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tv_talk2023-08-17 06:32 pm
yourlibrarian) wrote in tv_talk2023-08-17 06:32 pm
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Ted Lasso S3
I finished S3 of Ted Lasso over a month ago but found it difficult to write about. Spoilers for the season behind the cut. I can see why people weren't that enthused with it. As I discussed in comments on an earlier post in my blog, they tried to take on bigger things this season which didn't work well given the show's limitations. At the same time, other developments rather lost some of the "feel good" aspects of the show.
For one thing, I felt that Nate's storyline had an abrupt and unconvincing turn. I could understand why dark!Nate came about, but understood less how he could do a U to return to take on even less than what he had before. I felt the show was trying to tell us that had Nate felt the love and respect he felt he needed (from a girlfriend and his father) that he would have never taken his dark turn. And that once he and Jade were together and his father explained himself, that he no longer needed the sort of validation that came from the public and from a well rewarded, high profile job.
But this makes little sense given that his father called him a genius child. A genius child needs challenges and work that exercises their skills. It's quite understandable that he was never given that opportunity under Rupert's original ownership -- due to Nate's personality, his lack of connections, and probably racism.
So I could understand why Nate wouldn't want to work with Rupert anymore (and also why he went to work for him in the first place). But are there really no other opportunities in the sport for him to serve as a coach? It didn't seem that he was just taking jobs as a waiter or as an assistant equipment manager in order to do something while waiting for other job opportunities to arise.
I mean, not that much in Ted Lasso is realistic (Keeley's work life, for example), but this is a character development issue which served as a centerpoint for much of two seasons.
At the same time other stuff just seemed to be tied up with a bow in the epilogue yet a central feature of the season -- the developing relationship between Keeley, Roy and Jamie -- was left hanging. They were clearly all still friends but that seemed a cop out.
While it certainly seems possible that producers could spin the show off to follow Richmond generally (especially if we consider Trent's book title) or various characters, I think it's good that the show ended here. Unless there's a very clear idea for what to do with a connected show that doesn't change characters in order to fit an idea, I feel it's better to leave it with the ending we got.
What were the pluses and minuses of the season to you?
For one thing, I felt that Nate's storyline had an abrupt and unconvincing turn. I could understand why dark!Nate came about, but understood less how he could do a U to return to take on even less than what he had before. I felt the show was trying to tell us that had Nate felt the love and respect he felt he needed (from a girlfriend and his father) that he would have never taken his dark turn. And that once he and Jade were together and his father explained himself, that he no longer needed the sort of validation that came from the public and from a well rewarded, high profile job.
But this makes little sense given that his father called him a genius child. A genius child needs challenges and work that exercises their skills. It's quite understandable that he was never given that opportunity under Rupert's original ownership -- due to Nate's personality, his lack of connections, and probably racism.
So I could understand why Nate wouldn't want to work with Rupert anymore (and also why he went to work for him in the first place). But are there really no other opportunities in the sport for him to serve as a coach? It didn't seem that he was just taking jobs as a waiter or as an assistant equipment manager in order to do something while waiting for other job opportunities to arise.
I mean, not that much in Ted Lasso is realistic (Keeley's work life, for example), but this is a character development issue which served as a centerpoint for much of two seasons.
At the same time other stuff just seemed to be tied up with a bow in the epilogue yet a central feature of the season -- the developing relationship between Keeley, Roy and Jamie -- was left hanging. They were clearly all still friends but that seemed a cop out.
While it certainly seems possible that producers could spin the show off to follow Richmond generally (especially if we consider Trent's book title) or various characters, I think it's good that the show ended here. Unless there's a very clear idea for what to do with a connected show that doesn't change characters in order to fit an idea, I feel it's better to leave it with the ending we got.
What were the pluses and minuses of the season to you?
no subject
Honestly, Jamie's scenes with his mother make me side-eye the choice to reunite him with his father even more. Do they honestly believe they can let her, a woman who must have known this man for years, utter the words "Jamie... your father, he is who he is. And he is never, ever, ever gonna change" and still make me believe that this one time things will suddenly be different just because Ted Lasso thinks that forgiveness would be the more graceful option. [insert expletive of your choice]
And that's not even touching on stuff like Jamie's dad "gifting" him a Dutch prostitute to lose his virginity. And the dialogue following this reveal: ROY: Jesus. Must have been traumatizing. - JAMIE: No. She loved it. Oh, for me... Sorry, me, you mean. Uh, no. I-I don't know. I don't remember. How do you write *that* with the intention of bringing that... stain... back into the life of his son? [insert more expletives of your choice]