#beard and his parents and Rebecca and Nate and -

[coachbeards]

Ted is hard to love. He's pushy and he doesn't connect with people and he's just a whole lot. He's just too much at times.

and that’s definitely something he’s working on!!!!!! it’s never anything he means to do, he thinks he’s doing the right thing,,, it’s why sharon should’ve continued to be a focal point in season three bc. he def was not done in therapy

[praecurokat]

Ted Lasso S3E9 Thoughts- ‘La Locker Room Aux Folles’

“Just because they’re dirty doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to have a friend.” “He’s right. After all, we’re all mates with Richard.”

Keeley sending repeated texts to Jack…. girl stoppp she doesn’t deserve youuuuu

Thought the whole ‘Roy replacing Ted in the press conference’ thing was going to be an overly obvious attempt to get Keeley and Roy back together, glad it wasn’t.. (not against them getting back together, it just felt like a bad time)

I may not be very invested in Jade and Nate’s relationship yet, but I need Rupert to stay at least 5000 ft away from both of them at all times!!! The creepy and manipulative vibes are strong…

Ah, what a surprise. Coach Beard acting unhinged again by starting fights with the reporters!

Roy being summoned to the principal’s Rebecca’s office was funny! Brought back memories of my parents’ similar lectures lmaoo

Yayyy we got the requisite Trent-Colin meeting, they were being suprisingly calm and wise about everything.

Love Trent’s Dolly Parton shirt!

I like Isaac, but Sam would also be a great team captain.. he’s always resolving conflicts between the players.

“Roy Kent as the voice of reason. What a world.” Indeed.

Omfg not the old “guessing who’s gay based on statistics” game giving me flashbacks to my childhood.. please what is this episodeee

“So there are probably more people in this room who are gay….” Everyone looks at Jamie.. “I’m flattered.”

Roy is being so sweet to Isaac awwww

“The little things we get mad about are like snowflakes on a mountain. And if we wait too long, we’re just one sneeze away from an avalanche that will kill us all.” Lovely thought Will.

Not Ted using a sports metaphor to explain being gay to Colin… Colin looked so deeply unimpressed.

Most Memorable Quote: “I hope his kids shiv him in his sleep.” -Mae

Trent drinks everything in his gay mug, from hot drinks to alcohol!

Loved the moments between Isaac and Colin at the end of the episode, they were so well acted.

Very little Jamie content though, hope to see more of him next episode!

[percysaidnever]

ted lasso s3e11 oh dear god

i’m not mentally stable enough to fully process so initial thoughts!!

I truly believe Phil Dunster filmed to boot room scene with the sole intention of making Brett Goldstein break character

THE PARALLELS from the very beginning of Ted being happy go lucky and loved while Rebecca is angst!! to now Ted’s mom being happy and loved while Ted is angst is truly amazing

plz rebecca getting in the team bus bc nora yelled at her about her private jet usage i love

SAM AND REBECCA TURNING TO EACH OTHER DURING THE END OF YOUVE GOT MAIL OMG

Beard’s nickname for Teds mom!!

Rebecca excited to know Teds mom!!

Mae dropping free therapy everywhere she goes?? love that for her!!

the boys showing up at Taste of Athens was so …? bc last time they were like fuck nate!! at the west ham game but now their like happy and healthy like the lovable himbos they are

this was not an episode about mother/son relationships and truly processing trauma, this was an episode about kebabs

the way Jade likes the things about Nate she doesn’t understand!!! (thinking 60 pgs is crazy but still picking up the pen to edit!!)

Roy and Keelee trying to steal follow Jamie is the funniest thing, especially when she’s farting between cars and Roy’s just on the sidewalk

he! went! to! see! his! mom!!!

i am very happy that Jamie has one canonically fantastic parent and fun baking stepdad!

also the crowd cheering him as he leaves truly made me tear up

the duality of the Roy Keelee posters in Jamie’s room

Ted and his mom having a real talk truly showing how much Ted has grown, especially with how he started off kinda anti-therapy to who he is now

question: what actually is meatloaf? I have no idea????

i know the whole thing is gonna end with Ted going back to Kansas and that’s why we have the whole, admittedly important for Ted, Henry part but I still want him to stay so badly and it feels right for the character to stay and bring Henry to Richmond

lmao the nose mask bc of Dani

Van Damme slayed so hard omg absolute king i love you baby keep saving those goals!

THE COACH BEARD LORE OMG

truly explains his dedication to Ted and why he was so angry with Nate, who hurt his friends and betrayed Teds trust the same way he did with the car

i know he’s but but for a second there i thought Jamie’s father was dead!?!

and i love Higgins and his refusal to move!! he’s so sweet!!

[camelely]

The Betrayal of Ted Lasso S3

Yea. The title is a bit dramatic but I have been one of those people who will defend the Shandy and Zava arcs. I thought everything had a purpose, but really really this season felt like a turn, and part of it felt like the plot belonged in a different show...

They keep saying this was the three season arc they planned. But this felt very rushed, and wrapped all these plots up too neatly too quickly. Ted was reduced to a manic pixie dream girl floating in and out of peoples lives teaching them about love, forgiveness, and to believe.

Lets start with my least favorite thing in the finale. Reducing the Jamie/Keeley/Roy story to a fist fight and a "choose me over him" arc. Belonged in a different show. Pheobe said it best in the first episode "Why are you breaking up?" Nothing they did this season was better because of the Roy x Keeley breakup. Even Keeley's bi arc. Like she has always been implied bi, so they could have just made it clear with Jack being an ex that resurfaced instead of a new relationship. Imagine the version of the KJPR plot with Jack being an ex. No out of date leaked nudes plot. Roy can be jealous because he thinks maybe Keeley does want to get back with this ex, but he sees that is his problem not hers and works on it internally/with Dr. Sharon. And Keeley can think Jack is just trying to help and apologize for the mistakes she made in their relationship, but soon its clear Jack wants to get Keeley back by funding her business and then pulling her funding when things don't go her way. This leaves Keeley wondering if she ever had any value as a business woman and Rebecca and Roy are there to support her. Rebecca as a friend and financial backer and Roy as a supportive BF. Then Keeley can return the favor supporting Rebecca when she is deciding to sell the club or not, and Roy when he is promoted to manager.

