Ted Lasso is a show of a million one-liners. I unabashedly love this show. Maybe because it softly landed on my television during the deep stresses of the pandemic or maybe I just needed a show that pulled apart toxic masculinity in such clever, funny, and loveable ways, but it’s good and pure tv (though it has a whole lot of cussing if that’s not for you).
I have been preparing for the drop of Season 3 today… ahhh it’s today! I have my coziest blankets ready for tv watching, shortbread cookies, and hot tea ready. I even sent my spouse to Jenni’s ice cream today to secure a pint of Ted Lasso ice cream flavor that has been sold out since it was first released (we had intel that there would be another batch released today and we understood the assignment)! I am ready for a tv show that hugs my soul to once again enter our home on a weekly basis.
To prepare though, Sunday evening I re-watched the season finale of season 2 and wow, it was like Amy’s sermon on apologies part II. This episode can PREACH! Watch the Apology (language warning again) here or read about it below.
Super masculine soccer player Jamie Tartt confesses his love for ex-girlfriend Keeley. Keely’s current boyfriend Roy Kent is somehow even more masculine than Tartt in my opinion. He grunts most of his feelings and is a rugged, tough retired soccer player turned coach. Roy and Jamie have a long-lasting disdain for each other though at times you catch glimpse of softness towards each other… but rarely.
So Tartt confesses his love to Keely, Roy’s girlfriend. Knowing these characters, you just know Roy is going to destroy Tart. But then it happens, Roy pulls Tartt into another room ready to destroy him (or as he says knock every tooth out of his mouth)… and Tartt begins with an apology that goes something like this…
“Wait can I just say something first.”
He names what he did.
“It was wrong and I shouldn’t have done it”
He explains the emotional state he was in and what likely lead him to the mistake.
“I respect you and your relationship, and I will never ever do anything like that again.”
Roy angrily just walks out. Roy is angry he can’t beat him up, angry that he received an UNLIKELY apology that he didn’t even know what to do with it, and angry he was now not compelled to knock his teeth out.
That’s it folks. Apologies can be so unexpected in our culture and yet, they can be so restorative in relationships. Relationships at work, relationships in families, relationships with friends, relationships with other races and religions… and we need a world on the mend.
Tarrt offers a good apology too.
- He names the mistake.
- He names it was wrong.
- He gives context for the mistake, but doesn’t make a bunch of excuses, just tells his truth of what lead him to the mistake.
- He honors the relationship he makes the mistake in and promises to try to learn from it and not repeat it.
What else is there to a great apology. And two masculine, professional athletes are modeling this for us. Like Amy’s sermon, this moment offers us the opportunity see the power of an apology and might inspire us to try it out in our own lives.
Today, I am grateful for the good news shared in Ted Lasso… I am counting down the hours until the kids are in bed and Season 3 begins for me.
-Written by Brittany Porch
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Well stated. Very nice and also excited for this new season!
Lovely ! Validating. And Roy asks for an apology and gets one in Season 3 Episode 2! We are all learning. Thank you for succinctly and clearly identifying the elements. I am glad i don’t have to learn soccer to use this.