Ted Lasso Final Episode, Season 3 Finale Podcast: So Long, Farewell

It’s the Ted Lasso Final Episode from Season 3 on the Torg Stories Podcast.

Generally, what am I looking for in a final episode or the end of a story?

1. Questions were probably raised in my mind. I’d like to see them answered.
2. Answering questions is related to resonance. I expect echoes or reflections of the start of the story.
3. In first person writing, I offer students up the option to come to realizations and new understandings. To look back and to look ahead.
4. Ending with meaningful images can be a part of that. Ted and Rebecca sitting in the empty stadium bleachers. Ending with Ted’s eyes as he stands on the pitch coaching his son.
5. There’s pressure to take me on one last good ride and make me laugh, think, and/or cry. How will they leave it? Will there be any surprises?
6. Looking for a statement about the themes and topics of the story.
7. Hope to be moved intellectually or emotionally.
8. Questions for Anne: what’s your history with final episodes? I can remember Seinfeld and Sopranos. I don’t know if I remember any others.

Going into the last episode of Ted Lasso, which I thought would be the last episode ever, what was I thinking about?

1. I wondered what Coach Lasso would do. Would he go home? Would he end up with someone such as Rebecca or Sassy?
2. Would Roy or Jamie end up with Keeley? I tended to think Jamie was a better fit for Keeley.
3. How would the team do?

Let’s go through this final episode and then let’s check on how we think the episode did based on what we’ve laid out:

1. We get the Soccer Saturday show which has worked well to summarize what’s going on. Richmond can win the league. Rupert has been accused of an inappropriate relationship. Something we’ve been seeing since the first episode is coming home to roost for Rupert.
2. I think we get some misdirection in the opening scene. Rebecca is in the kitchen. Ted comes walking out into Rebecca’s kitchen. Ted, do you want to talk about it? Then we get Beard in a thong. How did you like that Anne?
3. Trent has finished his book. The Lasso Way. Beard severe critic.
4. Higgins, Keeley, and Higgins. Bring up Rupert is getting divorced. Guaranteed spot in the Champions League. Rebecca asks about selling the whole team. 2 billion. EMO: Rebecca selling whole club. New issue introduced I hadn’t considered.
5. Team does a song and dance from the Sound of Music. So long, farewell. Goodbye.
6. Jamie invites Keeley to go with him to Brazil for a Nike photoshoot. Roy invites Jamie for a beer. We’re getting something I wondered about. Where will these relationships go?
7. Rebecca in the pub with her mom. Tish is the psychic. The fans bought Rebecca dinner. Really good joke by Mae about lying awake at night thinking about how easy they’ve had it.
8. Ted sits in the bleachers alone. Rebecca shows up to talk about him leaving. Ted says very little during this talk. Rebecca makes an argument for him to stay. She says if he goes, she goes and will sell the team.
9. Jamie and Roy show up at Keeley’s. They tell her to choose.
10. Ted goes in to see Nate who is looking at the empty spot on the wall where the Believe sign used to be. Nate breaks down and tells Ted he is sorry. Ted says when he looks up there, he still sees it.
11. In the office before the final match, they go over the leagues and advancing and being relegated. Roy asks to be a Diamond Dog. They mention the perfect film the Shawshank Redemption, which you have never seen, right?
12. Higgins: The best we can do is keep asking for help and accepting it when we can. If you keep doing that, you will always be moving toward better.
13. They show the team a montage of highlights. The whole team stands on the pitch crying.
14. Dr. Sharon is watching. Dr. Jake really missing the mood: well, something happened.
15. Halftime 0-2: Let you gentlemen know what an honor is has been to be your coach. Loved getting to know you. Front row seat to the men you have become. I’m gonna miss you all. Sports would be a lot less fun if you know what was going to happen. Goes to point at the wall… The sign isn’t there. Peace of mind knowing we did our best. Sam gets up and puts a piece of the sign in the middle. Jamie’s is in a book. Issac’s under his captain band. WHEN A TEAM DOES SOMETHING ON THEIR OWN. There it is. #4: Believe. There ain’t a whole lot of pleaces like AFC Richmond too.
16. Wow: on a 16 game winning streak. Tartt scores at 51 minutes. Jamie tells Dani to take it. He gives it to Isaac. He kicked it through the net. Net gets replaced.
17. Rupert strides onto the pitch. Crowd chants Wanker at Rupert. He loved the team.
18. Ted learned what offsides was!
19. Issac takes a penalty and kicks the ball through the net. I looked this up and it has happened before.
20. They run the play where Tartt is a decoy. BBQ Sauce. Sam scores. Nate, you used my play! Collin gets to kiss his fella. Ted dances and does the running man which we got in the opening episode of season 1. Rebecca decided selling 49% of team to fans. Richmond came in second. Wicked – Kinky Boots.
21. Rebecca says she wants to stay with her family.
22. On the flight: To beard. Is this nuts? Beard is in love with Jane. You’re just following your heart. Whatever is about to happen, that’s a great start. I love you Willis. Beard gets off.
23. A little girl comes running up to Rebecca at the airport. Rebecca meets the little girl. Her dad is the Amsterdam guy.
24. Ted gets the snow globe.
25. Trent’s book. Change the title.
26. Roy is the manager.
27. Nate is with Jade.
28. Sam makes his national team.
29. Picnic at Higgins house. Life goes on without Coach Ted Lasso.
30. Mae and the bar fans buy some of the team.
31. The Richmond Way becomes the name of the book.
32. Roy goes into therapy.
33. Ripped sign put back up.
34. Beard’s wedding at Stonehenge.
35. Roy lands in KC. Mercedes car home. Ted brings his luggage in the house.
36. Coaching his kid. Be a goldfish. “Fight Test” playing.
37. Cat Stevens, Father and Son.

Overall Observations / Questions:

1. Rebecca and Ted are first bound by the pain of their divorces. Makes me think of friends I’ve had. And also the friends of going through something together.
2. Between Ted’s take off from London and arrival at his home in Kansas City, is a montage that shows Roy getting introduced as manager of Richmond and Beard getting married. Ted is not at Beard’s wedding.
3. The man from Amsterdam has unintentionally ended up with the owner of a Premiere League Team.

Where did the character start? How did they finish?

1. Coach Ted Lasso: from full of pain from divorce, not dealing with his father’s death and marriage to heading home more mentally healthy and perhaps to reconcile his marriage.
2. Rebecca: from trying to ruin Richmond to get back at her ex husband Rupert to thinking of the team and its fans as her family. She might end up with her own family too.
3. Roy Kent
4. Jamie Tartt
5. Keeley Jones
6. Nathan Shelley – unconfident self loathing ambition to peaceful acceptance of being a part of a team
7. Sam Obisanya – from getting picked on by Jamie to being a leader of the team.
8. Colin – from being closeted gay to, in the words of the show, getting to his his fella on the pitch.
9. Rupert – a rich and powerful philanderer who owns two teams who experiences complete destruction and is ridiculed off the pitch of a team and fanbase he used to love.

Thanks for checking out this episode of the Torg Stories Podcast!