Ted Lasso: Lavender
July 30, 2021 12:26 PM - Season 2, Episode 2 - Subscribe
Ted is surprised by the reappearance of a familiar face; Roy tries out a new gig.
Also sugar is compared to video games, things go awry on Twitter and vulnerability plus passion is hot.
Also sugar is compared to video games, things go awry on Twitter and vulnerability plus passion is hot.
Not convinced that rehiring Jamie is a good idea and does seem out of character for Ted.
As an expat though - Gillette Soccer Saturday and Phil and Holly omg!
posted by ellieBOA at 1:18 PM on July 30, 2021 [2 favorites]
As an expat though - Gillette Soccer Saturday and Phil and Holly omg!
posted by ellieBOA at 1:18 PM on July 30, 2021 [2 favorites]
I agree that Ted coming around on Jamie happened a bit (too) fast.
Aside from that, this was noticeably funnier than the first episode again! I enjoyed Ted and Rebecca's badmouthing of therapy, Roy and Keeley's wholesome relationship and Jaimie getting a few marvelously stupid lines (while also showing some maturity at last).
Nate's dickishness is still largely ignored by the rest of the Diamond Dogs and I wonder when there'll be consequences.
(Side note: love the tags, Happy Dave!)
posted by bigendian at 2:35 PM on July 30, 2021 [2 favorites]
Aside from that, this was noticeably funnier than the first episode again! I enjoyed Ted and Rebecca's badmouthing of therapy, Roy and Keeley's wholesome relationship and Jaimie getting a few marvelously stupid lines (while also showing some maturity at last).
Nate's dickishness is still largely ignored by the rest of the Diamond Dogs and I wonder when there'll be consequences.
(Side note: love the tags, Happy Dave!)
posted by bigendian at 2:35 PM on July 30, 2021 [2 favorites]
It’s very interesting watching how they create tension between characters when they’ve established this baseline of “the characters are adults who talk things out when they encounter a tough interpersonal situation.” I have to imagine that we’re going to find out more about Ted’s style of interacting with people later in the season — humanize him in the sense that, well, maybe it is kind of an act he puts on for the benefit of himself or others, particularly to the consternation of his ex-wife.
Obviously next week’s episode cannot come soon enough
posted by DoctorFedora at 3:47 PM on July 30, 2021 [2 favorites]
Obviously next week’s episode cannot come soon enough
posted by DoctorFedora at 3:47 PM on July 30, 2021 [2 favorites]
Thank you for the gift basket of…bottled water.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:07 PM on July 30, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 6:07 PM on July 30, 2021 [3 favorites]
Better episode!
Soccer Saturday?! A-ha! I knew it. You do call it soccer! “Football” was just a ruse, an evil ruse to make us feel dumb.
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 7:11 PM on July 30, 2021 [5 favorites]
Soccer Saturday?! A-ha! I knew it. You do call it soccer! “Football” was just a ruse, an evil ruse to make us feel dumb.
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 7:11 PM on July 30, 2021 [5 favorites]
Except for the weird discussion with Sam where he told him that Jamie wouldn't be coming back followed immediately (and obviously) by Jamie coming back without warning the team, I liked this episode a lot. Ted would not have let the team decide for him about Jamie's return, but it seems out of character that he blindsided them with it.
posted by jeather at 7:14 PM on July 30, 2021 [8 favorites]
posted by jeather at 7:14 PM on July 30, 2021 [8 favorites]
Cutesy grandma pub owner is not as charming as the show creators think. That’s my one gripe this time.
I like Rebecca when she’s got some salt to her! And I thought the therapist was given a chance to become a more 3-D character, which was nice. How she kept moving closer to the field—funny!
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 7:19 PM on July 30, 2021 [3 favorites]
I like Rebecca when she’s got some salt to her! And I thought the therapist was given a chance to become a more 3-D character, which was nice. How she kept moving closer to the field—funny!
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 7:19 PM on July 30, 2021 [3 favorites]
All these men and their burdens! I love it. Particularly interested in seeing where the Nate storyline goes.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:37 PM on July 30, 2021
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:37 PM on July 30, 2021
Cutesy grandma pub owner is not as charming as the show creators think.
