#best ted lasso ep by far

[brightyearning]

sorry but anyone who wanted Ted and Rebecca to get together, as if they weren't giving step siblings the entire series, is batshit crazy

[redshoes-blues]

Oh we were FED

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: June 2023

Summer months here we go! Just wrapped up my time with Zelda so I foresee more reading and tv in my future again. In the meantime, here’s how I spent June!

……….FILM……….

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023) Saw it twice and the first time was very nearly too much to take in. The second viewing was far less overwhelming and still a joy. While it didn’t feel like a complete story following Miles, at least there’s some satisfying conclusion with Gwen. I’m glad part 2 comes out in less than a year. 

Ali Wong: Baby Cobra (2016) Maybe I wasn’t in the right mood or maybe going with one of her older specials wasn’t the right call but I wasn’t really feeling it. I can see hints of overlapping themes that pop up in BEEF (which I loved and why I wanted to watch one of her specials) but that was more interesting than it was funny. Still gonna check out her other specials.

Goldeneye (1995) I have more memories playing the game than watching the movie but still a big fan of this flick. Really great characters and locales and I forgot just how comedic it is. So many one-liners! Always feels a little long at the end but worth it to see Boris’ death scene.

Encanto (2021) Late to seeing this and really great! Beautiful and personal and peak musical songs where characters basically ONLY share their personality through song.

……….TELEVISION……….

Ted Lasso (Episode 3.11 to 3.12) I was really dragging my feet about finishing the series as I found season 3 wasn’t as consistently enjoyable to watch. But those last two eps really stuck the landing. Some beats were expected, some were welcome surprises, and there were so many callbacks that were naturally woven in that I was really impressed. Some of the best from the season (and on par with the rest of the series) and I’m really glad I finished it.

……….YOUTUBE……….

Do "gun buybacks" work? by Vox A really succinct breakdown of how the US can do better, and an honest look at why this needs to be a part of a more complex plan. VIDEO

Agnostic TTRPG Prep Method by Map Crow Really fun way to use all the books that you’re not currently using! Watch the vid and then if you like the process you can pick up the bundle HERE (not affiliated, just a fan). VIDEO

The Station Toronto Needs by RMTransit Hey I’m a big fan of trains and I just found this channel. This was my first introduction to them but I’m keen to watch more. More trains! VIDEO

How Editing Creates Comedies That Make You Cry... by The Editing Podcast Another channel I recently came across and I’m keen to watch more. I know very little about editing but am keen to learn more.  VIDEO

……….READING……….

Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber (Page 7 of 285) Clearly I’ve only just started this (thanks to me dragging my feet on The Righteous Mind) but really excited to dig deeper. The prologue is the original essay that inspired the book and that alone already has so much in it! A really great primer and I wasn’t expecting it to lay a lot of the blame at capitalism’s feet so I think it’s gonna be a great read. 

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt (Complete) The first time I read this (at a time when the COVID-19 vaccine was just coming out and folks were choosing not to get it) the book really helped me understand the reasoning behind other people’s choices. For that it was really helpful. This time around, with more time and more political moves behind us, I find it glaringly obvious just how out of touch (or conservative-leaning) this book is. There’s a whole section about how the free market and capitalism is good for healthcare. Wild stuff. If you want more in-depth reviews explaining why this didn’t sit right with me this time around, I found Storygraph had a lot of great write-ups (also Storygraph is great if you want an alternative to the amazon-owned Goodreads).

Delicious in Dungeon Vol. 12 by Ryoko Kui (Complete) Listen I sing this series’ praises every time I read a volume and this is no different. Somehow the story, setting, and characters grow while still remaining connected to the main theme of “what if we ate the monsters we fought in an RPG?” It’s truly top-tier and I can’t stress enough that if you like charming, funny, expertly-illustrated comics, you should try out this series.

The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips, and Elizabeth Dismang (Complete) Really fun read. Old Hollywood murder mystery with a lot of really nuanced characters. The resolution felt a little abrupt and unsatisfying, but without giving anything away I think it was appropriate. I’m also not sure if it was a stylistic choice but all of the women have different shadows than the men. It feels like they’re living in two different worlds but maybe that’s intentional? Still really great.

……….AUDIO……….

PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation by King Gizzard (2023) Loved King Giz’s first foray into metal and this continues that trend. I may not love everything that they do, but I love that they do everything that they do.

……….GAMING……….

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The Tuesday Crew is currently up against a young dragon (Dragonette) plaguing a mine (recap HERE) while the Mof1 Crew is divided across Munchkin District and each dealing with their own small crisis. They say never split the party but I think the trouble gets way more interesting when you do.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo) Finally moving on from this after countless hours spent in this world and it’s all bittersweet. Loved the familiar stuff, loved the new stuff, and loved the overall arc of the game. Hopefully the next game in the series goes back to something smaller and focused.

And that’s it. See you in July!

[thetarttfuldickhead]

Watching ep 3 again and once again being struck by how everyone just laughs along when Roy calls Jamie a “fragile little bitch”, even when we literally saw his dad call him a “moody bitch” at Man City.

In conclusion I think Jamie should have been allowed to punch Zava

Hi there, Joy! Lovely to hear from you again!

This is a rather uncomfortable moment, to be sure. I very much feel your annoyance on Jamie’s behalf.

In the coaches’ defence, I don’t think it’s likely that they all remember exactly what was said in the locker room: we can rewatch the whole thing as often as we like but they only saw it happen once, and Ted was quietly freaking out for his own reasons during that whole mess. Still, they do know the general shape of what sort of things Tartt Sr. says to Jamie, and so you’d think they’d be a little more careful with their own words.

I mean, you wouldn’t really think it of Roy. “Fragile little bitch” is still par for course for the two of them at this point. Even if it’s often unfair to Jamie and the progress he’s made, I think that Roy struggles with accepting how far Jamie has come at times. (I also thinks this has more to do with Roy’s own issues than his issues with Jamie. He feels stuck in his misery and old habits and then there’s Jamie just evolving right in front of him. Can’t always be easy.)

