Relentless Optimism Is the Way to Go

Ted Lasso

Apple TV’s Ted Lasso was released in late 2020, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. The spread of the virus throughout the world radically changed how society interacted with each other, and accelerated the growth and evolution of internet culture into a more connected, more “native” environment. The post-COVID era has been characterized by the rise of previously obscure, shunned subcultures integrating themselves into the mainstream. The online space is now populated with “cottagecore”, “trad-wife”, “gymbro”, the manosphere, and AI “slop”. These terms would have been foreign to the average internet user as late as 2019. 

In a world now saturated with artificially created content and millions of influencers, it is no surprise that the state of our general mental health has never been worse. We can no longer avoid our phones and devices, as they are crucial tools needed for mass communication, information, and work. This chains our attentions to the constant harmful rhetoric, and an overall sense of dread spouted from little pixels. 

It was to my surprise that Ted Lasso, a show that sprouted from a funny NBC skit depicting a Texas-accented American football coach leading a cohort of association football players, turned out to be a sensational hit.

To the naked eye, “Marlboro Man” may seem a painfully idiotic personality. Ted Lasso, in the technical sense, is not exactly a good coach. He does not spend much of his time drafting up plays, giving tips, and stalking the opposition. In fact, he seems to do the opposite. Much of Ted’s on-screen presence revolves around him having conversations and building relationships. On his first day as head coach, Ted veers from the traditional style of stomping his feet and announcing his expectations. He silently and respectfully observes the pitch, the locker room, and the underlying dynamics and tensions in Richmond FC and its players. Early on, the tension between team captain Roy Kent and star player Jamie Tart is apparent, resulting in frequent stare-downs and fights in the locker room. Ted Lasso tries to resolve the issue by nudging Roy to take his leadership roles more seriously, and to take a stand when Jamie harasses and bullies his teammates.  

Throughout the show, Ted remains the problem solver for the cast of vividly written characters, but he too has skeletons in his closet. As an adolescent, Ted endured the suicide of his father. In the episode “No Weddings and a Funeral”, Rebbeca’s (Richmond F.C.'s owner) father passed away due to natural causes, prompting a funeral where Ted had to deliver a speech. The imagery and symbols at the funeral reminded him of his father and the traumatic incident. Ted wrestled against a panic attack and later grappled with his fears with the team sports psychologist. 

This was a turning point - Ted previously showed his disapproval of therapy, as he believed that those who profit from suffering people are not truly altruistic. He has since changed his beliefs. Lasso is not nice just for the sake of it, but rather because he feels an unfulfilled burden to not let anyone “quit” at life like his father did. 

What can be most respected about this series is the deliberate choice to delay the full unraveling of Ted’s character. At first, he is presented as an idealistic coach who happens to be American. It is later revealed that he is a layered, developed individual. Ted has fears. He has flaws, and he has things to improve on. He’s human. Demonstrating that his strongest perk, kindness, is also his weakness. 

Yet, Ted Lasso represents a rare worldview that the world needs more of. His unapologetic brand of unconditional kindness and empathy revives the love and fascination for the infinite possibilities we once had before exams, deadlines, and projects consumed every corner of our lives. Maybe it is because Lasso has a background in collegiate athletics that he realizes that not everything is about winning. His fundamental value of placing the human before the victory spawned one of his most famous quotes, “Be a goldfish.” This outrageous advice can be perceived as extremely negative and degrading. Human beings are conscious individuals - reverting back into the mindset of a species that cannot think for itself, and must rely on its primal instincts to survive, is not suitable in the real world. Yet, is this really true?

Lasso uses the goldfish to remind one of the players to forget mistakes, but it can also be interpreted as a metaphor for the beauty of letting go and the gifts of forgiveness. A goldfish continues swimming, not because it chooses to, but because it must - all it has known is swimming, and to divert from this path would be unthinkable. Lasso believes that, as we are indentured to a forward movement in time, with no chance to fix our mistakes and change the consequences inflicted, deciding to believe in the goodness of others, and to treat their mistakes as elements of the past, is the only way to create internal happiness and a cohesive community. 

The “imprisonment” of the goldfish and the overarching themes of cyclicality and repetition draw a direct comparison to Albert Camus’ “The Myth of Sisyphus”, in which he explores the meaning of the world and what humans can do to create meaning. Sisyphus appears in many myths, but the most famous one includes him being punished to roll a boulder up a mountain for an eternity. Sisyphus, Camus argues, is an allegory of the ultimate meaninglessness of the lived experience.

In the scientific sense, humans and all living beings are biological machines that possess no souls and no qualities that can be attributed to “value” in traditional cultures. There is no such thing as becoming a wandering spirit or entity after death. This viewpoint splits from the traditional approach to assigning value and meaning. Developing societies often base their philosophies and approaches to life on religious lore and principles that depend on the establishment of a supreme being or supernatural entities that create stories and a “greater meaning” of existence.

In this world, life may amount to nothing after a few billion years, but Camus believed there is no need to prove that anything has any importance in the grand scheme of time. So, what if the universe ends? The present still exists - the systems and beliefs we hold dear are still here. We will not bear witness to the death of this world, so there is no need to plan for the funeral. Although Ted does not have to be nice, he still chose to be a warming presence not just in Richmond, but to the wider world. 

Ultimately, we see Ted’s beliefs manifest in his actions. He cares for his son, even moving back to the United States at the end of the series to be closer to him. Ted tries to be a therapist (ironically enough) for the team therapist, and treats everyone, even Nate the kit-man, with respect for a king.