So you’ve watched all of Ted Lasso and now the wait for season three is feeling too long? Here is some whole-hearted content to enjoy in the meantime.
As you will know, there are some seriously passionate Ted Lasso fans here at Capsule and when we’re not re-watching the Christmas episode (festive! seasonal!) we’re enjoying all Ted-adjacent entertainment. Here are some of the ways we keep the Lasso fires burning in our hearts.
Listen to the soundtrack From the resurgence of Oasis back into our playlists through to the devastating Marcus Mumford cover of You’ll Never Walk Alone, you can find all the songs featured in the first two seasons here.
Read it and weep Recently, US journalist Mike Ryan revealed that star/writer Jason Sudeikis had sent him a very Ted Lasso-esque email a few years ago. Mike had interviewed Jason about a movie based on a dying father, and it had been only a short time since Mike’s own dad had died unexpectedly. He mentioned this in passing to Jason, who sent him a long email a few days later about grief, loss and vulnerability. Here’s an excerpt:
“It’s important and f–king necessary for us human beings to do that. To connect. To share. And to not concern ourselves too much with the outcome of such bravery. Especially the men of the world. Our generation is the first to “understand” that notion, but darn it, I’d love to try and be the first generation of fellas to “live” the notion as well. So let’s both continue to attempt to be on that “side of history,” shall we?”
Who inspires the stars? Malala Yousafzai – one of the most real-life inspirational figures of our times – has a very popular newsletter, where recently she asked cast members from Ted Lasso on the real life teachers or leaders who taught them to believe. Brett Goldstein, who plays Roy Kent on the show, has a very ‘Roy Kent’ answer about a teacher who wronged him and also reveals he majored in Film and Feminism at University (*heart eyes emoji*)
Films To Be Buried With Speaking OF the handsome and gravel-voiced Roy Kent, his real-life counterpart runs a podcast called Films To Be Buried With, where Brett interviews well-known people about how they’d like to die and what their key movies are; like the one that made them cry the most, the one they’ve watched the most. It’s insightful and delightful, with a fab list of interviewees, including Capsule fave Dolly Alderton, and one interview proves that the Ted Lasso/Brené Brown love-fest really is a two-way street…
Unlocking Us with Brené Brown …as also illustrated here! Apparently, the Ted Lasso writing room references the US behaviour researcher a LOT – the heartbeat of Ted Lasso IS vulnerability – and she reciprocates by having not one, not two, but three Ted Lasso themed podcasts. First she interviews writers Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt on season one, and it’s a great interview because it was early on in the Ted Lasso momentum and they’re still clearly in shock that people have watched the show. Second, Brené interviews Sarah Niles, who plays the prickly then warm therapist in season two, and finally Brené interviews Brett Goldstein, heartthrob.
“Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!” Ted Lasso does get increasingly light on the sports aspect of the premise but there’s a lot to be said for the lessons in being a good teammate, not letting competition get the better of you and learning how to be a leader. All of these attributes and more feature in the beloved American series Friday Night Lights (Neon), about a coach and his wife leading the local team through a football mad small-town in the states.
Similar in sports + emotions vibe is the massive hit Remember The Titans (Disney+), where the stakes are a lot higher as Denzel Washington leads a team from a recently desegregated high school in a very conservative American town. It’s much more serious than Ted Lasso – as you can tell from the premise – but there are a lot of similarities when it comes to building a team out of unlikely allies and the idea that you never lose by appealing to people’s better natures. Plus, a young Ryan Gosling stars as the world’s tiniest football player.
Girl talk One of the absolute highlights of Ted Lasso is the supportive and chaotically joyous friendship between Rebecca and Keeley and this nine-minute interview between the real-life actors is a delight, plus turns out Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca) is a huge fan of a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Welcome, Hannah.