The leaked nudes plot belonged on a show that came out like five/six years ago when society first started to shift and see that the celebrities were the victims. I understand it was a true story from the real Keeley, but seriously it dated a show that could have been pretty universal otherwise. I know they deal with issues like racism and homophobia but those things aren't going anywhere. We have to keep fighting, but those people always exist. Meanwhile the nudes thing has seen a pretty quick shift already. They built Shandy up as this vengeful character, Why didn't they have her do something to try and blow up Keeley's business? Even something simple like an attempt at wrongful termination? Shandy could have posted on her socials and been like "Keeley Jones claims shes for women but she fired me for no reason" got a bunch 'eat the rich' activists on her side since Keeley is backed by a billionaire and caused a lot of problems for the PR firm in the press.

Jamie reconnecting with his abusive parent. Honestly this did feel in place for a show thats all about forgiveness. But the more we learned about him the more he felt worse than Rupert. Absolutely awful. A better ending would have been his death and Jamie coping with the conflicted feelings he has vs the sadness he is expected to show by the media. Or even just letting Jamie move on. "I don't need him. I have a great mom, team, friends, and step dad/mom's bf" (I can't remember if they were married or not lol).

Nate simply quitting off screen and then being welcomed back like it was nothing. Belonged on another show. This one's been talked to death but I'll say it anyway. We see Rupert try to push a boundary and Nate left the bad situation and then fast forward, Nate quits and Rupert is being accused of impropriety. The start of the season was so focused on Nate being an ass to the West Ham players and then they just brush that under and rush him coming back? I didn't need a redemption arc. I liked the apology to Will and Ted's speech to Beard. But I did need to see the moments with Nate's choices. Nate made zero on screen choices this season. I mean even coming back was influenced by Jade.

Jade suddenly liking Nate, belonged on a different show. Okay I didn't hate Jade. I didn't hate that she started to date Nate. I think its weird the writers wrote a possibly racist character and then didn't address it but I guess the white af writers room just didn't get it. But I also liked Jade, Nate needed a no nonsense strong person in his life. I feel like his sister could have filled the role a bit better. But the girlfriend route wasn't bad.

Rebecca and the Amsterdam guy belonged in a rom com. Yea it worked a bit since Ted's whole rom com speech. But still, part of what I liked about the Amsterdam plot was that he was a great guy and a great time and then he was just gone. A happy memory to look back on and nothing more. It was so stupid that she randomly ran into him and they just magically got together. With Rebecca's romantic past ruined by Rupert's behavior. And the Sam relationship being kinda cute kinda doomed boss/employee weirdness it felt like Amsterdam guy was the true rebound she needed to move on and start a new path. Rebecca didn't need an endgame romance imo, she needed a fresh start. While I think she should have sold the whole club and moved on from the Rupert chapter of her life, I didn't hate the selling it to the fans thing. That was a decent way to end her journey. If they wanted her to have an endgame romance why not let the fans get to know the guy? Or flash forward to a guy we have never met implying that she eventually found someone?

Rupert hitting the coach also belonged on another show. Rupert is the guy who has everything work out for him. He's cool and collected and confident. Pushing the guy who wouldn't listen to him didn't seem like a Rupert move. Rupert would have fired him and promoted the guy under him. The big change would be if they had that guy quit and then the next guy quit until Rupert was left with no one. Could have also gone back to the Nate thing. If Nate leaving the toxic environment inspired others to do the same. Rupert publicly loosing his cool might have been fun since hes the worst, but it was too neat a wrapped bow.

Beard and Jane. Why did they literally only tell us everything bad about her if they wanted us to root for them? I'm sure she had some good qualities we could have seen. I did like that Beard was the character that got the ending rom com 'stop the plane' moment.

Colin's coming out. I could have done with less Isaac and more Trent or even less angry Isaac and more supportive Isaac but I liked it overall ngl. The kiss in the final episode was the best romantic moment in all of Ted Lasso. My canon favorite ship was RoyxKeeley but they never had a moment I could turn to. This was perfect and Colin was the best character for it.

The Van Damme thing was dumb. The joke about the mask making him 'Zorro' was dumb. I assume they were making fun of Ron Artest/Metta World Peace/Metta Sandiford-Artest but Zoreaux didn't need that. And it was funny for like one month in 2011, get over it.

Ted. Oh sweet Ted. I loved his talk with Trent about changing the name of the book because its not about him, and Trent taking that note but no others. At the end of the day, Ted's whole thing this season is Jason Sudeikis's whole thing in real life. He has a work family in London but his kids and ex in America. He's still low key in love with his ex and doesn't like the new relationship she's in and even though the new relationship ends pretty quickly it still sucks. And that is exactly what ruined the show. I'm sorry Jason is sad, I get people work through their problems in their art. But what a very emotional Jason sees as a good ending for Jason, is not a good ending for Ted. Ted Lasso the character deserved to decide to report Dr. Jacob (sorry Jason you can't report Harry Styles, he didn't do anything unethical... except maybe spit on Chris Pine...). Ted Lasso deserved a solid relationship with his son and a new partner, whoever you ship him with could work. I mean Sassy could have reported Dr. Jacob and told Ted maybe they could make it work since she is spending some time in the US for work. Or Rebecca with her millions saying she can commute as much as they want. Or a third new person in Kansas. The way the show implied Michelle is single and Ted is single. The 'they are getting along' narrative was a bit much.

