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Viewed: Seasons 1&2

I've heard a lot about Ted Lasso since it debuted in 2020, all of it insanely positive. With my free 12 months of Apple TV+ coming to an end in a matter of days, I hurriedly binged the first two seasons of this feel-good comedy-drama - and I have no regrets about doing so. Blessed with a pitch-perfect ensemble cast (led by Jason Sudeikis who's just sublime as Ted) and an incredible selection of writers, Ted Lasso is full of heart and humour, and I was completely invested in the story and characters early into the first season. There is a moment between Ted and Rebecca in the episode "All Apologies" late in the first season (you'll know it when you see it) which brought tears to my eyes, and reiterated how much I've grown to love this show. I became invested in every failure and success, and I appreciated that one of the show's most unlikeable characters (Jamie) was given the chance to redeem himself in a way that feels true to life as opposed to contrived. There are ample surprises throughout Ted Lasso of this ilk, which is a huge part of its charm. The show looks gorgeous to boot, with authentic production design and slick digital photography bringing this world to life. Although the show revolves around the world of soccer, it's not really about soccer - it's about people. Barely any football action is even shown. Thus, the show is accessible to everyone, even if you don't like sports. As much as I love Ted Lasso, I do have an issue with the structure of the second season since Apple turned around and ordered two additional episodes late in the game. As a result, there's a Christmas episode and a completely pointless Beard-centric episode. While the Christmas episode is quite good, it contributes nothing from a story standpoint and feels divorced from the overarching story. Ditto for "Beard After Hours," which is also just an oddly unenjoyable episode that diminished my liking for Coach Beard and gave me second thoughts about the Scorsese film on which it is based. I mean, yes, the writers were faced with a hard decision to create two episodes out of nowhere when the season was already mapped out, but they surely could've done a better job than "Beard After Hours," which I'll be skipping for any rewatches. A third season of Ted Lasso is coming in 2022 which will reportedly be its last. According to Sudeikis, they planned a three-season arc from the start and intend to follow it, which I completely admire. I'm also more confident about the storytelling for the upcoming third season given that it was twelve episodes from the start and they won't need to improvise unnecessary filler again.

Viewed: Season 4

Wellington Paranormal is one of my favourite current TV shows, and I'm happy to report that the fourth and reportedly final season delivers another six episodes of fast-paced hilarity. It adheres to the set formula with each episode centring around a paranormal figure or object for Officers O'Leary and Minogue to investigate, and some of the stories during the season are absolute crackers. The pairing of O'Leary and Minogue remains a treat, while Sergeant Maaka continues to steal scenes and score huge laughs. The writing is still razor-sharp and there are no signs of fatigue, though it's disappointing that there are no appearances from other What We Do in the Shadows characters this season. (I would love to see the show crossover with the American TV show for an episode. That would be brilliant.) It saddens me that this show has come to an end so soon after a mere 25 episodes - it's quite simply not enough. At the very least, it would be nice to see a proper finale in the form of an hourlong special, though I guess something could eventuate in the future. Then again, four brilliant seasons is one hell of a legacy. If you appreciate this style of comedy, you must check out Wellington Paranormal.