TED LASSO Hired For This Team

Article first published as TV Review: TED LASSO on Seat42F.

This past Friday, Apple TV Plus launched TED LASSO, a half-hour dramedy about a perpetually cheery amateur football coach from the United States hired to head a pro-level football team in the UK. And as you probably know, football in the UK is not the same as football in the US; they’re two different sports. No, this is not a mistake, the decision to hire Ted was purposeful, and now we’ll see how this guy does in an extreme fish-out-of-water scenario.

I’ll be honest, I did not expect to like TED LASSO just from the logline. I’m not a big fan of sports (or a fan at all), and I hate dumb-guy comedies, especially where the jokes are played on the man’s ignorance. But because it was created by Bill Lawrence (Scrubs) and Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live), the latter of whom also stars, and both of whom have delivered funny very well in the past, I tried to keep an open mind going in.

Boy, am I glad that I did. TED LASSO is wonderful. It’s not dumb-guy comedy, and while there are humorous jokes, it’s not a straight-out comedy at all. It’s a moving piece with layered characters and emotional situations that will tug your heart strings just as often as it tickles your funny bone. And in the first two episodes, it’s not about sports at all. (Though, if it later becomes so, Friday Night Lights has already proven that good television trumps a distaste for athletics.)

Much of the success of Lasso can be credited to the writing. But much can also be credited to Sudeikis’ performance as the titular character. It would be so easy to dismiss Ted on his face. Yet, Sudeikis plays him with genuine earnestness and depth that keeps him from being a cartoon. Small scenes, when Ted is alone in his apartment or on the phone, prove just how much his caring is genuine, not an act at all. His coaching style, one in which he focuses way more on team cohesion than logistics of play, is also inspiring and one can see how it would work – when the team already has plenty of talent to make up the other side.

Though, it’s quite possible that Ted’s assistant, Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt, Bless This Mess), is the one who actually knows how the game is played and helps on that front. I think there is more to Coach Beard’s words about “fast” in episode two than plays for the joke. So together, they make a decent manager.

TED LASSO avoids dropping into the typical out-of-one’s-element tropes by making Ted curious and accepting of his surroundings, as he is about the team. There are exceptions, of course; Ted hates tea. But by minimizing that element, it keeps the show from being too silly.

Perhaps the main draw is a message that optimism can win. In these dark times, it’s easy to give in to the hate and vitriolic and tension between sides in this country, and around the world. So often, we dismiss our fellow humans because of their beliefs, and while we may often feel justified (maybe actually be justified) in doing so, it’s heart-warming and hopeful to see someone approaching things differently and succeeding.

Of course, Ted will still have his fair share of obstacles to overcome. The main antagonist is revealed at the end of the pilot, and I was pretty surprised. Though I also see how Ted may defuse the situation without making any real enemies.

TED LASSO is buoyed by a wonderful supporting cast, including Juno Temple (Maleficent) as a player’s girlfriend, Hannah Waddingham (Krypton) as the club owner, Jeremy Swift (Downton Abbey) as the communications manager, and Nick Mohammed (Intelligence) a the equipment boy.

I’ve been lassoed by Ted, and I’m anxious to see what else is in store. The first three episodes are available now on Apple TV Plus, with new installments dropping every Friday

INTELLIGENCE Questioned

Article first published as TV Review: INTELLIGENCE on Seat42F.

Today, NBC’s new streaming service, Peacock, premiered (among other things) a British comedy series called INTELLIGENCE. First airing on Sky and posted on streaming Now TV in the UK, the six-episode series (first installment free to non-subscribers) follows an intelligence agency investigating cyber crimes who has just received an obnoxious NSA agent as liaison.

The first thing that strikes me is that INTELLIGENCE feels tonally similar to Netflix’s Space Force. There are very amusing bits and a great cast that is totally committing, but the show isn’t all that funny on its face. Which doesn’t mean it couldn’t be hilarious; all the key ingredients are there. It just isn’t yet, going through some weird, awkward humor that doesn’t quite land.

The Steve Carell of INTELLIGENCE is NSA agent Jerry Bernstein (David Schwimmer, Friends). Jerry clearly was not appreciated nor accomplished in the United States, despite what he says. But he’s exotic enough to the English that many seem to hold him up quite high, and he leans into that, pretending to be the hero. Unlike Carell’s Space Force commander, Jerry isn’t actually in charge. He also lacks the heart, caring about boosting his own profile, rather than helping others succeed, determined to be looked up to in this new environment where no one actually knows him.

The true boss of the office is Chris Clark (Sylvestra Le Touzel, The Crown), a no-nonsense leader whose underlings rarely meet her expectations. It feels quite strange that someone as put together as Chris has allowed this team of misfits to flourish while bucking her authority and seeming inept at almost all times. One has to wonder if she has no control over office staffing. Or perhaps this team is very effective and the audience just hasn’t seen it yet. Either way, Jerry clashes with Chris, even though Chris is bending over backwards to be accommodatingy, while stopping short of letting him run all over her.