At least she’s not playing a farting alien like she did in Doctor Who. But there still are 11 episodes to go so I shouldn’t jinx it.
posted by Gary at 8:33 PM on July 30, 2021 [9 favorites]
At least she’s not playing a farting alien like she did in Doctor Who. But there still are 11 episodes to go so I shouldn’t jinx it.
posted by Gary at 8:33 PM on July 30, 2021 [9 favorites]
Ted is a people pleaser with a savior complex, and he will avoid bringing people in when he feels threatened. Remember when he almost put Roy back in the starting lineup for the final game after Roy yelled at him? Bringing Jamie back and not telling anyone is very much in character for Ted.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:45 PM on July 30, 2021 [15 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:45 PM on July 30, 2021 [15 favorites]
Also I love Pub Grandma and the fan dudes too.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:45 PM on July 30, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 10:45 PM on July 30, 2021 [5 favorites]
I am one of the people who did not like the last episode but I like this episode. It has some stuff in it. There’s the motif of people being afraid to make decisions that are their decision to make. It starts with Higgins apologizing to Ted about hiring the doctor and Ted insisting that it was Higgins’ decision. It comes up again with Sam and Ted discussing Jamie. It’s Ted’s decision to make! Ultimately he is persuaded that a losing team where everyone is happy is sick and it’s his job to fix it by going further.
posted by chrchr at 11:55 PM on July 30, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by chrchr at 11:55 PM on July 30, 2021 [4 favorites]
Had Ted not had the conversation with Sam, I would have accepted him just bringing Jamie back (though I still think it's out of character not to tell anyone). But after that scene it's pretty exceptionally shitty to not warn him and I hope we see some real plot from Sam and blowback on Ted for this.
I still love Roy and Keeley and hope we aren't heading to a long term Ted and Rebecca relationship.
posted by jeather at 7:31 AM on July 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
I still love Roy and Keeley and hope we aren't heading to a long term Ted and Rebecca relationship.
posted by jeather at 7:31 AM on July 31, 2021 [3 favorites]
No, but really, will someone explain to me why it’s called Soccer Saturday? Just because it’s alliterative?
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 8:13 AM on July 31, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by Don.Kinsayder at 8:13 AM on July 31, 2021 [4 favorites]
hope we aren't heading to a long term Ted and Rebecca relationship.
Why?
posted by tzikeh at 9:29 AM on July 31, 2021
Why?
posted by tzikeh at 9:29 AM on July 31, 2021
'The Prince of Tides' is an interesting favorite book for Dr. Sharon. It's about a psychiatrist's relationship with a patient who is, among other things, a former football coach, but it's also a pretty bonkers story.
(Also, whoever made the decision to give Dr. Sharon a Brompton folding bike with a Brooks saddle: chef's kiss.)
posted by box at 11:03 AM on July 31, 2021 [13 favorites]
(Also, whoever made the decision to give Dr. Sharon a Brompton folding bike with a Brooks saddle: chef's kiss.)
posted by box at 11:03 AM on July 31, 2021 [13 favorites]
Ted and Rebecca seem too alike somehow to be in a romantic relationship. I’m rooting for Rebecca and Sam (except for the weird power differential that ruins it).
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:37 PM on July 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 4:37 PM on July 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
Soccer Saturday?! A-ha! I knew it. You do call it soccer!
This might be complete bullshit, but this is the story I heard.
England had two sports called football: Rugby football, which got shortened to "rugby," and Association football, which got shortened to "soccer" (as an awkward abbreviation of "association").
The US adopted "soccer" as the sport's name. Britain took offense at the appropriation and decided to revert to calling it "football" to avoid the association (if I may) with what was perceived as something of a shithole country.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 5:36 PM on July 31, 2021 [5 favorites]
This might be complete bullshit, but this is the story I heard.
England had two sports called football: Rugby football, which got shortened to "rugby," and Association football, which got shortened to "soccer" (as an awkward abbreviation of "association").
The US adopted "soccer" as the sport's name. Britain took offense at the appropriation and decided to revert to calling it "football" to avoid the association (if I may) with what was perceived as something of a shithole country.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 5:36 PM on July 31, 2021 [5 favorites]
I think I need Ted to finish that explanation of his favourite book.
posted by synecdoche at 7:03 PM on July 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by synecdoche at 7:03 PM on July 31, 2021 [2 favorites]
Cutesy grandma pub owner is not as charming as the show creators think.
She's not a cutesy grandma, though. She's a tough-talking proper bar matron. She can handle all the wankers in the pub. She can put her foot down and everyone falls in line. This isn't a case of "isn't it funny that the old lady swears", she feels like the real owner of a British pub.
posted by crossoverman at 9:48 PM on July 31, 2021 [22 favorites]
She's not a cutesy grandma, though. She's a tough-talking proper bar matron. She can handle all the wankers in the pub. She can put her foot down and everyone falls in line. This isn't a case of "isn't it funny that the old lady swears", she feels like the real owner of a British pub.
posted by crossoverman at 9:48 PM on July 31, 2021 [22 favorites]
Only two characters have started storylines about their love life, so start getting your Rebecca / Coach Beard couple name ready. (Ok, I don't see that happening although I could see a one time thing as an episode cliffhanger).
posted by Gary at 11:58 PM on July 31, 2021
posted by Gary at 11:58 PM on July 31, 2021
Don.Kindsayder, Wikipedia says for the alliteration, it started as Sports Saturday in 1992!
posted by ellieBOA at 12:05 AM on August 1, 2021
posted by ellieBOA at 12:05 AM on August 1, 2021
Oh where was the other Brompton product placement, other than Dr. Fieldstone's usage in this episode?
posted by brainwane at 2:15 AM on August 1, 2021
posted by brainwane at 2:15 AM on August 1, 2021
Oh where was the other Brompton product placement, other than Dr. Fieldstone's usage in this episode?
