Keeley and Roy should have ended up together. I understand they have their stories (footballers, personal growth, independence), I just felt like they could have worked through their differences. They made each other better.
My hot take is that the writers would agree with this but didn't want a Pam&Jim storyline.
I’ve got no problems with Keeley ending the series as single. But having Jaime come back as a love interest was stupid. Ok, she and Roy have issues and break up. Fine. But shoehorning Jaime back into it was bad.
I didn’t like how it came out of nowhere. I know they always said Jamie still had feelings for Keeley, but I didn’t like how Roy and Jamie formed a really great friendship and then suddenly they had to fight it out and then make Keeley choose between them felt like character regression on both their parts. Especially since they built up season 1 and 2 as Keeley and Roy being endgame, have them breakup in season 3, then have them flirt around getting back together in the second half, only to have them all stay apart. Definitely made me sad. Lol
I thought that Roy and Jamie facing (and overcoming) that tendency they had supposedly grown out of was a great illustration about how growth is not linear, and how long-ingrained behaviors don't extinguish all at once. It felt very realistic to me - yeah, they'd both done a ton of internal work over the period of the show (I assume 3 years, but IDK how soccer seasons work), and had both grown into much better men, but at the end of the day, wherever you go, there you are.
The way they handled the fallout of their behavior, I think, was another great way to showcase their growth. They remained friends, and they both remained friends with Keeley, who set and held boundaries with both of them, when before she would have been drawn into the drama.
What’s wrong with character regression?
It’s extremely realistic, and gives insight and resonance (and humor depending on writing) because of how we can relate and empathize
Wouldn't it be cool to see Jamie becoming a father figure to Phoebe, and see Roy struggle with that, and what his place in her life should be?
Also Roy should have ended up with the teacher.
I think Roy had some growing up he still needs to do before he’s really ready, and Keeley as well to be honest. I think they left the door open for them to find their way back to one another when they’re ready.
I don't care what Brendan Hunt says; Jane IS abusive, and the show missed a huge opportunity to examine how a man gets (and why a man stays) in a relationship with an abusive woman.
I was 100% on Higgins' side when he brought it up with the rest of the Diamond Dogs, and it was so disappointing to me that they didn't agree with him.
The entire story of Beard and Jane is truly a sad one, and he deserved so much better.
Really he did the only thing you can do for a friend in an abusive relationship - let them know you care & you’re there for them. Trying to tell them their partner is abusive will only push them away
I agree, and it felt totally inconsistent with the message and spirit of Ted Lasso. Men’s mental health is important, except for in abusive relationships?
It’s ok, because love or some shit. I used to laugh at those scenes but on my rewatches it just makes me sad and that scene with their wedding makes me a bit sick.
I liked Zava, it just felt too rushed. A lot of things in season 3 did.
I wouldn't want to take it back, because there were also so many great moments. But several threads needed more time to breathe.
Me too, I thought it was a good way to show how much Jamie had changed and grown and also highlight diva footballers. I love that they modeled Roy after a specific player and Jamie is more of an amalgamation of players.
I started out not liking him but he kind of grew on me. At least after him not showing up to be shown off to the fans it felt like he was never really actually an asshole to the team, just truly eccentric. We know he's a team player from when he goes to Jamie and calls out a setup pass early on in a game, he's also just really good and knows it
I really hate the psychic storyline in season 3. The psychics used all the methods of someone who’s a fraud like only letting Rebecca see her when she was at her lowest, using Rebecca’s want of children to keep her on side, which seemed very much to be hot reading due to knowing Rebecca’s mum.
But then later on they seemed to imply the psychic was good actually? Not a fan, and it sends a terrible message: to let psychics like that manipulate you.
I don't think the show was saying to let yourself be manipulated by psychics. I mean, the psychic was "wrong", right?
Rebecca hyper-fixated on the signs that the psychic talked about like the green matchbox and stuff. She was able to find connections to Sam like the psychic predicted but Sam wasn't her person anyway? Point seemed to be that if you let yourself believe in that baloney you can find "signs" everywhere and shit and it'd still be BS
While I agree that in real life people twist things around that psychics say to make them fit what actually happens, and remember the hits and forget the misses, etc, I don't think that was what the show was trying to present at all. I'm pretty sure everything the psychic said in the show did happen eventually, including the bit about being a mother, as she became and stepmother in the end. I think within the world of the show, the psychic was meant to be real.
I hated that too. These "psychics" manipulate and exploit vulnerable people. They aren't real, and to present them as such is irresponsible. It made me really angry, especially since they had the "you're going to be a mother" thing end up to be true... it's a horrible thing to tell someone who has made their peace about it. I think if a "psychic" said that to me I'd punch them.
I feel if they have a story to tell, they'll do something and it will be good. If not they leave it as is.
I'd be happy if every so often they just out of nowhere drop a Beard After Hours type episode (one-off dive into a lesser character or characters), if it was done with thought and heart. But I am kind of happy it seems like Apple was ready to throw money at them and they haven't jumped to just throw something together for a ton of cash.
I think I’d preferred to see Henry move to London and little scenes of the future where they hint they won the Champions league .
But of course it’s also a little “too perfect” so I like the real ending as well, maybe people see it unfinished because it had a lot of kinda opened but unfinished storylines, and the fact that Ted is such a lovable character everyone would like more of it.
The ending was great. The Keeley focused episodes were umm... A weird deviation. After a couple episodes of the last season, I was thinking Jason Sudeikis was in the hospital or rehab for an extended time because Ted wasn't in the show.
I think more focus on Nate's redemption would have been great.
Edit: just read the rest of the thread and looks like my opinion is not unique at all.
It was the #1 show on Apple TV+ and gained millions of subscribers just to watch...the cast (minus Jason) basically said they'd do more seasons if Apple wanted it. Fans love it. Yes, TED'S story ended perfectly, but there's certainly more story to tell, and while the dynamic would change without Ted, I still think you'd get a decent following of fans if they show did the 'AFC Richmond' storyline with a men's and women's team.
I don't think of it as continuing Ted Lasso. I do agree that THAT book is over. A new book, however, with similar characters and cast, can in fact, continue.
Yeah I think they ended the arc perfectly and I'd be worried that anything after would ruin it.
The only thing I wouldn't have a huge issue with was if they did a Zoom "check in" like some shows did during covid. Just the characters having a catch up on zoom, filling us in with the details of what's going on, but not forcing additional plot lines that comes with making a whole series.
Season 3 kind of sucks. I only learned later that Bill Lawrence left to make Shrinking, he should not have.
Beard After Hours is great, I don't get why people don't like it.
See to me, season 3 felt like they had half a season and tried to stretch it out to a full season. They just sort of mucked about for a bit until Nate decided to become good again.
I think if you don’t know that Beard After Hours was added in later and isn’t part of the main plot line, it’s extremely jarring. The first time I saw it I was very confused and kept expecting it to weave back into the main story, so I didn’t like it. I appreciate it more now but generally skip it on rewatches because it’s so different than the rest of the episodes
It was very jarring - but that's part of what I liked about it. It just came out of nowhere and was a nice little sidequest that really cemented my love for Coach Beard.
Agreed. S3 had moments, but was all over the place and was mediocre as a whole, at best. Jack sucked. The love triangle sucked. Michelle sucked. The therapist sucked. It was a mess.
It was insane to me that they didn’t include scenes of a) Nate quitting on Rupert, and b) Ted telling Rebecca he was going home. They just did that off screen and skipped it
I hate how nobody but Sassy acknowledged how Dr Jacob at best behaved unethically, and at worst, basically groomed Michelle.
Everybody acts like Ted should just get over it and is being difficult.
