Before the opening credits even appeared, it appeared as though Ted Lasso would fumble the season finale and, based on all appearances, the series finale. The shocking pairing of Ted and Rebecca, two characters whose relationship has been characterised by respect and affection without even the slightest hint of sexual attraction, would be the easiest way to have a bad ending. (Platonic is a different Apple TV+ series, but Ted and Rebecca were there first.) The fact that it’s a fakeout isn’t revealed until the scene suggests that Ted, Rebecca, Beard, and Jane may have engaged in some sort of… given the participants, who knows what?
Ted Lasso, however, takes a much less unexpected diversion into sentimentality rather than a last-minute foray into polyamory. “So Long, Farewell” ends the series with a string of extremely moving scenes as the Greyhounds get ready for a game that could win them the Premier League title (if they can defeat Rupert’s dreaded West Ham) and to say goodbye to Ted, who, as the previous episode hinted, is travelling back to the United States (Beard, too, at least in theory, though Ted receives most of the attention).
After that, it’s time for the match, which will undoubtedly be dramatic. The team struggles through the first half until Ted’s locker room speech at halftime with tears in their eyes from Beard’s reflective video. The reassembly of the “BELIEVE” sign is a nice capper, even though it initially seems like it should be done because the show obviously needed one more halftime moment. The Greyhounds enjoy making grand gestures, but this one probably required less planning than the team’s last practice’s staging of the song from the movie Sound of Music, which serves as the episode’s title.
They manage to pull off a miraculous victory, albeit one most notable for some off-the-field drama, thanks to Jamie Tartt but also everyone else on the team. Rupert is upset because the scandalous revelation of his improper relationship with his former assistant Ms. Kakes has already made him feel embarrassed. In fact, he becomes so agitated that he enters the field to request that Tartt be removed from play. When Tartt refuses, he shoves him, and when he exits the field, the crowd jeers him as a “wanker.” He meets a just end as the only genuine Ted Lasso villain (aside from Edwin Akufo).
Turns out, everyone else feels the same way. When Ted returns home, the episode’s final image gives the impression that he is content. With Jane and the team, Beard stays behind. Rebecca has given up on Psychic Tish’s nonsense, but she still manages to run into the Handsome Dutch Stranger accidentally, who now knows the name of his captivating former houseboat guest. (Rebecca also meets HDS’s daughter, implying that if things turn out well, Tish might actually be right.) Wedders Beard and Jane. Roy, the current head coach, finally visits a therapist. (Hello, Doc!) Keeley decides against both. (Or both; we’re not sure.) The Richmond supporters have the opportunity to invest in the team, turning them into the Green Bay Packers of the Premier League.
It’s a happy conclusion to a series that, at its best, took the pursuit of happiness and kindness towards others seriously. Ted Lasso had its ups and downs, especially in this third season, which essentially foreshadowed Ted’s fate in its opening moments before charting the course towards that fate over the course of twelve episodes and sending some characters on some incredibly bizarre detours over the course of some unusually long runtimes. However, Ted Lasso will most likely be remembered for its strengths, including its central character who was defined by his willingness to acknowledge his flaws as well as his contagious enthusiasm. It also had an unusual talent for heartwarming moments that felt earned rather than forced. Good work. Good hustle.
