Why Did ‘Ted Lasso’ Have To End?

Ted Lasso‘s third season ended on May 31, 2023, marking the end of an era. First premiering at the height of the pandemic in the summer of 2020, Ted Lasso gave the world a slice of love, hope, and positivity during a dark and lonely time, and proved that spending your life with the right people has the power to change everything. Throughout its three seasons, our favorite characters grew and became better versions of themselves—arguably none more so than Phil Dunster’s Jamie Tartt—and provided me with one of my favorite shows of all time, despite a rocky third and (allegedly) final season.

Though Ted Lasso season 3 was billed as the final season, many of the show’s stars have expressed an interest in continuing the story in some way, whether that be with a direct continuation or a Ted Lasso spinoff of some kind. Brendan Hunt, who co-created and co-wrote the show and starred as the enigmatic Coach Beard, told Consequence: “Yes. Another arc is possible after this, for sure. We have always seen it as some kind of three-beat thing. Originally those three beats were more going to be modeled on what The Office did, you know, six eps, a special, boom, we’re done. We’ve certainly expanded those beats, but it does not mean that the whole kit and caboodle is getting chucked.”

That certainly doesn’t make it seem like Ted Lasso officially came to an end after season 3, but Jason Sudeikis, who stars as the titular Ted, had something different to say about the matter before the finale aired: “This is the end of this story that we wanted to tell, that we were hoping to tell, that we loved to tell. The fact that folks will want more and are curious beyond more than what they don’t even know yet— that being season 3—it’s flattering.”

And to be honest, the Ted Lasso finale certainly proved why Sudeikis felt that way. Ted made the heart wrenching but understandable decision to move back to Kansas to be with his son; given the issues Ted has had to work through over the last few seasons concerning his own father, this is certainly a fitting end for his character. He changed the lives of everyone at AFC Richmond—his legacy was cemented, and now he could be there fully for the most important person in his life.

Of course, there are plenty of ways to continue the story of AFC Richmond and the other characters without Ted actually being present. We could pick up with the team a year after Ted has left, for instance, and see how Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) is doing as head manager. Or, we could get a spinoff about the AFC Richmond women’s team and Keeley (Juno Temple) and Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham)’s roles in running it, an idea that was very obviously presented in the season 3 finale. As Ted himself wrote to Trent Crimm (James Lance) in the last episode, “It’s not about me. It never was.” All they’d need is a new title.

Stories have to end because that is what makes them meaningful. And while I love Ted Lasso, I would have liked to see it continue, and it will always hold a special place in my heart, I’m glad Sudeikis and the rest of the writing team were able to end Ted’s story on their terms.

But who knows what the future holds?

(via Radio Times, featured image: Apple TV+)