond deals with things falling apart both on and off the pitch, the characters must deal with being newly promoted while also suffering public and media ridicule as they’re predicted to come in last in the Premier League.
Here are three reasons why Ted Lasso Season 3 is worth checking in for its return on March 15.
It’s Starting To Feel Like The Farewell
Take it from Jason Sudeikis himself, who told Deadline “This is the end of this story that we wanted to tell, that we were hoping to tell, that we loved to tell…”
While the show’s creators have spoken in the past about Ted Lasso having a set three-season shelf date, with its immense popularity with audiences and critics alike it wouldn’t be surprising if they—Apple TV in particular—pushed for more. As of now though, it seems like we’re at the point where open storylines will be given closure, even if it’s not the exact happy endings we might’ve once expected.
From the very first scene this season there are hints of the note the show might end on as Ted grapples with being away from his son. But that’s a thread that’s been tugged on before, so it will be interesting to see how the plot further develops that idea along with his want to see his team achieve a needed victory.
There’s also the question of whether there’s a potential for the series to return for another season past the version of the story they set out to tell. Does the show work without its lead? Debatable, since over the seasons -, from day one – there’s always been characters more interesting than Ted. There’s more than ever now though, with supporting characters who typically, chronically, shared the spotlight in past seasons being given their own storylines.
Regardless of the direction taken, there are 12 episodes set before us where the writers will need to wrap up the story in its current iteration, and a lot is riding on the expectations and desired payoffs for certain characters.
Is A Nathan Redemption Even Possible?
A better question is, do we even want a Nathan redemption story period? A divisive topic and storyline, Nathan betraying Ted in season two due to an inferiority complex about no longer being a main person whom Ted championed mixed with his personal issues surrounding his relationship with his father, was probably both one of the most and least shocking outcomes. Nathan had shown hints of cruelty and spitefulness in the past, as had Ted shown that he jumped from one project to another.
Nick Mohammed is just so good in the role, so despicable in his lowest moments and so tragic in his deep-rooted insecurity, all of which manifests the physical embodiment of toxic masculinity. As this is Ted Lasso, a series that positively yearns to deliver stories that, if not wholly optimistic, are empathetic and compassionate to the point where they seep into our living rooms, Nathan returning to the side of the light so to speak wouldn’t be surprising.
It’s a mix of whether we want to see his redemption and how much of it depends on the writer’s ability to deliver an outcome to that story that’s believable. There are certainly seeds of doubt woven into his part of the story that tease either option. Regardless, Mohammed possesses a tremendous ability to convey so much with his eyes as the rest of his face schools itself into a facade of public complacency. It would be a sour note to leave him as the only main character not allowed his moment of self-reflection and redemption for a show committed to feel-good storytelling, but it would be well-earned if they did.
Character Growth And Wonderful Duos
Part of what has always made Ted Lasso such fun television to watch on a week-to-week basis is found in the impeccable cast that goes beyond our lead. Hannah Waddingham and Brett Goldstein continue to deliver great performances as fan-favorite characters, while season three also gives ample time to Juno Temple and Phil Dunster to further demonstrate that they’re two of the funniest actors on the show.
Even beyond that, season three, as hinted by the trailer, gives us more time with the fabulous head of hair that is Trent Crimm, and James Lance has fun creating new dynamics outside of his one-on-one interactions with Ted. Anthony Head is deliciously awful as Rupert, and he and Mohammed sharing more scenes creates an interesting new dynamic. Similarly, while we’ve seen them butt heads in the past, Jamie and Roy get paired up more together following season two’s cathartic moment where the latter comforted the former after a run-in with his abusive father.
Characters such as Toheeb Jimoh’s Sam, Cristo Fernández’s Dani, and Kola Bokinni’s Isaac continue to bring greater depth and humor to the locker room, while ancillary characters such as Billy Harris’s Colin are given storylines and backgrounds. The series lives and dies by its ensemble cast who did the heavy lifting of some of season two’s more tedious turns.
Ted Lasso Season 3 is already faring better than season two. Between the potential for needing to wrap up any and all lingering stories, to a fascinating story that plays with and questions the show’s inherent messaging, to an always-game cast, there are plenty of reasons why everyone should be tuning in for season three March 15 on Apple TV+.