To be honest, though, I’m not sure they rest of them exactly laugh along. We don’t see Beard’s reaction, Trent remains largely neutral and while Ted does agree with Roy’s assessment and even thanks him for it, he’s not actually laughing? It’s not like they’re making fun of Jamie (I don’t think), and they’re not entirely wrong, you know? Jamie is fragile; he does have a huge ego and does not react well to having it bruised. At the same time, though, he is really, really resilient and have worked very hard on becoming a better person who does not reflexively act out when hurt or challenged. The coaches clearly underestimates him throughout the whole Zava interlude – but I also think that if Jamie had been moved down to midfield, that might have been a straw too much and he might well have reacted more volatilely.

Or maybe not. As I said, our boy’s done a lot of growing.

But yeah, I am particularly annoyed with Ted for not objecting to Roy’s choice of words (compare, for instance, with him expressing his disagreement with Jamie calling Roy ‘old’ and ‘twat’ in 2x07). As for why he doesn’t… I think it’s because it’s Roy. Ted knows he’s more bark than bite, figures that this is just the way he talks and there’s no point in trying to correct it, so he just moves past it instead. More to do with what he figures is the best way to handle Roy than it is do to with Jamie, really. It’s not great, to be sure, but alas, people are imperfect and we all of us mess up at time, the Ted Lasso coaches very much included.

And I mean, it’s not like Zava’s the real problem here – it’s everyone else’s (and particularly the coaches’) reaction and deference to him. So, Jamie should punch no one, but feel fucking proud of himself for bringing his concerns to Ted, still doing the best for his team, and striving to improve himself. There should also be a lot of hugs, appreciative words and maybe a tiny little gala held in his honour. Give him a chance to dress up, he’d enjoy that. There could be speeches. Balloons with his face on.

[thisonesatellite]

i was tagged by the lovely and wonderful @booksandabeer . Thank you, darling. (Transatlantic is now officially on my watch list.)

last song: People of the Sun - Rage Against The Machine

Rage slaps harder than coffee and sometimes i need that in the morning.

last show: Shadow & Bone S2

Yes. i know i'm so behind. But last year work was such that i fell behind on everything and i've spent this whole year so far catching up. i have managed to binge Stranger Things S3 AND S4 (do you see how far behind i was?), Obi Wan, Book of Boba Fett, Mandalorian S3, and The Last of Us, as well as make a small dent in the back catalogue in the shape of Leverage, Leverage Redemption, Dopesick, and The Librarians. All since December. So do not come at me with my tardiness. i'm doing my best. 😘

last movie: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3

i have gone to see every single MCU movie since Iron Man on opening night and despite the MCU's descent into madness and disappointment i can't stop now, you feel me. Having said that i think that Guardians was a good movie, not least because it was refreshingly self contained. i loved the fact that for a change the entire Fate Of The Universe And Everyone In It did not hang in the balance. As Angela says in Bones, "Sometimes you don't save the world. Sometimes you just make your friend happy." EXACTLY.

Also, James Gunn listened to the exact same albums as a teenager as i did, i will die on that hill. Obscure 80s British post punk anyone? Late 70s Springsteen? Parliament, Cheap Trick, Spacehog, Faith No More, Three Dog Night, fucking X? The fact that Gunn plastered a The The song across one of the emotional turning points of this movie - i almost stood up and clapped. IN THE MOVIE THEATER. (i would never. i am the person who will ask you to stop talking if you sit next to me and don't shut up. And i will be firm about it.)

If Star-Lord ever returns to the tunes of New Model Army or Mother Love Bone, i will die.

currently watching: Justified and The Umbrella Academy S3.

Still trying to make a dent in the current and back-catalogue watchlist. Do not say the word Witcher in my presence. 😂 Or Ted Lasso, which i will binge the moment the last ep drops, no matter what series i'm in the middle of. Also, now i had to put @booksandabeer's rec Transatlantic on the list WHAT HAVE YOU DONE.

currently reading: DOES IT LOOK LIKE i HAVE TIME TO READ RIGHT NOW? i BARELY HAVE TIME TO WRITE. 😂 But actually, if audiobooks count, i'm listening to An Economic History of The World since 1400 (from The Great Courses), because macroeconomics are fucking fascinating, ok? i think macroeconomic trends, constraints, and ambitions are the only reason human beings as a whole have ever done anything, ever, (and by macroeconomics i don't mean money).

All this while a stack of books collects dust on my night stand.

current obsession: the aforementioned macroeconomics, stucky (there's the historical event AND a cold war east germany spy fic to write, i'm looking at you @bittersweet-in-boston). There is also an epic dramione idea i had last year which is starting to seriously snap at my heels. i might have to visit that sandbox again. (Forgive me @mysteriouscatstellation)

Also, how do i get rid of the need to sleep? Those are hours i could use, people. Anyone have tips?

Damn, this got so long. That was way more answer than any of you were looking for, wasn't it.

Absolutely zero-pressure-tags: @cable-knit-sweater, @crisis-froggo, @mwritesff, @voylitscope, @controlofwhatido, @ace-in-reserve

[algumaideia]

NEMI!! i have sososo many questions about ted lasso for you :)) firstly what episode are you on, who is your favourite character and i NEED to know your thoughts on jamie tartt so far

Theodore!

I only watched ep 1. I really liked the friendship between the coaches. The owner of the club is a queen and a girlboss, like a gif was the best line of the episode. I remember the name of 3 characters: Nathan, Ted Lasso and Trent. I bet Ted is going to have a mental breakdown. I'm curious to see what they are going yo do with Nathan.

*after Google search* I did not like Jamie and the whole team attitude towards his girlfriend. And I would like to know what his girlfriend thought about Ted. She seems nice I want to see more of her.

