Ted Lasso is Affecting My Mental Health
In which I reveal how unhinged I actually am about something very silly.
It seems that TV has been disappointing us all for awhile. The multitude of streaming services, the hike in prices, lame endings, cancelled shows, two-part seasons…it’s a mess. I find it hard to pick new shows, wary of getting too invested in one in case it’ll either get cancelled too early or disappoint me entirely.
The big exception to that rule has been Ted Lasso. Sometime after it aired its first season, I used a free Apple TV trial to see what the growing hype was about—and almost it immediately became my favorite show since LOST. I will not wax poetic about because you really should just see for yourself if you haven’t yet.
But unfortunately when the time came for the season three finale—then thought to be the final episode of the series—I experienced that familiar sense of crushing disappointment. While I didn’t want it to end, I had certainly wanted it to end better than that. It felt exactly how the Game of Thrones finale had, with characters acting strangely and endings that were unsatisfying. They wrapped a few things up, sure, but overall I just felt like it wasn’t right. For a show that seemed so carefully written, I couldn’t shake the sensation that Ted Lasso season 3 was a part 1, not yet finished.
And let me get specific for a second, because I’ve been obsessing over this recently and now you must indulge me:
-Roy and Jamie. Complete character regressions. The whole dynamic with Keeley felt unfinished and disappointing (and really, why can’t they ALL be together, you know?).
-If the Dutch man is supposed to be Rebecca’s grand, romantic happily ever after, why do we still not know his name, and why did he give me the creeps as soon as his character was introduced? And why do they keep editing the show so that I think her soulmate is Ted if it’s not going to be Ted???
-There’s no WAY Ted would not attend Beard’s wedding. None, zilch. Out of character enough that I’m starting to believe the entire ending sequence was Ted’s dream while sleeping on the plane. Also Jane is the worst so that ending for Beard sucks??
-Ted looked like a shell of a human being. Is he still seeing Dr. Sharon? Because it’s hard to tell and seems like maybe he’s not. If he’s given up his happiness for his son, that’s a lot of pressure and guilt Henry will feel later on. Also his ex-wife does NOT deserve that man. Bye.
-Ted promised to win the whole fucking thing and he DIDN’T.
Anyways, I think you get my point now, so let’s carry on.
For a show that I had grown to love so much, I forcibly stopped thinking about it after the finale aired. This was the end, right? Why would I waste my time mulling over how I wish it had ended differently when I could just go read a book instead? I am no longer a thirteen-year-old fangirl; I have some self-control.
But now, over a year later after it ended, an announcement has randomly arrived for a Ted Lasso season 4, and I’ve lost my marbles.
Because there’s no way this is just a cash grab, right? Right? My husband says that this is just a cash grab. But what’ll it be, then? A spin-off? Then why keep the current title? Dear god, Jason Sudeikis better be in it because there’s no WAY that Ted’s story is over, no matter how much they pushed the Wizard of Oz parallels. There’s no way…right?? Why are all the cast members being weird about it? Did they know? Were they aware that it wasn’t really the end when they wrapped the third season?
More importantly, is this announcement even REAL?
Reader, I am not proud of the way I have spiraled. I’m really not. I haven’t been reading my normal amount because I’ve been spending my downtime obsessing over this damn show, which is nuts. The show-runners don’t know who I am. They don’t owe me or anyone else anything if they think that they truly brought this story to a satisfying conclusion (to which I say, er, agree to disagree). But whew—as someone who really appreciates good storytelling, I sure hope that this was the plan all along, and that my questions regarding the previous season are answered in the upcoming one…if there even is one??
“It’s the hope that kills you.” You’re right, Ted Lasso. It is. Damn.
Anyways, go register to vote if you haven’t yet okay bye.