It’s almost here. Season 3 of Ted Lasso debuts Wednesday on Apple. This will be the final one for the Emmy-award-winning comedy, although star and co-creator Jason Sudeikis has left the door open for spinoffs. Here are five things we’re most looking forward to:
5. Trent Crimm’s new role
It will be interesting to see how Trent Crimm is used going forward. He played a pivotal part in Season 2 by breaking the story about Ted’s panic attack and then getting fired from The Independent for revealing that Nate was his anonymous source. It has been interesting to see how Crimm has gone from being extremely skeptical of Ted to respecting Ted not only as a coach but as a person. Now that Crimm is unemployed, what happens to him? Does he join AFC Richmond in some multimedia/public relations capacity? Or does he land with another publication? The latter seems remote since revealing your source, no matter how noble your intentions are, is a journalistic no-no.
4. The love triangle between Roy, Keeley, and Jamie
In Season 2, we saw some cracks in Roy and Keeley’s romance. The most surprising development was a busy Keeley turning down an offer for a vacation with Roy to focus on her new career. Instead, she encouraged a disappointed Roy to go it alone. That left us all speculating on the state of their relationship once he returns. Will Roy’s absence allow Jamie to win Keeley back? And how will that affect Roy and Jamie’s working relationship on the field? Jamie has gone from a narcissistic jerk to a more likable version of himself. If Keeley has to pick one, whom will she choose?
3. The evolution of Ted
The first season portrayed Ted as an eternal optimist with an impossibly rosy outlook on life. In Season 2, we saw a more well-rounded character who battled demons that led to the panic attacks he experienced late in the debut season. It got dark at times, including the revelation that Ted’s father committed suicide. What will Season 3 bring? It’s clear that Ted has a lot of stuff going on that needs to be dealt with emotionally. You also have to wonder if being so far away from his son will eventually take its toll. Ted has poured a lot of himself into his job, but that is probably an inadequate substitute for the life he could be experiencing.
2. Seeing if Rebecca and Sam get back together
Rebecca and Sam secretly hooking up through a dating app that also is AFC Richmond’s top sponsor was one of the most delightful surprises of Season 2. No one saw that coming. And despite a huge conflict of interest (a player romantically involved with a team owner who signs his paychecks), Rebecca and Sam are an engaging couple worth rooting for. They have terrific chemistry. Hopefully, we’ll see more of them as a couple. Watching how Sam’s teammates react when/if they learn the truth will be fascinating. Plus, how will Rebecca’s ex-husband Rupert react? Please make this happen.
1. The Nathan Shelley vs. Ted Lasso showdown
Nathan “Nate” Shelley’s turn to the dark side is now complete. He’s the manager of West Ham, which is owned by Rupert. The show seems to be building toward a final confrontation between Shelley and his former boss (Lasso) and his former team (AFC Richmond). Ted Lasso has expertly handed the transformation of Nate from a nebbish clubhouse attendant who was bullied in Season 1 to a genius assistant coach to a villain who became the most unlikeable character in the show. Will there be a Darth Vader-type of redemption for Nate at the end, or will he continue down a dark path?
About Michael Grant
Born in Jamaica. Grew up in New York City. Lives in Louisville, Ky. Sports writer. Not related to Ulysses S. Grant.