Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis has addressed the criticism around the show’s third season, but fans aren’t happy with the spirit in which he did it and how he lashed out at the fandom.
While still successful in its own right, Ted Lasso season 3 turned out to be the least favorite among both critics and viewers. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds 82% on the Tomatometer and 77% on the Popcornmeter. It’s far from a disaster – and scores that most networks and studios would pop champagne over – but the season isn’t as universally beloved as what came before it.
A major part of the criticism centered around how the show moved the focus away from Ted Lasso and shone it on Juno Temple’s Keeley Jones and Nick Mohammed’s Nate Shelley. While both characters are pivotal to the overall story of AFC Richmond and even Ted’s growth as a character, there’s a valid point to be made that Ted feels like a supporting character in his own series in season 3.
Author Jeremy Egner wrote a book titled Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, the Show That Kicked Its Way Into Our Hearts. In it, Egner covers the controversy and fan reaction toward the third season of the show. While Brendan Hunt, who plays Coach Beard and is a co-creator of the series, dismissed it as “easily compartmentalized,” Sudeikis turned into the anti-Ted in his response.
As per TVLine, the star said, “Much like live theater, the show, especially season 3, was asking the audience to be an active participant. Some people want to do that, some people don’t. Some people want to judge – they don’t want to be curious.” That wasn’t the worst of it, though, as he added:
“I’ll never understand people who will go on talking about something so brazenly that they, in my opinion, clearly don’t understand. And God bless ’em for it; it’s not their fault. They don’t have imaginations and they’re not open to the experience of what it’s like to have one.”
Fans were having none of it, though, and took to social media to bite back at Sudeikis – even though he probably isn’t reading their comments. One user wrote: “I mean, my guy, just stay quiet.” Others pointed out how performers always blame the audience for not getting it and disrespecting the fact that viewers have opinions.
Sudeikis’ response doesn’t exactly endear him to the people who turned Ted Lasso into a smash hit in the first place. This might have been the perfect opportunity to remain tightlipped or simply say “everyone has the right to their opinion,” instead of railing against the detractors and coming off as condescending.
It’s also not the wisest move, considering the news that Ted Lasso season 4 is on the cards. One social media commentator already proclaimed that they’re coming hard for the next season after Sudeikis’ comments, and are now more are likely to follow. There’s a golden rule on the internet: never blame the fandom. By doing so, you’re left at the mercy of netizens who never forget.
It remains to be seen if Sudeikis’ own goal has a detrimental effect on the future of Ted Lasso. Let’s hope not because even at its worst, it’s a better series than a lot of other offerings on television.