Ted Lasso might not actually be finished, and although there might not be any new episodes right now, fans are going to want to hear what an actor on the show just shared.
Brush off your ruby slippers and get ready for a trip to Oz. That’s right, executive producer/writer/Roy Kent actor Brett Goldstein told Entertainment Weekly and said the fan theory about Ted Lasso being influenced by The Wizard of Oz is totally correct.
Goldstein explained that the main characters can be traced back to Dorothy and her friends. He said, “I’m the Tin Man. Ted is Dorothy, Rebecca’s the Lion, and the Scarecrow is Jamie.” He also explained, “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.”
Wait. If you’re also shocked by this revelation, let’s breathe deeply together and reflect on the past three seasons of Ted’s (Jason Sudeikis) heartwarming story. Some fans have been discussing the similarities between the feel-good football comedy and Dorothy’s enchanting journey for a while now. In one Reddit post, a viewer pointed out that Oz seemed to be a big part of season 3, episode 11, “Mom City.” The end credits featured the song “Home,” which was in the Motown version of The Wizard of Oz. Another smart fan pointed out that in season 1, Ted has red sneakers on, like Dorothy’s classic slippers. And, perhaps the most glaring example: Ted is from Kansas. Of course!
For many, the most mind-blowing idea is that Jamie Tartt Jr. (Phil Dunster) is the Scarecrow. Let’s unpack this for a second. It’s not a huge stretch to say that Jamie goes on an emotional journey like the famous Oz character who wants a brain. Jamie changes from a mean bully to a more compassionate team player. It’s also fair to argue he grows a lot and becomes a more intelligent person. Both the Scarecrow and Jamie are insecure and nervous, but they realize they have a lot to offer the world, and that they’re wiser than they originally thought. Awwww.
What has Sudeikis said about developing Ted Lasso along with Joe Kelly, Brendan Hunt, and Bill Lawrence? According to EW, after he was done starring on Saturday Night Live in 2013, he starred in two NBC Sports commercials as Coach Lasso. Although he portrayed a mean coach on the late-night show, he made the character much sweeter for these promos. The actor told EW, “that eternal optimism and like ‘aw-shucks’ hopefulness really spoke to me in a way that I was like, ‘Okay, there might be something more here.”
This fun news comes at the perfect time since everyone is enjoying the magnificent music of the movie adaptation of Wicked. It’s also just enjoyable to imagine Ted Lasso as a retelling of The Wizard of Oz since the overwhelmingly popular series has arguably earned as many accolades as the 1939 Judy Garland musical film.
Ted Lasso is, after all, a tale about a man who finds himself far away from home but learns that is where he belongs. He meets and befriends a cast of characters and they all teach each other the benefits of kindness, compassion, and friendship. Ever since the show premiered in 2020, fans have championed how “nice” it is. And, as it turns out, we need feel-good entertainment in 2024 just as much as we did back then, if not more.
Published: Nov 27, 2024 12:37 pm