The Critical Acclaim of Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso has experienced critical acclaim throughout its three seasons, and even its worst-rated episode by viewers is actually quite important for the show. The Apple TV+ series about an American football coach who takes the reigns of AFC Richmond soccer club in the UK has aired 34 episodes to date. While Ted Lasso season 3 felt like the conclusion of the series, an announcement still hasn't been made regarding the future of the feel-good show. A Ted Lasso season 4 is certainly possible, but there are also several spinoffs that could be explored.
Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 8 Recap
Either way, one thing is clear: saying goodbye to Jason Sudeikis' Ted Lasso and the show's superb supporting cast will be hard. The cast remained one of the show's highlights over the three seasons, garnering continuous award nominations and wins. There's no doubt that Ted Lasso was one of the best shows to release in the past few years, but even the best shows have flaws. While word-of-mouth and award recognition helped grow Ted Lasso's fanbase, not all of those fans loved each and every episode of the series.
6 Best & 6 Worst Moments From Ted Lasso Season 3
The Significance of Ted Lasso Season 3, Episode 8
Out of Ted Lasso's 34 episodes, the worst-rated was season 3, episode 8, 'We'll Never Have Paris,' which received a 6.6 rating from IMDb. The episode from May 2023 came in the latter half of season 3 and followed AFC Richmond amid a winning streak. Ted was distracted after learning his ex-wife was becoming closer to their former couple's therapist while Keeley dealt with her own mess from a past relationship. The criticism for 'We'll Never Have Paris' stemmed from the disjointed pacing of the episode and the focus of Keeley's storyline, whose arc felt too underdeveloped to get that much attention.
Though season 3's 'We'll Never Have Paris' may not have been a hit when it released, the Ted Lasso episode contained a few pivotal moments for the rest of the season. For one, there was the revelation that Michelle wasn't engaged, giving Ted some hope that led to his decision to return home in Ted Lasso season 3's ending. Keeley also learned an important lesson by realizing Jack wasn't suitable for her. Keeley's sexually explicit video leak also taught Jamie and the rest of the team lessons on privacy and consent. Lastly, Nate realized he wasn't surrounded by supportive colleagues after realizing what he was missing without Ted on his side.
Criticism and Impact of Ted Lasso Season 3
To some, it might be a surprise that season 2's Coach Beard-centric episode, 'Beard After Hours,' wasn't the worst-rated Ted Lasso episode. In fact, it came second to last with a 6.8 rating, considering some didn't accept how much the episode deviated from the central story. Granted, seeing as Ted Lasso season 3 received the most criticism, it makes sense the worst-rated episode came from that installment. After stellar Rotten Tomatoes ratings for the first two seasons, 92% and 98%, season 3 came in at 82%. That's certainly not bad, but it's low considering the previous praise.
One major complaint surrounding Ted Lasso season 3 was the installment's pacing and how the various storylines felt convoluted. With Nate on another path, Keeley figuring out her new career, and even Rebecca distracted by other aspects outside of AFC Richmond, the constant shifting of focus hurt what made the show so great by highlighting the ensemble together. Though the magic wasn't totally lost, Ted Lasso took a while to bring it all together before coming to an impactful end in the season 3 finale.
