“Be Curious, Not Judgemental.” Influences of Positivity and Kindness in Ted Lasso
In the summer of 2020, Ted Lasso, a sitcom centred around a former NBC soccer promoter, was released to both critical and commercial success and appeared to channel a specifically upbeat register quite unlike its peers. Built on the tried-and-tested ‘fish out of water’ comedy trope, Ted Lasso centres on the eponymous American Football coach who is employed as a Soccer coach for fictional premier league team, AFC Richmond. The show’s branding and promotional campaign suggested that the aforementioned rehashed trope, namely goofy protagonist clumsily happening upon hijinks and confusing situations, would be its operative tone. Instead, the show took audiences by surprise with its wholesome messages of goodwill and nuanced character studies, joining a rich history of American sitcoms that are not simply comic in tone but also layered with messages of humanity, goodwill, and positive representations. Initially due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, Ted Lasso became a […]