Emmy Award-winning Comedian/Writer/Actress Ashley Nicole Black stepped up to write the newest chapter of TED LASSO and hit (kicked?) it out of the park. DO THE RIGHT-EST THING brings together all the feel-good comedy we’ve come to know and love from this show while injecting multiple instantly memeable jokes that are already making the waves across social media and a strong message about being true yourself, your family, and where you come from.
Ep 3 gives Toheeb Jimoh (as Richmond’s talented and loveable Sam Obyianya) a chance to shine while highlighting real issues that may befall a young footballer who moves from his home in Nigeria to play in the UK’s Premier League. In what might be the show’s first “message” episode, the story could have easily been weighed down by this plot point, but instead was both hilarious and deep without sacrificing one bit of the heart and laughs Ted Lasso delivers every time. The secondary plots that featured Rebecca bonding with her god-daughter and Ted trying to unify a team divided over a certain star’s return to Richmond delivered serious belly laughs while perfectly holding Sam’s story up to the light.
It’s important to remember that TED LASSO isn’t just about the titular character. Especially as we’ve rolled into season two, the show has become more comfortable as an ensemble piece. Ted might be our main hero, but he’s no longer the main “heart” of the series when we’ve got Rebecca, Keeley, Coach Beard, Sam, Nathan, Nick, Roy, Higgins, Dani, and even Jamie have started to catch onto his infectious positivity. I asked myself this episode, “Is there even an antagonist to Ted Lasso anymore? And if not, does it even matter here?” Life can be antagonizing enough without having to come to blows constantly with anyone.
Dr. Fieldstone is my favorite edition of S2, and while she takes a back seat in this episode, I look forward to seeing her story develop more this season.
So run, don’t walk out onto “the pitch” to catch the newest TED LASSO. We all deserve to feel good and this show delivers that feeling in spades every week.
TED LASSO S2E3 is now streaming on Apple+.
