Before I review this episode, I have to preface this by saying that Make Rebecca Great Again is one of the best episodes of the show. Its emotional arc combined with excellent humor and moments that keep you glued to the screen are quintessential marks of the best that Ted Lasso has to offer.
I thought that Make Rebecca Great Again (MRGA) was inarguably my favorite episode in the series.
Then, I watched this episode.
Right off the bat, this episode easily hits all the jokes, easily making the viewer laugh with the classic humor so lauded in Season 1. The jokes come quickly but naturally, and the episode uplifts you, making it feel like something casual. And while it keeps a balance with the humor throughout the entire half hour, you soon realize that the easygoing vibe is merely the calm before the storm.
The first hint of how heavy this episode is appears when Rebecca's mother shows up. It's not immediately serious, but it does parallel Sassy's appearance in MRGA. Both are pieces of Rebecca's past coming back to provide more insight in her character. Ted even says that meeting people's mothers is like "an instruction manual as to why they're nuts."
The other indication of the upcoming emotion is Ted's slip up when he calls Michelle his wife, even though they're still divorced. In MRGA, he was also dealing with the divorce, only that was in the moments before, not the aftermath. But Ted's dejected face, his immediate attempt to brighten up again, his emotional and physical distance from his family-all of those help create the emotional crescendo at the end of the episode.
Nate also gets a similar moment to MRGA. In that episode, he gives a scathing, yet effective pep talk to the team, directly leading to their victory. Here, he gets to show his coaching chops once again, leading Richmond to the semifinal. This episode gives that moment of triumph that we so desperately loved in MRGA, and it once again proves that this episode is the perfect package. You legitimately get misty-eyed as you view the impacts of Nate's actions.
This review is getting long, so I'll quickly cycle through the rest: Beard and Jane's relationship is equal amounts infuriating and hilarious, and the moment him and Higgins share in the parking lot is beautiful. The arc that Roy and Jamie experience is also perfect, and sets the stage for more interaction in the future.
And I have to talk about the reveal. THE REVEAL. Ted and Rebecca would have been too easy, so I had a feeling this was coming, but it was still such a perfect way to end the episode. I'm absolutely enraptured for the future.
And Ted. Oh Ted. We've all been waiting for the moment where Ted FINALLY goes for therapy, and this is it. And it crescendos so beautifully. When Ted's panic attack starts, you can see the direct mirror against MRGA. Jason Sudeikis knocks it out of the park with his acting, and the writers built it up perfectly without overextending it. This is the beginning of the conquest against the villain of the season-not Rupert, not another football team, but Ted himself. And it is beautiful.
I've already said so much, but I would never tire of saying more. This episode was Ted Lasso in its highest, most compelling form. Easily the best in the season, if not the show.
I thought that Make Rebecca Great Again (MRGA) was inarguably my favorite episode in the series.
Then, I watched this episode.
Right off the bat, this episode easily hits all the jokes, easily making the viewer laugh with the classic humor so lauded in Season 1. The jokes come quickly but naturally, and the episode uplifts you, making it feel like something casual. And while it keeps a balance with the humor throughout the entire half hour, you soon realize that the easygoing vibe is merely the calm before the storm.
The first hint of how heavy this episode is appears when Rebecca's mother shows up. It's not immediately serious, but it does parallel Sassy's appearance in MRGA. Both are pieces of Rebecca's past coming back to provide more insight in her character. Ted even says that meeting people's mothers is like "an instruction manual as to why they're nuts."
The other indication of the upcoming emotion is Ted's slip up when he calls Michelle his wife, even though they're still divorced. In MRGA, he was also dealing with the divorce, only that was in the moments before, not the aftermath. But Ted's dejected face, his immediate attempt to brighten up again, his emotional and physical distance from his family-all of those help create the emotional crescendo at the end of the episode.
Nate also gets a similar moment to MRGA. In that episode, he gives a scathing, yet effective pep talk to the team, directly leading to their victory. Here, he gets to show his coaching chops once again, leading Richmond to the semifinal. This episode gives that moment of triumph that we so desperately loved in MRGA, and it once again proves that this episode is the perfect package. You legitimately get misty-eyed as you view the impacts of Nate's actions.
This review is getting long, so I'll quickly cycle through the rest: Beard and Jane's relationship is equal amounts infuriating and hilarious, and the moment him and Higgins share in the parking lot is beautiful. The arc that Roy and Jamie experience is also perfect, and sets the stage for more interaction in the future.
And I have to talk about the reveal. THE REVEAL. Ted and Rebecca would have been too easy, so I had a feeling this was coming, but it was still such a perfect way to end the episode. I'm absolutely enraptured for the future.
And Ted. Oh Ted. We've all been waiting for the moment where Ted FINALLY goes for therapy, and this is it. And it crescendos so beautifully. When Ted's panic attack starts, you can see the direct mirror against MRGA. Jason Sudeikis knocks it out of the park with his acting, and the writers built it up perfectly without overextending it. This is the beginning of the conquest against the villain of the season-not Rupert, not another football team, but Ted himself. And it is beautiful.
I've already said so much, but I would never tire of saying more. This episode was Ted Lasso in its highest, most compelling form. Easily the best in the season, if not the show.