The dream ending. Yes Bill Lawrence, this worked for Scrubs because JD was a character constantly fantasizing. But thats not Ted Lasso. This show deserved something more unique and more open ended. The final shot could have been Ted on the plane, smiling and that would beat the weird dream flash forward imo.

Yes the show has a central theme about forgiveness. But in previous seasons the person being forgiven earns that forgiveness. Here it was handed out to everyone regardless of who they hurt and what they did. It undermined Rebecca's s1 arc, Nate's multi season arc, Jamie's multi season arc, etc. The only arc that wasn't undermined was maybe Roy, since he ended up in therapy and actively trying to be better. So I guess good for Roy?

Overall my point is Ted Lasso was special because they marched to a positive and hopeful beat while still discussing hard topics. This season took everything special about the show and garbaged it, creating a messy, bland, and insulting final product that was a shell of the show they created. And they managed to do it in three seasons. Congrats guys? I mean most shows take 5-6 seasons to get truly off the rails.

[puppypeter]

The fact that Roy's relationship with his parents is kind of left ambiguous and is therefore unexplored territory in Ted Lasso canon is actually so delicious to me because the potential? It is EXCELLENT!!! Roy Kent I am going to give you the most complicated relationship with your mother ever conceived. Why? Because he is my little doll who I project all my issues onto (eldest daughter syndrome, burnt out gifted kid, anger issues, struggles to convey emotional vulnerability etc.)

But what are your thoughts on Roy's relationship with his parents? If it's not clear, I have many MANY thoughts, but I'd love to hear from you!! ✨💕✨

My thoughts are that I need them to explore this shit in season 4!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We know about Ted / Jamie / Sam / Nate / Rebecca.. even Beard we at least know something.

I completely relate to the doll i project my issue on ahah but I am the youngest nerd loser burnt out gifted kid etc

I can't really speak on toxic masculinity as that has certainly played a big role and the environment he grew up around in football as well as the pressure and what success at such an early age can do to you (20s roy kent is often written as a party animal and there's a lot to explore there too). But as far as parents, I think he's very much a case of childhood emotional neglect. It can be for so many reasons, not necessarily someone being abusive on purpose. Maybe they were having to work multiple jobs and providing physical things (a roof over your head and food on the table) was seen as love in his parents eyes rather than words of encouragement and physical touch or they were 'well meaning parents who hadn't got that kind of love themselves and therefore didn't know any better'. He was pissy at Ted at first but he took on quite quickly... all I'm saying is he is a good boy! He might talk shit and be grumpy etc and season 1 wasn't his best self going through a lot mental health wise but he cares about the boys, he loves his niece and kids in general... i would definitely love to see more of him and them exploring where all his roy-ness comes from

[destinationtoast]

first thoughts on Ted Lasso premiere

Phoebe remains the absolute best.

DRESSED LIKE AN UMLAUT

Ted being all sad and rumpled and rumpled and sad 😭 he needs comforting but also antidepressants and some serious rejiggering of his parenting life lbr 😭 looking forward to the fic

love everything with Nate and Rupert and the whole West Ham sterile environment...it's so deliciously fucked up. And the panicking + spitting under the table?? FUCK. oh, Nate. i look forward to the fucked up fic

I'm not sad to have some Roy x Keeley angst... hoping with @wildwren that it goes angstier before or gets better! (WREN I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO YOUR FIC 👀👀👀👀) but also I love them and want there to be a very satisfying arc of them working their shit out and getting back together and fucking Jamie

I really don't think I followed the sewer metaphor right.. it sounded like a suggestion to form a human centipede?? 😹 i don't look forward to that fic, but god bless if that's your kink.

also was not expecting crotch shots as they descended into the sewer... looking forward to the gifsets

much good himbo-ness!

Disco, lol

what's Beard reading now, and why is he leaving it on Roy to carry all of Nate's old job?

yes thank you for sharing your bosoms with Keeley, Rebecca! please do more; Keeley is sad and deserves boobs looking forward to the fic

oh fuck, it didn't occur to me that Keeley's office would be joyless thanks to her VCs appointing the CFO, ... didn't she hire some of the people, though?? why aren't those ones at least fun and awesome?? I'm going to be bummed if she fails at running her own company or hates it... but that doesn't feel like a move the show would pull, i hope? she should have success and JOY. may need to write the fic

Sam shirtless yes thank you

Jamie's hair lol no thank you

he's okay to drive but forever changed, haf... of course Beard knows toad venom. there was no doubt in my mind.

press conference duel YES. I love Nate taking Ted down and Ted lifting Nate up. even if Ted's too distracted and depressed to have his full joke mojo, that was great.

what must Nate be thinking after he angrily closes his laptop. look forward to he fic and meta

get it, Sharon! (that's not anyone we're supposed to recognize in her bed, right?)

Ted asking sad questions and Beard not answering except to point out that they already passed his apartment 😭 Beard what is up with you rn??? looking forward to the fic

Very curious about what Trent is up to. 👀👀 looking forward to the fic

as I expected might be the case, I was vibrating with New Canon Energy the whole time and it was a bit distracting... I definitely need to watch it again soon now that I know the basics of what happens. but I liked a lot of things in this episode, and i am not angry about anything, all of which is a delight and a relief since last time I joined a fandom during a hiatus it was Sherlock, and my feelings about the following episode were Complicated

[threewaywithdelusion]

I’ve been seeing the Jamie Forgiving His Dad debate and I think it’s really interesting.

A) we don’t know if he forgives his dad. All we know is that he visits him in rehab. Maybe they fight. Maybe Jamie decides he can’t be around his father because his dad finally making an effort is too little, too late. Maybe James Tartt falls off the wagon.

