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March 28, 2024, 05:05:54 PM

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Ted Lasso Season 2

Started by Small Man Big Horse, July 23, 2021, 08:04:23 PM

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Obel

That episode was fucking wank.

I have to agree with the comments that this season is off somehow, tonally it's just not working for me at all. Definitely it's leaning too hard into the feelgood thing.

dead-ced-dead

I felt this episode (ep. 5) really stepped things up and recaptured that magic from season one. Helped in no small way that it was a Roy Kent heavy episode, who, even in the weakest episodes is just a magical creation.

Mr Faineant

Quote from: dead-ced-dead on August 20, 2021, 01:31:17 PM
I felt this episode (ep. 5) really stepped things up and recaptured that magic from season one. Helped in no small way that it was a Roy Kent heavy episode, who, even in the weakest episodes is just a magical creation.

Really?

I expect more from this forum.

God knows why I'm still persisting with this. Roy's good but the rest of the show is insipid.

Characters like Keeley have become completely one-dimensional. They actually used two tents/too tense as a punchline. The whole sponsorship storyline has been forgotten about.

It's a sitcom without situations, jokes or any decent character development. It's so close to being Gervaisian. Except with Gervais's stuff you can stick "After Life" into Twitter and find plenty of criticism, whereas everyone seems to love Ted Lasso. Is this what gaslighting is?

BeardFaceMan

That Xmas episode left such a bad taste in my mouth it was hard to enjoy this one, regardless of quality. Which has dipped. I'd always defended the show in the first season from Derke comparisons, but the second season is definitely heading heading that way. Everybody has just become a lovable sweetheart, being lovely to each other all the time at the expense of story and character. Bits rushed though (Tartt being accepted by the team so quickly), bits forgotten about (the aforementioned sponsorship thing), I can only hope that the kindness has been ramped up so much because everything is about to go spectacularly tits up for everyone. Ted is going to be the person Rebecca is besotted with and texting, right?

timebug

Liked series 1. Thinking of bailing out on this series. Too nice, too cliched, too schmaltzy...too everything really! (Except funny?)

peanutbutter

Series one had a lot of the same issues as this season but also had a level of promise to it; this season has removed all the drama, hasn't really improved on anything and the characters are starting to grate on me massively too. Def feeling like a show I mightn't even bother finishing the season with at this stage.

Quote from: BeardFaceMan on August 21, 2021, 12:50:02 PM
Ted is going to be the person Rebecca is besotted with and texting, right?
Thought it pretty clearly pointed that out in episode 5, no?

BeardFaceMan

Quote from: peanutbutter on August 24, 2021, 01:54:56 AM
Series one had a lot of the same issues as this season but also had a level of promise to it; this season has removed all the drama, hasn't really improved on anything and the characters are starting to grate on me massively too. Def feeling like a show I mightn't even bother finishing the season with at this stage.
Thought it pretty clearly pointed that out in episode 5, no?

I wouldn't say clearly, more hamfistedly. I was using it as an example of something that's being set up to go wrong, but the way this season has been going they'll be getting married by then end of it.

Here's an absolutely remarkable response to somebody on Twitter who said they don't think season 2 is all that:

QuoteI think you're not ready to admit that what *really* bugs you about @TedLasso is that men go down on women before satisfying their own needs. You hate that women tell men what they want sexually and get it. You feel threatened by confident women.

https://twitter.com/carolblymire/status/1429800952513581064?s=21

phantom_power

Can't argue with that can you, you anti-cunnilingus motherfuckers

frajer

Heh that's certainly something.

And here I thought it was the inconsistent scripts, characters turning into caricatures, and over-reliance on twee acts of surface-level kindness as a substitute for actual development that were putting me off Season 2, but turns out I just cannot stand the idea of Merchant Navy doing oral!

peanutbutter

Quote from: BeardFaceMan on August 24, 2021, 07:36:44 AM
the way this season has been going they'll be getting married by then end of it.
I'd love if they just drove the niceness to those insane levels, a kind of mass delusion by the whole writing team as a result of writing it in the midst of winter lockdown.

Pretty much given up on this after that horrendous Christmas episode. I notice that despite the AV Club constantly bigging this series up, the Onion seems slightly less keen:

https://www.theonion.com/critically-acclaimed-ted-lasso-episode-just-stock-pho-1847547843/amp?__twitter_impression=true

phantom_power

I don't think "The Onion" has a stance on anything in particular. It just riffs on popular culture and that is the image that Ted Lasso has

Crisps?

Quote from: Wayman C. McCreery on August 24, 2021, 06:48:00 PM
Here's an absolutely remarkable response to somebody on Twitter who said they don't think season 2 is all that:

https://twitter.com/carolblymire/status/1429800952513581064?s=21

"Sent from my iPhone 13".

dead-ced-dead

It may be too little too late, but I have felt that since the re-introduction of Roy Kent, the show has improved, it's just a shame it came midway through the season. There's some friction between Roy and Jamie, which was necessary to keep the tweeness at bay and the re-introduction of Ted's panic attacks gives him an element of imperfection that's needed for the character.

