I Binged ‘Ted Lasso’ To Deal With Burnout And The Lessons It Taught Me Were Priceless

As a Gen Xer, I’m of the VCR age. Maybe that’s why I’m not big on binge-watching shows. Maybe that’s why I refuse to pay for every streaming service, ignoring my FOMO as social media feeds tell me how amazing a show is that I don’t have access to. But when I found myself with a three-month free trial to Apple TV+, I temporarily changed my ways and binged all three seasons of “Ted Lasso.” And I got a pep talk I didn’t know I needed.

“Ted Lasso,” the wildly popular comedy series, ended after only three seasons, leaving audiences wanting more and hoping for an announcement that a fourth season or maybe a spin-off was in the works. And after waiting patiently, it looks like that wish might be coming true with the recent announcement that the show is reportedly returning for another season with some of its stars, including Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift and Brett Goldstein signing on, according to Deadline.

I’d always been curious about “Ted Lasso,” even though I hadn’t seen a single episode before the series ended. Of course I saw the memes, I heard the quotes, I witnessed the collective letdown of fans when Ted said farewell. I knew the show was beloved, I knew the awards it had won, and I knew many viewers got hooked on it during the pandemic for its comic relief during a time of grief and uncertainty. Fortunately, I somehow avoided spoilers and knew nothing else about this show that left such a lasting impression on so many.

Ted Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis, is an American football coach hired to lead AFC Richmond, a British soccer team. Despite knowing nothing about soccer, he deflects criticism with optimism, determination and dad jokes. While at first I wondered if Ted’s perpetual positivity would eventually cross