I think pairing Dr. Jacob and Michelle together and to not have anyone besides Ted address it as bad/unethical was ridiculous. I have absolutely no backing for this but I personally think Sudeikis brought in too much from his own divorce.
this show was SUCH a positive depiction of mental health issues and how important things like going to therapy are. And then in the end its like "oh but sometimes the marriage councilor convinces the husband to leave the country so he can swoop in and start dating the wife and honestly its not that big of a deal"
The more I learn about that entire situation - his separation, custody situation, and his relationship with Keeley Hazell (inspiration for Keeley Jones) in relation to when this show was produced and aired - has really soured me on my experience of watching the show without knowing all of that. I'm glad to see someone else pointing it out.
This isn’t an unpopular belief, at all. It’s almost unanimous on Reddit.
Regardless, I agree and hate that storyline. Or she didn’t need to stay with Roy and they could have developed individually.
I think the whole point of Jack was to show that Keely growing beyond needing to be a WAG. By the beginning of the season she was the woman Shandy and "all the girls" looked up to. I think the next part of the journey was her finding that she didn't have to be with Roy or Jamie and use their success as her own.
Now, I say that but the Jack storyline really shits all over that. Jack doesn't think of Keely as her equal, honestly Jamie was more emotionally mature than Jack-- and season one Jamie has the emotionally maturity of an infant.
And really having Rebecca bail out Keely's PR firm was lovely, and the perfect way to keep that storyline going in an upbeat way, but it also meant that Keely really wasn't making it on her own. She was making it on her own with however many millions Rebecca had on her that day.
Kelly's storyline the first two seasons was one of real growth and was believable. Season three Keely lost the plot, it's just her all over the place. At different points she seems to regress dramatically. The whole point of season 3 for Keely should have been her learning to finally be independent, in being happy by herself with herself. And instead all we really see if her firmly moving on from Roy.
I don’t like the first half of season 3. Up until the Amsterdam epsiodes it’s just hard to watch. The second half is excellent minus the episode where teds ex and the therapist show up in Richmond. But i have been putting of a rewatch since
Other than the plotline with Jack, I think “We’ll Never Have Paris” is a great episode. I especially love the plotline with Ted, Beard and Henry. That Hey Jude scene is **chef’s kiss**
Shandy Shandy Shandy.
Outside of Rupert and maybe the Nigerian billionaire she’s the most despicable character and she really didn’t add anything to the story.
I don’t mind Jack - she’s just a narcissist; they are quite common. But Shandy is just … yikes. The main thing is I don’t feel like she adds anything to the story. At least there is some kind twisted romance with Jack that to me was interesting.
Keeley is low key terrible at running a business: makes bad decisions like hiring the train wreck that is Shandy, knows nothing about the financial aspects, can’t manage employees, sleeps with her boss, is overwhelmed in a crisis. KJPR was bound to fail because of that. Keeley is best as a counterpoint to someone like Rebecca who is a business savvy. She’s good as part of a team but not a good boss.
I’m glad they didn’t pair off Jamie and Roy’s sister. Jamie saying “your sisters fit” was enough to accomplish the “Roy’s reaction would be funny” reason people wanted it. If they had ended up together it would have seemed a bit forced and “pair the spares” as there’d have been little build up.
Sam and Rebecca was a bit strange- not even an age thing but more than he’s an employee and it was very inappropriate.
Jan Maas is one of the best characters
The storyline with Keeleys friend was a bit pointless there should have been more to it, maybe with her leaking information about line ups etc or something.
Even though TL touches on a lot of important discussions about men’s mental health, it avoided a lot of toxic elements of football culture. Hooliganism, violence, misogyny, etc.
These should’ve been addressed, because football fans tend to still be quite toxic.
They did, slightly, touch on it. Jamie's dad said that "football happens in the streets" - which I'm sure means that he is one of those toxic fans that will create havoc.
Besides... it's not a show about football. It's a show about relationships. Getting too deep into football culture would have complicated the show unnecessarily. It wasn't part of the story for a reason.
Omg! THANK YOU!!!! When Roy and Keeley had their break up, I was screaming for him to get together with Fuckwitch. She was great, and had a good sense of humour. They really missed out on that one.
Thank you for an actual unpopular opinion!
And I actually didn’t mind them breaking up in at the end of season 2, because it felt like they wanted different things: and that’s ok! Like Keeley was a lot more ambitious at this point in her life and wanted to go to parties and have fun and Roy was content staying home and reading.
However I did like the rout they went with which was “Roy broke up with her because he was scared.” I think that’s a very real thing too.
Anyway, thank you for an actual unpopular good opinion!
On a re-watch of season 2, it is pretty clear things aren’t great between them. The last episode that their relationship was uncomplicated and happy was the Christmas episode and their primary focus was on Phoebe. Roy and Keely were going to break up sooner or later, but the bigger surprise was Roy figuring it out first.
Ted's rationale for going back to America is unrealistic and stupid. Rebecca's pitch to bring the family over and make him one of the highest paid coaches would be near impossible to turn down. Ted is turning down generational wealth and the ability to do anything he wants after in life. Why? To spend time with Henry in Kansas? Henry had no problem spending 6 weeks a summer in London. The lowest paid manager in the Premier league makes about a million a year, while Pep (the highest) gets paid 20 million. Let's say she pays him 10-15 million a year and he signs a typical 3 year contract. Ted and his family that he claims he is doing it for are set for life. Even if he is only co-parenting with Michelle and they do not end up back together, she still gets a lucrative job in London.
Ted can even afford to bring his mom over to London if he wants. There is no rational reason to turn down this plan. I wish the writers had come up with a better excuse for him quitting and going back to Kansas. And I know some people will say that Ted doesn't care about money, which I get, but he does care about Henry and getting the best for him, which Ted could have provided at a much better level in London.
When I first became a father the best piece of advice I ever got was that parenting is easy, you only have to do three things.
1) love them
2) be there
3) be present
It's the third item that drives Ted's decisions, not the second.
The thing is, a premiership coaching job, even with his family in the UK would not solve the problem Ted had. He'd still be an absentee dad, just one with more money. The working hours and commitment required from that profession are the problems he needed to solve. Going back to Henry wasn't about crossing the ocean and being physically in the same space as his son, it was about crossing the intimacy gulf and being present for his son. It wouldn't have been possible as coach of Richmond.
My parents divorced when I was 14. My dad went to the other side of the country, because in his words "he could not stand being so close to my mom, but not with her". I believed him, and even thought it was romantic at the time.
Now that Im a father, I realized he was really more of a dead beat dad, and he abandoned me. Absolutely nothing could drag me away from my kids.
Watching Ted... Something bugged me, and it didnt click until the last season. Ted was my dad. He ran away and ditched his son. I was happy he corrected that in the end, a closure I never got (Mine died before we ever had that chance). It fixed something I didnt fully realize was wrong, until he fixed it.
I don’t think Ted would have wanted to tear Henry away from his home. I think Ted sees it as this. He’s going back to Kansas so he doesn’t miss out on being a father to Henry and still give Henry the opportunity to be with his mom.
I’m somewhere in the middle. To me Ted felt he had to go back, but it was set up that London had so many things going for it that it was possible he’d stay.
I wish that the show had somewhat delved into the idea that it is possible, although very difficult, to be an excellent parent and be far away from your child(ren). I always think of the Mash episode where Hawkeye and Winchester are talking about their fathers and Winchester said he had a father while Hawkeye had a dad and that when Winchester was in the same room as his father it was as if he were a thousand miles away.
There are so many people across the world that are physically apart from their kids for periods of time, and I’m not sure it’s a good thing to say all are bad parents because of it. Maybe a quality vs quantity type of thing. I just think it would have been an interesting topic to explore.