Also, Nate stepping up when Ted's panic attack occurred is a legitimate friction needed to keep Ted from just being Mr. Lovely-good-two-shoes. Some infighting to keep the aggressive loveliness back.

They should have focused on these things from episode one, got Roy and Jamie back earlier and created the theme of Nate's ascent during Ted's descend sooner, but it could be far too late to self right.

BeardFaceMan

Quote from: dead-ced-dead on August 27, 2021, 11:59:28 AM
It may be too little too late, but I have felt that since the re-introduction of Roy Kent, the show has improved, it's just a shame it came midway through the season. There's some friction between Roy and Jamie, which was necessary to keep the tweeness at bay and the re-introduction of Ted's panic attacks gives him an element of imperfection that's needed for the character.

Also, Nate stepping up when Ted's panic attack occurred is a legitimate friction needed to keep Ted from just being Mr. Lovely-good-two-shoes. Some infighting to keep the aggressive loveliness back.

They should have focused on these things from episode one, got Roy and Jamie back earlier and created the theme of Nate's ascent during Ted's descend sooner, but it could be far too late to self right.

I've lost interest in this season just when it looks like something interesting might happen. They spent far too long on the tweeness for the first few episodes, if it doesn't step things up in the next episode with some good old-fashioned consequences I might have to bow out, it's become far too boring. Can't remember the last time I saw a show that had such a gulf in quality between the first and second seasons.

dead-ced-dead

Quote from: BeardFaceMan on August 28, 2021, 02:26:44 PM
I've lost interest in this season just when it looks like something interesting might happen. They spent far too long on the tweeness for the first few episodes, if it doesn't step things up in the next episode with some good old-fashioned consequences I might have to bow out, it's become far too boring. Can't remember the last time I saw a show that had such a gulf in quality between the first and second seasons.

It reminds me of the show Northern Exposure from the 90s. That was a show that at its worst could dissapear up its own arse with tweeness, but the main character - a fish out of water, much like Ted - was so tightly wound and neurotic, he counter balanced the tweeness.

Long story short, the main actor got sick of being stuck in Washington State where the show was shot and wanted out of the show to explore his options in LA. With the counterbalance gone, it was just wishy-washy twee nonsense and the show collapsed. They should have brought in the consequences from episode one. The last episode was a very good one, but it's come faaaar too late.

I'm delighted to announce I've finally fucked this waste of time off. God knows why I stuck with it so long. There were a few good episodes at the end of the first series but the rest of it has ranged from appalling to boring.

shiftwork2

Same.  I decided that watching the last couple wasn't worth my fiver, and there's nowt else on Apple TV (that I've found).

BeardFaceMan

I take it the latest episode was the other extra episode that was commissioned after the series had been written, not sure we really needed an extended
Spoiler alert
Beard solo
[close]
episode. The last episode next week is going to have to be pretty spectacular to get me to watch a season 3.

Quote from: shiftwork2 on September 01, 2021, 10:25:34 AM
Same.  I decided that watching the last couple wasn't worth my fiver, and there's nowt else on Apple TV (that I've found).

Give Mythic Quest a go, that's very good.

Small Man Big Horse

I've been struggling with it and am a few episodes behind now, I quite liked the rom-com themed episode (even if I'm really struggling with Nate this season, and his often rude outbursts) if only because it was fairly Roy Kent heavy episode, but the one that followed it with Ted having a panic attack and ending up in the psychiatrist's office was dull. I like Rebecca as a character but her storyline with her flirting on a dating app is really tedious, and I hope they give her something else to do soon, I'll probably stick with it until the end of the season but like BeardFaceMan the finale's going to have to be really something to get me to watch a third season.

Billy Brown

I think there are 12 episodes in total this season, so three to go.

BeardFaceMan

Bollocks, there are too, I only thought there were 10, it was those 2 extra ones that threw me. Not sure I can keep going that long. Season 3 is already in the works too.

Mr Faineant

Quote from: BeardFaceMan on September 19, 2021, 12:46:38 AM
Bollocks, there are too, I only thought there were 10, it was those 2 extra ones that threw me. Not sure I can keep going that long. Season 3 is already in the works too.

Not really into this show, but I started it so I'll finish at least this season. But, this week's episode was manure. Not only was it out of place and unwelcome, but it had "dream episode" vibes and I never like dream episodes. This episode felt like a room of hack writers just finished watching Dave and thought they'd have a crack and being interesting. They failed.

frajer

I caught up with these last eps recently and sadly nothing in them has changed my opinion that the show has gone completely off the boil. I really liked the first season and was well up for this, but almost everything about this second run feels flat and misjudged.