I also think the idea that Ted went to England bc his wife wanted some space to coach a sport he knew nothing about very funny.

But I'm on ep 1 so I don't have much to say.

[feijoaaas]

i bet they’ll reboot fr!ends any day now (dear apollo plz don’t find this post)

[akajustmerry]

tbh I've never heard about spec fic but it sounds super interesting! do you have any recs? or favourites? (both literature and movies) thanks and have a lovely day!

hello! I can and with pleasure! also you definitely have heard of it! I forgot to mention in the other ask that spec fic is more commonly known as 'Dystopia' or 'Near Future' fiction and includes things like The Hunger Games, Fahrenheit 451, 1984 by George Orwell, Divergent 🤢, etc. I just prefer the term Speculative Fiction because it allows way more nuance than 'Dystopia' but is a more specific term than Science Fiction.

Anyways, here are my movie/book recs

Children of Men (the book and the film). Both the book and the film are quite different but not in a bad way in a way that shows how one story sort of has to be told differently on different mediums. Literally my fave book and movie ever though.

The Purge Films - specifically, the original trilogy. These are considered pretty graphic in their violence though so fair warning. BUT I really love The Purge as spec fic that specifically looks at the intersection of how government sanctioned violence discourages class consciousness

Brave New World (2020 TV series) - this probably leans a little more to the scifi side of spec fic, but it's a watch you won't forget. I really loved it because it did away with a lot of the racism/eugenics untertone of the novel and just focused more on the social absurdity of a society where people are essentially products produced and raised by the state and traditional means of having relationships/raising children is prohibited. It's really funny as well as fascinating.

Never Let Me Go - either the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro or the 2010 film. Both are really great (devastating, stunning) and deal with a near future where cloning technology has advanced far enough that people are cloned and raised purely for organ donation. The story is from the perspective of the clones and how they understand who they are. The movie stars a baby Andrew Garfield if that encourages anyone to watch.

what I like to call Andrew Niccols holy spec film trinity: The Truman Show, GATACCA and In Time. I feel like if there was a director most known for this genre it's him. Truman and GATACCA especially are considered iconic films in this genre and their influence is undeniable

Soulmates (TV) - this is an anthology series in the vein of Black Mirror, but every episode deals with people living in a version of society where there is now a test people can take to match them with their biological soulmate ie your soulmate and you both share a "soulmate gene" unique only to the pair of you. Every ep follows a story exploring how different elements of society would change if this happened. It's written by Ted Lasso's Brett Goldstein. The vibes are immaculate.

Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse - this BOOK is AHHHHHHH. nothing NOTHING is more powerful than Afro-indigenous fiction. This book is a post-climate diaster story about a version of so called America where the climate crisis allowed Natives to take back their lands. It's also got some nice fantasy elements because the main character is a First Nations monster hunter for hire called Magdalena, and she's my wife.

Night Raiders (2021 film) - speaking of Indigenous spec fic, this is one of the best films of the year. Set in a future where the government removes all children from their families once they turn 10 so they can be trained to fight in Climate Wars, it's about an Indigenous resistance group trying to rescue their kids from one of these training facilities. It's an outstanding film.

They Both Die At The End by Adam Silvera - this book is a little divisive because a lot of queer folks just see at as Bury Your Gays the novel which is fair. However, I love it a lot and believe it's not as simple as that. It's set in a world where there is a system that let's people know when they're 24 hours away from dying. They never know how, but they know when. The book is about 2 young moc who fall in love in that 24 hours, but it's really interesting to read all the little world building vignettes of how a society that can notify people of their death would change. I love it so much it's like a speculative take of Aristotle and Dante

Reminiscence (2021) - I fucking LOVED this movie idc that it was panned by critics. Miss Lisa Joy knows the vibes. In this movie, Hugh Jackman runs a technological program called Reminiscence, technology which allows people to relive and project their memories with perfect accuracy. Nostalgia has become quite lucrative since Climate crisis has left the world to a miserable way of life (people can't go outside at all in the day, also sea levels have flooded cities), but the film focuses on Hugh Jackman trying to find a missing person using Reminiscence. I love it. Hate COVID so much for preventing me from seeing it on the Big Screen.

Snowpiercer - either the comic, film or TV series. All of them are excellent. I feel the show is the most fleshed out logistically though so it has the most room to actually fully explore how the whole of society's survivors being confined to a single train actually works. It's most described as a class allegory and it is but the TV series deals with that more intersectionally in relation to eugenics, race, sexuality. The comic/film don't do that cos they don't have the time but still are great class allegories.

I also reccomend Utopia (the 2013 tv series, NOT THE 2020 ONE) and Station Eleven (the novel) for some A+ spec fic. HOWEVER, they deal pretty heavily with pandemic paranoia and while I do love these stories very much they're quite Difficult™ to stomach whilst living in a very real pandemic so take care of yourself with those.

Finally, I feel it's very important to acknowledge authors like Octavia Butler, Ursula Leguin and Margaret Atwood who are foundational influencers and pioneers of this genre. Parable of the Sower, The Left Hand of Darkness and The Handmaid's Tale are at the roots of this genre as much as the works of George Orwell, Ray Bradbury and Philip K Dick. What I listed above were stories I personally love in this genre, but if you're looking to learn about spec fic, it's important to look at its pioneers too.

I feel like this ask is not the place for me to rant about my fave subgenre of spec fic: The Fertility Crisis Cinematic Universe, but I'll save that for later.

Honestly I'm still learning about and exploring this genre too so if anyone has recs or I've missed something critical, I'm all ears!!

[brightyearning]

not me thinking Jamie is in love with his mom for a good chunk of their interaction 😭😭😭

[coffeestainedcamera]

Stumbled across Las Bravas in HBO max's "latest" section and clicked on it bc I was like... Wow, y'all are jumping on that football train after Apple's Ted Lasso?