B) I don’t hate it as an ending because it feels true to the characters. If I were Jamie, would I forgive James Tartt? No. Do I think people should always forgive their abusive parents if they learn from their mistakes and try to be better? Also no. Do I think Jamie Tartt, as a character, is the type of person to give his dad a second chance even after everything his father put him through? Absolutely yes.

Do I think Ted Lasso is the type of person to tell Jamie to forgive his dad even though that’s arguably terrible advice? Also absolutely yes. Ted believes in second chances, even when people don’t deserve them.

Watching Ted Lasso, I was thinking about Buffy. (Haha yes, the day I don’t relate something to Buffy you will know I have been replaced by an alien lookalike).

Anyway.

In Buffy, Giles says “To forgive is an act of compassion, Buffy. It’s not done because people deserve it. It’s done because they need it.”

In some places, Ted Lasso executes that idea really well. It’s Ted forgiving Rebecca for sabotaging Richmond for a whole season because “divorce is hard.” It’s Ted telling the police that he gave Beard his car. It’s Ted never holding Nate’s betrayal against him, even though it hurt him deeply and personally, and welcoming him back with open arms.

It’s Ted, it’s Ted, it’s Ted.

Of course Ted told Jamie to forgive his father. He couldn’t ever have done anything else.

Also featured in Buffy is the idea that “redemption is a process, not an event” (to quote Mark Field in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Myth, Metaphor, & Morality). This idea shows up again and again, but especially in the characters of Angel, Faith, Spike, and Willow.

One grand gesture is not redemption. Promises are not redemption. Redemption “is fighting. It’s hard and it’s painful and it’s everyday.” 3.10

So no, I don’t think James Tartt has been redeemed. I think he can be. If he tries really, really hard every single day for the rest of his life, then maybe he can be redeemed. He can’t know he will succeed and that’s part of the point: to struggle and fight to be good, not to win back Jamie’s affections or to be considered a good person, but because it’s the right thing to do.

(Doctor Who now: “Goodness is not goodness that seeks advantage. Good is good in the final hour, in the deepest pit, without hope, without witness, without reward.”)

Redemption is Jamie apologising to his teammates, not being a bully again, and actually passing the ball. A (much flimsier) redemption is Nate giving up the glory that he’s chased at everyone else’s expense and going back to being Richmond’s kit boy.

Redemption is not Isaac attacking a homophobic fan because that is an Event, not a Process. (If he wants redemption, he’s going to have to work harder and keep working, but I do have faith that Isaac will get there).

One of the things I like about Ted Lasso is that the characters are imperfect. Always. They work on themselves and try to be better people and they’re still imperfect. When the story ends, Roy is still the kind of guy to get into a fistfight over his ex-girlfriend. Jamie is still the kind of guy to use a leaked sex tape like a weapon when he feels threatened. Rebecca is still the kind of woman who shields herself against a relationship that could really hurt, because she's been burned before. Ted still hides his emotions behind humor and forgives people who don’t deserve it. Beard goes back to Jane.

Do the characters end up better than where they started? I’d say overall, yes. Have they fixed all their flaws and overcome all their struggles? Absolutely not.

All that to say, I like that Jamie went to see his father. Personally, I think that's going to go terribly and James is going to let him down again. I don't think James Tartt deserves forgiveness or a second chance. But Jamie has to be Jamie. And Jamie was always going to forgive his father the second James Tartt showed the slightest hint of trying to reform himself.

[eyesonstars-feetonground]

Ted Lasso 3x12: Why the Finale Felt a Bit Hollow

I genuinely think the only way to end Ted’s arc was to have him return to Henry. There’s no world in which he would ask his son to move across the world to him, much less not return to him. And so much of Ted’s pain is centered around being far from Henry. In a way, being a parent does really overshadow every other part of your life...some are saying Ted has gotten reduced down to just his fatherhood, but the point is that for him, and for a lot of parents, your child is your number one priority even if there’s a thousand more things on the other side of the scale. Henry needs him, and Richmond doesn’t, so there’s no way to justify the distance that Ted himself admits he keeps partly because he’s afraid of when Henry will leave him. It is beautiful that he can be confident now and take up the space he deserves in Kansas, in his son’s life. I hope Michelle gets it together, and hopefully that scene with Dr. Jacob being an asshole is what that’s about. 

I will read a hundred fics about Ted staying with Richmond to soothe the pain, and I’ve been rotating it in my mind all day. I also don’t particularly ship anyone but Roy and Jamie, so Ted’s ending isn’t about that for me. 

However, what really bugged me is that it seems like the show is treating Ted moving away to Kansas as if he will literally never talk to or see these people again, as if he didn’t involve himself with Henry’s life as much as possible from an ocean away. Why would the inverse not hold true with his other family, with his platonic soulmate and best friend(s) and pseudo child?? I am definitely buying into the dream sequence theory at the end bc otherwise that is what really pushes this into sad territory for me...why would he not be a part of those memories, those futures to come, as a friend and family member?

It seemed like the show couldn’t decide, like Ted was checked out of all of these emotional goodbyes where other people tried to tell him over and over again that they loved him and wanted him, without showing deep sadness or telling them to visit or giving a rambling Ted story. I’m hoping that’s because it’s a huge life change, but not one that moves him to sadness, because he’ll continue being there for them, and they’ll continue being there for him. 

