Ted Lasso: Season 1

The series is extremely likable throughout, but it’s more a hypothetical comedy than an actual one. There are long stretches where Juno Temple — as Jamie’s girlfriend Keeley, who is “sort of famous for being almost famous” — is the only actor even trying to sell what few jokes are in the scripts.

Based on the last few episodes, it’s also entirely possible that the show could turn its quirky optimism into canned uplift—otherwise known as the Parks And Recreation problem. But if nothing else, the best moments of Ted Lasso finally reveal what a Jason Sudeikis vehicle could and should look like.

Even if the show's ability to capture on-field action is a little hit-or-miss, by the end of 10 episodes, I was getting misty over the team's results and over the journeys of several characters. That, ultimately, means more to me than whether or not I'd qualify Ted Lasso as "hilarious."

There’s nothing groundbreaking about the way Ted Lasso’s story beats play out, but the show — a mix of workplace antics, sentimental sports inspo, and soapy romance — is undeniably winning.

The players on Lasso’s team run together, in what’s perhaps the show’s defining flaw. Conceived to market soccer, Ted ends up making the game look like a slog.