The heartwarming hit show Ted Lasso only ever goes high, even on heated political issues. The show is centered on a British football team whose American coach, Ted, refuses to attack even those who insult him publicly. I was pleased to see that his attitude of unconditional class is viewed as a universal good.
In Season 3, one of Ted’s players, Nigerian-born Sam Obisanya, tweets out disappointment toward fictional British home secretary Brinda Barot for pledging to turn away a boat full of incoming refugees. In response, Barot says Sam should “shut up and dribble,” mirroring a statement made by Laura Ingraham years ago. Soon after, Sam’s brand-new Nigerian restaurant is trashed by haters who spray-paint Barot’s words on the wall. He is hurt and furious, storming into the locker room with much to say about the thoughtlessness of the human race. To Sam’s dismay, his father, who had just arrived for a visit from Nigeria, sees it all. Sam collapses into his arms in tears.
His father sits Sam down in the weight room and explains to him that rage is not the answer, teaching him to find a better path forward than aggression. That night, the rest of the team surprises Sam by fixing his restaurant. One player fixes an LED sign in front of Sam and his father, who is touched to see the sign light up and reveal that the restaurant is named after him.
Ted Lasso accomplishes the rare goal of rejecting fragility in favor of virtue. Sam’s explosive behavior is not glorified as “his truth.” Instead, his father’s wisdom and his team’s sense of brotherhood are championed as a solution to his recent troubles. The plot conveys a much-needed theme: In an era of accusation, turn away from needless anger and find beauty where you are.