![]() ![]() The tired formula of hackneyed sitcoms such as the Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men had to die, but rather than draw from the complexity of new dramas to create smarter comedies, writers simply pulled the most superficial qualities of them. The antihero archetype of Tony Soprano and Don Draper gave way to the Golden Age of Television, but with the side effect of corroding comedy in the process. Articles celebrating the comeback of the Emmys didn't lead with photos of The Crown cast - they all boasted the Lasso gang, and with good reason, namely that Ted Lasso proved that nice guys can actually finish first. With the most nominations of any freshman comedy, the hit won outstanding comedy series, outstanding lead actor for a comedy series, outstanding supporting actor for a comedy series, and outstanding supporting actress for a comedy series. But it was Ted Lasso that set the tone for the evening. The Crown, Emmy-bait by design, was expected to sweep the Emmys thanks to its fictionalizations of Princess Diana and Margaret Thatcher and Oscar-quality funding and production. (Sex is obviously a part of the off-screen plot, but after Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad dominating the discourse for over a decade, Ted Lasso is probably more PG than PG-13 at this point.) Although television suffers far less from the disconnect between critics and audiences that plagues film, Ted Lasso did stand out as the increasingly rare fan-and-pundit favorite that is fun, if you can get over the British penchant for more than the occasional F-bomb, for nearly the whole family. Ted Lasso catapulted Apple TV+ to the top tier of streaming services and became a top 10 streaming show across all platforms this year. Welton, who is hurt by her ex-husband abandoning her for a younger woman, intends for Lasso to drive the team to ruin, but despite his lack of technical prowess, Lasso's folksy ways strengthen the team's resolve, even if not its record.Īgain, there's nothing revolutionary or even terribly interesting about that. Season one begins with Rebecca Welton bringing Lasso, previously an American football coach with zero experience in soccer, to coach AFC Richmond, which she recently acquired as a part of her divorce settlement. ![]() The eponymous protagonist is a naive, unsophisticated American dropped into the cobbled streets of Richmond, England, and the surrounding cast of characters includes stiff upper lips and the busty wives of soccer stars. The conceit (one-part workplace comedy, one-part sports saga) is one as old as television itself. In no way does Ted Lasso reinvent the wheel. (Only broad spoilers for season one follow, so those who are catching up on season two can feel free to read ahead.) That show is Apple TV+'s breakout comedy, Ted Lasso. The Emmys celebrated shows people actually watched, and one show more than any other explains just how the silver screen and streaming have kept their fingers on the pulses of audiences, even as other mediums free-fall into irrelevance. Yet, the Emmy Awards rebounded from last year's all-time low with a 16% gain in viewership, even as other award shows continue to post dreadful numbers. The coronavirus only accelerated the phenomenon, with hostless award shows of tone-deaf celebrities leading to record numbers with literally nothing better to do than watch television deciding to tune out anyway. In the past five years, the Golden Globes were down 63%, and the Billboard Music Awards show was down 72%. Even before the pandemic, the viewership for award shows, ranging from the Oscars to the MTV Video Music Awards, was already in free fall.
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