Ted Lasso: No, The Show Hasn't Changed, You Have

Ted Lasso has been a fan favorite since the show aired back in 2020. In just 3 short years, however, frustration with the political landscape has dominated our lives that it’s changed the way we view things in our lives, and television is not immune to this phenomenon. Before the term “woke” dominated Fox News or CNN to stir up political hate, we watched shows and movies with a bit less cynicism (The Atlantic). Unfortunately, these views have spilled over into some of our favorite shows and one of the big ones facing criticism is Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso.

So many internet trolls are all over social media saying that the show isn’t the same and has gone “too woke”. For anyone living under a rock, “woke” is the term most commonly used by lazy politicians and journalists to discredit anything concerning diversity. But this isn’t about politics, it’s about Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso and if by chance you’re one of those people who utter such nonsense, let’s break it down for you.

Spoilers for anyone not on season 3 yet*

Keeley Jones Is Dating A Woman in S3:

Oh no! Not the “gay agenda!” “Why do they have to make every character gay these days” is the biggest whiney comment you’ll hear. Why would they change her in season 3? Did they though? People act as if Keeley hasn’t always given off the vibe of admiration of Rebecca. Sure, they did a great job of making it seem like it was because she was a strong and successful businesswoman, but there were always signs. The flirty banter before the two shared a hotel room for starters. The “if I ever decide to dip my toes back into the lady pool.” was another. The look of fantasy on her face while viewing Rebecca’s paparazzi photo. The signs were always there but you watched each season with a bit less political influence and innocence.

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I Can’t Believe They Made Colin Gay!

Up until season 3, there weren’t any signs that Colin was gay. How dare they pull that out of thin air? Okay, this one is a little more plausible but it still doesn’t mean it’s true. The truth of the matter is, you can’t know that he wasn’t all along, especially since again the signs were there. No, there weren’t any flirt moments with a male counterpart along the way, but it expands on his story with Doctor Sharon. While no one knows how things went behind closed doors, Colin walked away with a telling new motto, “I am a strong and capable man.” Audiences may have overlooked this in his overall arc, but there’s a pattern to where we see him repeating it. Each time someone walks all over Colin or treats him poorly, he’s often seen repeating this line.

But it could go deeper than just his insecurities. If he came out to Doctor Sharon in his session, it makes a lot more sense. What if she teaches him a way of accepting his truth and not shutting down that part of his life, he can heal and go forward. If every time he faces a bit of criticism he loses the sense of being “strong and capable” he’d never accept himself for who he is. He’d always live with that burden. It might not have been prominent until season 3, but the story was always there.

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They Made It All About Woke Culture!

I’m sorry, … what? Ted Lasso has always been a show about mental health and accepting people as they are and there are way too many examples to prove it. Go all the way back to season 1 and Ted’s interview with Trent Crimm.

“It’s not about winning or losing, it’s about helping these men become the best version of themselves.”

They made it clear from the start, this show wasn’t about the sports side of it. So while you enjoyed the parallels between Ted Lasso and Major League, quietly the writers were writing a show about mental health and acceptance. The way Ted accepts Rebecca after admitting she sabotaged him along the way because she was hurting. Ted openly accepts Jamie after learning of his issues with his dad. Roy tells Rebecca she deserves better after settling on who she’s dating knowing she won’t be happy. Ted accepts Nate for his knowledge despite the entire world around him bullying him and not accepting him. The list could go on and on.

Ted Lasso hasn’t changed, you have. You got too caught up in Fox News or CNN and your views on the world have gone dark. Now every time you see a person facings internal struggles you assume it has to be tied to some “woke agenda”, a term created by politicians to stir up emotion so you get out and vote. Not everyone has to ride your crazy train of thought though. If you don’t like the show anymore, fine. However, the people who do love the show have realized the message has been clear all along. They aren’t alone in their struggles and there are plenty of people out there struggling just the same. We are one. We are united. #WeAreRichmond.