Ted’s never-give-up attitude is contagious, but his struggles with divorce and an anxiety disorder are what make him feel so relatable.
Critics of the show Ted Lasso have long complained that its cloyingly sweet characters and never-fail protagonist are, to put it nicely, unwatchable TV. Admittedly, if you only watch Ted Lasso for a few minutes each week and catch Ted giving an upbeat pep-talk to one of his players or peers, you might begin to suspect that the show is all fluff. Or rather, that Ted Lasso as a character is so saccharine in the way he methodically wins people over that he becomes unbearable instead of endearing. And I’ll admit, as a longtime advocate of the show, I have to agree. Ted’s affability can come off as annoying at times, especially if you’re only catching the parts where he warms people up faster than a fried egg on a hot sidewalk. That said, in my experience, it’s not the lighthearted parts of Ted Lasso that make it a great show – I’d argue that it’s the characters’ struggles with divorce, failure and mental health issues that truly make it top-notch. To appreciate Ted Lasso you don’t have to relate to the eponymous lead character’s successes, try instead to relate to his failures. You’ll find both minor and major spoilers for Seasons 1 and 2 ahead, up to and including the most recent episode, “Headspace”. Right out of the gate in season one, you’re given a front-row seat to Ted Lasso’s utter destruction of a fictional Premier League team, AFC Richmond. The way the club slowly goes from top of the table to relegation is done in such a way that the loss never feels overwhelming – nor does it appear to even upset Ted Lasso – but it’s clear from the outset that the town isn’t a huge fan of Lasso’s coaching style.
