Tell me that Ted Lasso is giving you life without telling me....
I’ll start: I have been waiting for this post since I watched on Tuesday. Also, I squeeeeed when I saw I could watch a whole 24 hours early. (I mean, it’s Hell erm... Holy Week, so I have to squeeze watching all the shows in between all the shows)
1) Rebecca goes all “Have fun”. Before the game; Beard et al went low; Ted seemed untethered from either. Too distracted by his no-longer-home and no-longer-protégée, but not in panic mode? Relatable, TBH
2) Jamie and Roy are my favorite couple this season
3) Keeley and Jack- there’s some gold to be mined there... building on lessons from Rebecca as mentor
4) Nate is fighting the dark side so hard. I just want him to know at his core that he has value...
"Untethered from either": so right on. He didn't get on board with the "killer" team attitude, but he didn't bring the fun either! It really drives home that depression isn't really sadness (or not just that) but numbness and absence of feeling.
Laura, Blair and I just decided to start without y’all this morning and had an epic text thread going. That’s how much this show and the banter is giving me life, especially this week!!! Glad to be in such good company. 😊
The biggest piece I'm left thinking of from this episode is the possibility of redemption for Nate. I was really heartened to see him considering apologizing and recognizing how his actions affected others. And how hard the road will be! Nate in the corner of the elevator was hysterical, but also shows that this is going to take a minute. No instant redemption here.
I loved the return of Jade, and her unimpressed-ness.
There's something magnetic between Jack and Keeley - we shall see where that goes! And watching Shandy rock the commercial reminded me of Keeley getting her start with the team. I will be rooting for Shandy, for sure.
The fake happiness/"have fun" of Rebecca was interesting - I truly think Rebecca was trying to appeal to Ted on his "messy" level, while operating out of her own messy anxiety about losing to Rupert. But her fake happiness (I love opposite to emotion - I used to ask clients to try it a lot when I was a therapist!) actually led to him being distracted, and out of the locker room for the showing of the video. Gotta be real with these emotions on some level, or there will be a reckoning.
That's why it is so satisfying to see Ted do just that with Michelle, be real with his feelings.
Had a great text chat with LeAnn about the episode - LeAnn, you wanna share here too?
Ya know, other than the Led Tasso nonsense scene, Ted has only been really angry when he found out Rebecca let Jamie go back to his contracted team. Ted busted into the office and hollered and everything. I don't quite understand why he hasn't gotten mad at anything else (in the same way).
Ooh, there was one other time, and it was also related to Jamie. The whole scene about missing practice because he was supposedly hurt. I loved that side of Ted and find it fascinating that the two moments we’ve seen are both related to Jamie who so badly needs a father figure.
2) Shandy is going to be fired by Keeleh, or else Keeleh is going to be fired by Jack.
3) Nate is going to pine for his Richmond days in due time. But, he was noticed as "famous" by the restaurant manager and the supermodel. That's something he wanted all along: notice. That's why he scrolls so hard to find news and comments about himself.
4) Why are they forcing the S3 shows to be so slapstick? The first two seasons were subtly funny, and I liked that better. I did laugh hard at Jamie's giant headlamp. That thing could light up a runway.
I haven’t felt it to be too slapsticky, but I wonder if they’re feeling the need to leaven the heaviness of the emotional work of the characters with some silly LOL moments.
Oh, and I didn’t catch this. But my hubs just pointed out that the book Beard was holding in this episode was one written by the soccer journalist who died just before the World Cup. That’s who the credit “in memory of” was for.
It’s been a day over here. Just catching up with all the commenting after rewatching episode 4. Yes, Blair and I had a great throw down before the day got started and before our gracious host opened the doors of this particular watering hole. So here are my additional points that I don’t think I saw in the comments. Also it’s late in Maundy Thursday so 🤷♀️
1) Going back to last week, did anyone catch the brilliant sound track behind Zava’s glory moment where we see his god like tattoo? If not, it’s worth going back and listening more carefully!
2) I’ve been yearning for Ted to hold these ass hats accountable, which made this episode more satisfying and somewhat surprising for me. He made a good start with Michelle. Timid but honest. And MAMD, you asked about that lingering expression on Michelle’s face. I’m wondering if she’s seeing something in Ted in that exchange that she longed for in their marriage - honest emotion that wasn’t glossing over it all with some mustachioed merriment. So maybe a twinge of regret of what could have been?
