TED LASSO: THE RICHMOND WAY - 4K UHD Blu-Ray

Rating 5 out of 5

In the words of Dani Rojas, “football is life,” and that is how audiences will feel after watching AppleTV+’s hit series, Ted Lasso. With countless comedies on television, only a select few will stand the test of time, and there is no doubt that Ted Lasso is one of those few. From its unforgettable and lovable character, brilliant one liners and outrageously funny moments, and its incredibly human story that tugs on the heartstrings, Ted Lasso is everything you could want from a television series.

An American football coach moving to England to coach British football, what could possibly go wrong? That is the premise of Ted Lasso which follows the titular coach as he is hired by a British soccer club by their new owner, in hopes that he will run the club, that she received from her ex-husband in their divorce, into the ground to destroy her ex’s legacy. But instead, it ends up being a transformative experience for all those individuals at AFC Richmond, taking audiences on one of the most delightful, hilarious and heartfelt television journeys in recent memory. Even though it is a football based show, one does not need to be a football fan to enjoy it as it plays out more like a workplace comedy, with the audience learning the ropes to British football alongside Ted. The writing expands the storytelling beyond the soccer team, touching upon each characters’ personal lives and their relationships, helping to deliver such memorable episodes like “Carol of the Bells”, “No Weddings and a Funeral”, “Make Rebecca Great Again” and “So Long, Farewell”, ensuring there is no aspect of life left untouched by this superb series. Over the course of three seasons, a classic underdog story unfolds full of memorable moments, touching upon love, family, mental health and identity, teaching both the audience and characters the importance of believing and teamwork, that creates for one truly enjoyable and phenomenal binge that any viewer will instantly fall in love with.

What makes Ted Lasso one of the most beloved series of the decade is its unforgettable characters. It may be the oddest pairing of personalities and characters, from the ever optimistic Ted, grouchy Roy Kent, or scheming Rebecca when she first hires Ted, but you will instantly fall in love with every single one of them. While there is no shortage of goofy and hilarious moments that will leave viewers bursting into laughter constantly throughout each episode, the writing of each character arc over the three season run is masterful. There is a clear starting and end point for each character, one that you don’t see coming on first watch but when you revisit the series, you can see each deliberate choice in the writing that informs each character’s journey, from Ted’s struggles with his mental health to Nathan’s rise to coach and his treatment of those around him. And it is this character driven storytelling that extends to every small supporting role, that allows the heart of Ted Lasso to flourish on screen in every scene and creating a lasting television series that can be easily revisited over and over again.

The writing lays the runway, but it is the incredible cast of Ted Lasso that makes the series a true winner. Jason Sudeikis gives the most memorable performance of his entire career as Coach Lasso, bringing to life the down to earth and happy go lucky personality of Ted with an infectious energy, while also finding an emotional vulnerability that cuts deep as he portrays Ted’s mental health struggles. Hannah Waddingham is a force to be reckoned with as Rebecca Welton, the owner of AFC Richmond, capturing both Rebecca’s caring personality and drive to always win with a fabulous presence. Whether it be her work in the first season where Rebecca is diabolically plotting against Ted, later on in the series when she becomes a truly beloved character and partner alongside Ted to see AFC Richmond become the greatest team in the league, or when she belts out a musical performance such as her incredible moving performance of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up,” there is no question that Waddingham is fantastic every second she is on screen. 

Playing perfectly off the energy of her co-stars, Juno Temple is wonderful as Keeley Jones with the most eccentric and loving character on the show, quickly becoming the series’ secret weapon with her pitch perfect comedic chops as she makes her little character stand out as much as her larger co-stars while also having a heart of gold and becoming the most dependable member of the Lasso team. Being foul mouthed and grouchy has never been so endearing than when Brett Goldstein does it as Roy Kent, creating one of the most beloved characters of the show whose proclivity for swearing and grunting is a true work of art. 

And with an incredible lineup of actors including Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, Sarah Niles, Toheeb Jimoh, Cristo Fernández, and James Lance to round out the main lineup of characters, with each giving a great performance to create a memorable character on this series, there is not a single weak performance in sight!