User Reviews

I've watched this episode 3 times and every time I don't understand the rating. This is prime Ted lasso, the most like-able guy on tv, making me feel like I can be my best self. "Biscuits" is the epitome of showing kindness even when your unhappy, and having faith that things can get better even when you feel the lowest. I salute Ted Lasso for this episode, and I hope to see more of this in season three.

So far so good except I agree with the army man scene and the Nigerian player being an awkward insert/dig at America. Besides the fact that Nigerians are actually the most successful immigrant group in the US, it just felt off. And right now it's a wonderful, positive and uplifting show with no politics that appeals to all. Keep it that way please.

Definitely an improvement on the pilot episode. The jokes were far funnier than the pilot, the only bit I didn't like was one footballer being ridiculous and not wanting to own an army man for some reason, didn't make sense at all.

The "Visual learner" joke was hilarious, and I am excited to see where the show is headed next.

A bit of an improvement from the pilot, but I still want more for the show. I am glad they are committed to making soccer part of the story though and not just using it as a backdrop like a lot of sports programs do.

( Note I am reviewing eps one and two here as if they were a single pilot.)

A struggling London soccer team brings in a cheery coach from American college gridiron after his morale-raising style goes viral. Initially everything is against him: culture clashes, mocking reporters and players, and the expectations of the team owner. However, he works patiently to win over the team and apply his brand of positivity.

The premise of a novice professional coach, as high-concept but slight as that is, seems like a gamble for pitching a new series.. Apple TV has at least pulled together a mix of fresh younger players and some experienced character performers to grab your attention. Put them into a glossily shot version of modern London and their stories should go down easier, at least.

The way Ted Lassoo and his assistant Coach Beard recurrently drop into a friendly wordplay routine for no plot-critical reason suggests the writers want to make time for a slow build. The opening two episodes show some thoughtful writing and performance, and respect for the characters.

Lead Jason Sudekis created the Ted Lasso character for an advertising spot and got a series pitch off the back of that. The character has an understated line in fish-out-of-water humour and less-cringey faux pas, but he is not primarily a comedic character. He is hinted to have a conflicted backstory that justified him 'doing a geographical' and flying across the Atlantic leaving behind his family.

Ted Lasso looks like he treats his job as making people like him and like themselves, and he shows some skills at that. There are hints at least of his potential innovations, as in his interactions with kids kicking ball in a park. It is a truism in story-telling that we like to follow characters who are good at their jobs, so that might be what hooks viewers.

One of the virtues of the industry's shift to producing for streaming is they don't have to play it safe for immediate broad and commercial appeal. Given the mixed responses to several of Apple TV's recent productions, one should take several more episodes to evaluate this show, rather than just the initial two episodes viewed. The first two eps do not yet deliver a clear sense of why we should care about the show, or which of the many characters or points of view are going to be developed. The stakes are not laid out explicitly, but it is possible the show is not even really about sporting competition, but about relationships and communication.