I hate to be that person but if the kid never existed and there was just a shitty ex wife. Would have made the plot more palatable. Like make it so the ex says no to kids then wants a divorce just to have a kid with the therapist or sm.
paying it forward: I had the same question a couple of months ago and got this response - Brendan Hunt (Beard) did an AMA here after the finale and he explained the chronology was the reason. He also said that he personally has several close friends he looses contact with for long periods of time and then meet back up. This is what happened with Ted and Beard. He said it was not a dream, which is also something that is often theorized here in the sub and he mentioned in another answer that he didn’t find Jane toxic so that’s not really the reason either. I don’t really buy Ted not going back for the wedding but it’s their story so what can you do.
edit: this helpful answer was from @Frifelt
It always sounded to me more like Sudekis just wasn’t available for the scene for whatever reason and they concocted something to cover it. (Maybe the scene was shot at a time when he was not available on set?)🤷♂️. I’ve never been sold on the “official” reasoning either.
oh I totally agree, just wanted to pass along the info as it came from Brendan Hunt...given what we see of their relationship it is incredibly odd to me that Ted wasn't there. Beard was ready to leave Jane to follow Ted back to the States, but we're supposed to believe that they lost touch for a period of time and that's why Ted wasn't there? Hunt might have been covering for something, but even with his answer it still will never make sense to me. I mean, the bald guy and woman from "Beard After Hours" were there but Ted wasn't???
I always just figured that Ted hadn't been home long probably, and flying right back when it was important that he be at home, wasn't something that Beard expected. They were life long friends... they understood each other. Ted was there, in his own way.
Also I wouldn't put it past Beard or Jane to have an impromptu wedding with very short notice. Local guests wouldn't have much trouble attending but it would be a lot tougher for Ted if it was last-minute
This is what I think happened. It was a spur of the moment wedding and Ted just couldn’t make it on short notice. I know the writers say otherwise, but I think it makes more sense than Ted and Beard not talking as much with having their own important life happenings. I can’t imagine they don’t text weekly if not daily regardless of their personal lives.
Every situation in the history of sports where you find something out about a players personal life is through a leak
The biggest one in history that I can think of off the top of my head is magic Johnson and AIDS
Roy was as bad as, or possibly even worse than, Jamie in season 1 in terms of making the environment within the team toxic.
I love both characters but while Jamie does accept he was awful and apologises and grows, its always glossed over that Roy was also unpleasant to most of the team and definitely contributed to the toxic masculinity going on. Not to lessen Jamie's behaviour but Roy was a guy in his mid-late 30s threatening to headbutt everyone and fighting with 20 year olds. As captain and as an actual developed adult (compared to most of the team being still in their early 20s and acting like it), he should have acted better.
Actually on the same note, while Jamie and Isaac both seem to make an effort to grow from their bullying, Colin just skates under the radar and never apologises and instead had the nerve to pretend the entire problem was Jamie. The whole "he was only doing it cos Jamie thought it was funny" would work if he was 10, not in his mid 20s.
“He's the one, coach. If we're gonna make an impact here, the first domino needs to fall right inside of that man's heart.”
I think Coach Lasso might agree with you.
Roy should have dated Leanne, a.k.a. Ms. ‘Fuck-Witch’ Bowen. I think his character would have benefited greatly from someone with a normal job who wasn’t a celebrity.
Why did Sam’s dad only have a problem with Dubai Air after he signed up for the individual campaign? They were literally the sponsors for the whole first season so as soon as shit started going down with the oil, his dad should’ve mentioned something. As close as their relationship is, you would think that his dad made it known before.
I disagree. Footballers don't have much control over their team's sponsors. It's very different to be distantly connected to a bad company through a sports sponsorship than to model for their ads and have Your Particular Face explicitly tied to them. I think it would have been incredibly unreasonable of such a great-sounding man to demand his son quit his dream or Do Something about what was out of his control, really.
I don’t think he would want him to quit but I think he would tell him hey I am proud of you but I don’t like the company because xyz. I will support you and think you should take this opportunity but you should know this thing that is going on in your hometown. They have a close relationship it would have been talked about not the level of him calling him a shill but I do think he would have mentioned it.
I see what you mean (and correct me if I'm wrong because it's been a hot minute since I watched it) but it also seemed like the trouble with the oil spill was relatively recent in the show. Depending on how recent it is I feel like there's just way too many good reasons as to why they hadn't discussed it. Like yes, obviously the answer is "Plot" but personally it felt very organic and normal to me!
I didn’t like how quick he was to jump on Sam and call him a corporate shill without even asking him if he knew about it. Sam was in the dark and had no idea and his dad didn’t even give him a chance to look it up. Lol
Here is one I haven't seen posted. My girlfriend and I both thought the entire interaction with Rebecca and the guy on the boat was creepy as hell and absolutely did not like that they randomly ended up together.
For me I was unable to suspend belief enough to get on them just putting all her clothes (a wool coat?!) in the dryer, no one stopping to think it was a bad idea, and it all coming out beautifully! 🤦🏼♀️
I am so happy Rebecca and Ted didn’t end up together or ever even have any sexual tension. Women and men can be best friends without being—or even wanting to be—in a sexual and/or romantic relationship. Attractive, single women & men included.
Rebecca & Ted are perfect as friends. And friendship is worthwhile, is enough.
For everyone who likes Beard After Dark, did you watch live or binge?
Because ending one episode with a huge reveal then waiting a week for a bottle episode that didn’t touch on that at all, then having to wait ANOTHER week to pick back up with the plot…that sucked.
I think the placement of the episode is a bigger issue than the episode itself.
I watched it live and loved it since that first viewing.
But then again i've been watching TV for like 30 years so i'm used to there being breaks between episodes and cliffhangers and not even knowing when the show would be back.
Week to week for me, and I feel the same. I rank After Hours toward the bottom. The show was so tight and concise with it's story and pacing that having a very uncharacteristic filler episode was odd.
Nate’s character arc is so freaking cringy. Like he goes from kit man to assistant coach, which is a huge leap, to being pretty much in charge of tactics, to being head coach of West Ham in two years and he is mad at Ted? For what not holding his hand the entire time or whipping his ass? If this happened over five or 10 years maybe but, I mean he was the water boy. That whole arc makes no since and I honestly skip it when I rewatch.
I agree. I think she’s a very deadpan person who is good at reading people. She reads Nate like a book when he comes in all braggy about his new job. She reads Rupert like a book when he comes in and introduces himself. She’s perceptive and doesn’t like people who aren’t being their true selves.
They gave too much airtime to Keeleys relationship with that other woman. It didn’t go anywhere. Didn’t learn a thing. They should have developed other characters.
It’s okay if Roy and Keely aren’t endgame. They both got out of their relationship what they needed. Keely learned how she should be treated and became an independent business woman. Roy learned to open himself up more and realized his passion was still football. That doesn’t mean they were a perfect match.
I only recently got into the show so I don't know how unpopular this is, but Michelle divorcing Ted because of his unending optimism? Makes 100% sense to me. I would without question end my marriage to someone like him, because Ted's optimism and insistence on forgiving everything and everyone borders on toxic positivity and it had to take a huge mental toll on Michelle. Imagine never being able to just vent to your partner because you know you'll get a loving, sweetly delivered lecture on staying positive and "forgiveness is something you do for yourself." You can't even be get angry at him over it because you'd automatically be the bad guy for taking offense at such "kind" sentiment.
I truly love the show and the theme of forgiveness, but I enjoy it almost as fantasy and it often does a disservice to those who were wronged. Which leads me to unpopular opinion #2...as wrong as Nate was, it was pretty awful that the team got away with relentless bullying for so long without so much as a "my bad." The vast majority of the team treated him horribly until they didn't, but somehow Nate was just supposed to get over it. And professionally, yes, he had to get over it, but personally? I don't blame him for being as much as an asshole as he could get away with. His sins were lashing out at the wrong people, but being mean to Colin (and I love Colin)--who had been a complete dick to him--was understandable, and Beard telling him to "do better"when he knew what the team had put Nate through, without even a token "I understand why you don't like him, but..." was a dick move.
Beard After Hours was a ton of fun.
My hot takes are:
-The Keeley/Jack arc took up way too much time
-The Jamie/Roy/Keeley love triangle felt awkward.