I would have loved some reassurance though...Ted promising to call every day at Biscuits with the Boss time...Rebecca giving him a permanent airfare ticket so he can be flying in and out all the time, bringing Henry with him! Ted going to Richmond games whenever he can, Ted remembering birthdays and going to the book release and taking up space when the Higgins get everyone together. Ted showing back up with Henry, Sleepless in Seattle style, being greeted by Rebecca and the rest of the team to spend weeks and months back in his other home. Ted getting FaceTimed for advice about relationships and promotions and girl talk and the Diamond Dogs group chat and how to make a Richmond charity or women’s team or kid’s outreach program (best way to make Rebecca a mom in my opinion). Ted being a consultant bc Rebecca refuses to take him off the payroll until they win the whole thing, Ted being loved by the fans and journos even from afar, even years later. Ted being happy to be in London as a tourist with his son, with all that wonder and joy and optimism now that he can resolve the ache of both of his lives being one life! And vice versa, Rebecca and Beard constantly visiting, dragging Keeley or Roy or Nate with them, the players spending off season learning about Kansas and playing with Henry, celebrating holidays together !! The fans who now own 49% of the club being ok with some of its budget being “wasted” just making sure Ted and the team continue to be with each other in some way. Ted visiting and being greeted by all the people he talks to during his morning routine as if he never left. 

I just hope that he’s not cutting himself out of his community. It is about you, Ted. It is. 

Hope he creates a beautiful, whole life in Kansas (ideally in my mind he coaches a women’s soccer team there and then eventually moves back to Richmond to coach their women’s soccer team like years in the future, once Henry is an adult), but also continues therapy enough to know that he isn’t Mary Poppins!! He’s a Dorothy that loved Oz, he’s a Maria that deserves the Von Trapps. He’s the main character, he’s not a magical mentor type. He has immensely wealthy people who love him, he can make it work both ways. Some of the money that could have been his salary can instead be his travel and phone bill money. 

It’s a dream sequence not only because it had some truly unrealistic stuff in it (Jane and Beard getting married at Stonehenge, Rebecca meeting Dutch man despite the magic of their story being its ephemeral nature, Jamie with his dad, Trent taking out so much of Ted from the book cover/title after he said he wouldn’t change anything) but because, for me, the only part of the finale that was truly disappointing was the regression of Ted thinking he exists only to make those moments possible for others, with no place for himself within them. 

In a finale that didn’t really feel like an ending (in a good way!), where so many storylines didn’t get resolved because the point is that the characters will keep growing and changing and evolving beyond what we see of them, because now they have the tools to do that, I can’t Believe that the one hard ending we got was Ted’s life with Richmond. So I won’t.

[peraltiagos-paper-rings]

ok maybe i missed something but...why was it not an option for henry and michelle to move to richmond?? like i know people have said "stop acting like ted has NOTHING to go back to, he surely has friends and colleagues and extended family back in kansas" and sure but idk i just feel we haven't seen enough of his home life in kansas to really care about the people he left behind other than henry, plus we really don't see him feeling homesick for kansas or missing anyone from kansas other than henry?? so it really feels to me that he just went home to his son, his ex-wife and his mom who he has a complicated relationship with and maybe some friends he hasn't seen in years, meanwhile his best friend and his found family are all back in richmond.

and i kinda feel the same about michelle like you might say it wouldn't be fair to expect her to just uproot her life for her ex-husband, leave her job and her friends and family behind, but again we don't really know enough about her personal life or her job or her friends or anything so like...i'm just not invested enough in her to care if she has to leave people behind, sorry i guess?? same with henry, i'm sure he has friends in kansas but he can still stay in touch with them in richmond, the internet exists, and he can play roblox with them like he does with ted and stuff like that.

and it just feels like henry would've loved living in richmond. he could move there with his mom so he'd have both of his parents and uncle beard close to him, he'd be able to go to football games and see his favourite footballer jamie tartt and also visit his dad's cool job where nate is and the richmond boys will play football with him. plenty of parents move their kids closer to where their jobs are so it wouldn't be unusual. and rebecca offered to find michelle a nice job and get henry into a good school, so there's that covered. it's kind of implied that henry's struggling at school, he's failing science - maybe he wouldn't mind going to a new school. maybe they could've had it so that that random bullying arc would encourage him to want to move to richmond. like instead of him randomly bullying a kid, maybe he's being bullied at school and doesn't like his teachers (hence why he's doing bad in some classes) so he'd be glad to go to a new school. obviously we don't know this is happening i'm just saying they could've rewritten that arc to give henry the push to want to go live with ted in richmond.

it's also implied that henry doesn't like dr jacob and there might be a strain on michelle's relationship with dr jacob - during the match he's sitting apart from them, clearly not interested in the match while they keep shushing him, idk it just gave the vibe of him pulling away from them and having nothing in common with them, on top of the implication that michelle and dr jacob did not get engaged in paris when perhaps it would've been expected for them to. so if michelle breaks up with dr jacob and moves to richmond with henry, that could make them both happy. plus if henry really is struggling with missing his dad, that would also be fixed by him moving to richmond. and ted would be able to stay in this whole community that loves him and supports him.

i also just don't like the implication that ted just cut everyone out of his life after going back to kansas?? maybe i'm overreacting but like, him not being at his best friend beard's wedding or at the team gathering at the higginses or anything showing he's aware that sam made it onto the nigerian national team, like it really seems he just isn't in any of their lives anymore??? they all just moved on like he was never there???? i know their lives don't have to come to a standstill just because he isn't there but idk it just made me feel sad to see them all there together without him and without even a hint of his presence in their lives, like not even a "hey congrats!" text or a good luck card from ted on roy's desk or anything...it makes me wonder if he did the same when he came to richmond and stopped staying in contact with anyone in kansas, like maybe he really does have no one close to him other than michelle and henry back in kansas. when we see his texts on his phone in one episode, i think in "we'll never have paris," i'm pretty sure we don't see any recent texts to or from anyone other than richmond members and michelle...

