It’s disconcerting Apple TV+ has still not confirmed the fate of Ted Lasso because Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 11 was the perfect set-up for a series finale.
All the characters and conflicts reached big, pivotal moments, making me wonder where the series will end.
The theme of the 70-minute installment was forgiveness, and it reiterated that the show will conclude with everyone in a better place than when we found them on Ted Lasso Season 1 Episode 1.
The addition of Dottie was the key to solving the puzzle of Ted’s past, including why he masks his insecurities with humor.
It may just be me, but I couldn’t shake the feeling something would happen to Dottie, or she would reveal she was sick, setting the stage for her son’s return to the U.S.
The series has been building toward an end that finds Richmond AFC soldiering on without him, and after the events of “Mom City,” it’s evident that it will be sooner rather than later.
Ted and Dottie shared some great scenes, but learning the pain Ted felt about how his mother reacted in the aftermath of his father’s death was harrowing.
Ted: Hey, Ms. Barnaby. Rough night?
Ms. Barnaby: Ted, if it’s not rough, it isn’t fun.
Who would have thought that Mae would be the one to help Ted uncover the root of his panic attacks?
Mae knows these people more than they know themselves, and I dare say she’s heard many stories while running the pub.
Now that Ted and his mother have had this big emotional breakthrough, they can begin rebuilding their relationship.
The unfortunate aspect of that — at least for Rebecca and AFC Richmond — is that Ted is likely going home.
He’s scared his son will begin resenting him and his kid will grow up with a negative perception of him, so Ted needs to return to the U.S. for his storyline to reach a big finish.
Whether the show can recalibrate somewhere else with new characters, I don’t know, but I’m sure Apple TV+ will have a definite answer for us later this month.
It’s rare for a show of this caliber not to go out with a heavily promoted final season, but we’ve been left to ponder the possibilities.
If Ted is ready to move on, everything is falling into place.
Isaac: Can I have 75 kebabs to go?
Nate: Uh, yeah. Oh, yeah. No, of course. Um, chicken, pork or lamb? Or 25 of each?
Isaac: Nate the Great.
Nate’s return to AFC Richmond has been a possibility all season, but I appreciated that it wasn’t a seamless transition back to his old job.
Coach Beard has proven to be impulsive in the past, but he struggled to understand why anyone would want someone who betrayed the team back so soon.
My jaw was firmly on the floor when Ted forced Beard’s hand with the message about the past.
Did anyone else think that would go in that direction?
Ted and Beard’s friendship has been a bit of an enigma because there’s been so much about their past we, as viewers, haven’t been privy to.
There was raw emotion when Beard told Nate the truth about his past, mainly because you could tell Beard was looking at this from a different perspective than earlier.
Now it’s easier to understand Beard and Ted’s bond and how they’re both there for each other whenever anything happens.
Bringing Nate back to AFC Richmond will get much media attention, but my best guess is this will be a seamless return.
The players seem receptive to Nate’s comeback, which is surprising when considering the past.
The true test will be how Nate builds on what Ted has been telling the team all season long.
For the first time in a long time, AFC Richmond stands a chance at winning a coveted title, and it’s all thanks to every single member of the team and the positive figures in their orbit.
Jamie’s arc on Ted Lasso Season 3 has been well-written because we’ve reached this point where he’s at peace with his past, returning to his old team and delivering an astounding performance on the field.
Nate: Don’t think the cleaners actually cleaned the floor.
Jade: There are no cleaners.
Nate: So, why do we put the chairs on the tables?
Jade: The patriarchy.
Nate: Oh, okay. Oh, well. I’ll just, um… Just go get a broom.
His apprehension about his father taunting him was heartbreaking because, in the grand scheme of things, his father hadn’t had a positive influence in his life.
Jamie has come up against so much adversity in his life that he just expected it, and while the fans at Etihad Stadium weren’t fond of his big return at first, his display of grace and resilience allowed him to get support from both teams.
Like many other characters, Jamie has made some mistakes, but can you imagine what he must have felt when he got the validation he deserved after such a showstopping performance?
Every football needs a Jamie Tartt. I could say the same about many of the others on this show, but Jamie’s arc has been that good.
Phil Dunster has delivered every step of the way and elevated his already stellar performance this season.
Another positive was that he could have a relationship with Keeley and Roy because that didn’t ever seem to be a possibility in the past.
Roy and Keeley were so supportive of Jamie here, and it’s the support he needed to allow him to make peace with the past.
I don’t know how things will play out with his father, but at least Jamie has shut down the haters for now.
Speaking of Roy and Keeley, should we expect an impromptu wedding on Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 12?
Roy was vocal about wanting something more, which should come to the forefront before the series ends.
Another thing that will come to the forefront is the takedown of Rupert Mannion.
Rebecca reached a resolution with her despicable ex-husband on Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 10, but his current wife is going through what Rebecca went through so often.
Rebecca has been laser-focused on Richmond’s success and finding out the truth about the signs from the psychic, but she probably knew this day would come, eventually.
It’s difficult to imagine how Rebecca’s journey will end because I don’t think she’ll be interested in a Ted Lasso-free Richmond AFC.
They’ve had this unbreakable bond ever since they realized they needed each other to give the team a fighting chance.
I would have preferred more development on what could be the penultimate episode of the series, but I guess Hannah Waddingham will have a much bigger part of the finale.
Ted: Hey, Boss.
Rebecca: Oh. Hello, Ted. Do you know this John Wooden?
Ted: No, ma’am. Never had the chance to meet him.
Rebecca: Oh, pity.
Ted: I like this.
Rebecca: Ah, I mean, if you don’t like that, you don’t like ice cream.
Ted: What’s up?
Rebecca: Do you know what time it is?
Ted: Uh, 9:30. Or half nine as you folks say over here for some goofy-ass reason.
Rebecca: That’s just to annoy Americans. Yeah. No, this is that time of year when I come down here and reveal something to you.
Ted: Oh, snap. That’s right. Okay. Well, here we go. Uh, you know what? Maybe I should guess this year.
Rebecca: No, no, no, that’s silly.
Ted: Yeah. No, you just go ahead and tell me. Go on, let ‘er rip.
Rebecca: I’ve got nothing. Oh, I really tried as well. I mean, even on the walk over here, I was thinking something would pop into my head, but nope. Absolutely nothing. Sorry, Ted. No truth bomb this year.
Ted: Well, that’s okay. I got one.
It’s no secret that I’ve struggled with the longer episodes this season, but “Mom City” didn’t waste a single minute.
It was a perfect episode of TV and might be my favorite episode of the series.
What are your thoughts on Jamie’s big comeback? Are you surprised about Dottie’s arrival and those Lasso history revelations?
What are your thoughts on Nate’s return to Richmond? Do you think Ted is leaving the team for good?
What’s your take on Rupert’s potential downfall?
Hit the comments.
Ted Lasso airs Wednesdays on Apple TV+.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.