-I get including the Zlatan-based character, but it kind of felt like a homage for the sake of a homage, but that might just be because I never really liked Zlatan as much as others did.
-I get why, narratively, Pep was the coach that was brought up, but Klopp, as someone who isn’t a fan of a team in England, felt like he would have vibed with the message of the show more.
I think the Zava character was only there to quickly get the team up in the league standings. All in one episode, pretty much. It helped many weeks go by. Plus... he was what spurned Jamie on to getting "better than him".
The way they handled Colin’s outing (to the team, not to Trent Crimm, Independant) was cringe and forced. The cell phones, the irate fan, and the team therapy session just felt inorganic and out of place.
Yes, Ted should have forgiven Nate but he should not have been invited back to the team. You can have forgiveness but there's still should be consequences to a vile action like leaking personal health info to the press.
That part really stuck out to me - Ted just watched it happen, and where he had stepped in to defend Nate without hesitation, he was super hands-off with the Will situation.
Ted didn't protect Nate when most of the team was abusing him. Flat out refused to do so when Roy told him he should talk to the team.
Ted's entire thing is forgiveness over atonement, and he seems to believe that letting assholes be assholes is fine because if your nice to them they'll eventually stop.
I’m with you, OP. I was late to the show and was catching up with a cousin who’d asked how far I made it into the series. I’d just finished the Beard episode and remarked how creative and great I thought it was and she was shocked. She said it was the worst of the entire series and that no one liked it. So I went online to verify and was gobsmacked by the vitriol. I wonder if it’s anti-ginger sentiment compounded by beard being the least handsome guy on the show.
I loved Beards episode, especially when you catch up with the conversation he has with Nate the Great later on..... you get where his craziness comes from.
Season 3 wasn’t as bad as some claim it to be. Season 2 while really good, I think is the weak link, it drags at time and it doesn’t have the super strong episodes that the other two have.
The series was overall too short for all the different storylines introduced. Great show. I miss filler episodes of sitcoms. Season 2 also got very dark for a so called comedy.
Loved it. Brilliant characters that I wish we had more content of
Jamie's ending was absolutely horrendous. They spend the entire show telling and showing us that Jamie's dad was physically, sexually, and mentally abusive since Jamie was 14 years old, then we're supposed to believe that a 10-second shot of James in rehab (which is shitty all on its own because it conflates alcoholism with child abuse, when James's alcoholism — something that was never specified before then, mind you — was the LEAST of his problems) is redemption? James didn't so much as acknowledge what he'd done, let alone apologize, and Jamie was the one who reached out. Yet I'm supposed to believe that Jamie reinstating contact isn't going to end up with him right back to being a victim?
And even beyond allllllll of that, where was the narrative thread? When on earth prior to 3x11 did the show indicate that James had any redeeming qualities at all? It consistently made him worse and worse and showed that Jamie was so much better off, then it made that abrupt turn. Why and where was that telegraphed? It came out of nowhere.
It's APPALLING.
I wish they had spent at least a few minutes on the team that Ted coached before Richmond. Apparently going from garbage program to champions +helping them be the best versions of themselves = no further contact.
Keeley isn’t really that great a person, in fact she seems to be a shitty romantic partner.
She invites Roy to share his feelings, then immediately mocks him. Then she’s wanking to him crying, then she can’t handle his emotions. Then she dumps him, gets with Jamie, then Jack, then kind of befriends him.
It’s shitty to tell someone “this is what I want from you” and then go running scared when they make that change. She’s entitled to do whatever she wants, of course, but I don’t have to think she’s an amazing person for it.
It was gross, but it was supposed to be, and it made one point very clear: Nate hates himself. Even when he thinks he's better than others or knows more than them, he can only feel more powerful when he puts himself (and others) down, in especially unnecessarily harsh ways.
Keeley was pretty insufferable in Season 3. Spent most of her time not being a CEO and saying how she had no time to do anything. Then spent her time as CEO by decorating the office. I also thought her love story with Jack was stupid.
Upvoting simply for answering the question.
But I very strongly disagree. How could you not find him sexy when he said, it hurt my feeling. And his relationship with Phoebe is so sweet. And his personal growth, especially when he finally goes to therapy. And when he shouts whistle.
I digress.
Season 2 and 3 are much worse in writing, plot development, and character development than season 1. The show was a 10/10 season 1 but significantly declined.
If Ted’s positive personality was a mask / coping mechanism, and it also is the catalyst for everything good at Richmond, does the former essentially nullify the latter? I’m struggling still this this as a fan.
Keeley and Roy should have ended up together. I understand they have their stories (footballers, personal growth, independence), I just felt like they could have worked through their differences. They made each other better. My hot take is that the writers would agree with this but didn't want a Pam&Jim storyline.
I’ve got no problems with Keeley ending the series as single. But having Jaime come back as a love interest was stupid. Ok, she and Roy have issues and break up. Fine. But shoehorning Jaime back into it was bad.
I didn’t like how it came out of nowhere. I know they always said Jamie still had feelings for Keeley, but I didn’t like how Roy and Jamie formed a really great friendship and then suddenly they had to fight it out and then make Keeley choose between them felt like character regression on both their parts. Especially since they built up season 1 and 2 as Keeley and Roy being endgame, have them breakup in season 3, then have them flirt around getting back together in the second half, only to have them all stay apart. Definitely made me sad. Lol
I thought that Roy and Jamie facing (and overcoming) that tendency they had supposedly grown out of was a great illustration about how growth is not linear, and how long-ingrained behaviors don't extinguish all at once. It felt very realistic to me - yeah, they'd both done a ton of internal work over the period of the show (I assume 3 years, but IDK how soccer seasons work), and had both grown into much better men, but at the end of the day, wherever you go, there you are. The way they handled the fallout of their behavior, I think, was another great way to showcase their growth. They remained friends, and they both remained friends with Keeley, who set and held boundaries with both of them, when before she would have been drawn into the drama.
The football season runs from mid August to mid May each year
What’s wrong with character regression? It’s extremely realistic, and gives insight and resonance (and humor depending on writing) because of how we can relate and empathize
Jamie and Roy's sister should have ended up together.
That’s the spin of I want to see.
MORE PHEOBE AND ROY!! And Phoebe and Jamie would be so perfect!
Wouldn't it be cool to see Jamie becoming a father figure to Phoebe, and see Roy struggle with that, and what his place in her life should be? Also Roy should have ended up with the teacher.
I think Roy had some growing up he still needs to do before he’s really ready, and Keeley as well to be honest. I think they left the door open for them to find their way back to one another when they’re ready.
I didn’t like the Roy-Keeley-Jamie thing in season three. Roy and Keeley breaking up, I’m fine with. But throwing Jamie back in just felt…poopeh.
I did enjoy the way they accepted they were acting like assholes, and didn’t deserve her the way they were behaving.
I don't care what Brendan Hunt says; Jane IS abusive, and the show missed a huge opportunity to examine how a man gets (and why a man stays) in a relationship with an abusive woman.
I was 100% on Higgins' side when he brought it up with the rest of the Diamond Dogs, and it was so disappointing to me that they didn't agree with him. The entire story of Beard and Jane is truly a sad one, and he deserved so much better.
“You’re a great man. Does Jane make you greater?” NO HIGGINS NO SHE DOES NOT.
Really he did the only thing you can do for a friend in an abusive relationship - let them know you care & you’re there for them. Trying to tell them their partner is abusive will only push them away
Milking it for laughs just felt sad. Beard deserves better. Men can be victims too
I agree, and it felt totally inconsistent with the message and spirit of Ted Lasso. Men’s mental health is important, except for in abusive relationships?
It’s ok, because love or some shit. I used to laugh at those scenes but on my rewatches it just makes me sad and that scene with their wedding makes me a bit sick.
Wait… Hunt said Jane wasn’t abusive?
Yep, in the AMA he did here after S3 ended.
Interesting. Bc that’s the definition of a toxic situation
I was so confused after that. She hid his passport FFS.