[jamietarttsdanglyearring]

So you know how we have all agreed that there will be an airport scene next scene, and discussions on who’s going to chase Ted at the airport? Here’s my pitch. Everyone. The Richmond boys, Rebecca, Roy, Keeley, Nate, heck let’s get Nate to drag his parents and Jade into this, Trent, Beard and he brings Jane too. Will and his mom, Higgins and his wife and kids, Phoebe and Roy’s sister, Mae and the pub trio. Maybe some of the team drag their families too. Even all the other journalists who do the press conferences, that dude who always calls Ted a wanker, Dr Sharon, the staff of Ola’s, Rebecca’s mum, Barbara somehow gets involved. I could go on, but I think I’m out of character ideas. Wait, throw in Mae’s niece Claire in.

I just think that be cute and funny.

[coachbeards]

also it’s interesting to note that the people not speaking up about beardjane have a reason that. isn’t beard related at all. Ted won’t speak up since he did so for another friend and that didn’t end well. Rebecca telling Higgins not to speak up because it never worked well with her own parents. Nate doesn’t say anything because his own dad interfered in a relationship and that’s affected him since. Hm

[onceuponaoneshotfanfic]

What are you headcanons about your favorite OC?

Also, are they headcanons if you made up the OC?

Are they headcanons if it's my character? Maybe?? Either way, enjoy my random thoughts about Bucky & Roy because I'm so obsessed with them. (Some of these things are actually going to end up being blurbs once the main series ends, so spoilers for Something There I guess?)

Bucky is a huge baseball fan and gets Roy to watch with her; he throws popcorn or whatever he's holding at the screen whenever her ex is playing.

Her parents, especially her mom, don't always understand how deep her love of soccer is, but they definitely support her and are proud of her. They even ended friendships with people who made snide comments about the gala photos.

Bucky becomes Roy's co-coach for Phoebe's team. She initially volunteers to be his assistant coach, but Roy refused to ever call her his "assistant".

Roy remembers which journalists were cruel to Bucky and ignores them at press conferences. The ones who stood up for her, on the other hand, always get their questions answered and are even offered exclusive interviews. (Once, the cruel journalists all found tacks on their chairs. No one could prove Roy did it, but Nate and Beard thought it was strange that their office was suddenly out of tacks.)

They attend every match they can to cheer each other on. Roy has been known to fly out immediately after Greyhound games to go see Bucky coach the Whippets in an away game.

The Greyhounds have a running tally of how many times each player has walked in on the managers making out around the Dog Track. (Dani is in the lead because he's bad at knocking, although Will has had more incidents than anyone else at Nelson Road.)

As soon as they become official, Ted and Rebecca insist on a double date. Roy definitely moans and groans about the idea, but it quickly becomes a monthly occurrence for the two couples.

When Bucky moves in, the first thing Roy does is set up a display for her Olympic Gold Medal. Eventually, they set up a display for all of their football medals and trophies; Roy makes sure that medal is front and center.

Speaking of the medal, Roy constantly brags about it. "Have you met my girlfriend? She's a fucking Olympic champion" becomes his new catchphrase. Bucky finds it incredibly flattering.

Whenever the US and England play, they get super competitive about it. (And when they start having kids? There's actual screaming matches over which kit the Kent kids wear. They do find a good compromise: when it's the men playing, the kids wear England. When it's the women, they wear the US.)

Speaking of kids, Roy and Buck constantly fight over their kids calling it "football" or "soccer"; all of Richmond has gotten involved in this one.

(I've got lots of thoughts about Roy and Bucky's little family tbh.)

Bucky keeps her name, and Roy is incredibly diligent about correcting people who call her "Mrs. Kent". In fact, Roy's the only person who can do that, and he only calls her that when he's feeling particularly romantic.

I've got like a million more thoughts about these two, they're my everything 😭❤️

[bombshellsandbluebells]

Ok throwing out a bunch of Ted Lasso finale theories just so I can pat myself on the back if any are correct:

- Ted’s going home. His story is not ending in romance because it’s never really been about that. It’s been about healing and moving on and Richmond has helped him do that as much as he’s helped them, but ultimately his heart is with his son and he needs to be there.

- Jamie’s injury is going to keep him from playing - which is fine. He’s gotten to a place where it’s not all about himself anymore, it’s about supporting the team, and he made his big contribution last episode. He’s also gotten to a point where it’s not all about winning, it’s just about enjoying it. I actually think him cheering from the sidelines while his team wins it might be the perfect place to end his story (especially since he had his moment.)

- Above means two big things I think: 1) Richmond NEEDS Nate’s strategic genius because the style that’s been making them win all season is very reliant on Jamie. Nate will know how to come up with something new that works. And 2) Sam needs to get his big win this season, he’s just had loss after loss so far. Would love for him to be key to their winning.

- Rebecca is going to find love again and I really, really hope it’s not with a random stranger we meet in the last episode so it probably means either she’s going to date Sam again (there’s been too many nods to their feelings for each other in the recent eps) or she’s going to (hopefully) find Mr. Amsterdam Man again

- reappearance of Michael finally? getting to see Colin be open with his boyfriend in front of his teammates 

- either it’s going to hint at RoyJamieKeeley endgame or Keeley is going to tell Roy she wants to be single right now because SOMETHING was up with her not immediately wanting to be a couple again last ep and we don’t really have the time to address it, so they probably won’t officially get back together but maybe it will leave it somewhat open ended?

- we will hear something more about Trent’s book - maybe even end with Trent narrating some of it

- Beard is staying in England, for sure. He, Roy, and Nate will make the new dream team at Richmond.

- I think the Pub Boys are going to somehow know about Ted leaving and get emotional about it. I think it’d be nice to see.

