Why Ted Lasso Deserves to Sweep The Emmys: Must Watch TV

by The Messy Optimist

Jason Sudeikis won the Golden Globe for best actor a few months ago for inhabiting the role of Ted Lasso in the eponymous show and he and the show just got nominated for a bunch of Emmys. In fact – everyone and their fan of the show and the fans who act in the show is nominated.

And guess what? BRAVO TO THAT. Because every nomination is worth its weight in gold and justified. In fact -every single person on that show needs to be nominated. And, heck, win even.

I wrote the following a few months back. It took me a while to post it but I watched Ted Lasso and immediately wrote about it. I am not going to make any changes to what I wrote back in February when I watched it first.

Here it is – unfiltered and from my heart.

Heartwarming. Gut-wrenching. Laugh-out-loud.

I LAUGHED OUT LOUD TODAY. Many, many, many times. The laughter was spontaneous and my happiness genuine. And it wasn’t because I had ice-cream (I’ll sell my soul in exchange for ice cream in case anyone is actually willing to pay even a few pennies for it). Neither was it because I met some of my very silly and quirky and funny friends after a crappola crappy year that was 2020. It wasn’t because I stepped inside a plane in over a year – nope. Still waiting to get vaccinated and actually go somewhere. No. All that laugh-out-laughter was after binge-watching the sublime positivity that oozed out of Ted Lasso – the new gift from Apple TV.

I am still smiling like an idiot.

Look – it’s been a shitty, shitty, SHITTY 2020 for the whole world and it’s been particularly nasty for me, especially over the past few months. While I’m not ready to talk about the details of the shittiness yet – suffice to say – it’s been a few months of me wondering about the goodness of people in this world. Over the years I’ve learned to be a glass half-full person and has been one who has, consciously, changed from being a Negative Nelly to a Positive Penny (yes…I came up with the latter phrase…you are welcome). A friend told me sometime back that the change in me was so stark and visible she said she was now fed up with my zen…ness, AKA ‘not complaining about anything anymore.’

So, yes. I have changed over the years. But the past few months – to say my life has been miserable and sucky is the ultimate understatement. And it’s completely true what they say – it’s really only during the tough times you know who your real friends and family are. And I found out that barring a couple of close relations – my true family are my friends. For, when people who should be on your side during the worst times of your life find ways to be mean and bitchy, go as far as yell and scream and fight with you over something you had NO control over…and this when you are literally at your most fragile mentally – yes. I’ve wondered about the cruelty of people the past few months.

And I haven’t really smiled very much in a few months. Much less laughed. The only constant in my life over the past few months has been heartbreak, sadness and tears.

Until today.

The Sheer Goodness of Ted Lasso

To those who say that creativity cannot really soothe your very burdened heart and soul – I say you’re wrong. So wrong. For five hours today – I forgot my sadness. I forgot to cry. I forgot to grieve.

Because I got sucked into the goodness and sublimeness of Apple TV’s Ted Lasso.

Normally, after I watch a movie or a show that I absolutely love I’d go online and read reviews of them. I was always curious about what others thought about the show/movie. I’m not sure if it’s because I need validation from strangers online that my taste doesn’t suck or find out if I missed something when I watched said shows/films. But for the first time in a long time – I did not do that today. Because I don’t f…ing care. I don’t care what ANYONE thinks about this show. All that matters is that I LOVED IT.

I loved it. It made laugh out loud. It made me fall in love with humanity. And I can bet anything that the blogosphere is full of folks who probably would argue that the show is too treacly and sugary-sweet and that the character of Ted Lasso is a bit too good to be true – I DON’T CARE. The show actually made me believe in the innate goodness of people.

It made me believe in the positivity of people if only they allowed themselves to feel it.

So – what’s it about and why should you watch it? Don’t worry – no major spoilers here. I’ll try anyway. But, as Lasso himself would say – it’s not win or lose that matters. It’s that you play the game. So, even if I unwittingly reveal something here – it shouldn’t matter. For Ted Lasso is ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE.

