Ted Lasso

Ted Lasso
Genre	Sports comedy-drama
Based on	Format and characters from NBC Sports
Developed by	Jason Sudeikis Bill Lawrence Brendan Hunt Joe Kelly
Starring	Jason Sudeikis Hannah Waddingham Jeremy Swift Phil Dunster Brett Goldstein Brendan Hunt Nick Mohammed Juno Temple Sarah Niles Anthony Head Toheeb Jimoh Cristo Fernández Kola Bokinni Billy Harris James Lance
Music by	Marcus Mumford Tom Howe
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	34
Production
Executive producers	Bill Lawrence Jason Sudeikis Brendan Hunt Joe Kelly Jeff Ingold Bill Wrubel
Production location	London
Running time	29–78 minutes
Production companies	Ruby's Tuna Inc. Doozer Universal Television Warner Bros. Television
Original release
Network	Apple TV+
Release	August 14, 2020 (2020-08-14) – May 31, 2023 (2023-05-31)

Ted Lasso (/ˈlæsoʊ/ LASS-oh) is an American sports comedy-drama television series developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly, based on a character Sudeikis portrayed in a series of promotional media for NBC Sports's coverage of England's Premier League. The show follows Ted Lasso, an American college football coach who is hired to coach an English soccer team whose owner secretly hopes his inexperience will lead it to failure, but whose folksy, optimistic leadership proves unexpectedly successful.

The first season of ten episodes premiered on Apple TV+ on August 14, 2020, with three episodes followed by weekly installments. A second season of 12 episodes premiered July 23, 2021. In October 2020, it was renewed for a third season which premiered March 15, 2023.

The series has received critical acclaim, with particular praise for its performances (notably Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, and Juno Temple), humor, writing, themes, and uplifting tone. Among other accolades, its first season was nominated for 20 Primetime Emmy Awards, becoming the most nominated first-season comedy in Emmy history. Sudeikis, Waddingham, and Goldstein won for their performances, and the series won the 2021 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. Sudeikis also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series. The series repeated all three of those awards the next year.

Premise

President Joe Biden, holding an AFC Richmond jersey, and First Lady Jill Biden greet the cast of Ted Lasso in the Oval Office on March 20, 2023.

Ted Lasso, an American college football coach, is unexpectedly recruited to coach a fictional English Premier League soccer team, AFC Richmond, despite having no experience coaching soccer. The team's owner, Rebecca Welton, gained ownership of the team in a divorce from her unfaithful ex-husband, Rupert. She has hired Lasso secretly hoping he will cause the team's downfall and devastate Rupert, who cared more about AFC Richmond than anything else. Ted's charm, personality, and humor begin to win over Rebecca, the team, and those who had been skeptical about his appointment.

Cast and characters

Main

• Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso, an American college football coach from Wichita, Kansas, who is hired to coach AFC Richmond, an English soccer team. He is frequently ridiculed for his folksy optimism and inexperience with the sport, but gradually wins people over through his kind and compassionate approach to coaching.
• Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton, the new owner of AFC Richmond. She initially hires Lasso as a ploy to sabotage the team, but eventually comes to appreciate him and becomes a mentor and friend to Keeley Jones.
• Jeremy Swift as Leslie Higgins, the timid but playful Director of Football Operations. He has a large family with five sons.
• Phil Dunster as Jamie Tartt, a talented but egotistical young up-and-coming striker.
• Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent, a veteran box-to-box midfielder, captain and later assistant coach of AFC Richmond. Kent is primarily based on hot-headed Irish former footballer Roy Keane.
• Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard, Lasso's grounded, laconic longtime assistant and friend, from Peoria, Illinois. In the first episode of the second season, his first name is revealed to be Willis.
• Nick Mohammed as Nathan "Nate" Shelley, AFC Richmond's former kit man turned assistant coach who became publicly known as "The Wonder Kid". He becomes the head coach at West Ham United until he quits mid-season.
• Juno Temple as Keeley Jones, a model who becomes the club's manager of marketing and public relations, before starting her own firm.
• Sarah Niles as Dr. Sharon M. Fieldstone (season 2; recurring season 3), a no-nonsense sports psychologist.
• Anthony Head as Rupert Mannion (season 3; recurring season 1; guest season 2), Rebecca's vindictive, philandering ex-husband, the former owner of AFC Richmond, and later the owner of West Ham United.
• Toheeb Jimoh as Samuel "Sam" Obisanya (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), a young Nigerian right back, later converted to a right winger.
• Cristo Fernández as Dani Rojas (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), an enthusiastic young forward from Mexico who joins midway through the first season, after recovering from an injury.
• Kola Bokinni as Isaac McAdoo (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), a center-back who is the vice-captain, later promoted to captain.
• Billy Harris as Colin Hughes (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), a young Welsh left winger who is initially closeted.
• James Lance as Trent Crimm (season 3; recurring seasons 1–2), a skeptical reporter formerly working for The Independent before being fired in the second season after revealing who was the anonymous source that leaked Ted's panic attack; in the third season, he is writing a book about the club, ultimately titled The Richmond Way.

Recurring

AFC Richmond personnel

• Stephen Manas as Richard Montlaur, a young, womanizing French midfielder.
• Moe Jeudy-Lamour as Thierry Zoreaux / "Van Damme", a French Canadian goalkeeper and a close friend of Isaac's. In the third season, Zoreaux changes his name to "Van Damme" after Jean-Claude Van Damme.
• Charlie Hiscock as Will Kitman (seasons 2–3; guest season 1), the new equipment manager after Nate's promotion.
• David Elsendoorn as Jan Maas (seasons 2–3), a Dutch center back known for his blunt personality, who transferred to Richmond from Ajax.
• Mohammed Hashim as Moe Bumbercatch, a Swiss midfielder who is close friends with Richard.
• Ash Bayliss as Arlo Dixon, Richmond's English right back. He is named after Arlo White and Lee Dixon.
• Flaurese as Gareth Canterbury (seasons 1–2), Richmond's reserve left back, who is from Slough. His name and hometown are a reference to the British version of The Office, namely its characters Gareth Keenan and Tim Canterbury.
• Maximilian Osinski as Zava (season 3), a talented but eccentric striker. Zava is based on Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimović, one of the most decorated footballers of all time, while Osinski says that he is a "mix between Ibrahimović and French forward Eric Cantona."

Other characters

• Annette Badland as Mae Green, the local pub's landlady.
• Gus Turner as Henry Lasso, Ted's son.
• Adam Colborne, Bronson Webb and Kevin Garry as Baz, Jeremy and Paul, a trio of die-hard AFC Richmond fans and regulars at Mae's pub.
• Mary Roscoe as Julie Higgins, Leslie's wife. Mary Roscoe is married to actor, Jeremy Swift, who plays her husband on the show.
• Keeley Hazell as Bex (season 1; guest seasons 2–3), Rupert's new girlfriend and eventual third wife.
• Ellie Taylor as Flo "Sassy" Collins, Rebecca's best friend who becomes attracted to Ted.
• Tom Cotcher as Mr. Mann, an elderly AFC Richmond supporter who frequently subjects Ted to well-meaning abuse.
• Phoebe Walsh as Jane Payne (season 2; guest season 1, 3), Coach Beard's on-and-off girlfriend.
• Elodie Blomfield as Phoebe (seasons 2–3; guest season 1), Roy's niece.
• Bill Fellows as George Cartrick (season 2; guest season 1, 3), the former Richmond coach whom Ted replaced; later a panelist on Soccer Saturday, and Nate's replacement after he quits West Ham United.
• Ruth Bradley as Ms. Bowen (season 2; guest season 3), Phoebe's teacher.
• Andrea Anders as Michelle (Keller) Lasso (season 3; guest season 1–2), Ted's ex-wife.
• Edyta Budnik as Jade (season 3; guest season 2), a hostess at Nate's favorite restaurant, eventually Nate's girlfriend.
• Katy Wix as Barbara (season 3), CFO of KJPR. Her practical, no-nonsense personality often clashes with Keeley's sunny personality.
• Ambreen Razia as Shandy Fine (season 3), a modeling friend of Keeley's who joins KJPR. Keeley later has to fire Shandy for her unprofessional behavior.
• Jodi Balfour as Jack Danvers (season 3), a venture capitalist who wants to invest in Keeley's PR firm.
• Rosie Lou as Ms. Kakes (season 3), Rupert's assistant at West Ham.
• Spencer Jones as Deryck (season 3), the owner of Nate's favorite restaurant.
• Shannon Hayes as Shannon, the recurring "Soccer Girl" who occasionally bumps into Ted around Richmond.
• Precious Mustapha as Simi (season 3), chef at Sam's restaurant.