- I previously said that Richmond was going to 100% win because nothing else made sense, but then Dottie had a line how in parenting sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but mostly you just tie. And if this show is about ANYTHING, it’s about parents. So there’s some possibility for a tie. And one last nod to Ted finding that ridiculous. (I will still lean mostly towards win, but I also know they love subverting expectations and now you could argue there’s some foreshadowing for it.)

- I cry.

[borealing]

im neck deep in delusionality babes and boyos nothing was resolved because we're getting three more seasons. jamie roy and keeley? three more seasons. ted not getting to put himself first and chase his own bliss? three more seasons. rebecca and keeleys womens football team? three more seasons. beards parenting journey? three more seasons. nate coaching hos favourite boys again? three more seasons.

[showyoumyfavoriteobsession]

long-ass tl post below. i'm not trying to start shit i'm just venting bc i've been thinking about this episode for like 12 hours today lol

man. anyway. there were definitely good moments in the finale but I was just so disappointed by the execution of almost all of the storylines' conclusions.

I want to start off that I'm not particularly broken up by any of the ships we thought would happen not happening in and of themselves, but the way we got jerked around this season for all of these storylines to have no real resolution is really frustrating.

The Roy/Keeley/Jamie triangle is a big one for me. We spent all of this season developing all of their characters individually, focused on Roy and Jamie becoming friends (which was great and one of the strongest parts of the season!), and then we wrap it up with... a literal fistfight and shitty, sexist pronouncements of ownership? Taking the foundations of their relationships, the things they've been working on for three seasons - trust, communication, accountability - and just throwing it out the window? And for what?

The Beard/Jane thing makes me absolutely furious. This is the plot thread that makes this finale feel the most rushed and shoehorned, as if they were planning to go somewhere else and just didn't have time. What was the fucking point of Beard After Hours if they were heading towards this shit the whole time

(I do think that montage at the end was supposed to be a dream, but Beard leaving the plane for Jane wasn't!! And if Ted was imagining Beard and Jane being happy together forever that's still pretty fucked up!!)

What was the fucking point of the Zava storyline. What was the fucking point of the Jack storyline. What was the fucking point of the Shandy storyline. What was the fucking point of the Tish storyline. What was the fucking point of Trent's book

(i edited that above bullet like three times while writing the rest of this post because i kept remembering other storylines that went nowhere lol)

Ted himself was giving absolutely nothing during this episode. I thought he was being quiet and reserved because he was bottling up to have a breakdown of some kind towards the end, but he just seemed... empty. Even his final speech to the team felt distant. I couldn't tell if he was conflicted about leaving, happy about leaving... I get the future was supposed to be ambiguous, but I couldn't even tell if he would ever want to go back to Richmond for a visit.

It's been pointed out before (and I agree) that the actor playing Henry is... not the best. He's very flat in a lot of the emotional scenes that he's in, and it made it harder to believe that he really missed Ted that much, especially in 3x08, which was probably supposed to be an important link in that storyline. But I can't blame him for everything - there hasn't been a lot in the script for him, so Dottie's "your son misses you" last week felt kind of unearned. And Ted's reaction to it last week felt real! But then there's barely anything in this episode that makes it feel like he's actually excited to see his son again. (When Henry was coming to visit in season 1, he was tracking the plane! He was chatting about it to Beard and Nate and Rebecca! In this episode we got one text of a gif.) If Ted's story was actually about the sacrifices of being a parent, why don't we get one (1) scene expressing that?

Nate. I really really really wanted to like Nate's storyline this season and the conclusion still kind of pissed me off. It was really that all the important parts were offscreen in this episode - did he choose to be a (assistant) kit man again or was he demoted? How did the team welcome him back? What was Ted and his reunion like? The only good thing was Nick Mohammed's acting - his apology to Ted just instantly made me start crying - but it was like a 2-minute scene! We couldn't have cut that stupid K/J/R scene for more closure on Nate?? There's something to him being back in the same place but more secure in himself, but we didn't actually get to see him choose it in any real way.

I was a big Ted/Rebecca fan in the earlier seasons, but I truly would have fine with them being completely platonic, and by the middle of this season, I was thinking they probably would be. Unfortunately, by this episode they don't even feel like friends anymore. Again, Ted is just doing absolutely nothing during their scene in the stands, and barely anything more at the airport scene. Where's the trust? The openness? And again, all the hints, the misdirects, the biscuits with the boss, the army men... and for what? To barely look each other in the eye, to leave with no promise that they'll ever see each other again?

Again, I do think the montage towards the end was a dream, but Rebecca reuniting with the Dutch guy felt like another really sloppy ending. We didn't spend an entire episode with them specifically not learning each other's names for them to suddenly be soulmates

Overall, I felt like this season varied in quality pretty drastically from episode to episode. I do think part of it was that they wrote seasons 1 and 2 back-to-back before any of it was released, and then this season was written after the huge response to the first two seasons. The rest of this is pure speculation, but I've thought a couple times this season that it felt a little "tryhard", like they were suddenly self-conscious of the goofiness and earnestness of the show but still wanted to do it. And now it feels like all of that led to last-minute rewrites, plots getting shifted around due to audience reactions, and maybe some marvel-style spoiler avoidance (that thing where whenever something leaks/gets guessed, they just change the script to something else to 'preserve the surprise' even if it makes no sense). It's fine when this show is predictable! The first two seasons were still fun when they were predictable!! It seems a little bit like this season was left open-ended in case they decide to do another season or something, but they did the rest of the show such a disservice by doing this that I'm not that interested in anything else they want to say past this point. This whole season, all the plot threads that went nowhere, I still trusted that the writers had a plan to tie it all together in the end because they've done it before, and this is what we got.

