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Ted Lasso Season 3 Premiere Review: ‘It’s Just Poopy, Let It Flow’

*SPOILERS AHEAD* The first episode of Ted Lasso‘s season three dropped delightfully earlier than expected Tuesday night (March 14). Picking up where we left off, things seem to be falling…

jason sudeikis
AppleTV+

*SPOILERS AHEAD* The first episode of Ted Lasso's season three dropped delightfully earlier than expected Tuesday night (March 14). Picking up where we left off, things seem to be falling apart on and off the pitch for the Greyhounds. But that doesn't stop any of our favorite characters from trying.

Ted (Jason Sudeikis) spent time with his son Henry (Gus Turner) for six weeks, as promised. It's apparent that Ted is still in love with his ex-wife, Michelle (Andrea Anders). Happily, Ted has a support system, including Dr. Fieldstone (Sarah Niles).

Ted wonders why he's still coaching AFC Richmond and feels guilty about being so far away from his son. This is a constant cycle that the coach is stuck in. But, we are all rooting for Ted to pull through. Not only for himself but for everyone that leans on him, too. After all, Ted Lasso doesn't quit things, and "Doubt can only be removed by action."

While Ted juggles his personal issues, the team is getting pummeled left and right. From articles judging where they stand, to the opinions of pundits, everyone is feeling the ridicule and stress. Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) is especially feeling the pressure. She's obsessed with her ex-husband Rupert (Anthony Head). As of last season, he is her main competition since he bought West Ham United. Consumed by understandably wanting to win against her repulsive ex, Rebecca wants nothing more than to feel Ted Lasso fighting in her corner.

You can't talk about West Ham without mentioning their new coach, Nate Shelley (Nick Mohammed). Coach Shelley is as resentful as ever and consumed by what others think of him online -- especially being called "Wonder Kid." With Nate's "tactical super-brain" leading Rupert's team, we can't tell just yet if his insecurity will make him a serious threat to Richmond. Rupert, a master manipulator, is encouraging Nate's worst impulses. Nate is coming in hot this season, belittling his players at practice and throwing public insults at his old boss, Ted.

Keeley's (Juno Temple) PR firm seems to have consumed her now that it's taken off. So much so, that her relationship with Roy (Brett Goldstein) was on the back burner. The couple, who have dated for a year, are both going through major career changes, but they've always made time for each other. There was never a lack of love between Keeley and Roy, although Jamie (Phil Dunster) did profess his love for her at the end of the second season, which may pose a problem moving forward.

As we all know Ted loves his metaphors, so what better way to show his team to ignore all the s---, than to literally put them in the middle of it? Or rather, It? Refrencing the Stephen King classic, he takes the team down to the sewers for a pungent pep talk. He reminds the team that they will be just fine as long as they stay connected and lean on each other's strengths and wisdom. As Jamie delightfully puts it in his distinctive accent, "It's just poopy. Let it flow." And just like that, Team Lasso is all on board.

As the coaches of Richmond and West Ham hold press conferences at their respective club offices, reporters instigate the tension between the two. A new reporter for the Independent, Marcus Adebayo (Marcus Onilude), has replaced Trent Crimm (James Lance) after he was fired. Asking the hard-hitting questions as reporters from the Independent do, Marcus asks Ted to give his opinion on "Nate the Great." Sticking true to his character, even in these moments, Ted uses his great sense of humor to lighten up the mood and keep it classy. He even addresses his panic attacks, which he hilariously compares to having "more psychotic episodes than Twin Peaks."

The season opener left us feeling inspired to never give up, no matter how hard life gets. Even if your former assistant coach works for another team, is there really any reason why they can't be friends? Or if life gets so busy, can you make the time for the ones you love? For every character's struggles, where there is a will, there is a way.

The first episode of Ted Lasso's season three is now streaming on AppleTV+, with new episodes dropping weekly.

‘Ted Lasso’ Season 3 Character Guide

The highly-anticipated trip back to England's Premier League takes place season three this Wednesday night (March 15) with everyone’s favorite corny football coach, Ted Lasso.

Per the season two finale, everyone knows of Ted's (Jason Sudeikis) panic attacks. He was seen leaving a game, in progress, on the Soccer Special show. However, Ted has the club's full support after the news of his panic attack hits. He focuses on the season's final match, which would determine Richmond's promotion into the Premier League.

Keeley (Juno Temple) learns Bantr's VC wants to finance her own PR firm. She broke the news to her best friend, who mentored her to get to this point, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham). While the two celebrate Keeley's bittersweet end to her employment, they discover Rupert (Anthony Head) has bought West Ham United. Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) worries they will drift apart as she takes on this new adventure, leaving him behind.

During the final match that determines Richmond's relegation, Nate (Nick Mohammed) tries to abandon his false 9 play. But the players want to stick through with it, believing in his coaching. This leads to tension between Ted and Nate. He feels that Ted once paid so much attention to him until he was promoted to coach. No matter what Nate did, he didn't feel his efforts we recognized, so he leaves the team.

Ted runs into Trent Crimm, from The Independent, who was fired as a reporter after revealing his anonymous source (Nate) when running Ted's panic attack story. Fast forward to two months later, and we see the smug Rupert greeting the newest member of his West Ham coaching staff: Nate.

Per the official description of the new season, “the newly-promoted AFC Richmond faces ridicule as media predictions widely peg them to finish last in the Premier League and Nate, now hailed as the ‘wonder kid,’ has gone to work for Rupert at West Ham United. In the wake of Nate’s contentious departure from Richmond, Roy Kent steps up as assistant coach, alongside Beard. Meanwhile, Ted deals with pressures at work, he continues to wrestle with his own personal issues back home, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) is focused on defeating Rupert, and Keeley navigates being the boss of her own PR agency. Things seem to be falling apart both on and off the pitch, but Team Lasso is set to give it their best shot anyway.”

Ted Lasso returns to AppleTV+ at midnight. The subsequent episodes will drop weekly thereafter with a total of 12 episodes for the season. As we previously reported, this third season will most likely be the final for the beloved comedy series. However, there have been reports of spin-offs after the third season. Watch the trailer below:

Take a look below at our character guide:

Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso

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Jeremy Swift as Leslie Higgins

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Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton

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Toheeb Jimoh as Sam Obisanya

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Cristo Fernández as Dani Rojas

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Phil Dunster as Jamie Tartt

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Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent

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Juno Temple as Keeley Jones

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Nick Mohammed as Nate Shelley

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Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard

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Becky Ann Baker as Ted's Mom

GettyImages-1197636499.jpgLars Niki/Getty Images for BAM

NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 30: Actress Becky Ann Baker attends the opening night party for "Medea" at the BAM Harvey Theater on January 30, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Lars Niki/Getty Images for BAM)


Jodi Balfour as Jack

GettyImages-1472018363.jpgFrazer Harrison/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: Jodi Balfour attends Apple Original Series "Ted Lasso" Season 3 Red Carpet Premiere Event at Westwood Village Theater on March 07, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)


Maximilian Osinski as Zava

GettyImages-1472010686.jpgFrazer Harrison/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: Maximilian Osinski attends Apple Original Series "Ted Lasso" Season 3 Red Carpet Premiere Event at Westwood Village Theater on March 07, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.