'Ted Lasso' Season 3 Needs to Stick to Half-Hour Episodes
Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Ted Lasson Season 3.Ted Lasso is halfway through its third season as it approaches its potential final destination. The series has seen each of its three seasons have a shift in its makeup, whether in the tone of the story, the narratives — or, in the case of Season 3, the amount of time we are spending with each episode. Runtimes have become a popular indicator over the years, mainly being a result of a jam-packed collection of shows ready at our disposal across the numerous streaming options. There’s room for shows with hour-long runtimes to easy-to-consume half-hour programs that are more concise in nature. The latter was what we saw Ted Lasso open as, becoming a show that captivated the audience through its bingeable 30-minute episodes where there was no time for filler at the expense of the main plot. What has happened in Season 3 is a shift towards longer episodes, with Episode 6 the longest in the show’s tenure as it clocks in at more than an hour long.
While there is always room for longer episodes despite the societal shift to binging, it’s not often a TV show finds itself transitioning from a shorter runtime to doubling its length over a few seasons. The first season saw its runtime range from 29-33 minutes while this third season has gone from 43 minutes in Episode 1, to a pair of 47-minute episodes all the way up to the aforementioned 63-minute spot. The question then becomes is the extended play time warranted and paying off for the viewer or is it a result of tacking too many storylines than it’s accustomed to? The answer is probably somewhere in the middle since Ted Lasso remains an entertaining escape, but this show as a whole would be better served had it stuck to the shorter episodes.
A More Concise Story Suits 'Ted Lasso' Better
In a sort of “chicken or the egg” debate, the third season of Ted Lasso has done something it hadn’t before, giving us narratives that take us away from Richmond AFC. Before, the majority of the story took place in one location. There was a time in Season 2 when Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) was off doing his own thing before returning, but for the most part, everything was centered around the club and Ted (Jason Sudeikis). Now, there’s Keeley (Juno Temple) whose off doing her own thing in the PR world and Nate (Nick Mohammed) is with another club. There’s more that Ted Lasso is tackling outside its core that does call for more time being needed.
What has unfolded with this third season is far more subplots taking place than prior seasons have, which means more characters needing time in the frame and more side characters popping up (think Shandy and Jack, to name a few) who don’t have anything to do with Ted. This is what calls for these episodes to need that extra time so that the story’s central story around its titular character can remain as prevalent as it needs to be. The different segments Season 3 now has to deal with can be seen as taking away from what made the show so great when it first premiered. The longer runtime has introduced more obstacles and time away than viewers probably would prefer, which is why that first season conciseness appears to be the more preferred way of handling a series like Ted Lasso.
Sometimes Less Is More With 'Ted Lasso'
There’s a can of worms that can be opened when discussing the increase in episode length. Is the issue really having to do with how long they are now, or is the show bringing in filler for the first time? The latter may be too harsh as none of these side stories have truly taken away from the season, but it also doesn’t feel the same when we see Episode 6 take Keeley out of the picture altogether, either.
There are two storylines that have become the biggest talking points of this season, with the first being the “Tedbecca” narrative as the show grapples with the “will they, won’t they” trope. Then there’s the budding friendship of Jamie and Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) that steals every episode with their scenes. The soccer team and their results always remain at the center of the show, though the focus on West Ham has been relegated slightly since their match. Nonetheless, those two angles and the soccer itself are the core of this season. That isn’t to take away from the important subplots we’re seeing unfold with characters like Trent Crimm (James Lance) and Colin (Billy Harris). In fact, this arc should probably be focused on far more than others. Just as Rebecca's self-journey and motherhood arc continues to warrant more time than it gets. Higgins (Jeremy Swift) saw a good chunk of time on screen in Episode 6, but in an uninteresting narrative, and the team’s back-and-forth indecisiveness seemed to run too long. Both are examples of the show spending a little too much time on scenes than needed, which could easily help shave off the runtime.
Nonetheless, Ted Lasso remains a powerful and enjoyable show. The runtime ultimately doesn’t hurt a show like this, but it’s also not serving much value, either. There’s probably a sweet spot this show could utilize in the 35-40 minute range and still be able to highlight the biggest plot points but also cut back on side stories that don’t carry the same weight. There remains uncertainty about whether this is it for Ted Lasso or if Apple TV+ will keep this thing going. If the series is truly ending, however, there really isn’t any time to waste over the backhalf of this season. Added runtime would be fine if the content was warranting it, but what we have seen over these past couple of episodes hasn’t justified an hour-long runtime.
New episodes of Ted Lasso Season 3 release every Wednesday on Apple TV+.
ncG1vNJzZmibn6G5qrDEq2Wcp51kwaawjKWYrKufYsCmrdKopWZrXZq9qr%2FOnZxmpJWjtLW0jg%3D%3D