I think it was a joke. Although the show W1A also has prominent Brompton usage by upper middle management types. It's a kind-of coded tell for a certain kind of Type-A Londoner, for sure.
I really enjoyed this episode and I love the tension that the show develops between public and private faces of the different characters. At its heart, it seems to me to be a show about reconciling those two faces, either by trying to become more like people to believe you to be, or by accepting that you will never be as good (or evil) as anyone else thinks you are.
Apart from Rupert, he's objectively terrible.
posted by Happy Dave at 5:51 AM on August 1, 2021
I think it was a joke. Although the show W1A also has prominent Brompton usage by upper middle management types. It's a kind-of coded tell for a certain kind of Type-A Londoner, for sure.
I really enjoyed this episode and I love the tension that the show develops between public and private faces of the different characters. At its heart, it seems to me to be a show about reconciling those two faces, either by trying to become more like people to believe you to be, or by accepting that you will never be as good (or evil) as anyone else thinks you are.
Apart from Rupert, he's objectively terrible.
posted by Happy Dave at 5:51 AM on August 1, 2021
I have been interested in buying a Brompton! What, in these shows, does using/having a Brompton imply about a character?
posted by brainwane at 9:28 AM on August 1, 2021
posted by brainwane at 9:28 AM on August 1, 2021
In my view it’s shorthand for upper middle class, middle ranking career, type A Londoners who are slightly ostentatious in their green-ish views. Also bankers who just like complicated gadgets.
They’re amazing bits of kit though.
posted by Happy Dave at 11:39 AM on August 1, 2021
They’re amazing bits of kit though.
posted by Happy Dave at 11:39 AM on August 1, 2021
I'm a non-banker in NYC but otherwise probably all of that fits!
What a generous gesture when Dr. Fieldstone allowed him to call her Doc, and shared her favorite book, and made that positive assessment of the team's camaraderie. I am looking forward to hearing more from her and the Dutch guy and from Roy, all of whom are truthtellers...
posted by brainwane at 11:38 PM on August 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
What a generous gesture when Dr. Fieldstone allowed him to call her Doc, and shared her favorite book, and made that positive assessment of the team's camaraderie. I am looking forward to hearing more from her and the Dutch guy and from Roy, all of whom are truthtellers...
posted by brainwane at 11:38 PM on August 1, 2021 [1 favorite]
I wonder if we're ever going to see Roy's full retirement speech? I don't think we need to see it, but I wouldn't mind. Another good choice from the writing room: I was worried that there would be cliche tension between Keeley and Roy because of Jamie's return. So glad they didn't make that choice.
I'm curious about Ted's father now after what Sam said to him reversed his decision on Jamie's return.
posted by gladly at 8:26 AM on August 2, 2021
I'm curious about Ted's father now after what Sam said to him reversed his decision on Jamie's return.
posted by gladly at 8:26 AM on August 2, 2021
My favorite bit about Sharon the therapist is she had to learn to ride that amazing Brompton for the role
One of the funny things about this project was the bike riding. Before I started this job, I couldn’t ride a bike. I don’t know what happened in my childhood. I’m going to have to seek some therapy about why I didn’t know how to ride a bike. I kind of told Jason, “Look, I can’t ride a bike.” He’s like [voice shifts to mimic him]: “Oh, don’t worry about it. You’ll get it. You’ll get it.”posted by mathowie at 10:24 AM on August 4, 2021 [18 favorites]
A few people helped me out — family members and friends — because there’s a park not far from me. Just getting in the park and getting on the bike. It was wonderful, actually. You get to learn something new. It’s all very “Ted Lasso” that you learn something new in life.
Hah, that’s amazing. So very much written into the character then, rather than just being what the actress turned up to work on.
posted by Happy Dave at 11:15 AM on August 4, 2021
posted by Happy Dave at 11:15 AM on August 4, 2021
Can someone tag this post "tedlasso"? Only the full 1st season post and the premiere of this season are tagged with the name of the show
posted by tzikeh at 12:01 PM on August 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by tzikeh at 12:01 PM on August 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
Done!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:25 PM on August 4, 2021
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:25 PM on August 4, 2021
Had Ted not had the conversation with Sam, I would have accepted him just bringing Jamie back (though I still think it's out of character not to tell anyone). But after that scene it's pretty exceptionally shitty to not warn him and I hope we see some real plot from Sam and blowback on Ted for this.
