Ted Lasso is one of the most wholesome and charming shows to have come along in a good long while. It tells the story of Ted (Jason Sudeikis) an American football manager from Kansas who finds himself hired as a soccer coach in England despite not knowing anything about soccer. The players he’s in charge of are deeply skeptical of him at first, but they gradually get won over by his sunny optimism.
People have found something in the show beyond its great leadership lessons and take on toxic masculinity, though—plenty of references to The Wizard of Oz. To name just a few: Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) delivers the famous “we’re not in Kansas anymore” line in the first episode; there’s a Wizard of Oz pinball machine in the bar Ted frequents; and people are seen wearing red shoes several times. It was fun to spot the references and relate them to the story. Ted needed to go through a hero’s journey similar to Dorothy’s and help his friends before returning to Kansas. However, it was never confirmed that this was what the writers were going for … until now.
Entertainment Weekly outright asked Roy Kent actor Brett Goldstein if the show was a retelling of Wizard of Oz, and he answered, “Oh yeah, there’s loads and loads of The Wizard of Oz in Ted Lasso. The pinball machine is the one that’s always ‘Ted has to go home. There’s no place like home.’ And then, there’s no place like Richmond F.C. Yes, that’s all Wizard of Oz.”
He even went so far as to say who the major characters were meant to represent. “I’m the Tin Man. Ted is Dorothy, Rebecca’s the Lion, and the Scarecrow is Jamie.” That all lines up perfectly—the gruff and volatile Roy needed a heart, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) needed courage, and bad boy-turned-himbo Jamie (Phil Dunster) needed a brain. Perfect!
So, there’s another excuse to rewatch Ted Lasso, if you need one! Work out who the rest of the characters might represent. I think Coach Beard is Toto, the loyal companion, and Keely (Juno Temple) is Glinda, a pink and feminine ally. (And if you’re interested in Glinda, don’t forget, Wicked is out in cinemas now!) Another reason you might want to rewatch Ted Lasso is because rumors keep swirling about a potential fourth season. Chances are Ted himself wouldn’t appear in that one, however. Dorothy has gone back to Kansas.
Published: Nov 29, 2024 06:14 am