With the latest entry in the show, it’s time to look into the Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 9 Review. Ted Lasso is an original Apple TV+ series developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt and Joe Kelly. The series stars Sudeikis as Lasso, Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard, Hannah Waddhingham as Rebecca Welton, Jeremy Swift as Leslie Higgins, Phil Dunster as Jamie Tartt, Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent, Nick Mohammed as Nathan Shelley, Juno Temple as Keeley Jones, and Anthony Head as Rupert Mannion, with Billy Harris as Colin and Kola Bokinni as Isaac.
-Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 9 Review Contains Spoilers-
Premiering on May 10, 2023, Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 9, titled ‘La Locker Room Aux Folles’ has a runtime of 44 minutes with a synopsis that reads, “Colin and Isaac’s friendship is tested. Roy is asked to do a press conference.”
Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 9 Synopsis
Upon discovering Colin’s secret, Isaac feels conflicted and angry with himself. He feels something might be wrong with him since his best friend couldn’t speak his truth. However, their conversation sheds light on how it’s not so much about Isaac but Colin himself that he chose not to open up. While they eventually make up in the end, their initial miscommunication leads to a heated exchange between Isaac and a Richmond fan in the stands during a match when the latter blurts out a homophobic slur to cuss out the team’s performance in the match.
Roy is told to take the lead at a press conference by Rebecca. However, his initial disagreement causes the boss to address how he’s “so convinced that he doesn’t deserve anything good in life”. Meanwhile, Jade meets Rupert for the first time and instantly conveys her “jaded” response to him.
Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 9 Review: Discussion
First things first – I want to deal with the negative aspects of the episode first so that I can jump on to more positive and empowering things. The Roy Kent we met in today’s episode couldn’t have been the same person who went about asking Keeley what he did last time. It was quite out of character, even given his question of insecurity and everything he’s supposedly dealing with personally.
We were introduced to him as someone who could be held accountable. He lost that part of himself when he asked Keeley who that video was for. But in today’s episode, when he’s leading the press conference and answers that whatever incited such a violent response from McAdoo was none of our business, he gained that piece back again.
Regarding his character’s writing, the show hasn’t been cohesive in fleshing him out this season. Brett Goldstein’s character has had some good punchlines and comic timing, but he’s not been “accountable” enough for us to identify him as the Roy Kent we came to know at first.
His growth arc could be more consistent, but it’s out of tune and redundant. This episode made it look like the writers were trying to rush his arc’s conclusion in a positive direction, making us believe that he’s the same nice guy we all fell in love with originally, since the season finale is nigh. Given that his character has been suffering from his thoughts of insecurity, the much-needed blow from Rebecca came down a bit too late and again insufficiently summed up the issue (or at least touched upon it) curtly.
Now, going back to the good bits. One of my favourite highlights of this episode has to be Trent Crimm turning back to look at the empty Richmond locker room after Colin came out to the entire team. It comes full circle, and is important how issues like racism and homophobia have been talked about with a football club at the centre of these conversations, especially with the usual stereotype going the other way around in mainstream media.
It also comes up as a healthy contrast to how in Season 1 Nathan Shelley directed a heavily sexist (with hints of homophobia) speech to “inspire” the team before a match. Moments like this, keep winning the show’s loyal viewers over, but we can’t ignore its falling graph either.
The show has received much backlash considering its recent twist in storytelling tactics. And yes, it goes without saying that the third season has seen its setbacks with some flawed sub-plots (Keeley deserves better) and an overall taut major plot with Ted taking the back seat. The series may not hold on to its “sitcom” roots anymore, but it’s still discussing some important topics.
Doing so has made Ted Lasso Season 3 more about addressing certain positive ideologies rather than circling around its characters as in the first two seasons. This change has both its cons and pros. It’s good to remind ourselves how this series helped so many of us during the lockdown phase of our lives when it first aired on the streaming platform and eventually became the cause of its survival (and ours) and a massive success.
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However, if we completely dismiss the journey of the third instalment’s trajectory, we’re also dismissing all the things being talked about more openly this time around. Do I miss seeing all the show’s major characters as a close-knit unit in the same room with the same energy as before? Very much so. And since Season 3 has not given us many of those moments (especially with Keeley missing out), do I now absolutely detest the show? – I miss the sitcom’s original surge of energy, but I don’t hate where we’re headed, either.
The Easter eggs left in that shape up through the song and title choices of a specific episode are always golden for this show. ‘La Locker Room Aux Folles’ plays with the title of the first Broadway musical centred around a homosexual relationship – La Cage aux Folles. And, just like the musical production, this episode’s final scene is also wrapped up by the song I Am What I Am, which eventually became known as a “gay anthem”.
One can’t ignore such gems carried forward into the writing, and if using these elements allows us to push for much-needed conversations in the most meaningful ways possible, then why not?
Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 8: Favourite Moments or Quotes
- Rebecca confronting Roy, and taking back her “Da Boss” attitude.
- More football.
- Roy’s press conference.
- Colin performing his best during the football match after finally feeling free.
- “We don’t not care… And from now on you don’t have to go through it all by yourself.” – Ted
- The short yet weighty and hilarious silent banters exchanged between Sam and Jamie as if they’re best friends.
- Colin and Isaac making up.
Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 9 is now streaming on Apple TV+.
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