Maybe the next episode will show me wrong, but I'd assumed the time-passage dissolve to snow on the ground was precisely to allow those discussions to have happened off-screen. Sam's look to Ted at the end read to me less as a "how could you not tell me" and more as a "I hope you know what you're doing." It's a bit tricky because they tried to structure it as a surprise to the audience, but I don't think any of the characters didn't know he would be arriving that morning for his first day of practice.
posted by nobody at 12:30 PM on August 6, 2021 [8 favorites]
Maybe the next episode will show me wrong, but I'd assumed the time-passage dissolve to snow on the ground was precisely to allow those discussions to have happened off-screen. Sam's look to Ted at the end read to me less as a "how could you not tell me" and more as a "I hope you know what you're doing." It's a bit tricky because they tried to structure it as a surprise to the audience, but I don't think any of the characters didn't know he would be arriving that morning for his first day of practice.
posted by nobody at 12:30 PM on August 6, 2021 [8 favorites]
Yeah i came here hoping someone smarter would clarify the time hop!
posted by ominous_paws at 12:56 PM on August 8, 2021
posted by ominous_paws at 12:56 PM on August 8, 2021
Roy is both a Sensitive Guy and good boyfriend/uncle/coach(?) and publicly foul-mouthed blunt honesty all in one go. Him and Keeley are awesome.
I can see Ted being all "Jamie needs my help/this team's help" about it, for sure. Jamie quitting the game to spite his shitty dad made me go "ohhhhhh" about the whole thing.
I wouldn't be against a Rebecca/Ted pairing (other than, y'know, WORK) but would also be fine with them staying just friends, too.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:53 PM on January 17, 2022
I can see Ted being all "Jamie needs my help/this team's help" about it, for sure. Jamie quitting the game to spite his shitty dad made me go "ohhhhhh" about the whole thing.
I wouldn't be against a Rebecca/Ted pairing (other than, y'know, WORK) but would also be fine with them staying just friends, too.
posted by jenfullmoon at 6:53 PM on January 17, 2022
'The Prince of Tides' is an interesting favorite book for Dr. Sharon. It's about a psychiatrist's relationship with a patient who is, among other things, a former football coach, but it's also a pretty bonkers story.
It’s been a long while since I’ve read it, but isn’t that kind of ….fucked up?
posted by bq at 12:18 PM on November 6, 2022
It’s been a long while since I’ve read it, but isn’t that kind of ….fucked up?
posted by bq at 12:18 PM on November 6, 2022
I definitely read it as Ted not telling the team first, but I assume next ep will tell us one way or the other.
i was thinking about Doctor Sharon. I see the risk of the black female therapist trope. I assume a good chunk of their decision was to make that character as UN-like the current crew as possible. Could have gone with east Asian, but then you get into cold/unemotional stereotypes.
JFC, Nate is being a dick. Like, it was entertaining in Liverpool because it was unexpected, but he really needs to find his middle ground.
They're going to need a 6-second delay if they start having Roy on tv on the regular (which seems more feasible than trying to get him to clean up his language).
Also, re: the Soccer Saturday conversation, I am now trying to work out when "sport(s)" is singular vs plural in Brit-speak.
posted by DebetEsse at 1:04 PM on October 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
i was thinking about Doctor Sharon. I see the risk of the black female therapist trope. I assume a good chunk of their decision was to make that character as UN-like the current crew as possible. Could have gone with east Asian, but then you get into cold/unemotional stereotypes.
JFC, Nate is being a dick. Like, it was entertaining in Liverpool because it was unexpected, but he really needs to find his middle ground.
They're going to need a 6-second delay if they start having Roy on tv on the regular (which seems more feasible than trying to get him to clean up his language).
Also, re: the Soccer Saturday conversation, I am now trying to work out when "sport(s)" is singular vs plural in Brit-speak.
posted by DebetEsse at 1:04 PM on October 21, 2023 [1 favorite]
She's not a cutesy grandma, though. She's a tough-talking proper bar matron. She can handle all the wankers in the pub. She can put her foot down and everyone falls in line. This isn't a case of "isn't it funny that the old lady swears", she feels like the real owner of a British pub.
She’s also wise. Like a tall Yoda.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:53 PM on November 11, 2023
She’s also wise. Like a tall Yoda.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 4:53 PM on November 11, 2023
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posted by transient at 1:14 PM on July 30, 2021 [6 favorites]