“Do you know what the happiest animal on earth is? It’s a goldfish. You know why? They got a ten-second memory. Be a goldfish.” - Ted Lasso
If you’re not a sports person, the plot of a show about a football coach being hired by an English soccer club to lead their failing team may not sound like a series you’d enjoy, but Apple TV’s original “Ted Lasso” is something different.
“Ted Lasso” is a story about a man who has an unnaturally powerful ability to make people happy. He’s a real-life Ned Flanders, from his comforting “howdy neighbor” southern twang to his thick, dark handlebar mustache. Before the events of the show, he was an American college football coach. While he was not the leader of a nationally-known all-star team, he still prioritized his athlete’s well-being over winning games. As you see in episode one, a video of the locker room party Coach Lasso throws goes viral due to his team engaging in a very uplifting dance party, even after blatantly losing the game.
After seeing this, Rebecca Welton, the owner of a prominent soccer club in England, offers to hire Coach Lasso as the head coach for her team, AFC Richmond. However, because it’s her cheating ex-husband’s soccer club, she hopes because Ted is not seasoned with knowledge on the English sport, he will fail and destroy the club permanently. However, defying all odds, he begins to make his signature positive mark across the club. I won’t spoil the little acts of kindness he does throughout the show, as that’s one of the most entertaining things to watch, but I will say that this show does a fantastic job of pulling at your heartstrings. It’s emotional and dramatic, but not heartbreaking. It’s not a drama where you need to take a break between episodes to cry or contemplate what you watched. Instead, you're left smiling.
This show is more of an experience than it is simply another series on a streaming service. This is what you turn to when you need a quick pick-me-up. As you watch, you feel like you’re a part of the AFC Richmond family rather than a simple Apple TV viewer. This show is personal, it’s deep and it leaves an impression on you while you’re watching. The amount of sound advice I’ve taken with me from Coach Lasso to use in my daily life is astounding – I’ve even caught myself handing off some of his advice to people in my life. I believe that’s what the show is there for, and I think everyone can learn something from it and be taught a new way to look at their life. If you’re always stressed about past mistakes, take Coach Lasso’s philosophy and live your life not like how Socrates or Plato would tell you, but rather, like a goldfish.
With season three coming in just under a month, I believe you should add this to the top of your watchlist – you will be able to find at least something that sticks with you. As Ted Lasso says, “doing the right thing is never the wrong thing,” so do the right thing and give this series a chance, and make sure to tune into season three, which airs on Apple TV on March 15.
Mia Ashby is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. Do you agree? Tell Mia by emailing her at ma237419@ohio.edu.
