Ted Lassobecame one of AppleTv+’s biggest shows when it first aired, and stayed strong through its three seasons. The story follows American football coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis), who is hired to coach a soccer (the other football) team in London: AFC Richmond. Ted knows nothing about soccer, but gains the trust of his team and boss, as well as everyone around them. As Trent Crimm (James Lance) wrote about Lasso in one of his articles on the show, “I can’t help but root for him.”
The comedic series had a lot of emotional moments. Mental health, sexuality, online exposure — there was a lot discussed throughout the show that made it so special to watch. The series was filled with some heartwarming and heartbreaking, as well as hilarious moments, which makes it hard to pick the best — but we did. Here are the greatest moments from the entire show, ranked.
14Diamond Dogs
Diamond Dogs is a group made up of Ted, his assistant Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), their Director of Communications Leslie (Jeremy Swift), assistant Coach Nate (Nick Mohammed), and eventually even their player-turned-coach Roy (Brett Goldstein) and reporter Trent. They vent about their problems and share their emotions, in a beautifulexample of male vulnerabilityon modern TV. Every time one of them needed help, they called in the Diamond Dogs, who all came running to the coaches' office barking and ready to listen.
Why It Is One Of The Best Moments
It’s one of thoseessential elements in the showthat are unique to this story. It’s a great representation of healthy masculinity, as well as being both hilarious and heartwarming. It also highlights the lack of moments for male characters in other shows and movies where they can count on each other and be vulnerable. The best example of the Diamond Dogs is when the reluctant emotionally-closed Roy finally calls them together for a meeting, admitting that he could use some advice and help himself.
13“What Is It About Me That Made You Think You Couldn’t Tell Me?”
Colin’s (Billy Harris) sexuality became a recurring subject throughout thelast season of the show. The character had more screen time, which allowed his story to be more fully developed. Colin’s best friend Isaac (Kola Bokinni) discovers his sexuality by accident. Isaac becomes angry and withdrawn, only to lose it when he hears a fan call them a slur.
They rekindle their friendship once they are able to talk about their feelings and Colin’s life. It was a great way of dealing with this topic, which is still a taboo for soccer players and most athletes to go through. Manypraised the care and tendernesswith which this particular story was developed and dealt with.
12Ted Goes To Therapy
Ted had mental health problems in season one that only escalated in season two. The team hires a psychologist, Dr. Sharon (Sarah Niles), for the players, and Ted is on the fence about it. After a panic attack during one of the soccer matches, he goes to her, opens up and starts to get treatment.
This decision drastically changes Ted’s life and allows him to process all that was happening to him in the present and how his past influenced him. It also shows that it is okay to need help and that just because someone appears to be happy all the time, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are. The way Ted’s journey was portrayed washighly praised by various mental health professionals.
11Nate’s Play
Nate had ups and downs with the team, but he eventually managed to get himself welcomed back to AFC Richmond. Nate is a tremendous coach, able to create tactics and outsmart his opponents. In the last game of the third season, Richmond needed one more goal to win the game and potentially win the Premier League. Ted decides to use Nate’s play — and they score.
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It was a great moment for Nate, who had struggled so much since joining another team and betraying his friends. To go back and not only have everyone waiting for him with open arms, but also still be respected for his intellect and work, gave the character the redemption he needed — as well as the one the audience was rooting for.
10Ted’s Dad
For a comedy show, there are plenty of cry-worthy moments, such as when Ted tells what happened to his father, who died by suicide when he was only a teenager, and how he was the one who found him. The coach’s overly friendly character and his need to take care of people and why he was so opposed to the idea of quitting is explained through this backstory.
It is a heart-shattering moment, but crucial for truly understanding who Ted is. It is an insight into how deep he has known pain and why his relationship with his son, and really everyone around him, matters so much. And it is one of the first times he was completely honest with himself and someone else about what he was feeling.
9AFC Richmond In The Premier League
One of the team’s main goals was to get promoted to the Premier League after they were downgraded in season one. After a year of training and a lot of resilience, the team succeeded in their mission. Jamie (Phil Dunster) gives up his moment of glory to assist, resulting in the decisive penalty that Dani Rojas (Cristo Fernández) uses to redeem himself, and win them the game.
