How they got Nate from bumbling to this one was meh.

But it also makes zero sense given that 2 years before you're basically the ball boy. What they're trying to make us believe here just wouldn't ever happen from almost anyone, let alone Nate.

Yeah this has become a workplace comedy that happens to be set at an English football team - it’s like they’ve deliberately slowed down the classic sports movie arc which would have seen them scrapping all year to get promoted, then win the premiership next year etc. without that overall story to tell, we are left with Roy and keely as Jim and Pam, Nate as Ryan, etc. etc.

I'll just say this - I would have thought a poker forum would be populated by people who understand suffering a devastating soul crushing defeat and wandering the streets after looking for self punishing harm. Reminded me of the story in Professor, Banker, and Suicide Kings, where Ted Forrest talked about having a massive loss one night, then going walking through the bad part of Vegas, hoping someone would try to rob him so they could fight.

Exactly.

Beard rules!!!

Godamn that finale was mediocre. The editing at the end was to tilt-worthy.

Doubt we see a season as good as S1 again.

I liked the episode fine on its own standalone merits, but as a finale it didn't do a lot to excite me about s3.

I do think this was the episode where Roy/Keeley became full-on tiresome for me. Those two need to break up early in season 3 and be written away from each other for a good while.

I really have trouble following what Nate is so bitter about.

The Roy clearly not seeing him as a man/threat is a nice touch. But as far as I can see, Ted has always given Nate proper credit. Just seems a little farfetched.

And of course what rafiki said - no one is going from equipment manager to head coach that fast, and no one is calling for the former equipment guy to be a head coach just because he suggests parking the bus one time.

I agree that Nate being THAT ****ing sideways during his big scene with Ted seems contrived. Some sort of daddy issues on his end? He punched the line about how Ted should go back where he belongs, "with his son." I've seen every episode, but I can't recall if any groundwork has been laid for Nate to have a problem with his dad. Only remember the restaurant reservation plot recently.

If it's not really Ted he's mad at, it becomes a lot less contrived. I guess I don't remember Nate's dad being a character before that recent anniversary dinner though.

Might have been the same episode as the anniversary dinner but Nate went to his parents house and his picture was on the back of the paper after winning the cup match - he pointed it out to his dad and he said something about showing some humility.

Seems like he's just a loser who needs praise due to said daddy issues, Ted gave it to him and then "took" it away even though we know it was because he was dealing with his own ****. Read somewhere that the halftime rant by Nate was the first time they've shared a one on one scene since midway though season one or something.

Liked the season overall but definitely not as much as season one, it had a lot of problems as well. Roy/Keeley issues seem so contrived (as a side note, wtf was with that thing with Phoebe drawing boobs? I thought it was going to be something like her looking up Keeley online and seeing her naked everywhere and Keeley then freaking out about never being seen as anything more than a Page 3 girl, but looks like they did that anyway and then just went straight past it to her getting her own PR firm), Sam/Rebecca I don't really care about at all and seemingly has no ramifications (similar to the Dubai Air story), the Nate/Rupert stuff was blindingly obvious from the funeral episode, as already mentioned from others I don't think there was enough there for the Nate arc to make sense.

Hell maybe I didn't like it as much as I think I did...I enjoyed the Ted/Dr Sharon stuff!

Ultimately they are who we thought they were - two seasons of a show based on an idea from a 30 second commercial.

Season 1 was perfect last year because it was impossible to be in a worse mood at the end of any episode than when it started. No matter where we go from here, we will always have that.

Season 5 when Ted comes home to coach the Jaguars is really going to suck.

Let us review the arcs:

Ted: no question, worse. At times in that season he was genuinely annoying and a cliche of himself

Beard: On/off Jane stuff is bleh. I'll rewatch his episode for sure though I suspect I'd like it more the second time. His stuff with Nate was the best part of his arc.

Higgins: Lol one giant joke about his ever moving office? Really? After how good he was in S1?

Nate: you know my thoughts. Do it over 3-4 seasons. This felt rushed. I did like his moment where he wasn't even good enough to threaten Roy.

Rebecca: Huge step down from S1. The funeral episode they let her shine again. Also going to the well 3 times on her singing is 2 times too many. The power of the moment from S1 is gone on singing, guys.

Roy: UP! Maybe he's the best character now?

Jamie: UP! This felt natural.

The shrink: lol? They had the chance to have an excellent regular character here and went naaaaaa.

Keely: Neutral. I will suspend disbelief and let that one play out.

Roy/Keely: zzzzzz

Diamond Dogs: Was crap all season and then this last episode had some special little moments. But largely not as moving.

Rupert: Was used amazingly in S1, not as good in S2 (and that actor is flawless in any scene you put him in).



S1: 10/10
S2: 7/10 (which feels more disappointing because of how good S1 was)
S3: ?

Following the True Detective quality metric for me right now.

They've said for a long time it will only be three seasons, but with how little else Apple TV have maybe they'll send the dump truck of money around to Sudeikis' house for more.

If it only goes three seasons my early prediction is it finishes with Ted wanting to move back to the US for his son and gets offered the US national team job.

They left wiggle room for more seasons in this article. Which I imagine means there will be more seasons beyond season 3 unless viewership really dips.

Yeah I really liked that too.

Nate definitely has father issues as well. Major projection. That scene with Ted at halftime was still really weird.

My wife said there's some interview where Sudeikis reveals they're going for some Star Wars style villain standoff with Nate. Like Dark Side. That could be executed really badly if they aren't careful, lol.

I mean obviously they have to face off in the finals next season, that much is locked in. Nate and company probably beat them badly a few times during the season kind of thing.

I finally finished S2. Really enjoyed it. It is so unique in that the show's characters are trying to be the best people they can and to do to the right thing and say the right thing at the right time and they are often able do so. After I watch so much crime drama and horror shows this is a welcome breath of fresh air. The Good Place TV series is the only other one I know like that. The fun part for me is the snappy dialogue containing obscure allusions to literature and pop culture. The most difficult one for me to follow was doing something "bird by bird". Of course you have to suspend some belief in watching this since Ted Lasso becoming an EPL manager is a bit much to swallow and the Nigerian player Sam Obisanya is way too wise and perfectly ethical for his young age. But I won't complain.

BTW I may have missed why or how Ted became so estranged from his wife in the first place. Maybe it hasn't been revealed. Seems important to the overall storyline.

Ted mentions he just loved her too much and was too much of himself (super positive). And she couldn't handle that.

Season 1 was good season 2 was over-rated.

fyi there's a Missing Christmas Mustache special ep.

haven't watched it yet

Finale was sweet. But I have a question...

I can’t tell either. It did seem a bit like they were just trying to play with the audience when Beard and his broad joined in. Then it went back to possibly. Then it didn’t seem like it when they met in the stands…..

I have absolutely no idea lol

I don't think so - obviously they wanted us to think it for a quick second but I think it was just a setup for the Beard/Jane appearance.

Did anyone else notice the pants Beard wore in the wedding scene?

That cannot have been a real attempt at a finale. That was a cliched mess that only serves to undermine the late-season comeback the show had made in terms of quality. Dreadful. I'm just going to have to convince myself that the excellent penultimate episode was the real finale.

I did enjoy the nod to Coach from Cheers toward the end though.

Also I definitely don't think Ted and Rebecca banged. Pretty sure that was just a tease that they waved off.

Yeah they absolutely did not, it was a misdirection then Ted explains that they're there because of a gas leak in town.

Finale was fine if underwhelming, it's weird the scenes they manage to cut out of this season considering how long all the episodes were, Ted telling Rebecca he was leaving would have been good to watch