‘Ted Lasso’ tackled sexuality in a means solely this present can

AFC Richmond is the speak of the Premier League. The workforce’s transfer to whole soccer has made the membership a can’t-miss speaking level, the followers are loving open observe, and the Greyhounds gamers can’t cease smiling in a system that lets everybody shine.

Isaac hammers a shot into the again of the web to finish observe, and we’re instantly introduced again all the way down to earth as Colin congratulates his captain, solely to be met with a chilly shoulder and a scowl.

Colin’s sexuality has been considered one of Ted Lasso’s most anxiety-riddled subplots this season. It was at all times a matter of “when,” not “if” it might come to a head — and “La Locker Room Aux Folles” is that second. Isaac has been positioned as a paragon of conventional masculinity. The no-nonsense, muscle-bound captain has been considerably an enigma over the course of the present’s three seasons, with little identified about his private life.

This makes him the right foil for the strain of Colin’s sexuality, and an preliminary studying is that Isaac, the one participant on Richmond to know that Colin is homosexual, isn’t snug round his teammate. It’s crushing, and it’s destroying Colin inside. He’s not capable of expertise any of the enjoyment from locker room banter or profitable, as a result of he appears like some of the essential folks on the workforce doesn’t settle for him.

Every episode in season three has had a prevailing theme, and this was all about acceptance. Not essentially searching for it from others, but in addition accepting who you’re and both being content material with that, or attempting to make a optimistic change. We see this within the subplots of “La Locker Room Aux Folles” in Roy getting eviscerated by Rebecca for skipping a press convention, which is way extra about how Roy avoids any issue in his life by utilizing a grumpy veneer.

Clearly this may be interpreted as Roy ending his relationship with Keeley, however Rebecca is getting on his case for way over that. It’s real powerful love, as she doesn’t wish to see Roy sleepwalk by means of life as a result of he avoids issues that don’t come naturally to him.

The second plot of acceptance naturally comes from Nate, significantly in the case of father figures. At this level we perceive the tragedy of him as an individual. All he’s even needed is to be seen and beloved by essential males in his life, together with his emotionally abusive father pushing him to search out this consideration elsewhere — even when it’s unfavorable. The betrayal he felt from Ted got here from feeling like a very powerful individual in Ted’s world, solely to comprehend that Lasso makes everybody really feel particular.

Now he’s pivoted his power to Rupert, who we all know to be emotionally abusive and manipulative, however up so far Nate has had his blinders on. Rebecca beforehand shared Rupert’s insidious capacity to make folks really feel particular to win their love, and now he’s operating the identical playbook with Nate and it’s working. Whether or not Nate is actually defending Rupert, or does so out of obligation — Jade is an ideal counterpoint to see by means of the bullshit, as she merely quips “Nicely, he appears wealthy,” after Rupert makes an attempt to allure her in entrance of Nate.

The essential second in Nate’s arc comes on Rupert’s deliberate “man’s night time.” We all know what this implies from a mile away, however Nate is just too naive to know that is code for “cheat on our important others.” Lastly, breaking freed from the necessity for acceptance, Nate lastly stands up for himself — telling Rupert he wants to go away, no matter reprisal, and ends his night time tightly clinging to Jade, as she turns into his new rock.

Richmond have overwhelmed much better groups than Brighton & Hove Albion throughout their win streak — however come out enjoying completely atrocious soccer due to two males: Isaac and Colin. Isaac not solely refused to fist bump Colin within the locker room, however uncomfortably moved his hand when the workforce went hands-in, seemingly unable to make any bodily contact together with his teammate.

Isaac and Colin each making important errors within the first half, leaving Richmond down 1-0. It’s right here the place every little thing explodes, when a fan yells a homophobic slur on the workforce as they exit the sector.

Isaac screams, “what the fuck did you say to me?!” seemingly taking the slur as a private assault, and expenses into the stands — grabbing the fan by shit and getting a pink card in consequence. Everyone seems to be mystified by Isaac’s response, apart from Colin. Ted asks Isaac to clarify what occurred, and we get our first glimpse into what the captain has been considering this complete time.

“One in every of our followers mentioned some ignorant shit.”

The gamers nonetheless aren’t following. Why this response? Why now? Sam quips “it’s nothing we haven’t heard earlier than,” however Isaac as a solution: “Ignore it? I don’t wish to fucking ignore it. What if considered one of us was homosexual?”

This complete state of affairs wasn’t about Colin’s sexuality, however a sense of betrayal. A sense that he was lied to as a result of Colin wasn’t trustworthy about who he was. A sense of failure that he hadn’t created a locker room the place folks felt snug being their genuine selves.

That is an unbelievably unhealthy means to have a look at the state of affairs, but it surely’s truthful. At instances all of us have an incapacity to see ourselves as a small half in another person’s story, as a result of our innate sense of self is tied to being the principle character. We internalize, marvel how we impacted a state of affairs, see ourselves because the influencing consider every little thing. It’s what unhealthy codependent relationships are based mostly on. Isaac not being instructed that Colin was homosexual had completely nothing to do with Isaac, however somewhat Colin’s sense of self. As a substitute Isaac took it as a private slight, and it destroyed him.

Isaac repeated the identical mistake that Roy did per week earlier by asking Keeley about her video leak. He made the second about him, however determined to lastly atone. Knocking on Colin’s door to apologize, he went a step additional be accepting the invite to come back inside. We finish their story with Colin and Isaac enjoying FIFA, as Issac peppers Colin with all types of questions on what it’s prefer to be homosexual in a locker room.

It’s a humorous, uncomfortable line of inquiry — but it surely’s a begin. It’s Isaac’s means of creating amends for being egocentric at a time he wanted to be selfless. But different instance of Ted Lasso delivering on a serious plot level this season and dealing with it completely.