Pleased to report that it does a completely different thing, two episodes in. Oh, sure, it uses a coach and a tiny football team that management wants to get some professional help for. But it's more of a mean-spirited joke that goes right for sexist football stans' throats.

Roberto is an arrogant douche, quite frankly. Sure, he worked his way up to be the best player in the world and deserves the hype. But his workaholism contributed to the heart attack of episode 1 and the media was all too pleased to tear him a new one as he fell from grace in that forced retirement. He tries to demand the impossible from a pack of schoolkids, and then calls them hopeless. Doesn't even bother to study their opposition in ep 2 and completely fails them as a coach due to it!

And he promptly gets served some humble pie in his hometown, and really, that's where the mean-spirited comedy comes in. Like, the scene where Jacqueline starts grilling him regarding his sexist takes on women's football inside a pink studio that he already seems uncomf at? Legendary behavior, the lady just goes for the jugular.

And really, that scene about sums up the show thus far. It sets you up with a glitzy footballer and then proceeds to tear his unfortunately all too common takes a new one in ways that made me cough-laugh. And he actually starts to learn from the experiences and starts taking Bravas seriously! I've already been annoying my uni friends with my recommendation campaign bc I literally haven't heard anyone else talk about it.

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: May 2023

If you notice I haven’t read as much this month, it’s because I got the new Zelda game. But between my vanquishing of evil I still managed to fit in some other media! Here’s how I spent the month of May.

……….FILM……….

BlackBerry (2023) Having grown up in Waterloo Region I didn’t have any interest in seeing a retelling of the story I mostly knew but this was really great! Surprisingly funny and frenetic and a truly unhinged (in the best way) performance from Glenn Howerton. Good stuff.

John Mulaney: Baby J (2023) I naively thought “I wonder how much this’ll touch on the drug stuff?”... turns out it’s all about the drug stuff. Cool that he was talking about it so openly, and made it so funny, but I wonder if there was more material that got cut? He briefly mentions a trip with his son and I would’ve loved to hear more about that. Anyway as a comedy special it’s really great.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) You know I haven’t been interested in the last few Marvel movies but this one felt like it was going to be different..and it was! So many moving parts but I never had trouble keeping track of character motivations or story beats and the whole thing was really beautiful. I mean even the really gross stuff was fun to watch. Keen to go back and watch this as a trilogy down the road.

The Suicide Squad (2021) I was excited to see Guardians of the Galaxy so at the start of the month I rewatched this. Still impressed at how this can be equal parts a gross out dick joke movie and also built on a foundation of community and family. Builds well, nothing feels repetitive, and the finale doesn’t overstay its welcome. Really great stuff.

……….TELEVISION……….

The Bear (Episode 1.01 to 1.03) Never have I felt so stressed watching television. Really captivating episodes and I’m very excited to watch more.

Ted Lasso (Episode 3.08 to 3.10) Maybe it’s the time away from season 1 and 2, or maybe something happened behind the scenes, but season 3 feels different. Some eps really hit, and even some moments within those other episodes, but it all feels rather unfocused. Maybe it’ll stick the landing but my confidence has been shaken.

The Most Hated Man on the Internet (Episode 1.01 to 1.03) Perfectly paced. Just enough detail to get invested but after 3 eps it felt like I experienced the full journey. Really interested to see the public’s perception of revenge porn shift over time and I can only assume this website (and its founder) played a part in that.

……….YOUTUBE……….

Down the Off-Grid Rabbit Hole... by Maggie Mae Fish Love simultaneously learning about a corner of the internet and also how it’s exploiting others. Just wild. VIDEO

Why so many people need glasses now by Vox Turns out kids need to spend more time outside for legit biological reasons? Who knew. VIDEO

How Nintendo Solved Zelda's Open World Problem by Game Maker’s Toolkit Hey maybe you’ve been playing the new Zelda and if you have, you’ll find this interesting. I sure did. VIDEO

……….READING……….

The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt (Page 165 of 500) The first time I read this, it really helped me understand the perspective some folks take on divisive topics. There was a sort of comfort to finally seeing what they’re seeing. In rereading this, I find myself getting angered while reading. The book is over 10 years old and while still relevant, it often feels quaint when talking about the widening gap between political parties. Its neutrality feels almost naive to me? Maybe I’ve forgotten a key chapter that helps.

The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips (It doesn’t have page numbers...maybe 1/3 of the way through) Murder in old hollywood is just so cool. I’m really digging this so far and the art, characters, and pacing feel thoroughly natural. Every reveal is just so casual cause to these characters, it’s just their lives, and I love that. Big fan so far.

Ultimate Spider-Man Volume 8 by by Brian Michael Bendis, Mark Bagley, and more (Complete) I always liked the smaller stories in this volume that focused on Peter’s personal life...like break-ups and dating other superheroes and stuff. But for some reason the Jean DeWolff/Kingpin/Moon Knight stuff always just felt kinda rushed? I dunno maybe I like everything to be a little more fantastical or suuuuuuper mundane. None of this in-between shenanigans. Give me highschool or give me death.

……….GAMING……….

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo) So good. I walked past a house that was redoing their driveway and had a bunch of construction stuff covered in a tarp and I immediately thought “hmm I wonder what I could build” and that...is the sign that I’ve played this game too much. Big fan 10/10 change nothing.

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The Mof1 Crew did some downtime planning ahead of a heist/attack combo that worked out pretty well! We played out events in weeks instead of in real time (for both the players and their enemies) and it worked pretty well!

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The group is still navigating a rival adventuring party on the island and seeing what happens now that they’ve let their star-collecting duties slip. Big trouble. You can read about it here.

Anyway that’s it. See you in June!

[mindibindi]

Beyond disappointed in Ted Lasso. What were they thinking?!

