Ted Lasso Season Three Will Be the Series’ Last

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Last October, fans of the hit Apple TV+ show Ted Lasso received great news when the company announced the show was renewed for a third season. In the course of one year, the sports comedy-drama had quickly become one of North America’s cult hits and its next season one of the most-anticipated releases.

Ted Lasso premiered in 2020 from Apple TV+ to rave reviews from viewers—even after tepid responses from critics. The film hit an interesting note for domestic sports fans, many of whom were betting on sports for the first time after the Supreme Court struck down a federal ban in 2018.

The series cross-promoted NBC’s Premier League coverage, which introduced many to a new league along with a new TV show. For the most part, sports betting in the US focuses on the Big Four: NFL, NHL, NBA, and MLB. However, Ted Lasso’s exploration of English football, even from a comedic perspective, piqued the interest of some sports fans to check out soccer abroad.

In fact, in 2021, the show signed a licensing deal with the Premier League so the show could use official branding. But in early June 2022, Roy Kent actor Brett Goldstein announced writers were penning the third season—and that it would be the show’s last, much to the dismay of Lasso diehards.

‘For Your Reconsideration’

Though many fans have taken Goldstein’s revelation about the third and final season hard, the writer went on to say that the series was originally conceived to be a three-part act. In reality, the outlook from producers is admirable, as many shows with the same feel-good approach to comedy and drama tend to outstay their welcome, from Grey’s Anatomy to How I Met Your Mother.

But the news that the series will halt after season three is particularly devastating considering the show’s turnaround. As mentioned above, season one of Ted Lasso gave viewers the type of charming comedy they needed back in 2020. However, The Guardian gave the show 2/5 stars; Rolling Stone gave it 3/5 stars; Metacritic gave an aggregate score of 71/100.

Though not dismal, the show’s reception from audiences did help change the tune of some critics. Variety’s Caroline Framke wrote a review titled ‘For Your Reconsideration: Ted Lasso’, which hailed the series as being written at the right moment and offering a lighthearted reprieve from reality.

Green-Lit for Season Three

Season one of Ted Lasso saw lead actor Jason Sudeikis win a Global Globe for Best Actor in a TV Series (Musical or Comedy), along with a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series, which co-star Hannah Waddingham also took home. Throw in multiple Emmy wins, and the show has slowly built an impressive catalog of accolades.

In fact, Ted Lasso’s second season saw an even bigger reception from fans—and, this time, critics. Rotten Tomatoes lists an approval rating of 97% with an average rating of 8.6/10. Metacritic also lists an aggregate score of 85/100, which is regarded as ‘universal acclaim’. For context, other comedies with similar ratings include Fleabag, Russian Doll, Sex Education, and What We Do in the Shadows.

Recently, Ted Lasso’s second-season script was made available online. The release was part of the upcoming Emmy Awards consideration process, as creators wanted to let fans read the scripts that were being submitted for consideration for the Emmy’s. At the moment, the Bill Wrubel-written Episode 5 of Season Two, “Rainbow”, is being explored by Deadline’s ‘It Starts On the Page’ series about quality writing in ongoing TV series.

The End of the Road

With so much fanfare and critical acclaim, the impending end of Ted Lasso following season three might sound like a shocker—especially considering the huge twist at the end of season two. However, as mentioned above, the end was always in sight for writers. In fact, most characters were written with the knowledge that their arc would have only three seasons to be fully developed.

This means fans can expect a heartwarming wrap-up for the main characters, including Ted, Nate, and Rebecca. However, it’s unlikely any of the cast will be receiving a spinoff from the series.