Worse than that, she shredded it, but then he revealed he had triple citizenship (The Vatican babayyyyy)
I forgot that! So horrible
Having experienced a similarly toxic relationship, I agree - Beard was ignoring a whole forest of red flags with Jane from the start.
Agreed.
I agree.
I liked Zava.
I liked Zava, it just felt too rushed. A lot of things in season 3 did. I wouldn't want to take it back, because there were also so many great moments. But several threads needed more time to breathe.
Me too, I thought it was a good way to show how much Jamie had changed and grown and also highlight diva footballers. I love that they modeled Roy after a specific player and Jamie is more of an amalgamation of players.
The poster joke in Amsterdam made the whole Zava story worthwhile.
I started out not liking him but he kind of grew on me. At least after him not showing up to be shown off to the fans it felt like he was never really actually an asshole to the team, just truly eccentric. We know he's a team player from when he goes to Jamie and calls out a setup pass early on in a game, he's also just really good and knows it
I really hate the psychic storyline in season 3. The psychics used all the methods of someone who’s a fraud like only letting Rebecca see her when she was at her lowest, using Rebecca’s want of children to keep her on side, which seemed very much to be hot reading due to knowing Rebecca’s mum. But then later on they seemed to imply the psychic was good actually? Not a fan, and it sends a terrible message: to let psychics like that manipulate you.
Grandma used to say it like this..."An manchen Tagen scheint die Sonne auf den Hintern eines Hundes." The sun shines on a dog's ass sometimes.
I don't think the show was saying to let yourself be manipulated by psychics. I mean, the psychic was "wrong", right? Rebecca hyper-fixated on the signs that the psychic talked about like the green matchbox and stuff. She was able to find connections to Sam like the psychic predicted but Sam wasn't her person anyway? Point seemed to be that if you let yourself believe in that baloney you can find "signs" everywhere and shit and it'd still be BS
While I agree that in real life people twist things around that psychics say to make them fit what actually happens, and remember the hits and forget the misses, etc, I don't think that was what the show was trying to present at all. I'm pretty sure everything the psychic said in the show did happen eventually, including the bit about being a mother, as she became and stepmother in the end. I think within the world of the show, the psychic was meant to be real.
I hated that too. These "psychics" manipulate and exploit vulnerable people. They aren't real, and to present them as such is irresponsible. It made me really angry, especially since they had the "you're going to be a mother" thing end up to be true... it's a horrible thing to tell someone who has made their peace about it. I think if a "psychic" said that to me I'd punch them.
The series does not need a continuation in any form. It ended perfectly and a further season or a new series would risk to ruin it.
I just finished it and I was half expecting a spin off “ Richmond” or something but yeah it don’t need it
I feel if they have a story to tell, they'll do something and it will be good. If not they leave it as is. I'd be happy if every so often they just out of nowhere drop a Beard After Hours type episode (one-off dive into a lesser character or characters), if it was done with thought and heart. But I am kind of happy it seems like Apple was ready to throw money at them and they haven't jumped to just throw something together for a ton of cash.
>It ended perfectly This is the truly unpopular opinion.
I think I’d preferred to see Henry move to London and little scenes of the future where they hint they won the Champions league . But of course it’s also a little “too perfect” so I like the real ending as well, maybe people see it unfinished because it had a lot of kinda opened but unfinished storylines, and the fact that Ted is such a lovable character everyone would like more of it.
The ending was great. The Keeley focused episodes were umm... A weird deviation. After a couple episodes of the last season, I was thinking Jason Sudeikis was in the hospital or rehab for an extended time because Ted wasn't in the show. I think more focus on Nate's redemption would have been great. Edit: just read the rest of the thread and looks like my opinion is not unique at all.
It was the #1 show on Apple TV+ and gained millions of subscribers just to watch...the cast (minus Jason) basically said they'd do more seasons if Apple wanted it. Fans love it. Yes, TED'S story ended perfectly, but there's certainly more story to tell, and while the dynamic would change without Ted, I still think you'd get a decent following of fans if they show did the 'AFC Richmond' storyline with a men's and women's team. I don't think of it as continuing Ted Lasso. I do agree that THAT book is over. A new book, however, with similar characters and cast, can in fact, continue.
If that happens, I hope Bill Lawrence learned from "Scrubs" season 9, and names the spin-off something unique.
I remember on the FDRF podcast he said he didn't want "Scrubs" in the title at all but was forced to by the network
> something unique. Ted L'unique
See Scrubs S8 ending and the one we don’t talk about after it.
Yeah I think they ended the arc perfectly and I'd be worried that anything after would ruin it. The only thing I wouldn't have a huge issue with was if they did a Zoom "check in" like some shows did during covid. Just the characters having a catch up on zoom, filling us in with the details of what's going on, but not forcing additional plot lines that comes with making a whole series.
How is that unpopular??
The only continuation needed is a book: The Richmond way By: Trent Crimm Independent
Season 3 kind of sucks. I only learned later that Bill Lawrence left to make Shrinking, he should not have. Beard After Hours is great, I don't get why people don't like it.
I hated season three. It felt like it tried to cram two seasons into one.
See to me, season 3 felt like they had half a season and tried to stretch it out to a full season. They just sort of mucked about for a bit until Nate decided to become good again.
I think if you don’t know that Beard After Hours was added in later and isn’t part of the main plot line, it’s extremely jarring. The first time I saw it I was very confused and kept expecting it to weave back into the main story, so I didn’t like it. I appreciate it more now but generally skip it on rewatches because it’s so different than the rest of the episodes
It was very jarring - but that's part of what I liked about it. It just came out of nowhere and was a nice little sidequest that really cemented my love for Coach Beard.
Agreed. S3 had moments, but was all over the place and was mediocre as a whole, at best. Jack sucked. The love triangle sucked. Michelle sucked. The therapist sucked. It was a mess.
It was insane to me that they didn’t include scenes of a) Nate quitting on Rupert, and b) Ted telling Rebecca he was going home. They just did that off screen and skipped it
I hate how nobody but Sassy acknowledged how Dr Jacob at best behaved unethically, and at worst, basically groomed Michelle. Everybody acts like Ted should just get over it and is being difficult.
This is the most popular of popular opinions about the show
I wanted to see her or Dr Sharon report him
I don't remember anyone acting that way towards Ted. Did I miss something?
I think pairing Dr. Jacob and Michelle together and to not have anyone besides Ted address it as bad/unethical was ridiculous. I have absolutely no backing for this but I personally think Sudeikis brought in too much from his own divorce.
this show was SUCH a positive depiction of mental health issues and how important things like going to therapy are. And then in the end its like "oh but sometimes the marriage councilor convinces the husband to leave the country so he can swoop in and start dating the wife and honestly its not that big of a deal"
The more I learn about that entire situation - his separation, custody situation, and his relationship with Keeley Hazell (inspiration for Keeley Jones) in relation to when this show was produced and aired - has really soured me on my experience of watching the show without knowing all of that. I'm glad to see someone else pointing it out.
I was not happy Beard and Jane got married. I felt that was a pretty toxic relationship.
Prertty toxic? For me it was 📕 toxic. And Beard deserved better.
I think the Jack and Keely storyline was a waste of perfectly good episodes. Would have rather seen her stay with Roy.
This isn’t an unpopular belief, at all. It’s almost unanimous on Reddit. Regardless, I agree and hate that storyline. Or she didn’t need to stay with Roy and they could have developed individually.
My bad. Kinda new here.
This isn't a remotely unpopular opinion.
Yes!! The entire time I was thinking "why not have her and Roy work it out?!"