The writing is a complete betrayal and insult to Rebecca’s character and Hannah’s skills as they’re being seriously underused. It’s also insulting Sam’s character.

Hoping someone pulls Rebecca’s head out of her ass tbh. Sam shouldn’t be getting caught in the crossfire of her looking for romance. I know he showed up at her doorstep but she still should’ve turned him away, and not even messaged him in the first place.

Hey, I'm with you, Anon, though we do seem to be in the minority. Sam is definitely not blameless here, he is also in the wrong. But if one of them is more in the wrong, it is Rebecca. I can't speak to whether her head has left her arse as yet because I have quit watching (at least for now). I hear she called it off with Sam in the most recent ep, though not because of any major crisis of conscience or because anyone in her inner circle expressed any reasonable reservations in response to her bad behaviour. And to be honest, I'm not sure we should need to hope and pray that Rebecca's precocious god-daughter, her slimy ex-husband, or the brutal British press will act as a moral compass on this ill-advised relationship. Both Rupert and the press have been set up to some extent as the villains of the piece. And a 14 year old should never have to school her elders on what is and isn't acceptable. Nora's needs have already been neglected by Rebecca for far too long.

If a moral position is to be taken on this, it needs to be taken by the show (because stance matters) and/or by its characters. But the show has for the most part depicted this relationship as ill-advised but ultimately hot, sweet, funny and romantic. As for the characters themselves, Sam has shown at least once that he has some moral backbone but seems to be adorably clueless when it comes to fucking his boss who keeps trying to set boundaries with him. Meanwhile, Rebecca's whole arc in s1 was about learning not to misuse her power for her own selfish ends. In season one, she misused her power within the club in order to exact revenge. In season 2, we have seen her misuse her sexual power, though I still cannot see to what end. I'm a bit at a loss as to what exactly she gets out of this 'relationship' but then I'm a grown woman so I have absolutely no interest in sleeping with a Harry Potter enthusiast barely out of his teens. I couldn't think of anything less sexy and more ick. I was certainly hoping for better character development for her this season.

As to what the writers were thinking, obviously I was not in the writer's room, but I would guess that they were thinking that any drama is good drama, people are stupid and fan devotion will trump any meaningful critique. In other words, they were thinking exactly how every other television writer thinks, despite the fact that this show posited itself as 'not like other TV shows'. This, to me, is where the blame really lies. Not with the characters or with the actors who are doing their best to sell this ludicrous turn of events. It must be noted, however, that both actors were completely blindsided by this relationship that had supposedly been so cleverly foreshadowed. Newsflash: if the people actually living these stories did not see this coming then you haven't foreshadowed shit. Sure, there were a handful of people that paired Rebecca with Sam but this does not constitute proof either. Fans have free-range to imagine and re-imagine characters. In some cases this may extend to imagining relationships between characters who have barely, if ever, interacted. There may be little to no evidence that these characters have even clocked each other's existence and some fans will still ship it. The existence of a handful of shippers does not legitimise such a problematic and divisive plotline making it onscreen.

But wait!, you might argue, this may not be a case of a popular show seeing just how far they can stretch fan devotion. This may not be a case of fan service to a handful of shippers. After all, the creators mapped out the entire three-season arc of Ted Lasso before they even pitched it to Apple. This was their brilliant plan all along! To which I would say: then maybe they should've rethought their second act based on people's strong reactions to their first. Ted Lasso was touted as the show we all needed in 2020. The writers and creators have all marveled at the chord it struck considering it was conceived prior to the pandemic and all the chaos it wrought. And while there is something to be said for having/sticking to a creative vision, there is also something to be said for being flexible and responsive to your audience and the cultural zeitgeist with which you're engaged. Season 1 of Ted Lasso told its story so gently, without creating distrust, division or unnecessary anxiety. It did not treat its audience like a gaggle of stupid lemmings to be led over a succession of narrative cliffs. THIS is what I mean when I say the show has broken with its brand. And look, this whole dark forest thing would be okay if the narrative arc was as well-crafted as s1. Season 1 gave us meaning, cohesion, comfort, sense in a senseless time. It was an almost perfectly crafted season of television. And I kept the faith for 6 episodes, despite the first half of s2 being pretty damn wobbly. But the follow-up to this stellar debut has been less than extraordinary so yeah, perhaps they should've thought a little harder about what made s1 so special before throwing it all out the window.

But wait!, I hear the faithful say, you don't know how things will pan out yet! Wait until the season is over and everything will make sense! But -- wearily and once again, I say -- we should not need to wait until the end of the season to understand what the hell is happening. By this point (over halfway through the season and show) we should have a v clear idea of the show's themes and the characters' arcs. And tbf, from what I can tell there are some fab things happening in other aspects of the show that I wish I could watch and enjoy. But my biggest fear at this point is that they are going to use Sam to solve Rebecca's childlessness. That, like Rupert (because the parallel cannot be avoided), she will become pregnant with a young fling and the show's attitude to this relationship will ultimately be: oh well, it was a bad idea and didn't work out for them but it was all for the best in the end cos who can be mad about a cute lil baaaayyybbbeeee??!! If they do go down this path then I will definitely be abstaining from the rest of the show. I will simply recall my repeated viewings of s1 with fondness tinged with regret at just how badly they fucked up a good thing.