But with Nate maybe it’s more complicated than that, going back to previous seasons about complicated stuff with men and their fathers, cause Nate sure has a doozie of a dad. Maybe it’s right that Ted really does see how Nate has been and continues to be twisted and malformed by these manipulatofe forces. In this episode we saw Nate still on the Lego field and we see the picture Nate gave Ted still on his nightstand. Ted is not giving up. I’m still miffed at Ted for not dealing with the abuse Nate showed to Will. Maybe he was oblivious. But if so it was willful ignorance.
3) Not sure at all what’s up with Jack and Keeley. I have discomfort around that bit and not sure why. Just that I’m feeling very protective of Keeley. And the Barbara- Rebecca thing sort of made me mad on Keeley’s behalf as well.
4) the most powerful dialogue without saying a word award for this episode goes to Trent with the side eye to Collin after the comment about Zava being “his”. I have faith that Trent is going to handle that situation well.
5) I am LOVING the Rebecca - Bex arc in this episode.
6) and come on - the epic moment when Higgins tells the doctor/son joke and it fell flat… loved everything about that moment.
7) Jamie and Roy. That last scene with the head lamp was everything. Reminded me of the fish bowl short story from Friedman’s Fables where the tank got so icky and gross and none of the fish could function but then that one little fish started swimming all around and having the time of its little life. The team crashed. Not even Zava could make it work. And Jamie’s response was to go all in. I love it!
Last thought, for the bow: I’m still Team Stay for Ted, but believe that even if he returns to the US he & Michelle won’t become a thing again. They’ll figure out how to navigate, healthily, this new family dynamic.
I’m with Laura, this show gives me life right now. And yes, nothing but talking points right now, but I’ll try to pick the top ones...
-the whole manipulative side of Rupert, “rewarded” the desired behavior with expressions of closeness/validation. He needs to get thrown down a core reactor shaft.
-Ted realizing he’s a mess, or perhaps even better, realizing that his attempt to make it with positivity is seen through by everyone. We grow by being honest with ourselves as much as with others.
-Nate perhaps, when/if he’s grown through all his stuff, could do better than Jade. But I take the view that Jade sees through his posturing, which is a call for him to elevate himself in terms of personal growth
-“Oklahoma” and “Of course you’re a mess, that’s why we work so well together”
-not surprised that Ted reacts differently to video of Nate; he knows more of the story than the others do. He knows there’s something being processed. My wife posits the theory that he even sees Nate in a son-like perspective, which keeps him from just being angry
-lastly, I think Shandy is going to stage a takeover and/or start her own PR firm
Jade definitely sees through Nate, but her blank look didn't work as well in this episode as her sharp comments did in Rainbow. It just gave off "dim bulb" vibes
OK, so this was the first episode where I felt like things started to jive. Just me? The first three felt a little flat and pretty much all set-up. So that was satisfying.
Can I please have someone in my life who, when they are really upset with me, tell me that like Ted told Michelle? I mean, yes, he's hiding, but also, I think she could really hear what he said in a way that, if he'd been off the rails, she wouldn't have. Sort of like my dad's I'm-not-mad-just-really-disappointed look.
Also, I was super proud that he told her how he felt. No easy feat.
Talked w/LeAnn about this today, and we agree Ted seemed both adorable and really vulnerable lying in bed trying to ask Sassy out on a real date, and so wounded when she said he was a mess. I'm wondering if this is a call-back to Roy telling Rebecca about John, "Oh for f---s sake, tell the truth! He's fine. Most people are fine. It's not about him, it's about you. You deserve someone who makes you feel like you've been set on fire. Don't you dare settle for fine!" I have to say, I was really surprised by Sassy's response to Ted, because I thought all along she was pursuing him. Maybe Sassy is growing too? That whole "three years down the road mess" thing.
I LOVE that Rebecca has Rupert's number and whispers in his ear after the game. She has won -- Ted is right -- even if West Ham beat Richmond.
Wow, Bex seems to have Rupert's number. I'm kind of surprised. And curious.
What will Nate do, having observed Rupert with his assistant at Bones & Honey? That seemed to disturb him. I'm curious how that will impact Nate going forward. Definitely speaks to Rupert's integrity, but that cannot surprise Nate, right? I also LOVED his call-back to his martini in season one at the fund raiser. :-). Still clearly not his drink.
