First of all, I absolutely love this series to death. Keeping that in mind, there were a few things that I couldn‘t quite wrap my head around.
So after I watched S3 episode by episode every week my main criticism afterwards was that Nate was allowed back so easily on the team and that he didn‘t really have a redemption arc and so on. After rewatching it now, I still think it could have been handled a bit better but I‘m not as annoyed at it anymore. Instead, I think that there are 3 much bigger issues with S3:
First, the ungodly amount of side plots that I just couldn‘t care less about. Everything related to KJPR, Zava, Nate‘s love life, the fortune teller and so on. Honestly I started skipping through some of it because I was too bored watching it.
Second, to have all this screen time for these subplots they dropped some already established ones that I actually did care about. For example, Phoebe barely had any screen time and I was excited to see what was gonna happen between Roy and Phoebes teacher after S2.
And third, the in my opinion unresolved (and unsatisfying) ending and plotlines. The Roy/Jamie/Keeley situation wasn‘t really solved. Beard getting married to an abusive PoS. The Dr Jacob situation. Richmond not winning the league??? Seriously, would it have been any worse for the plot to give people the happy ending they were waiting for?? And lastly the biggest issue: Ted‘s ending. To me it didn‘t feel like he is now in a better place than when he started at Richmond or after the promotion. He actually regressed during S3 and yes he‘s now back with Henry but I just can‘t help but feel like he‘s not in a happy place.
Feel free to discuss
I see people argue a lot that “real life isn’t neat either”. So therefore it’s ok for the show to be messy or boring or not make sense at times.
It’s true that real life does indeed include a lot of boring side-plots I couldn’t care less about. But that’s not what I’m looking for in arts and entertainment? I can just go read a newspaper or talk to my neighbour if I want that. And Ted Lasso as a show never pretended to be “true to life”. People don’t need happy endings, just satisfying stories they care about. Some would say that’s what S3 TL delivered, but many wouldn’t.
All your points have been well-discussed on the sub over the last 6 months, OP. There are many who agree with you, many who will not hear a word of criticism about the show no matter what, and many who don’t care either way.
„Real life includes boring sub plots so why not the show“ is the laziest take people could possibly come up with. I‘m not watching Iron Man just to see Tony Stark pick up his dry cleaning, eat breakfast and mow his lawn.
I get it. I’ve seen some viewers say they’re happy just to have more time with the characters they love, no matter what they’re doing. I guess it must be nice to be so easily pleased? I’ll just go hang out in curmudgeon’s corner, feel free to join.
agree it’s a bad argument. disagree this season was boring. i responded to all points below :)