Ultimately, Anon, I think this may be a case of there simply not being a diverse enough perspective in the writer's room. I am not saying that every single woman or every single person of colour will necessarily object to this relationship. I am simply saying that women and people of colour will be more sensitive to the issues of gender and race that are relevant here but that have not been fully or sensitively acknowledged in the writing of this plotline. Neither am I saying that Rebecca is the first woman to sleep with a man much (much, much, MUCH) younger than herself or indulge in an ill-advised relationship. But the comparison with Rupert both works here and doesn't because Rebecca is not being written like a white woman, she is being written like a white man. Realistically, only a white man can engage in this kind of hugely imbalanced relationship seemingly without any major moral qualms or societal ramifications. Not to put too fine a point on it, but this kind of relationship is reserved for all the Bills and Joes and Brendans and Jasons out there -- not for the Rebeccas and definitely not for the Sams. We are way beyond the point in feminism where we believe that liberation is simply the right for a white woman to behave as badly as a white man. The truth is that whatever wealth, power and privilege Rebecca has, the rules are different for men and women. She will not be treated the same as Rupert if and when this affair is uncovered. She will be treated far more savagely than Rupert ever was and Sam will be treated far more savagely than Bex was. This is not an argument for the equal treatment of these two relationships. It is an argument against how the relationship between Rebecca and Sam has been envisaged, i.e. through the wrong perspective. In writing from a 'neutral' white male pov, the show has invisiblised all the many issues activated by this storyline and revealed a blindspot that was always there.

As much as I loved and still love season 1 of this show, it has definite blindspots when it comes to representations of race and gender. There are at least two moments in s1 that stand out for me as being so obviously written by a man. Not necessarily because of what they do but because of what they don't do: what is missed, absent, unacknowledged. I was willing to overlook such minor failings in a debut season for many reasons. But s2 seems to have exacerbated these minor flaws rather than correcting them. And here I can't help thinking of Tina Fey speaking of the diversification of the writer's room at SNL during her tenure as co-headwriter. This notoriously male-dominated environment only began to shift and produce better work when a greater diversity of minds, voices and persepectives was allowed in the room. In this richer environment, she notes, different jokes played differently. Different sketches made it to air. Different perspectives were represented and different performers were celebrated. I can't help wondering if this plotline would have made it to air if there had been a female writer, a writer of colour or both further up the chain of command to challenge the ideas of the straight white dudes in charge.

One of the reasons I didn't think Ted Lasso was for me was that it centred a straight, white, cis-het, able-bodied man who rose to a position he didn't earn. That is just not a pov I would normally choose for myself, especially now that there is such a rich array of alternative perspectives through which to view the world. But I think the show won a lot of females fans with its first season largely due to its portrayal of Rebecca. She is the first person we meet. She is arguably the protagonist of s1. And while she would have been figured as a villain in previous pieces, the show never took that stance with her (because again, stance matters). Other elements like the depiction of female friendships, all centred around Rebecca, made this show female-friendly viewing. But imo, the major reason this show won over female fans (this one, at least) is because, in this post-MeToo, post-TimesUp era, it stood up and said: domestic violence is not okay, we stand with women and all victims of abuse, we will defend you, we know words can hurt, we know it can happen to anyone, we know all about toxic masculinity, we do not take this lightly and we will support you in your healing. Needless to say, this is how women hope men will act when they speak of their most difficult experiences but it is not how they always do.

The shift away from Rebecca this season has however meant that the white male experience is more centred than it was in s1. Rebecca's journey to recovery, health and happiness has been trivialised and sidelined, reduced to a highly questionable sexcapade. Meanwhile, we get overwrought manpain at every turn. We get Beard wandering around London (no, I haven't seen it and no, I don't need to. We've all been raised on white dudes thinking they're genuises when they have a figurative wank all over our screens). We get NO queer represention at all. And the only other female characters on screen are in care/service roles to men. The father/son, mentoring and toxic masculinity themes are all still there but they're no longer balanced out by ANY other competing perspective. One of the reasons I was okay with Ted failing upwards in s1 was that he used his power and privilege to lift up others. He was the one in service. He used his enormous privilege for good, as anyone with such privilege must. (Admittedly, it could be argued that this is just another version of a white savior narrative).

My point here is that I'm not sure that peeking behind the mask at the sad clown is as revolutionary as some might believe. We love it because it's familiar. But this is a narrative with a long and problematic history. Do I believe in tearing down toxic masculinity in all its forms? You bet. Do I believe that patriarchy traumatises men as well as women and every other minority in existence? I mean...nowhere near as much, but absolutely. Do I believe in men expressing their feelings and going to therapy? Wholeheartedly. But I am also aware that 100 or so years ago, we were in a very similar place with our narratives. Everyone is looking for a recapitulation of modernism and frankly, this might be an indicator of just that. Whenever women and people of colour have demanded rights and recognition, there has always been a resurgence of tales about just how frickin' hard it is to be a white man. Minority genders and non-white people have never in western history been as visible or vocal as they are now. So forgive me (or don't, I don't care) if I critique a show not only for centering fathers, sons, boys and men but for blindly and boldly writing one of its only female characters and one of its only black characters as if their gender and race just do not exist. There are many other power differentials at play in this relationship, including age, experience, wealth and position, but race and gender are the two that patriarchy is most invested in invisiblising. So I don't care how brilliant they think they are, I will not trust the writing of a bunch of white dudes trying to tell me that race and gender are irrelevant.

[headbandsandflats]

okay but best ted lasso ep of the season so far right?!

finally breaking the story they’ve been (heavily) implying of what happened to ted’s dad

the diamond dogs having their little confessional

roy & phoebe and keeley & rebecca and higgins & jamie and isaac & his haircutting prowess

*makes an old school youtube vid of sam & rebecca to somewhere only we know*

and maybe one of roy and jamie

[aaronmaurer]

TV I Liked in 2020

Every year I reflect on the pop culture I enjoyed and put it in some sort of order.

Was there ever a year more unpredictably tailor-made for peak TV than 2020? Lockdowns/quarantines/stay-at-home orders meant a lot more time at home and the occasion to check out new and old favorites. (I recognize that if you’re lucky enough to have kids or roommates or a S.O., your amount of actual downtime may have been wildly different). While the pandemic resulted in production delays and truncated seasons for many shows, the continued streaming-era trends of limited series and 8-13 episode seasons mean that a lot of great and satisfying storytelling still made its way to the screen. As always, I in no way lay any claims to “best-ness” or completeness – this is just a list of the shows that brought me the most joy and escapism in a tough year and therefore might be worth putting on your radar.

