PAGE 30 • May 2023 • TABLE HOPPING
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Streaming Flicks by brian miller
Ted Lasso
Final Seasons Within the last year, we have seen some of the best television shows of this generation come to an end. OZARK and BETTER CALL SAUL called it quits, forcing us to say goodbye to largely deplorable characters whose absence will leave a permanent void in our viewing lives. Unlike the constraints that used to be placed on popular programs (my beloved LOST being the prime example of this) whose popularity dictated the length of their run, there is more freedom now for producers to dictate the tenure of their series.This allows for the story and characters to have (for the most part) a beginning, middle, and end. Currently, three of the best shows on television are nearing the end of their respective runs, with each wrapping up on their own terms. TED LASSO has the fewest number of episodes out of any program on this list, but star/producer/co-writer
Jason Sudeikis has maintained that the creative team always envisioned this particular story running for three seasons. Nearing the end of its run, it doesn’t exactly feel like we are marching towards a conclusion, and there have been plenty of rumors swirling that spin-offs may be on the horizon. This wouldn’t be hard to believe, as the supporting characters in TED LASSO have become just as important as the titular character. In fact, over the first half of the current season, it often feels as if Ted (Sudeikis) has taken a backseat, while the likes of Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), Keeley Jones (Juno Temple), Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddinham), Leslie Higgins (Jeremy Swift), and Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) have become just as important. Given the fact that each episode only clocks in around the 30-minute mark, it’s difficult for any of them to stand on their own given the constraints. Despite this, TED LASSO remains a lovable and utterly charming comedy in an age when darkness often takes center stage. The other two titles on this list are perfect examples of this, which makes the darling of Apple TV all the more appealing. Sudeikis has emerged as about the most likable character that has ever existed, exuding positivity and charm with each spoken word of dialogue. He is perpetually and endearingly hokey, but this has rung true from the first second of the show to the last. There are multiple laugh out loud moments in every episode, and enough off-kilter pop culture references that decoding them all feels like a game within itself. BARRY features plenty of obscure references of its own, but its tone is a far cry from good ol’ TED. Now in its fourth and final season, the comedy has shifted much more towards drama as a reckoning comes for veteran-turned-hitman Barry (Bill Hader.) As an
“Currently, three of the best shows on television are nearing the end of their respective runs.”
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