After three heart-warming seasons, it’s time to say so long and farewell to Ted Lasso this week, with the series finale airing on Wednesday, on Apple+.
Developed by Jason Sudeikis, who plays the titular character, with Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt and Joe Kelly, the show first aired in 2020, and is based on a character Sudeikis played for an NBC Sports promotion of the English Premier League.
Three seasons later, Ted Lasso has earned a cult following, plus several wins and nominations at award shows.
The penultimate episode has set the scene for the finale, hinting at how the show might end.
Here are some of the questions Ted Lasso‘s final episode, So Long, Farewell, will need to answer. Spoilers ahead.
Will Ted Lasso leave Richmond?
For anyone who has been watching closely, our hearts sank when we spied a Wizard of Oz pinball machine in the penultimate episode.
All this time, Ted has been a long way from his home, Kansas, just like Dorothy, having left behind his now-ex wife Michelle and their son, Henry.
In the episode, Mom City, Ted’s mother shows up unannounced and finally admits to him she is visiting for a reason – she says Henry is missing his dad.
Following the interaction between Ted and Rebecca we see in the closing minutes of the show, it seems as though Ted leaving is inevitable.
Perhaps Richmond’s fate could determine whether Ted decides to stay or go. But surely a win will be enough for him to confirm his work in the UK is done?
Given it is the final season, Ted’s departure would be a fitting, bittersweet ending. After all his lessons, the team may not need Ted anymore, but his son does.
If he goes back to Kansas, will Ted be able to stomach the relationship between his ex-wife and his former therapist, Dr Jacob?
Ted suspected the two would get engaged in Paris, but that didn’t happen.
So what will happen with Ted and Michelle?
Could Richmond win the Premier League?
Richmond has continued its winning streak against Manchester City.
We know Nate will be making his way back to Richmond for the final episode, so maybe with the help of the ‘Wonder Kid’, Ted, Coach Beard and Roy Kent could help the team with the Premier League title.
If Richmond do win, it will be a very touching way to send off Ted, who came to the UK knowing nothing about football.
Perhaps Richmond will be up against Rupert’s club, West Ham, which would mean Rebecca is up against her awful ex-husband and Nate up against his creepy old boss.
A win against West Ham and thus over Rupert might help Rebecca let go of the bitterness she has for him – though she is likely plotting something big for the finale – and for Nate, it could help complete his redemption arc.
Richmond might struggle to get a win, since during the match against Manchester, Jamie Tartt injured himself. While he did get back into the game, partly thanks to Ted’s pep talk, we don’t know how much damage was done.
But is Ted Lasso really all about winning? Arguably, Ted’s biggest accomplishment is helping those around him become better people.
What will Rebecca do?
Rebecca has come a long way since season one, where she hired Ted solely to destroy her ex-husband’s pride and joy, Richmond.
At the end of Mom City, Bex, Rupert’s third wife, and Ms Kakes, his former assistant, show up to Rebecca’s home.
In season three we learn that Rupert was cheating on Bex with Ms Kakes, which further hammers home the point that he is a genuinely awful person.
Rupert also recently made a pass at Rebecca, who rejected him.
Will the three of them work together to take down Rupert?
There’s also some other unfinished business regarding Rebecca’s love life. While the team watched a movie during Mom City, Sam and Rebecca shared a bit of a look.
Between Rebecca’s mother’s psychic’s prediction about a green matchbox and a “sh-te in nining armour” (knight in shining armour), it seems to align with Sam.
So, perhaps there is a chance the two will rekindle their relationship, despite their age gap, which some fans did not like.
Then again, some have always thought Ted and Rebecca were destined to end up together – which would complicate things with Sassy, Rebecca’s best friend, who has slept with Ted in the past.
Roy and Keeley … and Jamie
They were an instant hit with fans when they got together – however, so much is still up in the air regarding these two.
Are Roy Kent and Keeley Jones together? Can they just be friends? What about Jamie, Keeley’s former flame?
Even though Jamie admitted to Keeley in season two he still had feelings for her, after the penultimate episode, it seems he, Keeley and Roy have potential to all be great friends.
Roy and Jamie’s friendship has become perhaps the most endearing part of season three and it seems solid, with Jamie crying in front of Roy and Roy showing genuine concern for Jamie.
Surely, at the end of season three, there will be some answers regarding who ends up together.
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Trent Crimm’s tell-all book
Trent Crimm, formerly of The Independent, had a much bigger role in season three, as he received permission to write a book about Richmond’s season after its promotion.
While it has been nice learning more about Trent and seeing him help out the others on the show – what will his book say?
Given he has been very positive about Ted in the past and it is clear he has a soft spot for the team, you would assume the book is going to be overwhelmingly positive.
Perhaps it will sum up all of Ted’s quirky lessons that give the show its heart.
But after the book, what will Trent do next?