Ted Lasso S3 Finale: The Big Wedding Scene Offers A Surprising Disappointment
Writing a good series finale is notoriously difficult, a fact that even "Ted Lasso" could not avoid. Though Jason Sudeikis prepared the world to say goodbye to the Midwestern gaffer after three seasons, the finale still did not live up to expectations. Already, Season 3 has been inconsistent at best with disjointed arcs for beloved characters. Most egregious is probably Keeley Jones (Juno Temple), who, as A.V. Club's Saloni Gajjar notes, doesn't get much to do in the farewell season. But even more baffling are the final moments of the last episode, when Ted (Sudeikis) and Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) part ways — and from what the final sequence implies, maybe forever.
Beard opts not to follow Ted to Kansas but instead stay in England to marry Jane (Phoebe Walsh). Already, this has odd implications. In a show about accountability and healthy decisions, Jane and Beard are the most toxic and codependent relationship on screen. What makes this even worse is that Ted doesn't attend the wedding at Stonehenge. The Hollywood Reporter suggests that this flashforward could be a dream sequence, which would explain Ted's absence. But if it does take place in reality, it confirms a heartbreaking wedge between the best friends who kicked off the series.
Ted and Beard complete each other
If there has been one constant throughout the series, it has been Ted and Beard. Best friends until the end, Beard proves his loyalty by following Ted to England at the drop of a hat, and at the first sign of Nate's (Nick Mohammed) betrayal, he cuts off the former kit man. Beard's dramatic backstory crystallizes why he is so fiercely devoted to Ted. The optimistic coach is the one person who gave Beard a second chance, and he never looked back.
"They're best friends. These are just two guys who will always be there for each other. They fill each other's gaps," Hunt explained to Forbes. "He just wants to give Ted whatever he needs, and since Ted is really good at talking, there's no need for Coach Beard to talk. He's just trying to fill in whatever gaps Ted has."
This type of camaraderie can be described as fraternity, but it is somewhat closer to soulmates. As Hunt described, the two characters need and complete each other. This is what makes the "Ted Lasso" series finale even more heartbreaking. Practically every main couple gets no resolution, including Beard and Ted. With a relationship as close as theirs, it seems a glaring oversight that Ted would not be at the wedding. In a normal universe, it could be scheduling conflicts, finances, or any number of other reasons that complicated Ted's appearance at the event. But when officially ending the show for good, it leaves a sour taste behind.