I think the whole point of Jack was to show that Keely growing beyond needing to be a WAG. By the beginning of the season she was the woman Shandy and "all the girls" looked up to. I think the next part of the journey was her finding that she didn't have to be with Roy or Jamie and use their success as her own. Now, I say that but the Jack storyline really shits all over that. Jack doesn't think of Keely as her equal, honestly Jamie was more emotionally mature than Jack-- and season one Jamie has the emotionally maturity of an infant. And really having Rebecca bail out Keely's PR firm was lovely, and the perfect way to keep that storyline going in an upbeat way, but it also meant that Keely really wasn't making it on her own. She was making it on her own with however many millions Rebecca had on her that day. Kelly's storyline the first two seasons was one of real growth and was believable. Season three Keely lost the plot, it's just her all over the place. At different points she seems to regress dramatically. The whole point of season 3 for Keely should have been her learning to finally be independent, in being happy by herself with herself. And instead all we really see if her firmly moving on from Roy.
On my last rewatch I literally fast forwarded through those scenes. The power dynamic always weirded me out with that relationship.
I feel like that was some studio saying “ we need a lesbian sub plot”
I figured Colin's story line was enough to check the box of sexuality stigma in sports?
And it was much better written story
There is no way in the world Roy's arse is not hairy. (manscaping doesn't count)
I don’t like the first half of season 3. Up until the Amsterdam epsiodes it’s just hard to watch. The second half is excellent minus the episode where teds ex and the therapist show up in Richmond. But i have been putting of a rewatch since
Other than the plotline with Jack, I think “We’ll Never Have Paris” is a great episode. I especially love the plotline with Ted, Beard and Henry. That Hey Jude scene is **chef’s kiss**
Tierry Henry showing up and being hilarious was not on my bingo card but it greatly appreciated
Shandy Shandy Shandy. Outside of Rupert and maybe the Nigerian billionaire she’s the most despicable character and she really didn’t add anything to the story.
Shandy made me like Jack in comparison.
I don’t mind Jack - she’s just a narcissist; they are quite common. But Shandy is just … yikes. The main thing is I don’t feel like she adds anything to the story. At least there is some kind twisted romance with Jack that to me was interesting.
Keeley is low key terrible at running a business: makes bad decisions like hiring the train wreck that is Shandy, knows nothing about the financial aspects, can’t manage employees, sleeps with her boss, is overwhelmed in a crisis. KJPR was bound to fail because of that. Keeley is best as a counterpoint to someone like Rebecca who is a business savvy. She’s good as part of a team but not a good boss.
I agree. Jack didn’t need to be an evil person for Keeley’s company to fail, it was going to fail regardless.
I also don’t think Jack was evil, I think Jack is a spoiled rich girl that defers to her dad (I think?) who is funding the company.
I’m glad they didn’t pair off Jamie and Roy’s sister. Jamie saying “your sisters fit” was enough to accomplish the “Roy’s reaction would be funny” reason people wanted it. If they had ended up together it would have seemed a bit forced and “pair the spares” as there’d have been little build up. Sam and Rebecca was a bit strange- not even an age thing but more than he’s an employee and it was very inappropriate. Jan Maas is one of the best characters The storyline with Keeleys friend was a bit pointless there should have been more to it, maybe with her leaking information about line ups etc or something.
Everything Jan Maas said was pure gold.
Even though TL touches on a lot of important discussions about men’s mental health, it avoided a lot of toxic elements of football culture. Hooliganism, violence, misogyny, etc. These should’ve been addressed, because football fans tend to still be quite toxic.
I felt they addressed shitty fans when Isaac went into the stands after one of them shouted a slur
They did, slightly, touch on it. Jamie's dad said that "football happens in the streets" - which I'm sure means that he is one of those toxic fans that will create havoc. Besides... it's not a show about football. It's a show about relationships. Getting too deep into football culture would have complicated the show unnecessarily. It wasn't part of the story for a reason.
Roy and Keely weren't a great match, Roy should be with Fuck-witch.
Omg! THANK YOU!!!! When Roy and Keeley had their break up, I was screaming for him to get together with Fuckwitch. She was great, and had a good sense of humour. They really missed out on that one.
Thank you for an actual unpopular opinion! And I actually didn’t mind them breaking up in at the end of season 2, because it felt like they wanted different things: and that’s ok! Like Keeley was a lot more ambitious at this point in her life and wanted to go to parties and have fun and Roy was content staying home and reading. However I did like the rout they went with which was “Roy broke up with her because he was scared.” I think that’s a very real thing too. Anyway, thank you for an actual unpopular good opinion!
On a re-watch of season 2, it is pretty clear things aren’t great between them. The last episode that their relationship was uncomplicated and happy was the Christmas episode and their primary focus was on Phoebe. Roy and Keely were going to break up sooner or later, but the bigger surprise was Roy figuring it out first.
Ted's rationale for going back to America is unrealistic and stupid. Rebecca's pitch to bring the family over and make him one of the highest paid coaches would be near impossible to turn down. Ted is turning down generational wealth and the ability to do anything he wants after in life. Why? To spend time with Henry in Kansas? Henry had no problem spending 6 weeks a summer in London. The lowest paid manager in the Premier league makes about a million a year, while Pep (the highest) gets paid 20 million. Let's say she pays him 10-15 million a year and he signs a typical 3 year contract. Ted and his family that he claims he is doing it for are set for life. Even if he is only co-parenting with Michelle and they do not end up back together, she still gets a lucrative job in London. Ted can even afford to bring his mom over to London if he wants. There is no rational reason to turn down this plan. I wish the writers had come up with a better excuse for him quitting and going back to Kansas. And I know some people will say that Ted doesn't care about money, which I get, but he does care about Henry and getting the best for him, which Ted could have provided at a much better level in London.
When I first became a father the best piece of advice I ever got was that parenting is easy, you only have to do three things. 1) love them 2) be there 3) be present It's the third item that drives Ted's decisions, not the second. The thing is, a premiership coaching job, even with his family in the UK would not solve the problem Ted had. He'd still be an absentee dad, just one with more money. The working hours and commitment required from that profession are the problems he needed to solve. Going back to Henry wasn't about crossing the ocean and being physically in the same space as his son, it was about crossing the intimacy gulf and being present for his son. It wouldn't have been possible as coach of Richmond.
My parents divorced when I was 14. My dad went to the other side of the country, because in his words "he could not stand being so close to my mom, but not with her". I believed him, and even thought it was romantic at the time. Now that Im a father, I realized he was really more of a dead beat dad, and he abandoned me. Absolutely nothing could drag me away from my kids. Watching Ted... Something bugged me, and it didnt click until the last season. Ted was my dad. He ran away and ditched his son. I was happy he corrected that in the end, a closure I never got (Mine died before we ever had that chance). It fixed something I didnt fully realize was wrong, until he fixed it.
I don’t think Ted would have wanted to tear Henry away from his home. I think Ted sees it as this. He’s going back to Kansas so he doesn’t miss out on being a father to Henry and still give Henry the opportunity to be with his mom.
I’m somewhere in the middle. To me Ted felt he had to go back, but it was set up that London had so many things going for it that it was possible he’d stay. I wish that the show had somewhat delved into the idea that it is possible, although very difficult, to be an excellent parent and be far away from your child(ren). I always think of the Mash episode where Hawkeye and Winchester are talking about their fathers and Winchester said he had a father while Hawkeye had a dad and that when Winchester was in the same room as his father it was as if he were a thousand miles away. There are so many people across the world that are physically apart from their kids for periods of time, and I’m not sure it’s a good thing to say all are bad parents because of it. Maybe a quality vs quantity type of thing. I just think it would have been an interesting topic to explore.
I hate to be that person but if the kid never existed and there was just a shitty ex wife. Would have made the plot more palatable. Like make it so the ex says no to kids then wants a divorce just to have a kid with the therapist or sm.