There's a place for ambiguity, but when everything is left ambiguous it's just sloppy. If we weren't sure where Ted's mind was at OR Roy/Keeley/Jamie was still up in the air OR Nate's future was uncertain OR Rebecca had maybe found a healthy relationship... any of those would have been fine, but when you have all of them unresolved it feels like no one wanted to commit to actually ending the thing.

whew. anyway. it's just such a bummer when a show you've gotten invested in shoots itself in the foot like this. this post is already too long but i'm going to end with the moments i did like:

I actually liked (most of) the opening scene, it made me laugh maybe more than anything else. I had just convinced myself that no, they're never actually going to have a canonical throuple on this show, and then I really thought for a second that they just plunked Ted/Rebecca/Beard down in front of us with no warning lol

Colin! I'm happy he got his happy ending.

Frankly, my general disinterest in Trent and, to a lesser extent, Colin, really stemmed from the fandom valorization of them from the very first season. It felt like (and I think it was, at least for a while!) that very Tumblr thing of "paying vastly more attention to conventionally attractive white men in very minor roles than any women or people of color that have actual storylines". But they had really good storylines this season - some of the better ones - and I really enjoyed them as written! I just still find their fandoms kind of annoying.

The scenes with Jamie and Roy (before they go to Keeley's) were mostly really lovely. I think that's been the strongest subplot of this season, and it's been a real joy to watch.

(i just realized 'joy' could be a ship name for jamie/roy lmao)

In a general sense, I really like that a lot of the major characters did not end up in romantic relationships, because those aren't the most important journeys they went on. Obviously I have quibbles about the execution (and larger quibbles about the ones who did (see above)), but I love that as an overall message.

Roy going to therapy!! You absolutely love to see it!!!

i keep trying to think of other stuff and keep coming up with more stuff i'm irritated about and it's past midnight so i'm going to stop lol. definitely going to be sitting on this episode/show for a bit but. yeah

The return of the Believe sign. As I've said, I'm a sucker for some well-timed cheese, and that was a really sweet scene.

ETA: OH the diamond dogs scene was actually lovely!! It got so lost in the rest of this episode but it was the only part that attempted to address the actual themes of the show!

[jvstheworld]

My Ted Lasso Re-watch: S1E5 (part 3)

Tan Lines

Jamie isn't part of the power circle because he still doesn't understand that it's not all about him.

The chant he does is annoying.

Ted starting to become angry at Jamie's behaviour but is only stopped by Henry running in.

Ted's sigh when Henry starts doing the chant is every parent when they know they are going to be hearing the same song on repeat, non-stop. Even though he doesn't live with Henry at the moment, it's was just an automatic reaction for him.

Yes, don't humanise the human just trying to do his job.

Jamie's showboating is annoying as fuck.

Roy is rightfully pissed off at Jamie. Sam is down, he becomes the priority. Roy knows this from experience and helps Sam look like a hero for getting back up. Something Sam will later repay this to Roy at the end of the season.

All of Jamie's antics just makes Ted's decision to bench him easier. He has a plan and he needs Jamie that it cannot be all about him. He needs to work with his team mates because neither him or the team can get better. He'll get it eventually as he's the first one one the team to get Ted's Total Football plan, but right now he is just a prick.

Roy commands the locker room and Isaac makes space for Nate to sit down too.

Ted relating his life to what the team is going through. He has a story for everything. Reminds me of Raymond Reddington from The Blacklist who can pull of story from anywhere, in any situation.

Ted isn't just talking about the team, but about him and Michelle. Only Beard realises this which is why he says 'good save' when Ted has to reaffirm that he is talking about football. And it's also why Beard appears with a pint for Ted when he says goodbye to Michelle and Henry.

Ted wants all eyes on him to say one last thing, but slaps the shit out of the believe poster. He went to the Captain Holt school of commanding attention.

Yeah Roy, we all know you hate Jamie. You don't exactly hide it. Even Sam is fed up of hearing how much Roy hates Tartt.

Richmond gets their first win! Everyone but Rebecca and Jamie are happy about it.

Nate jumping on Ted will late be used as a Christmas present for Ted in season 2.

A Back To The Future reference. Will later be mentioned in the final Diamond Dogs meeting.

Henry is making the long run to see his dad this time.

Ted explaining to Henry what a wanker is. Oh honey. He's not technically wrong, he just left some details out.

Rebecca is starting to feel a twinge of guilt about her plan after seeing Henry and Ted together. As she should.

The parallel between how Ted and Michelle met and Roy and Keeley now.

Shannon keeping Henry busy while Ted and Michelle talk. We needed to see more of her.

Ted doesn't like quitting things because that how he saw what his dad did. He does want to do the same to the people in his own life. But he's not quitting the marriage, he's letting himself and Michelle move on from something that isn't working anymore. He's tried to make it work, through couples counselling, and then by giving Michelle space, but it's hasn't worked. It's okay the let go at that point they both need to find their own happiness, unfortunately it isn't together. But they have Henry and he will be their priority from now on. They make for better co-parents than spouces.

But holy hell does everyone sell this scene. As much as I might not be the biggest fan of Michelle, mostly because of her criticism of Ted's personality (girl, you married him. You knew what he was like) and her relationship with Dr Jacob being a bit sketchy, she is still hurting too. She love him and now she's lost that. It's not something she intended, just something that happened over time. And by this episode she was kind of done trying, as much as she might say she wants to try, she really didn't. She knew it was over and didn't want to admit it. She was making herself more miserable. And my heart breaks for Ted because he would do anything to stay with the woman he loves, because despite it all, he does love her. He never lost it. I can't imagine how it must feel to be told that the person you love most in the world no longer feels the about you. All he wanted to do was be a good husband but there's nothing he can do to make it right. So they only option he has left is to let her go. The only good thing to come out of this is that it's amicable. There's no hate or malice, just two people who drifted apart and now need to focus on their son.

Beard is the best friend Ted could have, he's always there when needed. Get a friend like Beard.