Boxing Clever: Ted Lasso
Every week, Michael Telfer – aka Mike TV – recommends a box set to crack open. This week’s choice is back-of-the-net guaranteed to make you feel all warm inside.
By now, almost six years on from the first season of Ted Lasso being released, I would suggest there are three cohorts of people who haven’t watched it yet:
Those who don’t have Apple TV
Those that don’t like football; and
Those that do like football but don’t want to watch a silly comedy about it.
For me the subscription to Apple TV pays for itself even if you only watch Ted Lasso and Severance, but I’m not Martin Lewis and you’re not here for budgetary advice.
For those that don’t like football, you genuinely don’t have anything to worry about.
All you need to know is that it’s a team game played on grass and the top players are mostly pampered millionaires, and you’re ready to go. Ted Lasso is about football in the same way The Office is about selling paper; it’s what they do all day but it’s certainly not why you watch it.
And if you do like football, and don’t want to watch some middle of the road, by numbers sitcom about your favourite hobby, then wind your neck in and give it a go.
Full disclosure – I was in category three until the release of the second season.
I assumed Ted Lasso would be saccharine, cosy, crowd-pleasing and bland. I was almost right – it’s actually saccharine, cosy, crowd-pleasing and unsettlingly brilliant. It is that rare show that manages to be bitingly clever without being cynical.
The story follows the titular Ted, a successful college football (ie American football) coach from Kansas City, who is appointed as manager of the fictional Premier League underdogs Richmond FC. He’s brilliantly played by TV and film star, producer and writer Jason Sudeikis, sporting a notably naff but eventually lovable moustache.
Ted brings his college football coach (Coach Beard, played by Brendan Hunt) along for the ride as they try to navigate the steep learning curve of ‘soccer’ and ride the wave of cynicism and scepticism surrounding his appointment. It’s a rocky road.
Over the course of the first season we find out the real reasons why Ted was appointed by the new Richmond owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), and also the circumstances behind the apparently ever-optimistic Ted's decision to switch sports and countries, putting an ocean between him and his family.
The show’s success has rightly made an international household name out of Hannah Waddingham, and also dramatically elevated the careers of Brett Goldstein, who plays potty mouthed veteran midfielder Roy Kent, Nick Mohammed aka kit man turned coach Nate Shelley, and Juno Temple who plays model and PR whizz Keeley.
The Richmond squad that Ted and Coach inherit are initially a rag-tag mix of journeymen, keen youngsters and one potential superstar striker on loan from Man City. Thankfully what the new management team lack in football knowledge, they make up for in team building and catchphrases.
Over the course of the three seasons produced between 2020 and 2023 we follow Richmond as they battle to stay in the Premier League. There are friendships, love stories and betrayals, as well as tantrums, pep talks and peanut butter tips.
More than anything else, though, Ted Lasso is a big, steaming mug of feel good. Ted is possibly the most charming TV character ever to grace the screen, but the show’s ensemble cast of easy to love characters are also a huge factor in its appeal and success.
The show is the most watched programme on Apple TV and was a huge critical success, but all good things come to an end and the final episode of the third season was very much envisaged as the end of the road for Ted and Richmond. And so it proved… until rumours surfaced of some kind of return or spin off.
A fourth season has now been confirmed, with a trailer to boot, with everyone’s favourite moustache returning to Richmond to coach the newly founded Women’s team this August. Colour me excited.
Series 1-3 of Ted Lasso are available to stream on Apple TV. Season 4 arrives on August 5, 2026.