Why is everyone ceding power to Zava? The coaches, players, Jamie...I'm confused. Also did you catch Jamie's call-back (ep 3) to Sam's glance at Ted in Season 2, when Jamie came back to the team? Jamie looks at Ted the exact same way about Zava, also having warned Ted he didn't think it was a good idea.
Is it just me or does this show suddenly feel a little too big? Too many extra characters I don't care about all trying to be introduced at once when what I really want to see are the people I already love a lot. Still, I think this episode finally made the previous three gel for me. Grateful for that, and trusting the integrity of the show's writers and visionaries.
Power hasn't gone to Nate's head as much as I thought it would, which I'd imagine was a much-discussed choice on the part of the writers, but he also only just received his second rich-guy bribe/perk (sexy car, sexy famous woman ), coincidentally at the same moment as his first real test of loyalty (let him see Rupert with his assistant). So now is when his test of character might really start.
Higgins would have thoughts to share about the down sides to covering for Rupert's affairs, but I'm not seeing how they could maneuver Higgins and Nate into that scene. On the other hand, Nate isn't Bex's friend the way Higgins represented himself as Rebecca's.
I didn't catch any particular symbols in this one, except all the cars, but I've also only watched it once, so...
Oh, and I expect Nathan Shelley's car isn't registered to Shelley, Nathan.
Hmm. Jamie's had some surprising growth, and one of his major steps was integrating his prick side with his team player. I wonder if he's got something to teach Ted about integrating Led Tasso, who's as compartmentalized and polarized a persona as it's possible to get.
Tell me that Ted Lasso is giving you life without telling me....
I’ll start: I have been waiting for this post since I watched on Tuesday. Also, I squeeeeed when I saw I could watch a whole 24 hours early. (I mean, it’s Hell erm... Holy Week, so I have to squeeze watching all the shows in between all the shows)
1) Rebecca goes all “Have fun”. Before the game; Beard et al went low; Ted seemed untethered from either. Too distracted by his no-longer-home and no-longer-protégée, but not in panic mode? Relatable, TBH
2) Jamie and Roy are my favorite couple this season
3) Keeley and Jack- there’s some gold to be mined there... building on lessons from Rebecca as mentor
4) Nate is fighting the dark side so hard. I just want him to know at his core that he has value...
"Untethered from either": so right on. He didn't get on board with the "killer" team attitude, but he didn't bring the fun either! It really drives home that depression isn't really sadness (or not just that) but numbness and absence of feeling.
Laura, Blair and I just decided to start without y’all this morning and had an epic text thread going. That’s how much this show and the banter is giving me life, especially this week!!! Glad to be in such good company. 😊
The biggest piece I'm left thinking of from this episode is the possibility of redemption for Nate. I was really heartened to see him considering apologizing and recognizing how his actions affected others. And how hard the road will be! Nate in the corner of the elevator was hysterical, but also shows that this is going to take a minute. No instant redemption here.
I loved the return of Jade, and her unimpressed-ness.
There's something magnetic between Jack and Keeley - we shall see where that goes! And watching Shandy rock the commercial reminded me of Keeley getting her start with the team. I will be rooting for Shandy, for sure.
The fake happiness/"have fun" of Rebecca was interesting - I truly think Rebecca was trying to appeal to Ted on his "messy" level, while operating out of her own messy anxiety about losing to Rupert. But her fake happiness (I love opposite to emotion - I used to ask clients to try it a lot when I was a therapist!) actually led to him being distracted, and out of the locker room for the showing of the video. Gotta be real with these emotions on some level, or there will be a reckoning.
That's why it is so satisfying to see Ted do just that with Michelle, be real with his feelings.
Had a great text chat with LeAnn about the episode - LeAnn, you wanna share here too?
The hiding in the elevator was hilarious! Felt like a visual callback to last episode when Zava kept eclipsing Ted in the locker room.
Excellent comments!
Ya know, other than the Led Tasso nonsense scene, Ted has only been really angry when he found out Rebecca let Jamie go back to his contracted team. Ted busted into the office and hollered and everything. I don't quite understand why he hasn't gotten mad at anything else (in the same way).