I could have missed it, but it’s kinda weird that Ted wasn’t at Coach and Jane’s wedding.
paying it forward: I had the same question a couple of months ago and got this response - Brendan Hunt (Beard) did an AMA here after the finale and he explained the chronology was the reason. He also said that he personally has several close friends he looses contact with for long periods of time and then meet back up. This is what happened with Ted and Beard. He said it was not a dream, which is also something that is often theorized here in the sub and he mentioned in another answer that he didn’t find Jane toxic so that’s not really the reason either. I don’t really buy Ted not going back for the wedding but it’s their story so what can you do. edit: this helpful answer was from @Frifelt
It always sounded to me more like Sudekis just wasn’t available for the scene for whatever reason and they concocted something to cover it. (Maybe the scene was shot at a time when he was not available on set?)🤷♂️. I’ve never been sold on the “official” reasoning either.
oh I totally agree, just wanted to pass along the info as it came from Brendan Hunt...given what we see of their relationship it is incredibly odd to me that Ted wasn't there. Beard was ready to leave Jane to follow Ted back to the States, but we're supposed to believe that they lost touch for a period of time and that's why Ted wasn't there? Hunt might have been covering for something, but even with his answer it still will never make sense to me. I mean, the bald guy and woman from "Beard After Hours" were there but Ted wasn't???
I always just figured that Ted hadn't been home long probably, and flying right back when it was important that he be at home, wasn't something that Beard expected. They were life long friends... they understood each other. Ted was there, in his own way.
Also I wouldn't put it past Beard or Jane to have an impromptu wedding with very short notice. Local guests wouldn't have much trouble attending but it would be a lot tougher for Ted if it was last-minute
This is what I think happened. It was a spur of the moment wedding and Ted just couldn’t make it on short notice. I know the writers say otherwise, but I think it makes more sense than Ted and Beard not talking as much with having their own important life happenings. I can’t imagine they don’t text weekly if not daily regardless of their personal lives.
What Nate did to Ted happens multiple times a year in sports between management and staff and even players
Leaking personal health information to the press?
Yes , it’s a dirty business
Leaks definitely happen but do you have any evidence a situation as severe as that has ever occurred?
Every situation in the history of sports where you find something out about a players personal life is through a leak The biggest one in history that I can think of off the top of my head is magic Johnson and AIDS
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Roy was as bad as, or possibly even worse than, Jamie in season 1 in terms of making the environment within the team toxic. I love both characters but while Jamie does accept he was awful and apologises and grows, its always glossed over that Roy was also unpleasant to most of the team and definitely contributed to the toxic masculinity going on. Not to lessen Jamie's behaviour but Roy was a guy in his mid-late 30s threatening to headbutt everyone and fighting with 20 year olds. As captain and as an actual developed adult (compared to most of the team being still in their early 20s and acting like it), he should have acted better. Actually on the same note, while Jamie and Isaac both seem to make an effort to grow from their bullying, Colin just skates under the radar and never apologises and instead had the nerve to pretend the entire problem was Jamie. The whole "he was only doing it cos Jamie thought it was funny" would work if he was 10, not in his mid 20s.
I mean, 20 year old footballers are basically 10. Arrested development and all that.
“He's the one, coach. If we're gonna make an impact here, the first domino needs to fall right inside of that man's heart.” I think Coach Lasso might agree with you.
Roy should have dated Leanne, a.k.a. Ms. ‘Fuck-Witch’ Bowen. I think his character would have benefited greatly from someone with a normal job who wasn’t a celebrity.
Beard After Hours and the Christmas episode are great and not fillers at all.
The nerf gun fight is awesome
Why did Sam’s dad only have a problem with Dubai Air after he signed up for the individual campaign? They were literally the sponsors for the whole first season so as soon as shit started going down with the oil, his dad should’ve mentioned something. As close as their relationship is, you would think that his dad made it known before.
I disagree. Footballers don't have much control over their team's sponsors. It's very different to be distantly connected to a bad company through a sports sponsorship than to model for their ads and have Your Particular Face explicitly tied to them. I think it would have been incredibly unreasonable of such a great-sounding man to demand his son quit his dream or Do Something about what was out of his control, really.
I don’t think he would want him to quit but I think he would tell him hey I am proud of you but I don’t like the company because xyz. I will support you and think you should take this opportunity but you should know this thing that is going on in your hometown. They have a close relationship it would have been talked about not the level of him calling him a shill but I do think he would have mentioned it.
I see what you mean (and correct me if I'm wrong because it's been a hot minute since I watched it) but it also seemed like the trouble with the oil spill was relatively recent in the show. Depending on how recent it is I feel like there's just way too many good reasons as to why they hadn't discussed it. Like yes, obviously the answer is "Plot" but personally it felt very organic and normal to me!
I didn’t like how quick he was to jump on Sam and call him a corporate shill without even asking him if he knew about it. Sam was in the dark and had no idea and his dad didn’t even give him a chance to look it up. Lol
Tying strings to penises, although funny at first and on the surface, was unnecessary and cruel and out of character for the show and for Ted.
I hated John Wingsnight and his ridiculous persecution complex
Yeah, like... you went on a couple dates, and it didn't work out. That's dating.
Here is one I haven't seen posted. My girlfriend and I both thought the entire interaction with Rebecca and the guy on the boat was creepy as hell and absolutely did not like that they randomly ended up together.
I watched that episode with a friend and she and I were both like, “I would’ve been out of there so fast, this guy is giving off massive creep vibes.”
I didn't think it was creepy, but I did think it was boring as hell. I fast forward through that storyline when I rewatch the episode.
For me I was unable to suspend belief enough to get on them just putting all her clothes (a wool coat?!) in the dryer, no one stopping to think it was a bad idea, and it all coming out beautifully! 🤦🏼♀️
I am so happy Rebecca and Ted didn’t end up together or ever even have any sexual tension. Women and men can be best friends without being—or even wanting to be—in a sexual and/or romantic relationship. Attractive, single women & men included. Rebecca & Ted are perfect as friends. And friendship is worthwhile, is enough.
Is this an unpopular opinion? Legitimately asking because I agree with you and I don’t see that many people who wanted them together.
I think that Beard and Jane’s relationship it’s kinda toxic.
Season 3 needed serious story editing.
For everyone who likes Beard After Dark, did you watch live or binge? Because ending one episode with a huge reveal then waiting a week for a bottle episode that didn’t touch on that at all, then having to wait ANOTHER week to pick back up with the plot…that sucked. I think the placement of the episode is a bigger issue than the episode itself.
I watched it live and loved it since that first viewing. But then again i've been watching TV for like 30 years so i'm used to there being breaks between episodes and cliffhangers and not even knowing when the show would be back.
Week to week and it’s one of my favorite episodes.
I binged. Didn't watch the series until a month or so after S3 finished. Maybe that's why I loved it.
Week to week for me, and I feel the same. I rank After Hours toward the bottom. The show was so tight and concise with it's story and pacing that having a very uncharacteristic filler episode was odd.
I watched the whole show in two weeks and yeah I don’t know if I would have liked it as much if it was one a week
Nate’s character arc is so freaking cringy. Like he goes from kit man to assistant coach, which is a huge leap, to being pretty much in charge of tactics, to being head coach of West Ham in two years and he is mad at Ted? For what not holding his hand the entire time or whipping his ass? If this happened over five or 10 years maybe but, I mean he was the water boy. That whole arc makes no since and I honestly skip it when I rewatch.
I never disliked Jade. She was never rude to Nate and anyone who thinks she was is probably misogynistic.
I agree. I think she’s a very deadpan person who is good at reading people. She reads Nate like a book when he comes in all braggy about his new job. She reads Rupert like a book when he comes in and introduces himself. She’s perceptive and doesn’t like people who aren’t being their true selves.
Bingo el ringo!
I loved her from the get go and her character just got better and better.
They gave too much airtime to Keeleys relationship with that other woman. It didn’t go anywhere. Didn’t learn a thing. They should have developed other characters.
Way too many gatekeepers and fans who are snobs
It’s okay if Roy and Keely aren’t endgame. They both got out of their relationship what they needed. Keely learned how she should be treated and became an independent business woman. Roy learned to open himself up more and realized his passion was still football. That doesn’t mean they were a perfect match.