Guests

• Kieran O'Brien as James Tartt, Jamie's abusive father.
• Jimmy Akingbola as Ollie (season 1), Ted's driver when he arrives in England, who also works at a local Indian restaurant.
• Kiki May as Nora (season 2), Sassy's teenage daughter and Rebecca's goddaughter.
• Harriet Walter as Deborah (seasons 2–3), Rebecca's mother.
• Sofia Barclay as Dr. O'Sullivan (seasons 2–3), an ER doctor and surgeon who treated Sharon after her bike accident, later confirmed to be Roy's sister and Phoebe's mother.
• Sam Richardson as Edwin Akufo (seasons 2–3), a petty Ghanaian billionaire who buys Raja Casablanca and tries to convince Sam to sign with the team.
• Scott Van Pelt as himself, a SportsCenter anchor who breaks the news regarding Ted's hiring at AFC Richmond.
• Karen Johal as Nicole Shelley (season 3), Nate's sister.
• Sam Liu as Michael (season 3), Colin's boyfriend.
• Matteo van der Grijn as Matthijs, a Dutchman who lives on a house boat in Amsterdam and spends the night with Rebecca. His name is never spoken on screen but seen in the credits.
• Nonso Anozie as Ola Obisanya, Sam's father.
• Becky Ann Baker as Dottie Lasso, Ted's mother (season 3)
• Leanne Best as Georgie, Jamie's mother.
• Steve Edge as Simon, Jamie's stepfather.

Notable cameos

Many sports and television entertainment personalities appeared on the show, often appearing as themselves in cameo roles throughout the series:

• Lloyd Griffith as Lloyd, one of the regular reporters at the AFC Richmond press conferences.
• Arlo White and Chris Powell as themselves, providing commentary for AFC Richmond's matches.
• Jeff Stelling (seasons 1–3), Chris Kamara (seasons 1–2), Paul Merson and Clinton Morrison (season 3) as themselves, as presenter and pundits on Sky Sports Soccer Saturday, the show in which Roy briefly appears.
• Thierry Henry and Gary Lineker as themselves, playing soccer pundits throughout the show.
• Seema Jaswal and Ian Wright (season 2) as themselves, as a soccer TV show presenter and pundit.
• Fleur East as herself (season 2), the host of Lust Conquers All, the reality dating show that Jamie appears on.
• Mike Dean as himself (seasons 2–3), the referee who officiates several of AFC Richmond's games
• Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield appear as themselves (season 2), presenters of ITV's This Morning who interview Jamie about his appearance on Lust Conquers All.
• Eni Aluko appears as Georgia (season 2), a member of the street soccer team in the second season.
• Peter Crouch, Tom Fordyce and Chris Stark (season 2–3), who are members of That Peter Crouch Podcast are heard in a radio show clips describing current events at Richmond.
• Rebecca Lowe and Jermaine Jenas as themselves (season 3), presenter and pundit on the Premier League Round-up show.
• Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles (season 3), who are heard (but not seen) as Canadian TV soccer commentators Lanny and Bruce in season 3's "International Break".
• Pep Guardiola as himself (season 3), manager of Manchester City.
• Kasali Casal, Lee Hendrie, Jermaine Pennant, George Elokobi and Jay Bothroyd as opposition players.

Episodes

Season	Episodes		Originally released
			First released	Last released
1	10		August 14, 2020 (2020-08-14)	October 2, 2020 (2020-10-02)
2	12		July 23, 2021 (2021-07-23)	October 8, 2021 (2021-10-08)
3	12		March 15, 2023 (2023-03-15)	May 31, 2023 (2023-05-31)

