15 Times "Ted Lasso" Explored The Reality Of Mental Health
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Ted Lasso has become one of the most acclaimed and beloved comedy-dramas in recent years.
The show has been particularly praised for its well-rounded approach to mental health, with its main characters confronting their inner demons as they try to become better versions of themselves. In recognition of the show's achievements, let's look at the top 15 times Ted Lasso tackled the reality of mental health.
🚨WARNING: SPOILERS AND SENSITIVE CONTENT AHEAD!🚨
15.Roy Drops a Truth Bomb
In the first episode of Season 2, Rebecca gets back in the dating game, but she is unsure about the man she's currently with. After double-dating with Keeley and Roy, the latter bluntly tells Rebecca that her date is just "fine" but that she should allow herself to be happy with someone who deserves her. Roy clearly points out Rebecca's self-image problem and how it has prevented her from being with someone she actually loves (this is most likely why she married her jerk ex-husband in the first place). In the end, Rebecca breaks up with her boyfriend and continues pursuing romance and a chance at true happiness elsewhere.
14.Dani Kills Earl
To say Season 2 started off on a dark note is an understatement. When AFC Richmond's player Dani makes a penalty kick during a game, he accidentally kills his team's greyhound mascot, Earl. Dani, who is highly religious, is understandably shaken by this accident, and he is traumatized to the point that he can no longer play. Fortunately, he recovers after meeting with a therapist when she begins working with the team. It just goes to show you how much therapy can really help someone.
13.Nate Tells Off Ted
Nate has always had an inferiority complex — even after growing in season 1 — but season 2 showed him go too far with it. Having become too preoccupied with his anxiety, Ted left Nate alone to the point that the latter felt abandoned by him. Though Ted had the right to take care of himself, the show displays how mental health can interfere with friendships. It also showed how low self-esteem can lead someone like Nate down the path to the dark side. Let's just hope Season 3 will make us not hate Nate.
12.Ted Forgives Rebecca
When Rebecca finally admits to Ted that she tried to sabotage him and his team to spite her ex-husband, Ted takes the unexpected route and forgives her. Even though Rebecca argues that she shouldn't be forgiven, Ted empathizes with her and what she's been through, and they end up becoming true friends. While this one doesn't directly address mental health, Ted's admirable reaction teaches us that you shouldn't hold a grudge against someone and that, no matter what you've done, you should always try to forgive yourself.
11.Ted Opens Up to His Friends
Before one of their games, Ted finally reveals to his fellow coaches (and Leslie) that he has been struggling with panic attacks — taking another step forward in opening up about his mental health. It warms the heart to see how supportive and understanding Ted's friends are with him and how they end up sharing their own personal problems. This scene emphasizes the importance of people being open with each other about their own struggles, and it's just as important to have caring friends who will stand with you every step of the way.
10.Ted Speaks to the Press
After Richmond wins their final match of the season (and Season 2), Ted meets with the press, who ask him questions about his panic attack after it was made public. In this scene, Ted finally opens up about his struggles with anxiety and publicly addresses the issue of how mental health is dealt with in athletics.
9.Ted Lashes Out at Sharon
Though Ted finally decides to attend therapy with Sharon, he has trouble opening up to her. He walks out of their first meeting almost instantly, but in the second one, he criticizes her character and her work as a therapist. He argues that her desire to help him isn't genuine, as it is part of her career, and she is doing it simply for the money. Though this behavior seems out of character for Ted, his monologue clearly conveys the stigma centered around psychotherapy, which has prevented many others like him from getting the help they need.
8.Everyone Knows About Ted
After Ted's panic attack is revealed to the world, everyone around him starts treating him differently, making it hard for him to live his life. Some people go as far as saying he's mentally unfit to coach his team. This season finale effectively addresses the struggle of opening up about one's mental health, as well as the stigma still surrounding people who live with mental illness.
7.Beard After Hours
Frustrated over AFC Richmond's loss and his strained relationship with his girlfriend, Coach Beard spends his night on a wild adventure through London in an homage to Martin Scorsese's film After Hours. The entire episode is a dream-like voyage into the troubled mind of Ted's second-in-command, with him being haunted by visions of the sports commentators criticizing his work, his life choices, and his own self-loathing. Beard's surreal and almost religious journey through his depression in the dark streets of London makes for his own Divine Comedy, with him finally achieving salvation with his girlfriend at a nightclub at an abandoned church.
6.Jamie Faces His Father
After losing his first game against his old team, Jamie is bullied by his drunk father for his failure in front of his teammates. This traumatizing situation escalates until Jamie ends up punching his father in the face. In a surprising display of support for his rival, the normally hostile Roy hugs Jamie, who ends up crying in his arms. It is an intense but heartwarming scene that exposes Jamie's troubled upbringing while bringing him and Roy closer together.
5.Ted Calls Sharon
This one hit me like Jamie hit his dad. After watching Jamie confront his drunk father, Ted breaks down crying and calls Sharon. He confesses to her that his father died by suicide when he was 16, leaving the audience shocked by the amount of suffering Ted has endured. This sudden revelation marks a significant development in Ted's character and his road to recovery, as he continues to battle with his mental health.
4.Ted and Rebecca's Confession
On the day of Rebecca's father's funeral, she and Ted reveal the days that traumatized them the most. We already know that for Ted, it was when his dad killed himself. But for Rebecca, it was when she caught her father having an affair, which caused her to hate him from then on. It's painful to hear how much these singular events scarred the two of them for so long, and the way the scene cuts back and forth to both characters' monologues shows how they share the pain caused by their respective fathers.
3.Rebecca's Rickrolling Eulogy
After emptying the pain and trauma brought on by her father, Rebecca gives the eulogy at his funeral. But in a bizarre twist, Rebecca starts singing Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up," a song that her parents loved despite it becoming a tired joke to basically the entire world. This uplifting scene shows Rebecca moving past her hate and choosing to acknowledge the good things about her father and love him once again, and her surprising song choice and the history behind it symbolize this. Rick's still got it!
2.Ted's Second Panic Attack
When Ted experiences another panic attack in the middle of AFC Richmond's quarterfinal game, he is forced to leave the stadium in a hurry, vanishing for nearly the remainder of the episode. In the end, Ted is finally found in Sharon's office, curled up like an infant, asking for her help. Even after his first incident in Season 1, it is just as heartbreaking to see Ted fall apart like this, showing how much mental illness can get in the way of living your life. Even the great Ted Lasso needs help.
1.Ted's First Panic Attack
This was a pivotal moment in Season 1, and for the series as a whole. Suffering after his divorce from his wife, Ted experiences a panic attack while at a karaoke bar with his team, causing him to run outside. Not only did it cause the upbeat and optimistic Ted to crumble with fear, but the way Rebecca came to the rescue brought the two of them closer as friends. It also brought the issue of mental health to the forefront in an engaging way, something that more films and TV shows should strive to do.
Do you agree with this list? Were there any moments we missed? Please let us know in the comments section below. And remember, if you or a loved one is having trouble with mental health, don't be afraid to ask for help. In these troubling times, now more than ever, it is important to take care of yourself. Always remember that you are loved, you are special, and you deserve to live a happy, healthy life. And to brighten your day up a bit, check out this GIF of Ted Lasso dancing. Stay awesome!
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The National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline is 1-888-950-6264 (NAMI) and provides information and referral services; GoodTherapy.org is an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org. The Trevor Project, which provides help and suicide-prevention resources for LGBTQ youth, is 1-866-488-7386. You can also text TALK to 741741 for free, anonymous 24/7 crisis support in the US and UK from the Crisis Text Line.