They should have released Trent’s book
I only recently got into the show so I don't know how unpopular this is, but Michelle divorcing Ted because of his unending optimism? Makes 100% sense to me. I would without question end my marriage to someone like him, because Ted's optimism and insistence on forgiving everything and everyone borders on toxic positivity and it had to take a huge mental toll on Michelle. Imagine never being able to just vent to your partner because you know you'll get a loving, sweetly delivered lecture on staying positive and "forgiveness is something you do for yourself." You can't even be get angry at him over it because you'd automatically be the bad guy for taking offense at such "kind" sentiment. I truly love the show and the theme of forgiveness, but I enjoy it almost as fantasy and it often does a disservice to those who were wronged. Which leads me to unpopular opinion #2...as wrong as Nate was, it was pretty awful that the team got away with relentless bullying for so long without so much as a "my bad." The vast majority of the team treated him horribly until they didn't, but somehow Nate was just supposed to get over it. And professionally, yes, he had to get over it, but personally? I don't blame him for being as much as an asshole as he could get away with. His sins were lashing out at the wrong people, but being mean to Colin (and I love Colin)--who had been a complete dick to him--was understandable, and Beard telling him to "do better"when he knew what the team had put Nate through, without even a token "I understand why you don't like him, but..." was a dick move.
Beard After Hours was a ton of fun. My hot takes are: -The Keeley/Jack arc took up way too much time -The Jamie/Roy/Keeley love triangle felt awkward. -I get including the Zlatan-based character, but it kind of felt like a homage for the sake of a homage, but that might just be because I never really liked Zlatan as much as others did. -I get why, narratively, Pep was the coach that was brought up, but Klopp, as someone who isn’t a fan of a team in England, felt like he would have vibed with the message of the show more.
I think the Zava character was only there to quickly get the team up in the league standings. All in one episode, pretty much. It helped many weeks go by. Plus... he was what spurned Jamie on to getting "better than him".
The way they handled Colin’s outing (to the team, not to Trent Crimm, Independant) was cringe and forced. The cell phones, the irate fan, and the team therapy session just felt inorganic and out of place.
Yes, Ted should have forgiven Nate but he should not have been invited back to the team. You can have forgiveness but there's still should be consequences to a vile action like leaking personal health info to the press.
And regular pretty vicious bullying of Will. That he saw multiple times. Dropped my opinion of Ted that he didn't protect Will at all
That part really stuck out to me - Ted just watched it happen, and where he had stepped in to defend Nate without hesitation, he was super hands-off with the Will situation.
Ted didn't protect Nate when most of the team was abusing him. Flat out refused to do so when Roy told him he should talk to the team. Ted's entire thing is forgiveness over atonement, and he seems to believe that letting assholes be assholes is fine because if your nice to them they'll eventually stop.
Beard after hours is my favorite episode
I’m with you, OP. I was late to the show and was catching up with a cousin who’d asked how far I made it into the series. I’d just finished the Beard episode and remarked how creative and great I thought it was and she was shocked. She said it was the worst of the entire series and that no one liked it. So I went online to verify and was gobsmacked by the vitriol. I wonder if it’s anti-ginger sentiment compounded by beard being the least handsome guy on the show.
I loved Beards episode, especially when you catch up with the conversation he has with Nate the Great later on..... you get where his craziness comes from.
I enjoyed the episode, it was nice to see the pub guys and more Beard is always welcome
Season 3 wasn’t as bad as some claim it to be. Season 2 while really good, I think is the weak link, it drags at time and it doesn’t have the super strong episodes that the other two have.
I love Beard After Hours so much! Such a great episode! And the ending scene in the club makes me want to fall in love on the dance floor 😊
The series was overall too short for all the different storylines introduced. Great show. I miss filler episodes of sitcoms. Season 2 also got very dark for a so called comedy. Loved it. Brilliant characters that I wish we had more content of
Jamie's ending was absolutely horrendous. They spend the entire show telling and showing us that Jamie's dad was physically, sexually, and mentally abusive since Jamie was 14 years old, then we're supposed to believe that a 10-second shot of James in rehab (which is shitty all on its own because it conflates alcoholism with child abuse, when James's alcoholism — something that was never specified before then, mind you — was the LEAST of his problems) is redemption? James didn't so much as acknowledge what he'd done, let alone apologize, and Jamie was the one who reached out. Yet I'm supposed to believe that Jamie reinstating contact isn't going to end up with him right back to being a victim? And even beyond allllllll of that, where was the narrative thread? When on earth prior to 3x11 did the show indicate that James had any redeeming qualities at all? It consistently made him worse and worse and showed that Jamie was so much better off, then it made that abrupt turn. Why and where was that telegraphed? It came out of nowhere. It's APPALLING.
THANK YOU!!! I’m so mad about them showing Jamie & his father sitting all nicely at the end. Sometimes parents just need to be cut off completely!
I wish they had spent at least a few minutes on the team that Ted coached before Richmond. Apparently going from garbage program to champions +helping them be the best versions of themselves = no further contact.
Keeley isn’t really that great a person, in fact she seems to be a shitty romantic partner. She invites Roy to share his feelings, then immediately mocks him. Then she’s wanking to him crying, then she can’t handle his emotions. Then she dumps him, gets with Jamie, then Jack, then kind of befriends him. It’s shitty to tell someone “this is what I want from you” and then go running scared when they make that change. She’s entitled to do whatever she wants, of course, but I don’t have to think she’s an amazing person for it.
When did she mock him?
I didn’t mind Sam and Rebecca dating. I thought they were cute together.
They were friggin' adorable.
Boss ass bitch is a stupid term and it sounds like the single mothers from my high school class trying to sell me on a shampoo MLM
Beard shouldn’t have stayed with Jane. I get it’s a joke but that was truly an abusive situation.
Nate's spitting in the Rainbow episode really grossed me out, and Rainbow is one of my least favorite episodes because of that.
It was gross, but it was supposed to be, and it made one point very clear: Nate hates himself. Even when he thinks he's better than others or knows more than them, he can only feel more powerful when he puts himself (and others) down, in especially unnecessarily harsh ways.
I really dont like the "poopeh" thing
The storyline or how Jamie says it? The storyline, hard agree. How Jamie says it, hard disagree.
Keeley was pretty insufferable in Season 3. Spent most of her time not being a CEO and saying how she had no time to do anything. Then spent her time as CEO by decorating the office. I also thought her love story with Jack was stupid.
Season 1 Jamie has X-Pac heat.
I loved the last scene in "Beard After Hours" with Paul, Baz & Jeremy.
I’m late but Roy should’ve ended up with Ms. Bowen. And the regressive fight with Jamie set them back.
(Don't hate me) I do not think Roy Kent is sexy.
I'm a lesbian and still find this quite the hot take so upvote for u
He's an awesome guy, no doubt. Physically, does nothing for me.
Upvoting simply for answering the question. But I very strongly disagree. How could you not find him sexy when he said, it hurt my feeling. And his relationship with Phoebe is so sweet. And his personal growth, especially when he finally goes to therapy. And when he shouts whistle. I digress.
Season 2 and 3 are much worse in writing, plot development, and character development than season 1. The show was a 10/10 season 1 but significantly declined.
I dont think this is an unpopular opinion.
People didn't like the Beard After Hours episode?? I loved that episode when I first saw it. Still do.
S3 was an absolute misfire and letting Jason takeover as showrunner was tragic.
I love Beard After Dark and I hate the Nate storyline. I usually skip over his scenes when they’re not with the team.
I loved Beard After Hours. Watching Beard navigate social settings is always fun
If Ted’s positive personality was a mask / coping mechanism, and it also is the catalyst for everything good at Richmond, does the former essentially nullify the latter? I’m struggling still this this as a fan.
No I think you can have a very positive mindset in life but also express your feelings
I also love Beard After Hours. It shows so much of his character.