Season 1 (2020)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
1	1	"Pilot"	Tom Marshall	Story by : Jason Sudeikis & Bill Lawrence & Brendan Hunt & Joe Kelly Teleplay by : Jason Sudeikis & Bill Lawrence	August 14, 2020 (2020-08-14)
Recently divorced Rebecca Welton becomes the new owner of the fictional AFC Richmond, a struggling club in the Premier League. To seek revenge on her ex-husband who cheated on her multiple times and was never blamed for it, Rebecca resolves to hire the most incompetent coach she can find to ruin the club, as it was the only thing her ex ever loved. To this end she hires Ted Lasso, a college football coach from Wichita, Kansas. Ted recently coached an NCAA Division II football team to a title but knows nothing about soccer. Arriving in Richmond with his assistant, Coach Beard, he tries to connect with his new teammates with his positive, folksy charm, but the club hates him anyway. He is thought of as a rube, but it soon becomes clear he is smarter than he looks. In his apartment at night, he speaks to his son and wife on the phone and hints that he took the job because his wife had wanted "space".
2	2	"Biscuits"	Zach Braff	Story by : Brendan Hunt & Jason Sudeikis Teleplay by : Joe Kelly	August 14, 2020 (2020-08-14)
On his first day at AFC Richmond, Ted attempts to win over the players and management. He brings Rebecca shortbread as a present; she rebuffs his attempt at friendliness but becomes obsessed with the biscuits. He quickly sees the team has a division in the locker room: Roy Kent, an aging star, is constantly angry and at odds with Jamie Tartt, an egotistical young talent. Seeing that another player, Sam Obisanya, is homesick for Nigeria, Ted throws him a birthday party even though the team had lost a game earlier in the day. Trying to win over Jamie, Ted seeks advice from Keeley, Jamie's model girlfriend. She advises praise, which Ted does. In an attempt to cause more problems for the team, Rebecca has a tabloid photograph taken of Lasso and Keeley seemingly being intimate with each other, with the intent of enraging Jamie. It is revealed that Ted himself bakes the biscuits he gives Rebecca.
3	3	"Trent Crimm: The Independent"	Tom Marshall	Jane Becker	August 14, 2020 (2020-08-14)
Knowing that tabloid newspaper The Sun has photographs of them, Ted and Keeley go to Rebecca. She has their publication stopped, fearful they will be traced back to her, but in exchange, Ted has to spend the day with Trent Crimm, a tough reporter for The Independent. Crimm arrives skeptical. He finds out Ted's new plays were conceived by Nate, the kit man. When Crimm asks him about the appropriateness of throwing Sam's birthday party after the previous week's loss, Ted tells him he's not concerned with wins and losses. Ted, Crimm, and Roy go to a local school event and win over the children. Roy reluctantly but assertively confronts Jamie and a few other players who have been bullying Nate. Ted invites Crimm to dinner at a restaurant owned by the driver who picked him up at the airport. Never having had Indian food before, Ted gets very spicy food but eats it all to be polite. Crimm's write-up about the "Lasso Way" is positive, enraging Rebecca.
4	4	"For the Children"	Tom Marshall	Jamie Lee	August 21, 2020 (2020-08-21)
The team loses again, prompting Roy and Jamie to fight even more. Rebecca, whilst preparing for the annual charity ball, learns that Robbie Williams canceled on her unexpectedly, so she relies on Higgins to find another musical act. Roy and Jamie constantly feud, setting Keeley on edge. Rupert Mannion, Rebecca's ex-husband, arrives and takes over the auction. Ted, who's trying to control Roy and Jamie's arguments, deduces that Rupert was the one responsible for Robbie Williams canceling in order to embarrass Rebecca. Rebecca later bonds with Keeley, and she convinces Keeley to break up with Jamie. Roy and Jamie make up and resolve not to fight anymore. Ted provides Higgins with a street performer Ted had encountered earlier to replace Williams, and he is met with a great reception. Rebecca, enraged at Rupert's sudden appearance (and the fact that he donated one million pounds to the charity event to show her up) gets drunk with Keeley, and the two ride off in a rickshaw.
5	5	"Tan Lines"	Elliot Hegarty	Brett Goldstein	August 28, 2020 (2020-08-28)
Ted's wife, Michelle, and son, Henry, finally arrive, and they have fun together as a family until Ted finds his wife in tears. She confides in him that, although she desperately wishes this was not true, she doesn't love him anymore and has no idea why. She promises to keep trying regardless. Keeley attends a promotion shoot she had organized for Jamie. Rebecca and Roy both seem concerned that Keeley is wasting her time with Jamie, but Keeley reassures them that her relationship with Jamie is over. On the field, Jamie continues to refuse to pass to his teammates and scores goals alone, leading fans and commentators to believe that AFC Richmond is solely reliant on Jamie. Ted sees how bad this is for the team's morale and benches Jamie right before half-time, which is met with harsh criticism from fans. Unfazed, Ted encourages his team to embrace change and believe in themselves. The team works together and manages to break the 2–2 tie to win the match. Ted, Beard, and Nate rejoice with the team. Later that evening, Ted tells Michelle that she does not need to try for his sake to make their marriage work, bidding her and their son farewell.
6	6	"Two Aces"	Elliot Hegarty	Bill Wrubel	September 4, 2020 (2020-09-04)
Ted struggles emotionally with the end of his marriage but is buoyed by Richmond's first win. The press continues to treat Rebecca badly, calling her "Old Rebecca" after Bex, whose full name is also Rebecca, begins dating Rupert. Jamie and Ted continue to clash over his role with the team, but Jamie sees his power weaken when Dani Rojas, an enthusiastic new player who is as good as he is, joins the team. The two form a rivalry, and after Dani gets mysteriously injured, Ted learns of ghosts haunting the team's treatment room. To lift the curse, Ted has everyone on the team sacrifice something special to them, and even Jamie joins in, after inspirational words from Keeley. The next morning, Ted discovers that Jamie has been returned to Manchester City, which had loaned Jamie to AFC Richmond for the season. Dani tries to cheer him up, but it doesn't help.
7	7	"Make Rebecca Great Again"	Declan Lowney	Story by : Joe Kelly & Brendan Hunt Teleplay by : Jason Sudeikis	September 11, 2020 (2020-09-11)
AFC Richmond travels to Liverpool for its game against rivals Everton, a team they have been unable to beat for the last sixty years. The game is being held on the weekend of Rebecca and Rupert's wedding anniversary, so Keeley tags along to cheer Rebecca up. They meet Rebecca's old friend Flo "Sassy" Collins, who immediately takes a liking to Ted. That night, Ted, reluctant to sign the divorce papers, gets drunk and snaps at Nate. The next morning, Ted apologizes and asks Nate to share some of his ideas. Nate gives the team an inspiring, if insulting, pre-game speech, and they win the game. That evening, the team goes out to celebrate at a karaoke bar, where Rebecca reveals her beautiful singing voice. Ted tries to enjoy the evening but suffers a panic attack and stumbles out of the building, where Rebecca finds and comforts him. Ted retreats to his hotel room, where he is visited by Sassy. Roy kisses Keeley, then leaves abruptly. Rebecca entertains a hotel waiter in her room.
8	8	"The Diamond Dogs"	Declan Lowney	Leann Bowen	September 18, 2020 (2020-09-18)
Ted talks about his troubles concerning Sassy with Beard, Nate, and Higgins, and he nicknames the group the "Diamond Dogs". Keeley asks Roy to go out for coffee but he declines. Later that night, Jamie visits Keeley, and she asks him to stay. Keeley later admits to Roy that she slept with Jamie, and Roy talks to Ted who, along with the Diamond Dogs, helps Roy see another perspective. Ted thanks Rebecca for her help during his panic attack and offers to help her when she meets some minority team owners later that afternoon at a pub. There, Rebecca is blindsided by Rupert, who announces that he helped Bex – now his fiancee – to purchase the minority shares. In response, Ted makes a wager with Rupert over a game of darts, which he wins, much to Rebecca's delight. On their way to dinner, Keeley and Roy's kiss is caught on camera by a paparazzo, but Roy forcefully takes the paparazzo's memory card. The next morning in Rebecca's office, Higgins implores her to stop ruining the team and quits. Keeley then storms into the office, having discovered Rebecca's plan after finding the picture of her and Ted that was meant to appear in The Sun on the camera card. She threatens to tell Ted if Rebecca does not do it first.
9	9	"All Apologies"	MJ Delaney	Phoebe Walsh	September 25, 2020 (2020-09-25)
Rebecca still has not told Ted about her attempts to sabotage the team. Roy is showing his age on the pitch, and there are calls to bench him. Ted refuses to do it, alienating him from Beard and Nate. After Keeley's prompting, Rebecca tries to tell Ted but finds she cannot. Immediately afterward, Rupert comes and tells her that he and Bex are having a baby. Rebecca marches down to Ted's office and confesses, and to her surprise, he easily forgives her. Ted tells Roy he is benching him. Feeling betrayed, Roy goes to Keeley, who tells him he is more than just a footballer. Having been forgiven by Ted, Rebecca seeks out and apologizes to Higgins, who returns to the club. In the pub, Ted again states he is not concerned about wins. But Beard angrily tells Ted that these are professionals, not student-athletes, and that winning is important to him and the players. Ted finds Roy outside the pub and the two talk. Roy admits his age, and they agree to claim Roy is injured so as not to embarrass him with a benching. At the next practice, Roy surprises Ted by showing up and donning a second team pinny, accepting his new role while still leading the team as they approach their last match.
10	10	"The Hope That Kills You"	MJ Delaney	Story by : Joe Kelly & Jason Sudeikis Teleplay by : Brendan Hunt	October 2, 2020 (2020-10-02)
Nate is promoted to assistant coach, and he shows a video interview of Jamie to inspire the team. But after Jamie insults Richmond, Isaac smashes the screen. Rebecca inspires Ted to confuse the other team by running chaotic trick plays, and Roy passes his captain's armband to Isaac. In the final match of the season, Manchester City takes the lead of 1–0 in the second half, and Roy injures his knee after chasing and successfully tackling Jamie. Richmond runs the "Lasso special" trick play and scores to tie up the match, raising the hope they could avoid relegation. However, in the final seconds, Jamie makes an extra pass to a teammate who scores and wins the game for Manchester City. Consequently, Richmond are relegated to the Championship. Heartbroken by the result, Ted attempts to cheer everyone up with some advice he offered Sam earlier in the season and tells them that together they will get through it. Having seen Jamie's father berate him for not making the score, Ted has Coach Beard bring Jamie an envelope with a letter congratulating him for the extra pass and a toy soldier to look after him. Meeting with Rebecca, Ted attempts to resign, but she rebuffs him; instead, they decide to win promotion next season and then to win the Premier League once they are back.

