Rumor has it that season three could be coach Ted Lasso’s last outing. But that just can’t be. While we can still digest bidding goodbye to Succession this year, we can’t yet let go of Ted Lasso because we need more feel-good shows like this amid so much doom and gloom that surrounds us.

Firstly, there is still so much to unravel about the litany of lovable (not Nate) characters on Ted Lasso, a show with the heart and the humor to make us feel all is not so terrible with the world. Maybe even new characters and storylines could be brought in to keep things fresh. We are sure the prolific minds behind the show could start brainstorming. Jason Sudeikis, one-fourth of the creative team (along with Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly) behind Ted Lasso, is open to more, and fans are already manifesting a fourth season.
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There Is More Story To Tell

Warner Bros. Television Distribution

Sudeikis first portrayed the character of Ted in a series of promos for NBC Sports’ coverage of England’s Premier League, and the Apple TV+ series grew out of that kernel of an idea. The very first season broke records by being nominated for a whopping 20 Primetime Emmy Awards, the most for a first-season comedy in Emmy history. Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham (who plays Ted’s boss and owner of AFC Richmond, Rebecca Welton), and Brett Goldstein (who plays everyone’s favorite disgruntled softie, veteran midfielder-turned-assistant coach Roy Kent) won for their performances. In addition, the series won the 2021 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series (they won again in 2022). The second season had 20 more nominations.

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Ted Lasso is not only one of the most successful shows on TV right now, but it is also a golden goose for Apple TV+, so even from a business standpoint, it makes sense to churn out at least a couple of more seasons.

In season three, we finally get a villain in Nathan “Nate the Great” Shelley (Nick Mohammed). After getting tired of being kicked around and getting only morsels of respect from his team, Nate finally joined forces with Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head). Mannion is Rebecca’s toxic ex, the former owner of AFC Richmond who currently owns West Ham United, and he is the new adversary in town. But barring this central conflict, which should be wrapped up by the end of season three, we have a lot more to explore.

From Roy and Keeley’s (Juno Temple) relationship to Ted’s mental health and Nate’s new shenanigans — season three already has a lot on its plate. There is also the matter of Rebecca and Sam’s (Toheeb Jimoh) situationship that makes fans uncomfortable with age-gap relationships. We don’t mind watching more standalone episodes involving Leslie (Jeremy Swift) or Coach Beard’s (Brendan Hunt) sidequests, Jamie (Phil Dunster) landing himself in yet another hot soup, and the ever-accident-prone Dani (Cristo Fernández) breaking his curse finally. Then there are the other players. A few new team members could increase the scope for fresher dynamics and perhaps more unorthodox antagonists.

Channing Dungey, the Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros. Television Group, the studio behind Ted Lasso, has also spoken about the potential for more stories, “What had initially been the vision that Jason and Bill [Lawrence] had, when they went into season one, was very much a three act structure. Then I think it becomes one of those things that as you get going with it, and if you fall in love with that world and those characters, it’s hard to say goodbye.”

We Need Ted’s Jaunty Breeziness in Our Lives

Apple TV+

Even in the golden age of television, there is a real dearth of shows like Gilmore Girls on TV — where we can dissect subtext and simultaneously feel like we’re being wrapped in a cozy blanket on an autumnal afternoon. While Ted doesn’t exactly make us feel like fall in the form of a TV character, he does feel like a mix of spring and summer. He is the kind of friend and mentor we all wish we had in our corner, always seeing the best in us and the world at large, making the world a tad bit better just by existing. Unlike This is Us — another show about nice people living nice lives, you won’t be weeping at the end of every episode or feeling manipulated by its contrived story arcs. We need more of the jaunty breeziness that shows like Ted Lasso bring.

But along with good cheer, Ted Lasso also brings refreshing unpredictability to its character dynamics, from unlikely relationships (both platonic and romantic) to unethical billionaires exploiting people everywhere.

We see a realistic representation of the mental health crisis when life and its many griefs finally catch up to Ted. The fact that he is the most upbeat character only helps acknowledge that anyone can suffer from anxiety, regardless of their overarching ​​perspective on life. Everyone’s friend also needs to lean on someone, and Ted finds that support in sports psychologist Dr. Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles). This storyline quite brazenly criticizes proponents and believers of toxic positivity without becoming heavy-handed.

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However, given reports of hostile negotiations between Warner Bros and the cast, the chances of a fourth season may be slim. We will always have what is being promised as a near-perfect ending with season three, releasing on Mar. 15. But here’s hoping for another hurrah!