10 Favorites

10. The Right Stuff: Season 1 (Disney+)

As a space program enthusiast, even I had to wonder, does the world really need another retelling of NASA’s early days? Especially since Tom Wolfe’s book has already been adapted as the riveting and iconoclastic Philip Kaufman film of the same name? While some may disagree, I find that this Disney+ series does justify its existence by focusing more on the relationships of the astronauts and their personal lives than the technical science (which may be partially attributable to budget limitations?). The series is kind of like Mad Men but with NASA instead of advertising (and real people, of course), so if that sounds intriguing, I encourage you to give it a whirl.

9. Fargo: Season 4 (FX)

As a big fan of Noah Hawley’s Coen Brothers pastiche/crime anthology series, I was somewhat let down by this latest season. Drawing its influence primarily from the likes of gangster drama Miller’s Crossing – one of the Coens’ least comedic/idiosyncratic efforts – this season is more straightforward than its predecessors and includes a lot of characters and plot-threads that never quite cohere. That said, it is still amongst the year’s most ambitious television with another stacked cast, and the (more-or-less) standalone episode “East/West” is enough to make the season worthwhile.

8. The Last Dance (ESPN)

Ostensibly a 10-episode documentary about the 1990s Chicago Bulls’ sixth and final NBA Championship run, The Last Dance actually broadens that scope to survey the entire history of Michael Jordan and coach Phil Jackson’s careers with the team. Cleverly structured with twin narratives that chart that final season as well as an earlier timeframe, each episode also shifts the spotlight to a different person, which provides focus and variety throughout the series. And frankly, it’s also just an incredible ride to relive the Jordan era and bask in his immeasurable talent and charisma – while also getting a snapshot of his outsized ego and vices (though he had sign-off on everything, so it’s not exactly a warts-and-all telling).

7. The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix)

This miniseries adaptation of the Walter Tevis coming-of-age novel about a chess prodigy and her various addictions is compulsively watchable and avoids the bloat of many other streaming series (both in running time and number of episodes). The 1960s production design is stunning and the performances, including Anya Taylor-Joy in the lead role, are convincing and compelling.

6. The Great: Season 1 (hulu)

Much like his screenplay for The Favourite, Tony McNamara’s series about Catherine the Great rewrites history with a thoroughly modern and irreverent sensibility (see also: Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette). Elle Fanning brings a winning charm and strength to the title role and Nicholas Hoult is riotously entertaining as her absurdly clueless and ribald husband, Emperor Peter III. Its 10-episodes occasionally tilt into repetitiveness, but when the ride is this fun, why complain? Huzzah!

  5. Dispatches From Elsewhere (AMC)

A limited (but possibly anthology-to-be?) series from creator/writer/director/actor Jason Segal, Dispatches From Elsewhere is a beautiful and creative affirmation of life and celebration of humanity. The first 9 episodes form a fulfilling and complete arc, while the tenth branches into fourth wall-breaking meta territory, which may be a bridge too far for some (but is certainly ambitious if nothing else). Either way, it’s a movingly realized portrait of honesty, vulnerability and empathy, and I highly recommend visiting whenever it inevitably makes its way to Netflix, or elsewhere…

4. What We Do in the Shadows: Season 2 (FX)

The second season of WWDITS is more self-assured and expansive than the first, extending a premise I loved from its antecedent film – but was skeptical could be sustained – to new and reinvigorated (after)life. Each episode packs plenty of laughs, but for my money, there is no better encapsulation of the series’ potential and Matt Berry’s comic genius than “On The Run,” which guest-stars Mark Hamill and features Laszlo’s alter ego Jackie Daytona, regular human bartender.

3. Ted Lasso: Season 1 (AppleTV+)

Much more than your average fish-out-of-water comedy, Jason Sudeikis’ Ted Lasso is a brilliant tribute to humaneness, decency, emotional intelligence and good coaching – not just on the field. The fact that its backdrop is English Premier League Soccer is just gravy (even if that’s not necessarily represented 100% proficiently). A true surprise and gem of the year.

2. Mrs. America (hulu)

This FX miniseries explores the women’s liberation movement and fight for the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and its opposition by conservative women including Phyllis Schlafly. One of the most ingenious aspects of the series is centering each episode on a different character, which rotates the point of view and helps things from getting same-y. With a slate of directors including Ryan Bowden and Anna Fleck (Half-Nelson, Sugar, Captain Marvel) and an A-List cast including Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Uzo Aduba, Sarah Paulson, Margo Martindale, Tracey Ulman and Elizabeth Banks, its quality is right up there with anything on the big screen. And its message remains (sadly) relevant as ever in our current era.

1. The Good Place: Season 4 (NBC)

It was tempting to omit The Good Place this year or shunt it to a side category since only the final 4 episodes aired in 2020, but that would have been disingenuous. This show is one of my all-time favorites and it ended perfectly. The series finale is a representative mix of absurdist humor and tear-jerking emotion, built on themes of morality, self-improvement, community and humanity. (And this last run of eps also includes a pretty fantastic Timothy Olyphant/Justified quasi-crossover.) Now that the entire series is available to stream on Netflix (or purchase in a nice Blu-ray set), it’s a perfect time to revisit the Good Place, or check it out for the first time if you’ve never had the pleasure.

5 of the Best Things I Caught Up With

Anne With An E (Netflix/CBC)

Another example of classic literature I had no prior knowledge of (see also Little Women and Emma), this Netflix/CBC adaptation of Anne of Green Gables was strongly recommended by several friends so I finally gave it a shot. While this is apparently slightly more grown-up than the source material, it’s not overly grimdark or self-serious but rather humane and heartfelt, expanding the story’s scope to include Black and First Nations peoples in early 1800s Canada, among other identities and themes. It has sadly been canceled, but the three seasons that exist are heart-warming and life-affirming storytelling. Fingers crossed that someday we’ll be gifted with a follow-up movie or two to tie up some of the dangling threads.