Season 2 (2021)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
11	1	"Goodbye Earl"	Declan Lowney	Brendan Hunt	July 23, 2021 (2021-07-23)
The episode starts midseason, as Richmond has drawn their last seven games. Dani prepares to kick a game-winning penalty, but he accidentally kills Richmond's greyhound mascot Earl; his resulting guilt cripples his ability to play. To help Dani recover from his "yips", Richmond hires sports psychologist Sharon Fieldstone, whose stern and disciplined attitude clashes with Ted. After meeting with Sharon, Dani regains his enthusiasm for football and converts a corner kick goal in practice. As a result, more players begin to request sessions with Sharon. Meanwhile, a newly retired Roy is coaching an Under 9 Girls Football team and dating Keeley. Jamie is shown to be a contestant on Lust Conquers All, a Love Island-style reality show.
12	2	"Lavender"	Declan Lowney	Leann Bowen	July 30, 2021 (2021-07-30)
Jamie is voted out of Lust Conquers All, and unsuccessfully attempts a return to Manchester City. Higgins hires Sharon for the rest of the season. Jamie asks Ted to rejoin Richmond and reveals that he left Manchester City to irritate his abusive father. Ted politely declines his request to rejoin. When a picture of their conversation goes viral, Sam believes Jamie, who repeatedly bullied him, is returning and angrily storms off during practice. Ted assures Sam that he said no. After the girls' team Roy coaches lose their championship, Keeley convinces Roy to try out a pundit job at Sky Sports. Despite his heavy cursing drawing the disapproval of his other pundits, Roy's commentary is positively received by the public, and the network asks him to return. Wanting to give Jamie a second chance, Ted reconsiders adding him to the team and polls the Diamond Dogs on their opinions. Higgins votes for the addition, while Beard and Nate vote against it. Roy admits to Keeley that he enjoyed being on the show. Jamie rejoins Richmond, to the players' confusion.
13	3	"Do the Right-est Thing"	Ezra Edelman	Ashley Nicole Black	August 6, 2021 (2021-08-06)
The team does not take kindly to Jamie's return, despite his attempts to apologize for his past behavior. On Keeley's advice, Jamie visits Sharon. Sassy's daughter (and Rebecca's goddaughter) Nora comes to visit and spends a day with Rebecca at work. Sam participates in a photo shoot for Dubai Air, the team's sponsor, but later learns from his father that Dubai Air is owned by an oil company polluting his home country of Nigeria. He withdraws from the ad campaign, prompting pressure on Rebecca from Dubai Air to fire Sam; but she holds firm at Nora's urging. During Richmond's next game, Sam and fellow Nigerian players Isaac and Winchester cover their uniforms' Dubai Air logos with tape in protest. Jamie leads the rest of the team to follow suit. Ted lets Sam speak about Dubai Air's malfeasance and the Nigerian government's corruption during the postgame press conference. Jamie toasts Sam for his courage, and the two reconcile.
14	4	"Carol of the Bells"	Declan Lowney	Joe Kelly	August 13, 2021 (2021-08-13)
On Christmas Day, Ted unsuccessfully tries to spend time over the phone with Henry and Michelle and becomes dejected and starts drinking afterwards. Suspecting Ted would feel alone on his first post-divorce Christmas, Rebecca brings him along to give gifts to underprivileged children across town. Roy and Keeley learn Phoebe's classmate is bullying her for bad breath. They trace the problem to the antihistamine she takes for a cat allergy and take Phoebe to make amends with her bully using handwritten posters. Higgins and his family host a Christmas party for foreign players who are unable to visit their families at home. As the party ends, Ted and Rebecca – joined by a street band they gave money to earlier – sing Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) to the team from outside the Higgins' house.
15	5	"Rainbow"	Erica Dunton	Bill Wrubel	August 20, 2021 (2021-08-20)
Nate timidly tries and fails to book a window seat at his parents' favorite restaurant for their anniversary. After Rebecca and Keeley teach Nate to be more assertive and confident, he successfully obtains the window reservation. Rebecca becomes interested in her new match on Bantr, an anonymous dating app co-owned by Keeley and Richmond's new sponsor. Richmond continues to struggle, in part due to team captain Isaac's anxiety hampering his leadership. Roy helps him by taking him and Ted to a field near his childhood home and having Isaac play a pickup match with neighborhood footballers, reminding him to have fun while playing. While commentating on his Soccer Saturday show, Roy watches a newly enthusiastic Isaac on the pitch and realizes he misses being involved with the game. He abruptly leaves the broadcast and makes his way to Richmond's stadium, where he joins Ted's coaching staff, to the applause of the Richmond supporters and the chagrin of Nate.
16	6	"The Signal"	Erica Dunton	Brett Goldstein	August 27, 2021 (2021-08-27)
Rebecca is visited by her mother, who recently left her father. Rebecca tells Ted that her parents repeatedly separate and reconcile every few years. Beard and Jane get back together, and Higgins is advised by Ted and Roy not to voice his apprehensions. Richmond enjoys newfound success with Roy on the coaching staff, but Jamie is upset that Roy refuses to give him coaching advice. Roy eventually relents and tells Jamie he needs to play more aggressively "when appropriate" and that the coaches will provide him a signal for when to do so. In a close game against Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter-final of the FA Cup, all four coaches give Jamie the signal – raising their middle finger at him – leading to his scoring a goal to end the first half. As the second half becomes intense, Ted suddenly has a panic attack and leaves the pitch, leaving Richmond in disarray, and the Spurs score, tying the game. Without Ted, Nate steps in and calls a triple substitution that leads to a game-winning score for Richmond. Sharon finds Ted in her office asking for help.
17	7	"Headspace"	Matt Lipsey	Phoebe Walsh	September 3, 2021 (2021-09-03)
Ted's first two sessions with Sharon prove fruitless. He leaves the first almost immediately and storms out of the second after expressing his skepticism and contempt towards psychotherapy after couples therapy failed to save his marriage. During the third visit, however, Ted apologizes for his outburst and decides to commit to the therapy process. Roy begins spending every moment he can with Keeley, to the point where she feels smothered. The two fight after Roy learns that Keeley has been complaining about his overbearing behavior to Rebecca and others. Thanks to a remark from Jamie, Roy comes to understand that Keeley needs space and makes amends by running her a candlelit rose bath to enjoy on her own. Nate sees himself going viral on Twitter and being dubbed the "Wonder Kid" in the media for the triple-substitution that resulted in Richmond's recent win, but his insecurity worsens when his stern father advises humility instead of praising his achievement. As a result, Nate begins behaving cruelly to others in the locker room – first to Colin, a young Welsh player who used to bully him, and later to Will, the new kit man.
18	8	"Man City"	Matt Lipsey	Jamie Lee	September 10, 2021 (2021-09-10)
Sharon suffers a concussion after being hit by a car while biking, and Ted brings her home from the hospital. Rebecca and Sam anonymously arrange a dinner date and find out that they are each other's Bantr matches. Rebecca is initially apprehensive, but Sam convinces her to have dinner with him platonically, which they both enjoy. The two kiss when they return to Rebecca's house but agree not to escalate the relationship further. Roy is called in to Phoebe's school and realizes that his swearing is having an effect on her. Richmond plays against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium for the first time but suffers a harsh loss. After the game, Jamie is bullied over the loss by his father in the locker room in front of his teammates and coaches. Jamie finally retaliates and strikes his father, whom Beard escorts out. Roy embraces Jamie, who breaks down crying in his arms. The scene shakes Ted into calling Sharon and confessing that his father died by suicide when Ted was 16. Rebecca and Sam ultimately spend the night together.
19	9	"Beard After Hours"	Sam Jones	Brett Goldstein & Joe Kelly	September 17, 2021 (2021-09-17)
The night of Richmond's loss against Manchester City, a dispirited Beard visits a pub and is joined by avid Richmond supporters Baz, Jeremy and Paul. The four later sneak into a speakeasy, but Beard is thrown out after tearing his pants. He accompanies Mary, a woman he met at the club, back to her apartment, but is soon forced to flee from Mary's hulking boyfriend Darren. Beard is soon cornered and beaten in the street by Jamie's father and his friends, but Darren saves him, having followed him to return Beard's wallet and phone. Beard is horrified to find a string of angry texts from Jane. Baz, Jeremy and Paul take him home in a limo they bought while gambling at the speakeasy, and Beard thanks them by showing them a secret entrance to Richmond's home stadium. Beard is unable to enter his home after his key breaks, and stumbles into a secret nightclub beneath a church where he and Jane enjoy a night of dancing. The next morning, a sleep-deprived Beard returns to work as usual with his fellow coaches.
20	10	"No Weddings and a Funeral"	MJ Delaney	Jane Becker	September 24, 2021 (2021-09-24)
Rebecca and Sam continue their relationship in secret for several weeks. One morning, Rebecca's mother informs her that her father has died. The entire Richmond team attends the funeral, but Ted has a panic attack and calls Sharon for a therapy session. Rupert and Bex come to the funeral uninvited with their newborn daughter, infuriating Rebecca. Keeley and Sassy deduce that Rebecca is secretly in a relationship, and Keeley correctly guesses it is with Sam. Rebecca tells her mother she does not want to eulogize her father, as she had watched him cheat on her mother when she was a child, but her mother reveals that she knew and loved him despite his imperfections. At the same time, Ted describes his father's death by suicide to Sharon for the first time, and arrives late for the funeral. Instead of giving a traditional eulogy, Rebecca leads the mourners in singing "Never Gonna Give You Up", a song that her parents continued to like and find meaningful. After the service, Jamie admits to Keeley that he loves her. Rupert tells Rebecca he will give her the remaining shares of Richmond and briefly converses with Nate. Rebecca ends her relationship with Sam, fearing heartbreak, but grows closer to her mother.
21	11	"Midnight Train to Royston"	MJ Delaney	Sasha Garron	October 1, 2021 (2021-10-01)
Sam scores the first hat-trick of his career. Ghanaian billionaire Edwin Akufo visits Richmond and informs Rebecca that he wants to buy Sam as a player. Akufo elaborates to Sam that he wants to buy Raja Casablanca and sign an ensemble of Africa's most talented players. Sam is given three days to consider the offer, though Rebecca pleads with him not to go. Nate continues to feel the frustration of receiving little credit for developing the team's tactics; while trying on new suits, he impulsively kisses Keeley. During Roy and Keeley's photoshoot for the latter's magazine profile, Keeley admits Nate's kiss and Jamie's confession of love at the funeral, and Roy tells her he spent 3 hours with Phoebe's teacher, leaving both shaken. Ted learns that Sharon left before her last day, and he tracks her down to give her the team's parting gift. Later, Ted receives a text message from Trent Crimm tipping him off about a forthcoming article on Ted's matchday panic attack and that Nate was his anonymous source.
22	12	"Inverting the Pyramid of Success"	Declan Lowney	Jason Sudeikis & Joe Kelly	October 8, 2021 (2021-10-08)
Ted receives the club's full support after the news of his panic attack. He focuses on the season's final match, which could determine Richmond's promotion back into the Premier League. At halftime, Nate tries to abandon his false 9 tactic, but the players elect to stick with it. Ted asks Nate why he is upset with him. Nate angrily responds that Ted has continuously neglected him since he joined the coaching staff. Exorcising the memory of the accidental death of mascot Earl, Dani scores an equalizing penalty to secure Richmond's promotion. The team and supporters celebrate, but Nate walks off dejected and tears down Ted's "Believe" sign. To Akufo's fury, Sam decides to stay at Richmond, indirectly telling Rebecca it would be best for his own personal journey. Ted runs into Trent Crimm, who reveals he was fired for revealing his anonymous source. Keeley learns Bantr's VC wants to finance her own PR firm. She and Rebecca discover Rupert bought West Ham United. Roy forgives Jamie and Nate for sharing their affections with Keeley but worries she will leave him. Two months later, Rupert greets the newest member of his West Ham coaching staff: Nate.