Not only is a great moment coming full circle, but it is also because of the characters' personal growth that they won the match. Each one of them deserved this win, and they got it. They were not the team from the past season, and working together with no egos is the reason why they were able to do it.As Rojas always says, “Football is life!”
8Toy Soldiers
Ted Lasso is a character who knows how to make a small yet extremely meaningful gesture. After losing their place in the Premier League because of Jamie, who was playing for their opponent Manchester City, Ted sees Jamie suffering abuse from his father. That’s when Ted understands a lot more about Jamie and his actions.
Ted’s young son had given him a bag filled with soldier toys earlier, to “protect him” while he’s away in another country. Ted decides to gift them to people he notices may need a bit of help, and Jamie is one of them. Even after Jamie left the team and everything else that happened, Ted finds a way to give Jamie the small toy inside an envelope with a small note congratulating Jamie on his journey and growth.
It is a meaningful gesture of unconditional kindness that changes everything for Jamie. Even after he leaves AFC Richmond behind and becomes responsible for ultimately beating them, Ted simply couldn’t let him suffer alone for something he should be proud of. It is a statement about who Ted is, not only as a coach, but as a person, and it’s exactly what Jamie needed in his life.
7“What Does This Situation Need?”
The last season of the show took some time to discuss important subjects such as racism, xenophobia, and the exposure of private videos being leaked. Sam (Toheeb Jimoh) opens a restaurant, which ends up being completely destroyed after he enters a fight on Twitter with an extremist political figure. Angered fans break in and bust the place apart, just before he was going to proudly show his business to his father.
He breaks down in front of his teammates and shares how he is only cherished by the world if he scores a goal, and when he misses, he is told to go back home. Sam takes his father (Nonso Anozie) to the restaurant, expecting it to look demolished, only to find all his teammates fixing the place as a surprise for him.
What Sam experienced, unfortunately, is something many athletes have experienced in real life — and that needs to be talked about. What is so great about this moment is that it truly shows how much the team has developed and grown, truly becoming a family and doing the most for one another. They see Sam’s predicament, and ask themselves what Ted has taught them about the game:“What does this situation need?“The players realize that the situation calls for them to step up and help Sam, and that is exactly what they do.
6Uncle Roy
Roy Kent barely smiled the entire series — even if he was happy. Or, at least, pleased. The foul-mouthed player-turned-coach had only one obvious soft spot: his niece, Phoebe (Elodie Blomfield). The little girl loves him to death and even gifts him a bright tie-dye shirt, which he wears only because she gave it to him.
Roy even tries to control the number of curse words he says, which don’t phase her, but he can’t fully control himself and has to put some pounds in a swear jar each time he fails. Some of the best moments are the Uncle Day party, where she invites his best friend (in her opinion), Jamie, and when he picks her up from school.
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Roy’s moments with her are always hilarious and sweet. They also allow the audience to dive deeper into a different side of who Roy is, which he slowly grows into as the seasons progress. Family, be it their teammates or actual blood relations, is a fundamental topic of the show, and this representation of love and care adds a lot to it.
The best interaction between them is when Phoebe is upset because of her bad breath. When Roy realizes it is a serious dental problem, he and Keeley take her door to door around a nice neighborhood during Christmas until they find a dentist willing to help her, showing just how much Roy cares about his neice.
5Rebecca and Keeley’s Friendship
Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) and Keeley’s (Juno Temple) friendship slowly grew to become one of the funniest and most endearing ones to watch on the show. It all started back in the first season when they began to know one another better and stopped paying attention to how different they were, from personalities to their ages —their differences are what makes their relationship so valuable.
Their friendship continued until the end of the show, and they helped each other in all subjects of their lives, be it careers or relationships, always being supportive friends and there for one another. It is refreshing to see this type of portrayal of a female intergenerational friendship, and their friendship is genuine, as the two actors are close friends as well. It’s hard to pick a best moment between them, but the way that Keeley is there for Rebecca after her father dies is among the most touching.
