Ted Lasso – The Signal

By: Alejandra Gil M

The episode starts at a game in Richmond. Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) makes the extra pass to Dani (Cirsto Fernandez) who makes a goal. AFC Richmond is now on a four game winning streak. Commentators are calling it the “Roy Kent Effect.” At Rebecca´s (Hannah Waddingham) she keeps texting on Bantr while having someone naked named Luca (Oliver Savile) in her kitchen. She asks that he puts some clothes on, Mina (Ruth D´Silva) will be there any second, but someone else walks in first, Rebecca´s mom Deborah (Harriet Walter) and she just left her father. Ted (Jason Sudeikis) arrives at Richmond saying hello to everyone and wishing their moms a happy birthday. Colin (Billy Harris) is just finishing an appointment with Dr. Sharon (Sarah Niles) which leads to Ted to say hello as well. Dr. Sharon tells him to make an appointment when he needs to talk but he asserts that he talks all the time. He then runs into Roy (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley (Juno Temple) and makes a comment about how much he ships them.

The FA cup has Ted very excited. The whole directing team is already at the office. Higgins (Jeremy Swift) pops out of nowhere. Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) tells them that he and Jane (Phoebe Walsh) got back together. Everyone, even Nate (Nick Mohammed), are happy in unison, except for Higgins who requests a meeting of the Diamond Dogs. Beard runs out because he has two missed calls from Jane. Roy wants nothing to do with it. Higgins admits to being disappointed at the guys for not having his back about Jane. He doesn´t think that relationship is healthy. Ted insists that you should never say anything because it never ends well. The meeting is over and when Beard comes back he has news. Jane´s roommate kicked her out so now she´s living with him. Everyone is supportive in unison again.

At practice everyone´s seems happy with the “Roy Kent Effect.” He has instructions for everyone but Jamie. Ted reminds him that he´s paid to coach the whole team. Ted is called by Rebecca through a window telling him that he´s coming to lunch with her and her mother. Keeley asks him to drive them back from lunch as she has some work and wants to be buzzed for it. He accepts. He then answers a call from his son´s school. It seems he forgot his lunch for his field trip but luckily he´s mom is there. Jamie walks in to ask them to help with Roy. He needs coaching as much as everyone else, but the team won´t get involved as they have their own history. Keeley suggests that he should agree with everything Roy says.

At lunch Deborah is telling Ted and Keeley how she left her husband. She is interrupted when she gets a call from her psychic. They are fascinated but Rebecca asks that they forget everything she just said. Apparently her mother does this every couple of years., so she will be back to Rebecca´s dad in a week or so. Coach Beard receives a call from Jane. She tells him she´s going to Cafe Solo with Finn, her underwear model friend. This doesn´t leave Coach Beard in a good place. Higgins is listening to the conversation from the next room.

Jamie asks Roy why he won´t coach him. Roy says he doesn´t deserve it and Jamie just agrees with everything. Ted interferes and says Jamie is being the mature one for once. Roy agrees to say what´s wrong with him, stating that Ted messed him up by making him into a team player when he needs to be a prick on the field to score more goals and get into the other team´s heads. So, when needed, they will give him a signal to step back into the old Jamie and he’ll know it when he sees it.

That takes us to the game vs Tottenham. It is half time and it is still a tie. It is now time for the signal. Giving Jamie the middle finger at the same time leads to a foul which earns Jamie a free kick. He ends up getting a goal and AFC Richmond takes the lead. However, everyone is celebrating and the whole game environment triggers Ted into a panic attack. He leaves the field right after Jamie scores the goal. Rebecca notices Ted and attempts to go after him, but doesn´t find him and leaves him a voicemail. When she gets home her mom is gone. She went back to her dad. This takes us to a big question being answered. It turns out it is Sam (Toheeb Jimoh) who is the guy she´s been texting with on Bantr.

Nate takes over with a play called “Park the Bus,” which is rare because they need a goal. It works in the end as they win the game. By the end of the episode Higgins decides to talk to Beard about Jane even after he was told by everyone not to get involved. He ends up receiving a thank you hug from him. Dr. Sharon walks into her office and finds Ted on the couch saying, “I want to make an appointment.”