Season 3 (2023)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date
23	1	"Smells Like Mean Spirit"	MJ Delaney	Leann Bowen	March 15, 2023 (2023-03-15)
Richmond is projected to finish in last place for the new Premier League season, while West Ham is expected to be in the top four. The forecast demoralizes the team; to lift their spirits, Ted gives them a tour of London's sewer system to teach them a lesson about relying on one another amidst hardship. Photos of the team entering the sewer go viral. Nate mocks the team and Ted during a press conference arranged by Rupert, but Ted responds during his own press conference with self-deprecating jokes that charm the reporters. Roy and Keeley inform Phoebe that they are breaking up, as Roy's increased coaching responsibilities and Keeley's busy job running her new PR firm give them little time together, but Keeley suggests there are deeper problems in their relationship. Over the phone, Ted's son Henry shows him a toy that his mother's "friend" Jake bought him, unsettling Ted.
24	2	"(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea"	MJ Delaney	Sasha Garron	March 22, 2023 (2023-03-22)
Trent Crimm begins visiting Richmond to write a book about the club, but Roy forbids the players from talking to him, still bitter over a scathing article Trent wrote about him during his debut for Chelsea as a teenager. Roy eventually reconciles with Trent at Ted's urging. Keeley struggles to lead her PR firm and hires her inexperienced model friend Shandy, frustrating her CFO Barbara. Zava, a renowned but arrogant footballer, is in high demand after leaving Juventus FC. Upon learning Rupert wants to sign him, Rebecca confronts Zava in the men's room during Richmond's match against Chelsea and harshly tells him that joining West Ham would not be an opportunity to show his greatness. At the press conferences that follows, Zava announces he will sign with Richmond. Roy reminisces to Ted and Trent about his career with Chelsea, realizing he never allowed himself to enjoy the sport.
25	3	"4-5-1"	Destiny Ekaragha	Bill Wrubel	March 29, 2023 (2023-03-29)
Richmond enjoys an unprecedented five-game winning streak with Zava on the team, culminating in a win away at Old Trafford against Manchester United. Sam takes the team to celebrate at his yet-to-open Nigerian restaurant, Ola's. Ted is disturbed to learn that his ex-wife Michelle is dating their former couple's therapist, Dr. Jacob; both Sharon and Sassy validate his concern that it is an ethical violation. Jamie feels overshadowed by Zava's stardom; Roy offers to train him. Rebecca visits her mother's psychic Tish, who tells her she will one day be a mother; Rebecca angrily rebuffs Tish as a fraud, but is later stunned when Sam hands her one of the green matchbooks he is giving out to the team, in line with one of Tish's premonitions. Colin introduces his boyfriend Michael to the team as just a friend, but Trent spots them kissing in private while leaving the restaurant.
26	4	"Big Week"	Destiny Ekaragha	Brett Goldstein	April 5, 2023 (2023-04-05)
After they spend the night together, Ted asks Sassy out on "an actual date," but she declines, telling him that he, like her, is a "mess" and that they are better off remaining friends with benefits. Richmond prepares for their much-anticipated match against West Ham, with Ted and Nate not having seen each other since the latter's acrimonious departure from Richmond. Unbeknownst to Ted, Nate privately regrets the way he left Richmond, but Rupert tells Nate to quash his concerns. Keeley meets Jack, the woman running the VC company that invested in her PR firm. Trent uncovers camera footage of Nate tearing Ted's "Believe" sign in half, which Beard and Roy use at halftime to rile up the team against West Ham. Richmond's furiously aggressive play in the second half of the match results in three red card penalties and ultimately a heavy loss. Rebecca notices Rupert flirting with his assistant after the match and tells him to cut it out. Ted calls Michelle to voice his concerns about her relationship with Dr. Jacob.
27	5	"Signs"	Matt Lipsey	Jamie Lee	April 12, 2023 (2023-04-12)
Richmond suffers a seven-game winless streak since their loss to West Ham. Rebecca visits a fertility clinic after another of Tish's premonitions comes true but learns that she is no longer fertile. Ted learns his son got in trouble for bullying another student but is reassured when Henry shows remorse. Keeley fires Shandy after her antics lead to the firm losing a client. She and Jack grow closer and end up getting drunk and having sex in the office. Nate takes a famous model on a date to A Taste of Athens, his favorite restaurant, but she leaves after disdaining the restaurant. Nate later bonds with waitress Jade. Zava fails to show for the Manchester City game, forcing the team to play without him and ultimately losing. Following the game Zava announces his retirement, leading Ted to make a speech suggesting Zava's departure will benefit the team as it will encourage them to regain their belief in themselves.
28	6	"Sunflowers"	Matt Lipsey	Story by : Joe Kelly & Jason Sudeikis Teleplay by : Brendan Hunt	April 19, 2023 (2023-04-19)
After losing a friendly against AFC Ajax in Amsterdam, Ted declares no team curfew in order to lift Richmond's spirits. Keeley leaves for Norway to see the aurora borealis with Jack. Higgins and Will go to a jazz club in the red light district. Roy immediately pushes Jamie to start training, but after tiring Roy out by leading him on a running tour of the city, Jamie teaches him how to ride a bicycle. Rebecca is accidentally knocked off a bridge into a canal and spends the night with a man on a houseboat. Colin heads out to a gay bar where Trent finds him and relates his own struggles with coming out. The rest of the team argue trying to decide where to go that night and end up staying at the hotel to have a pillow fight. Coach Beard gives drugs to Ted before heading out to perform as "Piggy Stardust". Ted visits an exhibition of Van Gogh's paintings and, while watching an old Chicago Bulls basketball game at an American restaurant, he has a vision that inspires him to create a new strategy inadvertently based on Total Football. The next morning the whole team leaves Amsterdam energized and their morale boosted.
29	7	"The Strings That Bind Us"	Matt Lipsey	Phoebe Walsh	April 26, 2023 (2023-04-26)
Ted, Beard, and Roy begin to introduce Total Football to the team with a series of training exercises. Attempting the strategy in a game against Arsenal F.C., they fall behind 3–0 in the first half, but after a pep talk from Jamie they come together to score an elegant goal in the second half, convincing Trent that Ted's supportive style of coaching will succeed. Nate works up the courage to ask Jade on a date, which she accepts. Rebecca expresses concern that Jack is love-bombing Keeley with extravagant gifts, and so Keeley tells Jack she wants their relationship to be on more equal terms. Just before his father is to visit, Sam criticizes a bigoted Cabinet minister on Twitter, and the next day his restaurant is vandalized by the minister's supporters. When he brings his father to see the wreckage, he finds the whole team there, cleaning and repairing the restaurant.