Better Call Saul (AMC)

I liked Breaking Bad, but I didn’t have much interest in an extended “Breaking Bad Universe,” as much as I appreciate star Bob Odenkirk’s multitalents. Multiple recommendations and lockdown finally provided me the opportunity to catch up on this prequel series and I’m glad I did. Just as expertly plotted and acted as its predecessor, the series follows Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman on his own journey to disrepute but really makes it hard not to root for his redemption (even as you know that’s not where this story ends).

Joe Pera Talks With You (Adult Swim)

It’s hard to really describe the deadpan and oddly soothing humor of comedian Joe Pera whose persona, in the series at least, combines something like the earnestness of Mr. Rogers with the calm enthusiasm of Bob Ross. Sharing his knowledge on the likes of how to get the best bite out of your breakfast combo, growing a bean arch and this amazing song “Baba O’Reilly” by the Who – have you heard it?!? – Pera provides arch comfort that remains solidly on the side of sincerity. The surprise special he released during lockdown, “Relaxing Old Footage with Joe Pera,” was a true gift in the middle of a strange and isolated year.

The Mandalorian (Disney+)

One of the few recent Star Wars properties that lives up to its potential, the adventures of Mando and Grogu is a real thrill-ride of a series with outstanding production values (you definitely want to check out the behind-the-scenes documentary series if you haven’t). I personally prefer the first season, appreciating its Western-influenced vibes and somewhat-more-siloed story. The back half of the second season veers a little too much into fan service and video game-y plotting IMHO but still has several excellent episodes on offer, especially the Timothy Olyphant-infused energy of premiere “The Marshall” and stunning cinematography of “The Jedi.” And, you know, Grogu.

The Tick (Amazon Prime)

I’ve been a fan of the Tick since the character’s Fox cartoon and indie comic book days and also loved the short-lived Patrick Warburton series from 2001. I was skeptical about this Amazon Prime reboot, especially upon seeing the pilot episode’s off-putting costumes. Finally gaining access to Prime this year, I decided to catch up and it gets quite good!, especially in Season 2. First, the costumes are upgraded; second, Peter Serafinowicz’s initially shaky characterization improves; and third, it begins to come into its own identity. The only real issue is yet another premature cancellation for the property, meaning Season 2’s tease of interdimensional alien Thrakkorzog will never be fulfilled. 😢

Bonus! 5 More Honorable Mentions:

City So Real (National Geographic)

The Good Lord Bird (Showtime)

How To with John Wilson: Season 1 (HBO)

Kidding: Season 2 (Showtime)

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy Vs The Reverend (Netflix)

[zendyval]

With all the TV content that you consume, what other shows do you remember having as much discourse as Euphoria? Sam Levinson is currently trending for how bad his writing is, exploiting his cast, being too far up his own ass and whatever else sticks. It’s all futile in the end because does A24 or HBO really care? Mmm doubtful. Can you recall any other shows that shook the table?

I don't think Euphoria is the best show by any means but you also can't take twitter discourse or whatever as necessarily fully reflective of real world reaction. Half the discourse last season cropped up before the show even started. Heck, idiots are having a go at something as innocent as Abbot Elementary right now for not being realistic enough and we've got tiktoks and people complaining about it. I'm not saying that twitter and social media discourse can't ever have a real point but we're at the point where everything has discourse.

Another example from my other show. The number of think pieces that were written about Ted Lasso season 2 this past summer, I cannot even tell you in every internet corner you can mention. Often when the show was only two or three eps in (sound familiar) and lauding all sorts of criticism at it and how far it had fallen despite the fact that critics had given it good reviews. But like a certain show above (cough cough) a lot of it was written before letting the season play out because everyone was so damn impatient. And that was innocuous a show as TL whose biggest stance is toxic masculinity sucks and kindness matters.

I guess my main takeaway is yes, in this current internet climate where we all have access to immediate ways to express ourselves, it happens all the time. But while some discourse is relevant we're also at a point where a lot of it is white noise and nobody cares if the ratings are there and the critical response is good.

[legendof]

I posted 1,503 times in 2021

61 posts created (4%)

1442 posts reblogged (96%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 23.6 posts.

I added 911 tags in 2021

#general awesome - 200 posts

#tfatws - 164 posts

#art! - 108 posts

#ted lasso - 81 posts

#sambucky - 79 posts

#oh tumblr - 71 posts

#watcher - 65 posts

#loki - 54 posts

#wwdits - 46 posts

#accurate - 43 posts

Longest Tag: 134 characters

#i wish we had this movie before nat died.... but then we wouldn't have had this cast which was like 90% of the appeal of the movie....

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

6+ months later and I'm out here still crying listening to yumyan hammermeow

102 notes • Posted 2021-05-14 14:39:54 GMT

#4

I have been trying to keep my expectations extremely low, like scraping against the ground low, with nandor and guillermo this season so I wouldn't be disappointed but ... I'm really thinkin after this new ep..... just maybe...... maybe.......

108 notes • Posted 2021-09-17 03:04:00 GMT

#3

The hug is far more than some of my ships get so as far as I'm concerned we're sailing on smooth seas. jet skiing on smooth seas? do you want smooth seas for jet skiing? 🤔 anyway

138 notes • Posted 2021-07-07 17:50:31 GMT

#2

oh Tumblr, I would pay you in a heartbeat for *features* but I'm not gonna pay for *posts*. the best posts on this site emerge from a primordial liquid goo of deactivated accounts, humerous misinterpretation, and chaos. we all know that.

214 notes • Posted 2021-07-21 18:05:57 GMT

#1

274 notes • Posted 2021-11-20 13:43:31 GMT

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