OVERALL SEASON GRADE
ESTA: Season Grade A. TED LASSO is one of my all-time favorite series. The season was incredible, making me laugh and cry all within thirty minutes. It makes me want to do better, be better, and accept what is out of my hands.
MIKE: Season grade A-. A fantastic season to probably my favorite show on TV right now, but it loses points for three less than stellar episodes. However, despite those, the characters remain some of the most well-developed, emotionally mature figures on TV today.
JAMI: Season grade A+. It has been since the best days of GAME OF THRONES or maybe even back to LOST that I looked forward to a TV show this much each week. Season two was a deeper exploration into each character and kept up the laughs and warmth in the most perfect way.
AARON: Season grade A+. TED LASSO’s characters are like great mentors. They hope we take the lessons learned and can move on, using them in our daily lives. Or at least that’s what Leslie (Jeremy Swift) thinks. These lessons are what makes TED LASSO so magical.
FAVORITE EPISODE
MIKE: I have to go with NO WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL because it is without a doubt one of the most perfect forty minutes on television. Uplifting, heartbreaking, funny, emotionally sobering moments showcasing all of the series’s strengths without any of its weaknesses.
ESTA: I have to agree with Mike on this one. NO WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL was indeed a master class in writing and acting. It brought you to the depths of despair, remembering any traumatic loss you have had to get through in your own life. It showed that relationships could heal and be honest. A community can come together to support each other and hold each other up even if your feet are killing you.
AARON: Wow! The three of us all picked the same favorite episode! The lessons learned about grief are sadly familiar for most of us. So in comes TED LASSO distilling precisely what a human needs in the face of grief and loss – a simple hug. At one point, Sam (Toheeb Jimoh) states, “I’m only going to get more wonderful.” I can’t believe that TED LASSO can continue to do the same.
JAMI: I guess I’m the odd one out. It’s a toss-up for me between DO THE RIGHTEST THING and BEARD AFTER HOURS. In the former, I loved getting more insight into Sam’s background and how a team can come together to push back against evil corporate interests. BEARD AFTER HOURS was a perfect love letter to Burning Man, something I love and know that’s dear to Brendan Hunt (Beard) and Brett Goldstein (Roy and co-writer of this episode) too.
LEAST FAVORITE
AARON: BEARD AFTER HOURS was a rare departure from what makes TED LASSO great – the core cast. Yes, it was great getting to know Beard off the field, and it had moments that were 😂 , but for the most part, it didn’t get the ball in the goal.
MIKE: Agreed. I love Beard. But BEARD AFTER HOURS was an unnecessary, odd episode that was inconsistent with the rest of the season, let alone the series.
ESTA: Wow, I have to go with Mike and Aaron again on this one. BEARD AFTER HOURS was just not necessary. It did not add anything to the storyline, and if you missed viewing it that week, you would not have missed a thing.
JAMI: I am flabbergasted that anyone would say BEARD AFTER HOURS was their least favorite?! 😱 While every episode was a 🤩 for me, maybe GOODBYE EARL was a tiny bit less because of, well… losing Earl in such an awful way.
S2 MVP
ESTA: All of them 😂 . But if I had to choose someone besides Ted Lasso, who is the heart of this series and anchors it week after week, it would have to be Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham). She is a strong, gutsy boss who has singing pipes. So please let her sing more next season!
JAMI: Sharon (Sarah Niles) was the MVP for me. She helped Ted get started on his journey to better mental health, leading to many of season two’s most powerful and emotional scenes.
MIKE: I do love Roy Kent (Bretty Goldstein) so much. But it’s gotta be Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) – do do do do do do – Jamie Tartt – do do do do do do.
AARON: Sam (Toheeb Jimoh). He went from background character to leading man this season. He also had the most meaningful quote that summarized season two’s character arcs to perfection – “I have to stop worrying about what others think about me, and start worrying about what is best for me and my personal journey.”
FAVORITE TED LASSO QUOTE
MIKE: “I’m trying to build bridges here!” “You couldn’t fucking build Jeff Bridges!”
ESTA: “I love meeting people’s moms. It’s like reading an instruction manual as to why they are nuts.”
JAMI: “The truth will set you free, but first, it will piss you off.”
AARON: “You know my opinion of cats, babies, and apologies? You gotta let them come to you.”
PREDICT WHAT COMES NEXT
JAMI: Ted’s journey to solving his mental health issues is just starting, so I expect to see more of that. And a particular coach (am I allowed to say who?) will get a redemption arc but maybe not next season.
ESTA: Oh, this one is easy. It’s battle time. How will the two teams face off and keep their faces in the end! I also think it might be time for Ted to meet someone special.
MIKE: Full-on Mighty Ducks vs. Iceland vibes between Richmond and West Ham United.
AARON: Dang it, Mike and Mom (Esta)! Agree on all fronts! However, I think it might form a CobraKai vs. Miyagi Do rivalry next season.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
ESTA: I will miss watching this series each week. I will have to go online and try to find some quality affirmations to fill the void. Maybe we should hold a contest each week and share the best ones? Or let’s start our own “Diamond Dogs” meetings…ruff, ruff, ruff!
JAMI: Yes, please! The past few months have been personally challenging for me, and no matter how bad the week was, TED LASSO was a bright shining star. There were so many unforgettable moments that we haven’t even mentioned. This season was an entire celebration of life. To put it another way, “Living in the moment is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.”
AARON: +1. I operate my day-to-day as a better human based on watching the “Diamond Dogs mount up.” I wasn’t prepared to say “Bye, Bye, Bye” to season two of TED LASSO. I’ve learned a lot of lessons and will continue to touch my “Believe” post-it notes on my office wall daily, reminding myself how lucky I am to have what I do in life. Until next season, “Fútbol is Life.”
