Ted Lasso, Apple TV+’s hit series from Bill Lawrence, returned for season 3 on March 15. The series quickly became a standout for its humor, sincerity, and refreshing take on mental health when it premiered in 2020. Ted, played by Jason Sudeikis, spent much of the first two seasons of the show addressing his mental health, and now the cast has brought their “Believe” motto to the White House.
‘Ted Lasso’ characters and mental health
At first glance, Ted Lasso seems like a heartfelt show about a fish-out-of-water American football coach taking on a job across the pond coaching AFC Richmond. Sudeikis, in his role as the titular character, constantly has a smile on his face. However, as the show progresses, audiences learn about his mental health. Ted suffers a panic attack in the middle of a big game, and he hesitates to address the issue. Ultimately, Ted’s visits to the team therapist help him with his experience.
Overall, Ted Lasso does a wonderful job of normalizing getting help with one’s mental health. It also makes a point to show that someone’s outward appearance doesn’t necessarily represent what they might struggle with behind closed doors.
President Biden invited the ‘Ted Lasso’ cast to the White House for a discussion on mental health
On Monday, March 20, the cast of Ted Lasso appeared at the White House for a discussion on mental health. Sudeikis, along with costars Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brendan Hunt, Toheeb Jimoh, Cristo Fernandez, Kola Bokinni, Billy Harris, and James Lance, took the podium for a conversation. Sudeikis discussed President Biden’s plan to make sure the public knows what tools and options are available to those seeking help for issues regarding their mental health.
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Speaking at the press secretary’s podium, Sudeikis said, “No matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter who you voted for, we all probably – I assume, we all know someone who has or had been that someone ourselves actually, that’s struggled, that’s felt isolated, that’s felt anxious, that has felt alone.”
He continued, “It’s actually one of the many things that, believe it or not, we all have in common as human beings.”
The ‘Believe’ sign made an appearance above an Oval Office door
Fans of Ted Lasso are very familiar with the blue and yellow sign spelling out the word “Believe” above Ted’s office in the series. Ted makes it a priority for the players on his team to put their faith in themselves and their ability to play at the top levels. Despite losing several games, and Ted gaining control of the team while they were in a huge slump, the players eventually began to believe in themselves, and the future of AFC Richmond begins to turn around.
Sure, it’s a feel-good show laced with enough humor to keep everyone laughing. However, Ted Lasso addresses mental health in a way that hasn’t been done before. And for that, we’ll continue to believe… in Ted, in AFC Richmond, and in everything else that comes along with the series.
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