“I believe in communism … rom-communism!” From epic last-minute goals to classic dad puns, “Ted Lasso” became a family favorite during the pandemic. This uplifting workplace dramedy is set in a London soccer club during the competitive season with a unique twist: The club manager is an American football coach from Kansas. The show follows Coach Lasso as he guides the young men on his team, AFC Richmond, through the physical and emotional hardships of the season’s ups and downs. Every lesson, metaphor, and joke in “Ted Lasso” ties back to one central theme: kindness.
The story highlights kindness in two primary ways: a) the characters and their personal journeys and b) how the show addresses difficult topics. AFC Richmond is a team of diverse, young, old, married, single, wealthy, American, British, and immigrant people and players. With such different backgrounds, each character brings a unique worldview to the pitch.
However, not everyone is inclined to be as positive and unbothered as Ted. Some characters are even resistant to Ted’s nonstop optimism, like Roy, the team’s aging star player and captain. There are only a few outright unkind characters who forcefully clash with Ted’s personality. Rebecca, the owner of AFC Richmond, and Jamie, the arrogant prodigy, serve as Ted’s initial opposition, and the show intentionally tracks their character arcs. Rebecca hires Ted, hoping that his lack of experience in soccer will lead the club to failure to get back at her ex-husband, the prior owner. Through Ted’s influence, Rebecca eventually abandons her revenge-driven scheme, realizing that kindness offers a more fulfilling path.
Jamie’s transformation, which spans three seasons, comes later. Jamie starts as a self-absorbed, rude, and inconsiderate teammate but learns to care about others throughout his time at AFC Richmond. Ted teaches him the importance of being kind to his teammates. It’s refreshing to see empathy and humility emphasized so intentionally.
The other blatantly unkind character in the show is Rupert, Rebecca’s cheating ex-husband. While he never really redeems himself, he is practically insignificant by the end of the show, which is a message in itself about focusing on the positive aspects of life rather than the negatives. Rupert doesn’t deserve any more attention or significance than he is given.
Even though “Ted Lasso” is hyper-positive and focuses on kindness, the show does not shy away from difficult topics. Rebecca frequently addresses the sexism she faces as a female football club owner, and Sam and Jamie protest Dubai Air’s impact on Nigeria. Ted, too, opens up about his struggles with anxiety and divorce. He weaves his own experiences in with a larger dialogue about the mental health culture in athletics and on his team. These serious topics don’t take away from the overall lighthearted and comedic feel of the show—rather, they add depth, making the show more relatable.
In today’s TV landscape filled with murder mysteries, dark fantasy, and downright weird dystopian realities, it seems surprising that a lighthearted comedy centered around a goofy football coach from Kansas is so beloved. I love “Ted Lasso” because it is filled with so many different characters who conquer their own challenges. The message always comes back to kindness. It’s a beautiful, powerful, and unique display of strength that I feel is missing from our media today. In our pessimistic world, “Ted Lasso” reminds us that kindness prevails.