General thoughts: feels like Season 5 of a sitcom, not Season 2. The supporting characters are more cartoonish but also completely played out, and are being twisted into dynamics that superficially add up to something, but aren't fun or engaging. Rebecca and Sam hooking up? Couldn't care less and it feels like their app-based banter lasted about 80 episodes. Nate being sporadically nasty due to his own ego-based insecurities? Bad idea that breaks the joke of him being relentlessly pleasant, and has largely shat on a lovely performance. Ted himself is still very watchable, but I think that's due to the charisma of Sudeikis rather than good writing, and while the
Spoiler alert
Dad's suicide reveal
[close]
is intriguing, the therapy plotline already feels like its being dragged out.

The Beard-centric episode also seemed to highlight a core issue the show has. If it focused on just being silly and entertaining I think a lot of its flaws wouldn't matter, but it seems to think it's a show with something to say, when I don't think it really does. Or at least nothing with any weight. Programmes like Atlanta and (as BeardFaceMan mentioned) Dave pull off the strange standalone episodes with more serious elements because they have well-developed characters and a worldview that feels fresh, which brings a new perspective on old tropes. Lasso has an admirable message of positivity but seems to feel saying it is enough, and it also rings hollow when few of the characters have any actual problems. (Ted's mental health is by far the biggest issue presented by the show and one I think they could stand to focus more on).

Anyway. I'm taking this far too seriously and dissecting it to an unnecessarily level. But it is interesting to see such a positive and funny show almost immediately shit the bed in its second season while its popularity continues to soar in the wider world. Those Emmys!

peanutbutter

Quote from: frajer on September 21, 2021, 04:00:31 PM
But it is interesting to see such a positive and funny show almost immediately shit the bed in its second season while its popularity continues to soar in the wider world. Those Emmys!
The thing about shows taken off these days is that there's frequently a one season lag; Ted Lasso def seemed to break some kind of popularity threshold right before season 2 started rather than alongside season 2 and very frequently seasons of TV seem to get reviewed on the basis of the previous season more than the selection of episodes of the new season a reviewer has received.


There's some stuff massively wrong with season 2, they resolved too many plot issues at the end of season one and have skipped a few seasons as a result, they made the weird move to not try and backtrack on any of those missteps and we're left with fuck all. I can't really buy that anyone is especially liking this season and I can def remember cases in the past where a show hit a level of popularity while it was on the downturn that had people raving about quite bad episodes as they aired only to have zero interest at all in the next season (Broad City S3 stands out in my head).


The comedy options at the Emmys seem rather weak this year. Hacks was _okay_ but it being very HBO makes it a level of niche that would never win much, PEN15 is great but hasn't gained the kind of traction to be an especially strong contender either. There isn't really any kind of long term mainstay that would consume awards by default either like Schitt's Creek did last year... arguably the Sudekis/Lawrence combo makes it the most obvious fit for that role.
TV in general seems to have had a very weak few years imo, the sheer amount of content being produced seems to have drastically hit the quality at the upper level without really resulting in much that's especially interesting in the mid level.

dead-ced-dead

I was the one defending season 2 upthread, and while I'm more positive than most of you, I've been starting to wonder if I'm liking season 2 as much as I say I'm liking or if I just want to like it because of how much everyone is liking it.

Mobius

Can't believe Merchant's Navy from off of Derek is winning awards

13 schoolyards

#59
Quote from: peanutbutter on September 21, 2021, 04:32:53 PM
The comedy options at the Emmys seem rather weak this year. Hacks was _okay_ but it being very HBO makes it a level of niche that would never win much, PEN15 is great but hasn't gained the kind of traction to be an especially strong contender either. There isn't really any kind of long term mainstay that would consume awards by default either like Schitt's Creek did last year... arguably the Sudekis/Lawrence combo makes it the most obvious fit for that role.
TV in general seems to have had a very weak few years imo, the sheer amount of content being produced seems to have drastically hit the quality at the upper level without really resulting in much that's especially interesting in the mid level.

The big problem with US sitcoms at the moment is that they've hit one of their semi-regular flat patches where all the long running hits are done and they need new ideas to revitalise the format. Unfortunately, thanks to changes in the global television market (basically, television now is much more global with producers outside the US focused on international sales, which for scripted TV usually means drama) nobody overseas has made a hit sitcom in a while. Which means there's no ideas to steal or formats to rip off*.

The current vague trend for "positivity" and "niceness" is basically just a hold over from the last wave of popular US sitcoms like Parks & Rec. It definitely felt like Ted Lasso was being positioned as the Next Big Thing that would Save Comedy after season one, but the generally poor reaction to the second season doubling down on the positivity suggests that feel-good comedy isn't going to save the sitcom just yet.

*edit: well, there probably has been some successful overseas sitcoms lately, but the US tends to screw up at least 80% of their versions of overseas hits so they really need a lot of them if they're going to make one that works