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The latest episode of Ted Lasso is called ‘International Break’ after a real life planned part of the football season where different countries play against each other. After a lot of well-played games (it’s noted as a ten day winning streak) there’s a lot of possible standouts from the Richmond players. Jamie is playing locally for Britain, Van Damme is repping his home country of Canada, Dani for Mexico, Bumbercatch for Switzerland (the actor is indeed from there), and Colin the newly capable is playing for Wales.
Sam, who is very specifically called out in the Soccer Saturday program as an expected pick from Nigeria, instead doesn’t get picked at all. We later find out why — it was that spurned football owner wannabe Edmund Akufo so badly wants to hurt Sam that he bribed the Nigerian government 20 million dollars to keep him in the national team. But immediately after the news that Sam isn’t picked is revealed, Jamie (the most mature person on the show these days) offers his sincerest apologies to Sam — the same guy he mocked mercilessly in Season 1.
Sam loses a lot of his smile after Edmund continues to mess with him, promising to open a competing Nigerian restaurant 20 meters away and clearly bribing a food blogger for the Times to mock Sam and his appearance — along with serving Chicago-style hot dogs (a mostly tired running gag that only works in the last bit where it’s mentioned that they are 85% horse). But what is it that finally gives him back his smile? Jamie wearing Sam’s number as he plays for the British team — one of a few mature, very nice moments of the episode.
One of those is Nate’s final moment, where he’s left an apology note for Will (finally!) which I don’t think is remotely sufficient, but it’s at the very least a start and an acknowledgement for how horribly he abused someone who was a kit man like himself. Naturally George (the former Richmond coach and current commentator) always has the wrong point of view, mocking Nate after it’s reported he’s left West Ham — naturally the man who never realized Nate’s potential isn’t willing to admit he still hasn’t, despite literally praising him episodes prior.
But it actually turns out Nate was the one who quit West Ham, in a circumstances that clearly sent Rupert spiraling in a very surprising way for the series antagonist — there’s even a hint of something problematic with rumors of impropriety and how Rupert’s replaced his ‘manic pixie secretary’ with a far more awkward, far more pleasant new assistant.
Despite Nate knowing deep down it was the right call, he falls into a deep depression, going down in the dumps in a way that was entirely necessary for him to get out of it. Only after Nate plays the violin beautifully (over shots of Rebecca’s Lasso-like speech that somehow convinces a bunch of rich people to give up more money in what is the most fantastical thing we’ve yet seen on this show since Santa) does his father finally apologize himself, in a way that apparently he’s never been able to express until now.
The parallel of Nate sneaking into the Richmond club is a pretty direct one to Rupert’s childhood situation of doing the same thing. I wonder — is the show actually trying to redeem this man? Even in this episode, he is trying to cheat on his wife with his ex-wife, despite doing somewhat the decent thing in a few cases this episode. I’m not bought in on that decision, but hopefully the show only did that to show how much Rupert has fallen himself.
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Instead the Rebecca/Ted thing is highlighted more heavily this episode — Rebecca is mentioned by Higgins as trusting Keeley and Ted first for advice, and we see the green matchbook caught with one of Ted’s toy soldiers. She admits she’s past wanting revenge on him — a new level of maturity and capability to move on. And at the end of the episode, she spits in his face intentionally — it’s almost like they made out in a very weird, physically disconnected way. Is that where this show is taking these characters? I guess it’s not the worst angle, but it doesn’t feel quite figured out yet.
The Keeley situation finally gets to a more interesting place, one that still doesn’t feel necessary to the storyline they gave her with one real exception — Barbara. The standoffish woman is so touched by Keeley’s thoughtfulness and respect with her snowglobe gift and calling her ‘fun’, that she decides to join the new, Rebecca-funded version of Keeley’s PR firm. I don’t really hate that angle, but I do feel like the Jack situation didn’t really work entirely as a storyline, more like a placeholder to hurt Keeley temporarily.
I did like her conversation with Mae, though, with the interestingly picked quote from Nietzche about being ready for the lightning. Although part of this also felt connected as the conclusion of Roy’s plotline this episode, which was him figuring out how to get ‘unstuck’ from the grime he’s put himself into.
I was happy to see Phoebe and her mum back again finally and this time celebrating the hilarious ‘Uncle Day’. But more funny than that was Phoebe’s insistence that Jamie was Roy’s best friend — after all he’s always talking about him (cue a great amused look from Jamie) and always hanging out with him. Despite Roy’s rejection of the idea, he does admit he loves Jamie’s very thoughtful gift (an interesting parallel to Keeley’s gift of her own to Barbara).
It’s also Phoebe’s gift, which Roy initially rejects before embracing — in his own way, with a more muted tie-dye shirt — that symbolizes Roy’s own movement past himself. He’s been increasingly emotionally vulnerable and communicative as the show has gone on, and despite still being himself, Roy’s growth alongside his former rival Jamie has been one of the best plotlines of the show.
I appreciate Roy’s honesty in communicating his issues with Keeley and admitting he still loves her — while also giving her space to respond as she needs to. At this point I’m not sure the climax between them I’d prefer, but this is really the show beginning to tie everything together and moving toward the ending — whatever that may be.
Certainly a better episode than last week’s, without the ‘very special angle’ we’ve seen too often, if not quite as funny, and Rebecca’s speech felt a bit unbelievable (despite the moving nature of it). But it does make me a little more optimistic about how the show will end.
What did you think of this episode? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
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