Ooh, there was one other time, and it was also related to Jamie. The whole scene about missing practice because he was supposedly hurt. I loved that side of Ted and find it fascinating that the two moments we’ve seen are both related to Jamie who so badly needs a father figure.
1) Rupert's comeuppance is coming.
2) Shandy is going to be fired by Keeleh, or else Keeleh is going to be fired by Jack.
3) Nate is going to pine for his Richmond days in due time. But, he was noticed as "famous" by the restaurant manager and the supermodel. That's something he wanted all along: notice. That's why he scrolls so hard to find news and comments about himself.
4) Why are they forcing the S3 shows to be so slapstick? The first two seasons were subtly funny, and I liked that better. I did laugh hard at Jamie's giant headlamp. That thing could light up a runway.
I haven’t felt it to be too slapsticky, but I wonder if they’re feeling the need to leaven the heaviness of the emotional work of the characters with some silly LOL moments.
Oh, and I didn’t catch this. But my hubs just pointed out that the book Beard was holding in this episode was one written by the soccer journalist who died just before the World Cup. That’s who the credit “in memory of” was for.
I saw a lot of love and 😭 online about that memorial credit.
We’ll be feeling all those feels when Somebody Somewhere drops and they memorialize Michael Hagerty 😭😭😭
Oof. Yeah, totally.
It’s been a day over here. Just catching up with all the commenting after rewatching episode 4. Yes, Blair and I had a great throw down before the day got started and before our gracious host opened the doors of this particular watering hole. So here are my additional points that I don’t think I saw in the comments. Also it’s late in Maundy Thursday so 🤷♀️
1) Going back to last week, did anyone catch the brilliant sound track behind Zava’s glory moment where we see his god like tattoo? If not, it’s worth going back and listening more carefully!
2) I’ve been yearning for Ted to hold these ass hats accountable, which made this episode more satisfying and somewhat surprising for me. He made a good start with Michelle. Timid but honest. And MAMD, you asked about that lingering expression on Michelle’s face. I’m wondering if she’s seeing something in Ted in that exchange that she longed for in their marriage - honest emotion that wasn’t glossing over it all with some mustachioed merriment. So maybe a twinge of regret of what could have been?
But with Nate maybe it’s more complicated than that, going back to previous seasons about complicated stuff with men and their fathers, cause Nate sure has a doozie of a dad. Maybe it’s right that Ted really does see how Nate has been and continues to be twisted and malformed by these manipulatofe forces. In this episode we saw Nate still on the Lego field and we see the picture Nate gave Ted still on his nightstand. Ted is not giving up. I’m still miffed at Ted for not dealing with the abuse Nate showed to Will. Maybe he was oblivious. But if so it was willful ignorance.
3) Not sure at all what’s up with Jack and Keeley. I have discomfort around that bit and not sure why. Just that I’m feeling very protective of Keeley. And the Barbara- Rebecca thing sort of made me mad on Keeley’s behalf as well.
4) the most powerful dialogue without saying a word award for this episode goes to Trent with the side eye to Collin after the comment about Zava being “his”. I have faith that Trent is going to handle that situation well.
5) I am LOVING the Rebecca - Bex arc in this episode.
6) and come on - the epic moment when Higgins tells the doctor/son joke and it fell flat… loved everything about that moment.
7) Jamie and Roy. That last scene with the head lamp was everything. Reminded me of the fish bowl short story from Friedman’s Fables where the tank got so icky and gross and none of the fish could function but then that one little fish started swimming all around and having the time of its little life. The team crashed. Not even Zava could make it work. And Jamie’s response was to go all in. I love it!
Yeah, because wasn’t it the same day as the ill-fated match? Way to get up off the mat, Jamie!
Last thought, for the bow: I’m still Team Stay for Ted, but believe that even if he returns to the US he & Michelle won’t become a thing again. They’ll figure out how to navigate, healthily, this new family dynamic.
Yes, which feels a little like life bleeding into art, given Jason Sudeikis's situation...
As it tends to do...
I’m with Laura, this show gives me life right now. And yes, nothing but talking points right now, but I’ll try to pick the top ones...
-the whole manipulative side of Rupert, “rewarded” the desired behavior with expressions of closeness/validation. He needs to get thrown down a core reactor shaft.
-Ted realizing he’s a mess, or perhaps even better, realizing that his attempt to make it with positivity is seen through by everyone. We grow by being honest with ourselves as much as with others.
