Warning: Contains spoilers for Ted Lasso season 2, episode 8.
Ted Lasso has finally revealed the eponymous coach’s tragic backstory. Since the show began, fans have speculated as to the tragic past that Ted has hinted at, but the Apple TV+ series has been slow to roll out any concrete reveals. Ted Lasso season 2, episode 8 finally dives into Ted’s backstory, revealing that his father tragically took his own life when Ted was just sixteen.
Despite his cheery exterior, Ted Lasso has dropped hints from the beginning that Ted has a lot more going on beneath the surface than pop culture references and cutesy metaphors. In season 1, Ted reveals that his father died when he was just sixteen. He also begins to have panic attacks during the show, partially brought on by his divorce, but also implied to be related to some unresolved emotional issues from his past. Ted took a big step earlier in season 2 by making an appointment with Dr. Sharon Fieldstone, but he’s been hesitant to truly open up in therapy, until now.
At the end of Ted Lasso season 2, episode 8, Ted calls Dr. Sharon and tells her that his father died by suicide when he was a teenager. It’s a twist that some fans had already guessed at, but his openness is still immensely powerful. From a narrative perspective, it makes sense for the show to have held back Ted’s backstory until now, as revealing too much too early would have made his arc less compelling to watch. However, there are also reasons explained within the Ted Lasso universe for why it took Ted so long to open up.
For most of his life – likely since his father’s death – Ted has constructed defense mechanisms of forceful positivity to protect himself. He clearly has some baggage to work through, but because he fears being seen as a damaged person, he puts on a façade of perfection and optimism. That doesn’t mean that Ted Lasso isn’t a truly positive person – he is – but just that his persona is partially meant to protect himself. Because if he doesn’t look like he has problems, he doesn’t have to admit to himself -- and to others -- that he has them.
That’s why it takes Ted Lasso so long to open up about his past. He had to come to terms with his mental health one piece at a time – the divorce, the panic attacks, and then, gradually, after building a rapport with Dr. Sharon, the more tragic parts of his life that he never fully dealt with. Now that he’s finally opened up, he’ll hopefully be able to conquer some of the demons that have been holding him back. It won’t be easy, but Ted should be on the right path for the rest of Ted Lasso season 2.