Joseph Herzog

I'll skip reiterating what you've already read in critical reviews and stick to the thing that stood out most to me: this show has put in the effort when it comes to covering a topic as HUGE as the Premier League. This show could easily have aimed for "workplace comedy" that happened to take place at a football club, but it would have been worse off for it. First off, the actors. If any of you have watched "The English Game" recently, you'll remember that whenever they show soccer action on-screen, audiences become painfully aware that they are watching actors try to play soccer. This is not the case with "Ted Lasso." I immediately found myself asking, "did they hire soccer players that know how to act?" But rest assured, those same athletes carry their weight in emotional scenes when required. The authentic moves and execution hit the mark, without stunt doubles or CGI to remove you from the moment. (only complaint is some green screen footage for big moments in packed stadiums but we'll look past that for now). But the nuances flow beyond the athletes performances; the little details regarding stadiums having nicknames, tension between first and second teamers, players giving the kit man a hard time, and real Premier league announcers to help create big moments. I could tell during every episode that the football was not taking a backseat in this production, and as a Premier League fan, I have to tip my hat for that.

All the contestants are varying degrees of likeable and the show is well made and features great design tips for a novice like me. Refreshing television after taking in a lot of the "jersey shore" vibes I felt during Million Dollar Beach House and Selling Sunset.

I love football, and I like this show. But I have the presence of mind to take a step back and acknowledge that it leaves plenty to be desired.