S03 E08 We'll Never Have Paris

plus some wondering for the last third of the season

First, thanks to Jason Cashing for hosting our conversation last week in my absence. Wonderful work!

Second, whew folks. What an emotional ride this week. I try to watch each episode twice as I prepare these posts, but I could only manage this one once. Yes, it’s been a busy day, but also, as Jamie would say, it took a lot out of me “emotional-eh.” More about that, plus spoilers and speculation for the rest of season three, after the GIF!

This aged tough. Stand tall, Keeley.

First let me say that Ted Lasso reruns have been my comfort watch for several weeks now. This show is super rewarding to revisit again and again—you see stuff you didn’t see before, and many of the jokes still land even if you know what’s coming. But that also makes each new episode feel like a precious thing. I love the weekly ritual of nestling down to watch. That said, last night went like this:

Firing up AppleTV+, mentally rubbing hands together with glee: Goody gumdrops, some brand new stuff we’ve never seen before.
Two minutes later: notthis notthis notthis Squirming in pain at Ted’s hangdog look and F***ING DR. JACOB IN OUR BELOVED PUB

I told a friend this morning, this episode is in Tan Lines territory for me. A skillful, heartfelt episode, with some heavy emotional content, but nonetheless one that I will rarely revisit—and that’s a compliment. It does its thing well, but it’s anything but comfortable. Cathartic, perhaps: the Hey Jude singalong, the Rebecca/Ted friendship, the brilliant “find out before you flip out.” Still, maybe it’s the child of divorce talking, but this one was TOUGH. You?

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When the Keeley stuff first started going down, I was very annoyed that once again, the women’s plot lines center around personal rather than professional things. (I’m ready for “boss ass bitch” mode again, for both Rebecca and Keeley.) But I got onboard pretty quick, because yes, women are sexualized in our culture, then penalized for being sexual beings. GOOD FOR KEELEY not apologizing or being ashamed, and let’s talk about it more in comments.

Hey Jen: she’s in pink…

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Jack. Whatever her issues might be—flighty incompetent dilettante playing with daddy’s money? well-intentioned but overly demonstrative partner who needs to reign it in? malevolent narcissistic billionaire? etc.—it all comes back to Higgins’s question to Beard and Jane: does your relationship make you a better person? Keeley is a shadow of her former self, and it’s not just because she’s doing new things professionally. Her demeanor, even her posture says it all. Shoutout to Juno Temple and that silent scene where she just wilts. Incredible acting.

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The scene with the guys in the locker room, when Isaac demands that everyone delete the photos of their old flames and not view the leaked photos. As a woman, it’s hard to overstate what a healing thing that was to watch. Leaking lots of cathartic tears on that one. Thank you, thank you Ted Lasso, for showing us glimpses of a world without toxic masculinity.

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Beard+Henry was just about the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.

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Glad we saw Nate wavering at Rupert’s text, only to revert to the dark side in the end by asking Rupert to keep Ted out of the stadium. His redemption was trucking along a little too quickly. Lovely stuff with Jade though.

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Headfake Watch

Isaac walking away from Colin. I expect a small percentage of that is some latent homophobia, but I think it’s much more the hurt that Colin didn’t share this part of himself with his buddy. Remember that these two have been tight since season one. I expect a few bumps, but Isaac is going to be an ally, perhaps even losing the captain’s armband when he jumps in to defend Colin against a homophobic fan, as has been widely speculated based on the trailer.

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Roy needs a Dr. Sharon intervention, STAT. First the 4 a.m. bullying fantasy, then the red string, now the intrusive question of Keeley… granted he knew immediately that he’d messed up, but get that guy some therapy. He’s really lost right now.

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Meanwhile, Jamie just shines. I don’t think he and Keeley will get back together—that hug was heartfelt but platonic. What a journey from season one when he refused to be accountable for anything.

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EQ Warriors Alert

Trent Crimm: Diamond Dog. Enough said.

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Speculation

Some random curiosities/predictions for the rest of the season.

• Don’t know when, don’t know how, but Barbara will save the day. She sees Jack clearly and has too much decorum to go blabbing, but she’s gonna Come. In. Clutch. for Keeley.

• Ted’s journey is all about self-regard and boundaries. I’d like to see Michelle try to start something up with him again (she’d clearly cooled toward Jake in the last few moments of the episode), only for Ted to realize that he has grown and changed beyond their relationship, despite being co-parents. I’m still keeping fingers crossed that Henry comes to England. That’s where Ted’s life is.

• Still hoping for a Mr. and Mrs. Higgins 30th anniversary celebration as a backdrop for something.

• I’ve missed Nora and hope we’ll see her at least one more time. Also Phoebe.

• We have four episodes left—Roy and Keeley are endgame for me, but I’m not sure we have enough time to get Roy’s head screwed on straight. I’d rather they be on the road back to each than have a tidy reconciliation.

• Bex and Rupert. This has been dormant for a few episodes, but: Rupert mentioned having a prenup when he married Bex, and I don’t know how airtight those are, but the fact that the Richmond shares were in Bex’s name makes me wonder whether she’s going to get all or some of West Ham if they end up divorcing. We’ll see if they go Hollywood ending with giving Rupert that level of comeuppance. Or he may not suffer in the slightest, which I’d also respect. That’s the way it be sometimes. But in a show that’s explored female friendships so beautifully, a healthy Bex-Rebecca rivalry/allegiance in the football world would be fun, eh?

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Share your thoughts and speculations in comments!

ALSO: season finale is May 31 if I’m counting right. I’ll have a post up that week as usual, but would people be interested in a virtual Crown and Anchor gathering via Zoom the following week (June 6 or 7) to chat and celebrate the conclusion of this lovely season, and probably series? Let me know.

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