There are only three episodes left of Ted Lasso, after this week’s “La Locker Room Aux Folles.” While the streamer hasn’t confirmed whether or not Season 3 will be the final installment of the chipper football show, lead star and co-creator Jason Sudeikis has made his stance clear: This is the end.
Well, it’s the final act for him, at least.
Brett Goldstein, who plays foul-mouthed coach Roy Kent on the show, has been open about wanting to continue with more of the series. Yes, there’s always the idea of spinoffs. But as we near the end of Season 3, Ted Lasso seems to be preparing to write Ted Lasso (Sudeikis) off of his own show. His character has little-to-no arc this season, besides the insinuation that it might be time for him to go back to America already. It appears that the show is preparing to give him a one-way ticket after Season 3 wraps.
While Keeley (Juno Temple) rotates through new lovers, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) struggles with infertility, and Roy faces the press, Ted’s only plotline has been his struggles with his wife, who is now dating their couples’ therapist. This most recent episode gives the least to Ted, who we barely even see on the sidelines.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. In the wake of Ted’s (possible) departure, the other characters have each taken on certain characteristics of his, replacing his signature wit. When Ted isn’t around for a press conference, Rebecca assigns the task to assistant coach Roy, who agrees at first but ultimately ditches, leaving Beard (Brendan Hunt) in charge.
This sets up Rebecca to give Roy a pep talk on why he needs to stop moping around and become a leader. (Waddingham, once again, will be a force to reckon with at this year’s Emmys.) At the same time, it offers Roy the opportunity to show that he can handle a press conference with the same finesse as Ted—and also, offer sage wisdom to players like team captain Isaac (Kola Bokinni), who need his help.
Even Trent Crimm (James Lance) steps into Ted’s cleats in this episode. Once again, Colin (Billy Harris) needs his assistance. Colin has just come out to Isaac, his best friend, which has caused a rift in their friendship. Trent advises Colin to give Isaac some time, almost becoming a fatherly figure to the young footballer. In the first two seasons, wisdom like this was almost exclusively given to Ted. Now, Roy and Trent are sharing the duties.
Sudeikis has been clear about his vision to have the show end.
“This is the end of this story that we wanted to tell, that we were hoping to tell, that we loved to tell,” Sudeikis said in an interview with Deadline ahead of the show’s Season 3 premiere. “The fact that folks will want more and are curious beyond more than what they don’t even know yet—that being Season 3—it’s flattering. Maybe by May 31, once all 12 episodes of the season [have been released], they’re like, ‘Man, you know what, we get it, we’re fine. We don’t need anymore, we got it.’ But until that time comes, I will appreciate the curiosity beyond what we’ve come up with so far.”
Has the season, then, been leading up to a way for the show to continue on without Ted? That would explain why Rebecca has been tinkering with the idea of firing Ted, and why Ted’s entire story has been the fact that he misses his son (who currently lives in America) so much.
Because we see the characters taking over Ted’s roles, this episode is one of the most streamlined of the season. It feels like one of the best of Season 3 so far, more reminiscent of the best installments of Seasons 1 and 2. Perhaps by letting Ted go, the show will improve.
Ted may be on his way out, but the rest of the characters are better for him having been around. He has imparted wisdom on all of them in ways that this episode smartly displays—Rebecca lighting a fire in Roy’s belly, Roy as a voice of wisdom, and Trent becoming a more empathetic soul. Now, if Ted Lasso has any desire to continue into a fourth season, it can focus on these characters as they continue to help one another without Ted’s guiding light.
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