Saturday, March 19, 2022

TV Review: Ted Lasso, Apple TV+, Seasons 1-2.

This offbeat comedy series, which takes place in the English midlands, is based on a hilarious premise.  A wealthy older Englishwoman (played by Hannah Waddingham), who has been abandoned by her philandering English Premiere League team owner husband for a younger woman, gets the team in the divorce settlement.  

She decides her most perfect revenge on her ex-husband will be to turn the team into a laughingstock, by hiring a complete buffoon from America as the team coach, whose only apparent qualification is having won a Division II college (American) football title.  Coach Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is incurably affable, funny, lovable, and deeply caring -- he just doesn't know anything about soccer.  

But he does know about coaching, people and teams, and he has a heart of gold. Watching him struggle, face predictable and unpredictable setbacks but then succeed in a situation where he was hired to fail is a complete delight.  One of the true gems of the pandemic years' television entertainment.  Season 3 is in the works.  Highly recommended.

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