30	8	"We'll Never Have Paris"	Erica Dunton	Keeley Hazell & Dylan Marron	May 3, 2023 (2023-05-03)
Solid application of Total Football helps Richmond to four wins in a row. But when Michelle, Henry and Dr. Jacob visit Ted in London, he is unsettled to learn Michelle is going to Paris with Dr. Jacob, whom he suspects wants to propose to her. He asks Rebecca's help in investigating the matter, but Rebecca convinces him to let it go and enjoy the time he gets to spend with Henry. When Ted, Beard and Henry attend a West Ham game, Nate is privately pleased to see them. Keeley is horrified to discover that a sexually explicit video of her has leaked online. Jack, hoping to preserve her reputation among her wealthy friend circle, has lawyers draft an apology for Keeley to read. Keeley refuses, prompting an argument with Jack and a potential breakup. Jamie then visits her and apologizes for failing to delete an email containing Keeley's leaked video, which she sent to him while they dated; the two share a hug. Isaac discovers Colin is gay when the team agrees to erase all explicit photos of ex-partners. Michelle returns from Paris, and Ted notices she is not wearing a ring.
31	9	"La Locker Room Aux Folles"	Erica Dunton	Chuck Hayward	May 10, 2023 (2023-05-10)
Isaac is left troubled after finding out Colin is gay, and it strains the friendship between the two men. After a poor showing by Richmond in the first half of a match against Brighton, a Richmond fan uses "the other F-word" to insult the team, causing Isaac to attack the fan and receive a red card as punishment, though the fan is also kicked out. In the locker room Colin comes out to the rest of the team, and they accept his sexuality. Richmond wins the match, and Colin posts a season best performance. Rupert is introduced to Jade by Nate and invites him for a "guys night out". But after he realizes that Rupert has invited two women to join them, Nate makes an excuse, leaves and shows up at Jade's. Isaac later visits Colin at his home and reveals that he was disappointed that Colin hadn't previously come out to him. Colin explains that he was scared of even the small chance Isaac would reject him, and Isaac admits that he would not have been able to keep it a secret anyway. Colin invites Isaac inside, and the two bond again as friends over some games of FIFA.
32	10	"International Break"	Matt Lipsey	Jane Becker	May 17, 2023 (2023-05-17)
Nate unexpectedly quits West Ham and recuperates at his parents' house, where he mends his strained relationship with his father. Several Richmond players are selected to play for their national teams. Sam is disappointed to not be selected for Nigeria, only to learn Edwin Akufo bribed officials to keep him off of the team out of spite. Rupert recruits Rebecca to join Akufo's exclusive Super League, but Rebecca berates Akufo and the other team owners for taking football away from working-class people out of greed and sways them into rejecting Akufo's plan. An impressed Rupert tries to kiss Rebecca afterwards. She rejects him and realizes she has overcome her resentment towards him. Keeley learns that funding for her firm has been pulled, but Rebecca invests in the firm to keep it running. Roy apologizes to Keeley for ending their relationship, and they sleep together. Richmond kitman Will is surprised to find the locker room in perfect order when he arrives in the morning, and he finds a note from Nate apologizing for his past behavior.
33	11	"Mom City"	Declan Lowney	Story by : Brendan Hunt & Jason Sudeikis Teleplay by : Joe Kelly	May 24, 2023 (2023-05-24)
Ted's mother Dottie unexpectedly arrives in London, making Ted anxious. Nate begins working at A Taste of Athens. Will and the players ask him to return to Richmond, but he turns them down. The team plays against Manchester City once again. Jamie is debilitated by his anxiety over returning to his hometown, expecting his father to be at the game, and brings Roy and Keeley to his mother's house where she comforts him. At the game, Ted suggests to Jamie that he forgive his father for his own sake, helping Jamie regain the confidence to seal a victory for Richmond. Jamie's father watches the game from rehab and cheers him on. Ted later convinces Beard, the only holdout against Nate's return, to let him return. Beard visits Nate and reveals Ted helped him when he was at his lowest point and returns the favor by forgiving Nate and offering him a job with the club. Ted admits to Dottie he resented her for not resolving her grief over his father's death, and the two reconcile. She tells him his son misses him.
34	12	"So Long, Farewell"	Declan Lowney	Brendan Hunt & Joe Kelly & Jason Sudeikis	May 31, 2023 (2023-05-31)
Richmond can win the league if they win against West Ham and Manchester City loses or draws their final game. News hits that Rupert is being divorced by Bex over his infidelities and may lose his team because of sexual improprieties. Ted has informed Rebecca that he and Coach Beard will be going home, and Rebecca considers selling the club. Nate becomes assistant kit man under Will and later tearfully apologizes to Ted. Trent gives Ted and Beard manuscript copies of his book. Roy and Jamie fight over who gets to be with Keeley, but she turns them both away. West Ham takes a two-goal lead in the first half of the game. At half time the Richmond players reveal they all have pieces of the "Believe" sign that Ted tore up, and they put it together before returning to the pitch. When Richmond equalizes the score with a remarkable penalty kick by Isaac, Rupert assaults the new West Ham manager and is jeered by the crowd. The team uses one of the first plays developed by Nate, allowing Sam to score the winning goal. Manchester wins their final game, so Richmond finishes second in the league. Rebecca sells 49% of the team to the fans and meets Ted at the airport to bid him farewell. As she leaves the airport, she runs into the man from the Amsterdam houseboat and his daughter. Beard stays in England and marries Jane. Roy becomes Richmond's manager and starts sessions with Dr. Sharon, who is now on the team staff. Keeley's PR firm grows, and she gives Rebecca a proposal for an AFC Richmond Women's Team. Following Ted's request to change the title of his book from The Lasso Way – because it was never about him – Trent retitles it The Richmond Way. Beard, Roy and Nate put the "Believe" sign back up in the locker room. Ted returns home and coaches his son's soccer team.