Why Jason Sudeikis Rocks!

Before I get to the show itself – Ted Lasso wouldn’t be what it is if not for the heartrending performance of Jason Sudeikis. So, I’ve always liked Jason Sudeikis when he was on Saturday Night Live (SNL). While, by no means, a favorite actor of mine or anything – I’ve always liked him. So, when the new series Ted Lasso came out a few months back I’d made a note of it and was hoping to watch it sometime. There was no rushing to watch it like Game of Thrones or Ozark but I knew I’d watch it sometime. And that sometime turned out to be today. And thank god for that.

A quick summary of the show – Lasso is an American high school football coach who is cherry-picked by an English woman who is the owner of a soccer team in London to coach her soccer team. What starts as her wanting to annihilate the team that she gets as part of a divorce settlement from her ex whom she still loves but who has moved on with half the teenagers in London – turns into an outsider who comes in and touches the heart and soul of the soccer club, its owner, its players, fans and the cynical sports journalists covering the club.

Ted Lasso is a good man. He always, always, always tries to find the good in people. Even when he is serenaded by everyone as a wanker (with gestures and all) he still just shrugs it away.

I know what you’re thinking. yes. I’m psychic that way. Hee hee…

It’s 2020 people. And it’s a soccer team in the heart of London – a city famed for its unruly and soccer crazy fans. The new coach is one who doesn’t know the S or the R or any of the other letters in-between the word SOCCER. And he is most famous for a viral clip of him doing the ‘Carlton’ dance after his high school football team from Wichita, Kansas wins a championship.

And, yes.

We are asked to believe in this man’s ability to transform a rowdy soccer club into – at least – not being relegated (demoted in soccer parlance) from the Premier League to the Championship League. We are also asked to believe that this “Carlton’ dancing, positivity-oozing, American from Kansas can actually gain the respect of his owner, his co-workers, his players, the locals who worship the team and the snarky journalists who cover the sports beat.

Give me a f…ing break, you’re thinking.

I don’t blame you for thinking it.

But the genius of this show is that Ted Lasso manages to do ALL of the above. And do it believably. Lasso does it all without becoming cynical or being underhanded or hating on his opponents. And Sudiekis inhabits and owns this character in a way that you forget that this is the same dude who does Joe Biden on SNL – so complete is his disappearance into this character. That Sudeikis won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy this year? It is the BEST f…ing icing on the cake.

When Goodness Prevails

During the five hours I binged on Ted Lasso today – after what has been yet another sucky week – I went through a gamut of emotions. I choked up when Lasso ‘sees’ the club attendant who had never even been acknowledged as a living human being till then. I was a blubbering mess at Lasso’s insanely unexpected reaction when his owner and boss Rebecca finally comes clean on the little game she played with him and the true and genuine friendship that develops between them throughout the season. I made sniffling noises (thank god in the privacy of my home) when Lasso genuinely loved and respected a former team player enough that he sends a small gift to the young man after the final game. And this was the same young man who had made Lasso’s life miserable when he played for him and was also the reason his team was defeated in the final premier league game that relegates them for their next season.

I laughed out loud many, many, many times – so many that I don’t want to give everything away here. And I screamed out loud when Lasso’s team scores a goal against Manchester City,

I’m verklempt. My heart is full, y’all. I’m filled with gratitude that the creators of Ted Lasso for taking a chance with this show. And for believing in the idea that a non-cynical, uncool and truly GOOD PERSON can be interesting. For making a show that is miles away from trying to be hip and dark and gloomy and sad or edgy – not saying, I don’t love those shows. I do. But, man – I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this show about a positive spirit who refuses to see the bad in anyone. And guess what? He kills with kindness and makes it work.

Again, my heart is full, y’all. Don’t believe me? Watch it. Watch Ted Lasso. I dare you. Watch it. And come back here and tell me you don’t have the biggest smile on your face.