The rest of the department (besides extras) is made up of fanboy Joseph Harries (Nick Mohammed, The Martian), cool hacker Tuva Olsen (Gana Bayarsaikhan, Wonder Woman), airhead secretary Evelyn (Eliot Salt, Normal People), and clueless mess Mary (Jane Stanness, Sally4Ever). All four seem to be some sort of stereotype. Mary looks like she could be Professor Trelawney’s sister. Only Tuva acts like she can accomplish things, but her role in the pilot is mainly to be hit on by Jerry. Hopefully, she won’t sleep with him. But given the type of show INTELLIGENCE is, it seems likely she will.

The office itself is much more The Office than Alias or any other spy show. It would be at home in a business park, mostly anyway. While there is great-looking technology, there’s also stained, threadbare carpet and dull walls. The HR department takes a week to even issue a pass, and the lobby is less than impressive. There’s a bureaucratic drabness that works well and takes away from the high tech setting one might expect in a delightful way.

Now, I’ve only seen the first of six episodes as I write this, but if the other five are anything like the pilot, we’re in for a season that has a few authentic, earned laughs each installment, but never really takes off. Which is a shame, because all the actors are really giving it their all, and there isn’t a weak link among them. All deserve to be on a solid series, so hopefully this will get there in its already-ordered second outing. Or maybe even its first, past episode one.

INTELLIGENCE is streaming now on Peacock, which you can watch via phone, browser, and only a few other devices, not including popular options like Roku and Amazon Fire.

Reggie Perrin Set 1 coming to DVD

     On July 19th, Acorn Media will release Reggie Perrin Set 1 on DVD. From original series and book creator David Nobbs, Reggie Perrin is an update by the author of a story told before both on screen and in print. Simon Nye (Men Behaving Badly) assists in this newest version. However, a quick browse of Wikipedia exposes major differences between Reggie Perrin and the earlier incarnations, so whether you enjoyed the original, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, or are discovering the character for the first time, Reggie Perrin offers an enjoyable, unpredictable time.

     Reggin Perrin is a funny sitcom about a man who is dissatisfied with his life, after ten years working as Head of Disposable Razors for a grooming products company. Every day he rides the same train full of the same crowded people, and is always 27 minutes late to work, for various reasons. Once there, he deals with the same droll people and tasks. Reggie determines it is time to attempt to do something about the boredom, but his efforts begin randomly and without a plan, so they fail.

     Martin Clunes (Doc Martin, Demob, Kipper) stars as the titular character, and, as usual, he is brilliant. Clunes is a master of comedy, usually achieved by acting grumpily and smarmily towards everyone around him, who he considers less intelligent. They often are, but that doesn't mean they deserve his treatment of them. It's hard to pull off this superior attitude without being unlikeable, but Clunes does it again here. The entire series rises and falls on his performance, as the sole star, and he handles it more than capably. After viewing Reggie Perrin, one may want to see Clunes in anything else he chooses to do.

     The focus of series one is to introduce the characters, and set up the situation. Reggie is tired of the banality of his job, and frustrated by his co-workers. He seeks to shake things up, but doesn't quite know how. He frequently fantasizes about things he'd like to do, and those fantasy moments are shown on screen, but doesn't act on them. He considers having an affair with interested co-worker Jasmine (Lucy Liemann, Moving Wallpaper, The Bourne Ultimatum), but the love Reggie still has for his wife, Nicola (Fay Ripley, Cold Feet, Meg and Meg), proves an obstacle. Reggie soon realizes the only thing he can do is create waves at his job, which, of course, doesn't quite go according to the way he'd like it to.

     Series two kicks things up a notch, as Reggie becomes more and more involved in things he doesn't enjoy. He searches for his passion, and how to make his life better. Unfortunately, his new obsessions lead Nicola to feel lonely, and she considers straying herself with new neighbor, David (Alexander Armstrong, The Sarah Jane Adventures). There are some really interesting, deeply impacting twists, which I will not spoil, but it's a really strong series, and definitely worth watching.

     Besides Clunes, Liemann, and Ripley, the cast is supported by Reggie's employees, Anthony (Jim Howick, The Armstrong and Miller Show) and Steve (Nick Mohammed, Horne & Corden), Reggie's secretary, Vicky (Kerry Howard, Him & Her), boss Chris (Neil Stuke, The Bill), and wellness expert Sue (Susan Earl, Hardware). Although each is dim in a different way, the actors make their characters sympathetic and unique, rather than being interchangeable drones. Nicola's father, William (Geoffrey Whitehead, The Worst Week of My Life), and Reggie's mother, Marion (Wendy Craig, The Royal), assure the main man finds no peace at home, either, with their own antics.

     Set 1 may actually contain the complete run of Reggie Perrin, as no third series has been ordered as of yet, and ratings have not been high. This would be quite a shame, as not only is there some very funny material present, but the second series adds a layer of deep emotional drama to raise the level several notches. Reggie Perrin is finding its stride, and it would be gratifying to see what happens next to the character.

     The DVD release includes two discs, featuring all twelve episodes of Series 1 and Series 2, as well as a behind-the-scenes photo gallery, the lone bonus feature on the set. Reggie Perrin Set 1 will be released on July 19th. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy.

     Please click here to buy Reggie Perrin Set 1 now.

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Article first published as DVD Review: Reggie Perrin Set 1 on Blogcritics.