Production

Development

Jason Sudeikis originally portrayed the title character in 2013 as part of a series of television commercials for NBC Sports promoting their coverage of the Premier League, in which Lasso is depicted as the new head coach of Tottenham Hotspur F.C..

In about 2015, Sudeikis's then-girlfriend Olivia Wilde suggested that he revisit the character, perhaps in a story in which Lasso found his career direction change. Whereas the original Lasso was more broadly comic, and as Sudeikis described him, "belligerent", he decided to make Lasso more sympathetic for the television series, explaining his reason for doing so in a May 2023 interview with The Guardian:

It was the culture we were living in. I'm not terribly active online and it even affected me. Then you have Donald Trump coming down the escalator. I was like, "OK, this is silly," and then what he unlocked in people ... I hated how people weren't listening to one another. Things became very binary and I don't think that's the way the world works. And, as a new parent – we had our son Otis in 2014 – it was like, "Boy, I don't want to add to this." Yeah, I just didn't want to portray it.

The series was commissioned in October 2019 by Apple TV+, with Sudeikis reprising the role. Television producer and Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence was brought in to work on a television series based around the character in 2017. The series is co-owned by Warner Bros. Television, where Lawrence's production company Doozer is based, and which controls linear distribution rights to the series, and NBC subsidiary Universal Television, which is a "passive partner".

On August 19, 2020, Apple TV+ renewed the series for a 10-episode second season. It was later confirmed that the second season had been expanded to 12 episodes. On October 28, 2020, the series was renewed for a third season. On an episode of the Scrubs rewatch podcast Fake Doctors, Real Friends with Zach + Donald, Lawrence indicated that Ted Lasso would likely be a "three-season show" due to Sudeikis's limited availability beyond the third season, and that the story had a planned resolution within those three seasons. In June 2022, Brett Goldstein also commented that the series would end after three seasons—"We are writing it like that." In March 2023, Sudeikis said that the third season "is the end of this story that we wanted to tell", and that there are possibilities for spin-offs. In an interview published in August 2023, Declan Lowney, who directed multiple episodes of the series, reiterated that the third season was "the end for now" and that it would be "two or three years [from filming the season] before anything happens — if anything happens".

In October 2021, Apple TV+ reached a licensing deal with the Premier League worth as much as £500,000 (around $682,000) for the series to feature the league's logos, kits, and trophy starting from the third season. On March 6, 2022, a day before filming for season 3 began, Nike, Inc. posted on its official Twitter account a photo of its trademark Swoosh logo incorporated onto an AFC Richmond kit, implying that the show's production had reached a deal with the company to act as the fictional club's "official" kit manufacturer on future episodes.

Some sources have noted the many similarities between the character of Ted Lasso and Terry Smith, an American football head coach who became the first American to be the manager/head coach of a professional English soccer club. AppleMagazine.com (which is not affiliated with Apple Inc.) writes that the series "was actually inspired by the story of Terry Smith, an American gridiron football coach who took over the English association football team Chester City and subsequently installed himself as the first-team coach".

Writing

Actors in the series Brett Goldstein and Brendan Hunt also joined the writing team along with Sudeikis as the second and third members of the main cast to do so. While Hunt and Sudeikis were part of both the cast and writing team from the start, Goldstein was initially a writer and story editor. It was only after a video audition of some Roy Kent scenes was sent to the showrunner, Bill Lawrence, that Goldstein was added to the cast.

The episodes "Carol of the Bells" and "Beard After Hours" were the two episodes developed when the second season was expanded by two episodes, fitting in to the continuity of the second season without affecting storylines of the written episodes.

Casting

Theo Park is the series's casting director. Nick Mohammed, who portrays Nate Shelley, originally auditioned for the role of Leslie Higgins, which in the end went to Jeremy Swift. Park pushed for Phil Dunster to play the role of Jamie Tartt, even though the character was originally supposed to be from Latin America and portrayed by Cristo Fernández. The character of Sam Obisanya was originally going to have been of Ghanaian heritage, but the character was changed after Toheeb Jimoh's casting. In March 2021, Sarah Niles was cast as Dr. Sharon Fieldstone, a sports psychologist for AFC Richmond in a main capacity for the second season. About Niles' casting, Park said that "It was really important with that role that [Niles] had a real sense of security and almost completely unflappable." Kiki May portrayed Nora, Sassy's teenaged daughter, in a recurring capacity during the second season. Casting for season three was set to begin near the end of 2021. Jodi Balfour was cast as Jack, a venture capitalist, in a recurring capacity for the third season in April 2022.

Filming

Crystal Palace's stadium Selhurst Park was used as AFC Richmond's Nelson Road.

Production began on the second season in January 2021. In March 2021, Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham were spotted filming outside a pub in London. Filming wrapped for the second season on June 4, 2021. Filming for the third season was set to take place between January and June 2022. Most of the pub and street scenes have been shot in the actual London Borough of Richmond. AFC Richmond's training field and complex in which Rebecca's office is based is filmed at the SkyEX Community Stadium which is the home ground of Hayes & Yeading United F.C. who are a semi-professional club playing in England's seventh level of competitive football, whereas Nelson Road, the home stadium of Richmond, is actually Selhurst Park, a real-life Premier League stadium used by London club Crystal Palace F.C. Exterior shots of Craven Cottage, the home stadium of Fulham F.C. were used in season 1 to pass off as fellow Premier League ground Goodison Park when AFC Richmond played away at Everton. Wembley Stadium was used in season 2 to portray the FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City.

The show incorporates many real-life members of the British football and television entertainment community. This also includes using a number of genuine television shows which feature the actual presenters, sets and theme songs, including the Sky Sports programme Soccer Saturday. The daytime ITV show This Morning also features in season 2.

For the second season, assistant director Sophie Worger hired former professional player Kasali Casal to manage the football choreography. Casal enlisted a team of former professional players to play for the opposition teams facing AFC Richmond during game scenes, these included former Premier League and England internationals Lee Hendrie and Jay Bothroyd, as well as former Liverpool player Jermaine Pennant and Wolverhampton Wanderers defender George Elokobi.

Filming for the third season began on March 7, 2022. The series filmed on location in Amsterdam for the third season. With the emergence of Nate becoming West Ham United's head coach during season 3, the club's London Stadium was used for filming. Stamford Bridge, the home of Chelsea, was used for filming in the third season episode "4–5–1". The appearance sparked controversy amongst Chelsea supporters after the show's editing team modified a memorial banner for the late Chelsea player Ray Wilkins that was paid for by the club's supporters. The banner which reads "They don't make them like Ray anymore" was changed to read "Roy" to tie in with the storyline of Richmond coach Roy Kent returning to his old club. Owner Todd Boehly released a statement apologizing to fans and to Wilkins' family, claiming the deal with Apple was agreed before he had purchased the club.

During the third season, further Premier League stadiums including Manchester United's Old Trafford and Burnley's Turf Moor were briefly filmed for on-field action, while Dutch Eredivisie side AFC Ajax's Johan Cruyff Arena was used for on and off the field scenes at the beginning of the episode "Sunflowers". Later episodes in Season 3 also utilized filming at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium and Manchester City's Etihad Stadium.

Merchandising

In March 2021, Bill Lawrence revealed that official Ted Lasso merchandise would be for sale ahead of the season two premiere. The merchandise, including football jerseys, became available in June 2021.

In 2023, to coincide with the release of season 3, Nike released a full range of AFC Richmond merchandise including jerseys, hoodies, tracksuits and practice shirts.