-Nate perhaps, when/if he’s grown through all his stuff, could do better than Jade. But I take the view that Jade sees through his posturing, which is a call for him to elevate himself in terms of personal growth
-“Oklahoma” and “Of course you’re a mess, that’s why we work so well together”
-not surprised that Ted reacts differently to video of Nate; he knows more of the story than the others do. He knows there’s something being processed. My wife posits the theory that he even sees Nate in a son-like perspective, which keeps him from just being angry
-lastly, I think Shandy is going to stage a takeover and/or start her own PR firm
*reactor core shaft
**Ted realizing his attempt to MASK it...
Jade definitely sees through Nate, but her blank look didn't work as well in this episode as her sharp comments did in Rainbow. It just gave off "dim bulb" vibes
OK, so this was the first episode where I felt like things started to jive. Just me? The first three felt a little flat and pretty much all set-up. So that was satisfying.
Can I please have someone in my life who, when they are really upset with me, tell me that like Ted told Michelle? I mean, yes, he's hiding, but also, I think she could really hear what he said in a way that, if he'd been off the rails, she wouldn't have. Sort of like my dad's I'm-not-mad-just-really-disappointed look.
Also, I was super proud that he told her how he felt. No easy feat.
Talked w/LeAnn about this today, and we agree Ted seemed both adorable and really vulnerable lying in bed trying to ask Sassy out on a real date, and so wounded when she said he was a mess. I'm wondering if this is a call-back to Roy telling Rebecca about John, "Oh for f---s sake, tell the truth! He's fine. Most people are fine. It's not about him, it's about you. You deserve someone who makes you feel like you've been set on fire. Don't you dare settle for fine!" I have to say, I was really surprised by Sassy's response to Ted, because I thought all along she was pursuing him. Maybe Sassy is growing too? That whole "three years down the road mess" thing.
I LOVE that Rebecca has Rupert's number and whispers in his ear after the game. She has won -- Ted is right -- even if West Ham beat Richmond.
Wow, Bex seems to have Rupert's number. I'm kind of surprised. And curious.
What will Nate do, having observed Rupert with his assistant at Bones & Honey? That seemed to disturb him. I'm curious how that will impact Nate going forward. Definitely speaks to Rupert's integrity, but that cannot surprise Nate, right? I also LOVED his call-back to his martini in season one at the fund raiser. :-). Still clearly not his drink.
Why is everyone ceding power to Zava? The coaches, players, Jamie...I'm confused. Also did you catch Jamie's call-back (ep 3) to Sam's glance at Ted in Season 2, when Jamie came back to the team? Jamie looks at Ted the exact same way about Zava, also having warned Ted he didn't think it was a good idea.
Is it just me or does this show suddenly feel a little too big? Too many extra characters I don't care about all trying to be introduced at once when what I really want to see are the people I already love a lot. Still, I think this episode finally made the previous three gel for me. Grateful for that, and trusting the integrity of the show's writers and visionaries.
Power hasn't gone to Nate's head as much as I thought it would, which I'd imagine was a much-discussed choice on the part of the writers, but he also only just received his second rich-guy bribe/perk (sexy car, sexy famous woman ), coincidentally at the same moment as his first real test of loyalty (let him see Rupert with his assistant). So now is when his test of character might really start.
Higgins would have thoughts to share about the down sides to covering for Rupert's affairs, but I'm not seeing how they could maneuver Higgins and Nate into that scene. On the other hand, Nate isn't Bex's friend the way Higgins represented himself as Rebecca's.
I didn't catch any particular symbols in this one, except all the cars, but I've also only watched it once, so...
Oh, and I expect Nathan Shelley's car isn't registered to Shelley, Nathan.
Hmm. Jamie's had some surprising growth, and one of his major steps was integrating his prick side with his team player. I wonder if he's got something to teach Ted about integrating Led Tasso, who's as compartmentalized and polarized a persona as it's possible to get.
Also... apparently Sassy has seen more of Rupert than we necessarily caught on to before.
Yep… you could chalk her comment up to girl talk, but that was a 👀 for me.
You wondered if Bex and Rebecca will become allies. Bex's two shots at Rupert both came immediately after he was mean to Rebecca.
They do female relationships so beautifully on the show, this is yet another example.
Well! This comment aged well 👀