10 most wholesome moments from Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso (2020-) is a sports comedy-drama show starring Jason Sudeikis, Hannan Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, and Phil Dunster in lead roles. The show follows Ted (Sudeikis), a college football coach who gets hired as the manager at AFC Richmond, a popular team in the English Premier League. When everybody waits for him to fail, Lasso turns the team's fortunes around.
Considered one of the best shows on Apple TV, Ted Lasso is a story of found families, discovering a purpose, and self-belief. The show won seven Emmys, three SAG awards, two Golden Globes, and more, with 138 nominations.
Ted Lasso's unbridled optimism, faith, and hope led to many wholesome moments throughout the sports comedy show. Here are a few such moments.
The most heartwarming moments from Apple TV's Ted Lasso
1) Ted's darts story - season 1 episode 8
Ted competes with Rupert, former AFC Richmond owner, and Rebecca's ex-husband, over darts. If Rupert wins, he gets to pick the last two lineups of the tournament. If Lasso wins, Rupert stays away from the club's owner's stand as long as Rebecca remains the owner. What follows is one of the most memorable moments of the show.
Ted reminds Rupert to "be curious" and "not judgemental," as he scores two triple 20s and a bull's eye back to back, winning the bet. The scene shows Ted's need to do the right thing, stand up for his friend, and remind everyone he shouldn't be underestimated. If only Rupert had asked Ted if he knew how to play darts.
2) The team puts the "Believe" sign back together - season 3 episode 12
Throughout Ted Lasso, the handmade, yellow poster with "Believe" on it symbolizes Lasso's commitment to hope and perseverance. It is the biggest lesson he imparts to his team, and they carry it into every game, win or lose. So, when Nate (Nick Mohammed) rips the poster apart, fans feel the loss of its presence deeply.
In the season finale, the team gathers the pieces of the poster they had saved and puts them back together. It showed their belief in Ted's process and how much he has impacted them. The scene was the perfect farewell to the iconic character.
3) Roy hugs Jamie - season 2 episode 8
Ted Lasso focused on vulnerability in male-dominated spaces, which made the show special among fans. Whether it's Ted's Diamond Dogs or AFC Richmond's locker room talks, the show captured men being open, honest, and vulnerable. Their solidarity off the ground made them stronger on it.
In a heartbreaking scene, Jamie Tartt's (Phil Dunster) father bursts into the team's locker room after their loss against Manchester City and abuses him. Amidst the silence, the team's surly player-turned-coach Roy (Brett Goldstein) hugs a shaken-up Jamie. Their trajectory from enemies to friends is one of the most wholesome aspects of the show.
4) The team helps Sam rebuild his restaurant - season 3 episode 7
Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh) goes from a player in the background to one of the show's most important characters. In season 3, he is one of their most pivotal players and is known to stand for his political beliefs. When his online exchange with a right-wing reporter goes viral, extremists trash his newly-opened restaurant.
Fans love how the team bonds outside the field in Ted Lasso. A dejected Sam takes his father to his restaurant, only to see his teammates rally and show up for him. They clean the space together, and Sam and his father cook a traditional Nigerian meal while they bond.
5) Ted forgives Rebecca - season 1 episode 9
Throughout season 1, fans see Rebecca (Hannan Waddingham) go from a vengeful woman who wants to tear her ex-husband's team down to someone who truly begins to believe in it. Her friendship with Ted improves gradually, so it is a shock to Ted when her plans are revealed.
Ted resigns as manager, but in a heartfelt moment, Rebecca apologizes. Ted accepts her apology, reminding her that divorces can be hard and make people do things they don't mean. The moment sealed the power duo's friendship for the seasons to come.
6) Christmas at the Higgins' - season 2 episode 4
In Ted Lasso's "Carol of the Bells," Higgins hosts a Christmas dinner for all the players who cannot go home for the holidays. Usually, only a couple of them turn up, but this time around, most of the team, including Sam and Dani, show up with traditional Christmas food to celebrate together.
The episode offered fans a peek into Higgins' life, his beautiful home with a wife and children, and his big heart. His earnest speech, "To the family we are born with, and to the family we make along the way," is one of the most wholesome moments in the show.
7) Isaac and Colin catch up over a video game - season 3 episode 9
Ted Lasso does remarkably well setting up secondary characters and their plotlines throughout the show. When Isaac finds out that his best friend on the team, Colin, hid his sexuality from him, he is hurt and angry. Tension bubbles over, and the two have to deal with the repercussions.
In a heartwarming moment, Isaac arrives at Colin's house to apologize. They make up over a video game, joking about team showers and men Colin finds hot. Colin tells Isaac he loves him, which Isaac can't say back, and instead, he replies with, "You know I do, too, yeah?"
8) Phoebe celebrates Uncle Roy Kent - season 3 episode 10
Many of Ted Lasso's wholesome moments feature Roy and his niece Phoebe. Their scenes show Roy in a completely different light, from a grouchy and angry footballer to a caring and fun uncle who never says no to Phoebe's whims. Case in point: A made-up holiday called "Uncle Day," celebrating Roy with his "best friend" Jamie.
What starts as funny banter soon becomes a wholesome moment when Jamie gifts Roy an original England kit jersey from 2004 when Roy represented the country. It showed the duo's growth as friends and teammates while simultaneously showing their ability to pull each other's leg at a moment's notice.
9) Roy accepts Ted's offer - season 2 episode 5
Ted Lasso's underlying theme of building community and being there for one another shines in this plotline. Ted notices Roy struggling with his injury, retirement, and comeback as a TV pundit and offers him the coach position for AFC Richmond, but Roy refuses.
However, when he coaches Isaac and helps him get his spark back, Roy realizes he misses the team and runs to accept Ted's offer. This wholesome moment showed how Ted burrowed his way into Roy's steely exterior to form a solid friendship.
10) Rebecca and Keeley form the AFC Richmond Women's Team - season 3 episode 12
Throughout the show, Rebecca and Keeley (Juno Temple) showcase solidarity as the only two women in, quite literally, a boy's club. They form an unlikely bond in wholesome moments over the three seasons.
In the season finale, Keeley, who runs a PR firm, has the next big idea for Richmond: to create a women's football team. Rebecca is excited about the prospect. The moment sealed the pair's journey and growth as friends and what they want to do to be more inclusive of other women in the sports space.
Ted Lasso has plenty of wholesome moments to make fans laugh, cry, and feel welcome in an inclusive space. The show was initially set to end with season 3, but season 4 was recently confirmed. Viewers can watch Ted Lasso on Apple TV.