Reception

Critical response

Critical response of Ted Lasso

Season	Rotten Tomatoes	Metacritic
1	92% (74 reviews)	71 (21 reviews)
2	98% (124 reviews)	85 (35 reviews)
3	81% (201 reviews)	73 (31 reviews)

Season 1

Jason Sudeikis' performance as Ted Lasso has been widely praised by critics.

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 92% based on 74 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Warm and winsome, if not particularly hilarious, Ted Lasso fleshes out its promo premise with unrelenting optimism and a charming turn from Jason Sudeikis." Metacritic gave the first season a weighted average score of 71 out of 100 based on 21 reviews.

Kristen Baldwin of Entertainment Weekly gave the series an A− and wrote, "There's nothing groundbreaking about the way Ted Lasso's story beats play out, but the show—a mix of workplace antics, sentimental sports inspo, and soapy romance—is undeniably winning." Reviewing the series for Rolling Stone, Alan Sepinwall described the series as "extremely likable throughout, but it's more a hypothetical comedy than an actual one. There are long stretches where Juno Temple is the only actor even trying to sell what few jokes are in the scripts." and gave a rating of three out of five. Writing for The Guardian, Benjamin Lee gave it two out of five, describing it as "a show that isn't unwatchably bad but isn't really much of anything", and suggesting that some of its humor was "rooted in some questionable and uneasy stereotypes".

As the season went on, critical appreciation increased. After the eighth episode, Caroline Framke of Variety published a review with the headline "For Your Reconsideration: Ted Lasso". She went on to say, "Above all odds, Ted Lasso chipped away at my skepticism until there was none left—just like the character himself does to everyone he meets", adding, "At a time when just about everything feels catastrophic, there's something undeniably satisfying about spending some time with good people who are just trying to be the best they can, on and off the field." Keri Lumm of Paste said, after the airing of the penultimate episode, "Ted Lasso is the wholesome American hero we need", going on to say "... the landscape of television has felt kind of gloomy, so imagine my surprise when I turned on the TV to Ted Lasso and felt a swelling of a now unfamiliar emotion—hope". And after the finale aired, Lea Palmieri from Decider said: "Every step of the way, Ted Lasso proves to be comforting and entertaining and somehow both a distraction and a reminder that kindness is out there, not just on this fictional show, not just across the pond, but deep in the heart of America too."

Season 2

The second season was met with critical acclaim. Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 98% based on 124 reviews, with an average rating of 8.6/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "As comforting as a buttery biscuit from a friend, Ted Lasso's sophomore season is a feel-good triumph that plays into the show's strengths while giving its supporting team more time on the pitch." Metacritic gave the second season a weighted average score of 85 out of 100 based on 35 reviews.

Season 3

On Rotten Tomatoes, the season has an approval rating of 81% based on 201 reviews, with an average rating of 7.45/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Ted Lasso's third and possibly final season takes time to find its footing, but patient viewers who believe will find that they appreciate Coach as much as ever." Metacritic gave the third season a weighted average score of 73 out of 100 based on 31 reviews.

Reception for the third season became progressively more mixed as it went on, with reviewers criticizing the extended episode runtimes, pacing, and characterization. A joint review published in Vulture described the third season as "bumbling", "tedious" and "discombobulated" compared to the first two, noting "a last-gap [sic] quality to these episodes and a hastiness to the storytelling that makes the show's internal world feel inexplicably small." The reviewers noted a decline across the season's various character arcs, which were said to "range from merely muddled to downright inexplicable", with particular criticism directed at Keeley and Nate's subplots. David Sims of The Atlantic felt the series had "devolv[ed] into ham-fisted, novelistic nonsense" in its pivot from its sitcom roots to a "prestige drama" in the third season. Sims lamented the hourlong episode runtimes, which he described as "a pure example of the excesses that can flourish on streaming television", and characterized the season overall as unfocused and lacking in conflict. Like Sims, Linda Holmes of NPR identified the season's separation of the cast as its primary weakness, suggesting that the series should "refocus on relationships" rather than give each character their own storyline. Jack King of GQ conversely felt the series had "markedly improved" in the third season, but found Sudeikis's "saccharine" lead character to be the "least interesting" part of the series.

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Ted Lasso

The first season received 20 nominations at the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, becoming the most nominated freshman comedy in Emmy Award history. It won 7 awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series and acting awards for Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham; while Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, Jeremy Swift and Juno Temple received nominations. Sudeikis also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series for 2020 and 2021.

The series won in the categories for Outstanding New Program, Outstanding Achievement in Comedy and Program of the Year at the 37th TCA Awards and also won for best Comedy Series and New Series at the 73rd Writers Guild of America Awards.

The second season received 20 nominations at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards. It won four awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series, acting awards for Sudeikis and Goldstein, and a directing award for MJ Delaney. Several actors received nominations, including Toheeb Jimoh, Mohammed, Temple, Waddingham, Sarah Niles, James Lance, Sam Richardson and Harriet Walter.

The third season received 21 nominations at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. It was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series, Sudeikis for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Phil Dunster and Goldstein for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, Temple and Waddingham for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, Becky Ann Baker, Sarah Niles and Harriet Walter for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, and the finale episode was nominated for both outstanding writing and directing. At the 75th Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards, Sam Richardson won for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

Following the debut of the third season, the cast of Ted Lasso were invited by US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden to the White House to promote mental health and well-being, a theme that was featured in storylines during the second and third seasons of the show.

Audience viewership

Ted Lasso became the most watched television series on Apple TV+. The first-season premiere episode became Apple TV+'s most watched premiere and it ranked 89th overall among other television series or shows measured across streaming platforms from November 1, 2019, to July 18, 2021. According to TV analytics provider TVision, Ted Lasso has been viewed by panel members 8.4 times as much as the average Apple TV+ original series or shows TVision has measured since Apple TV+ launched in November 2019. Over the second-season premiere weekend, Apple TV+ expanded its number of new viewers by 50% week over week. Apple also announced the second season of Ted Lasso "increased its viewership by six times over season one". In 2021, the final episode of the second season ranked ninth place among all SVOD programs and fifth place in the SVOD originals category with 507 million minutes (MM) viewed.

Other media

In December 2021, Apple TV+ released Ted Lasso: The Missing Christmas Mustache, a four-minute claymation special.

In September 2022, it was announced that AFC Richmond and Nelson Road would appear in the video game FIFA 23. The team would be available in multiple online and offline modes, with players also able to select Ted Lasso to manage any team in the game, as well as have someone else manage the team.

The series, titled as Ted Lasso: The Richmond Way, was released on Blu-ray on July 30, 2024.

See also

• L'allenatore nel pallone, 1984 Italian comedy film about Oronzo Canà, a down-on-his-luck manager with a far from stellar résumé, who is very surprisingly hired as the coach of a small football team in northern Italy that just got promoted to Serie A
• The First Team, British sitcom featuring an American player who joins a Premier League club
• Home Team, 2022 film about a suspended NFL coach coaching his son's high-school (American) football team
• Hot Stove League, Korean drama series about a general manager with no experience in baseball hired to lead a struggling baseball team
• Major League, 1989 film featuring misfit baseball players and a meddling new team owner
• Mike Bassett: England Manager, 2001 British mockumentary comedy film about a coach who is hired from the lower leagues to manage the England team at the World Cup.
• Mike Bassett: Manager, 2005 British comedy series, a follow-up to the film which sees an unsuccessful coach on a bad run of form taking over as the new manager of his late father's former team.
• Dream Team, British TV series featuring the on and off the field affairs of fictional Premier League club Harchester United.
• Welcome to Wrexham, 2022 American documentary series chronicling the purchase and stewardship of Wrexham AFC, one of professional football's oldest clubs, by two Hollywood actors, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
• Club de Cuervos, a Mexican comedy drama series about two siblings that fight over the ownership and direction of their family's treasured football squad, Cuervos F.C.

External links

• Official website
• Ted Lasso at IMDb