The past, present and future of Ted Lasso

The landing was stuck. Many storylines came to a close in the Ted Lasso, with the main timeline of the show likely over based on the perfection that was the closing montage. There’s no way we’ve seen the last of all of these characters, whether a spinoff called “AFC Richmond” or a buddy-cop movie featuring Roy Kent and Jamie Tartt is in the cards. Maybe I’m in denial that one of the best shows of the last decade is now done.

Where do things stand with all the major players on the show? Here are the details of their journeys and what possibly would come from a future appearance from any of the characters, starting with the show’s namesake. Obviously, massive spoilers ahead.

As the show went, Lasso did, which is the most obvious thing to say as the series wasn’t called Edwin Akufo. Lasso is the surest bet on this list to be done, or only have a brief cameo with the character in the future. He was the vocal focal point and he had the longest and most fulfilling journey and is back in the US.

The owner of AFC Richmond now owns 51 percent of the team and runs into Matthijs at the end of the season after spending a night with him in Amsterdam during the team’s mid-season road trip. A show focused on Hannah Waddingham’s character would be welcomed by me, but a spinoff would probably be better suited for other characters to star in.

The former owner of AFC Richmond and now West Ham United was the needed villain for most of this season and influenced Nathan Shelley to become an awful human being for most of season three. We’ll likely never see Mannion again as he’s made enough of an ass of himself.

Now running her own public-relations agency, Jones didn’t end the series with a special boo, like most of us expected her to, denying both Kent and Tartt in the season finale.

But she seemed plenty happy with how she’s involved in everyone’s life.

From AFC Richmond captain, to assistant coach to ending season three as the Greyhounds’ new head coach. Kent not being as stuck up and willing to let loose and others in was a major theme throughout the series. And we see him at Dr. Fieldstone’s office in the closing montage. Props for the show and actor Brett Goldstein for how much range Kent was able to show.

From an overconfident young star, to reality TV dropout, to the central figure of Richmond’s switch to total football and being the most unselfish teammate of all time, Tartt showed how to properly absorb the limelight. And we saw he started to rebuild his relationship with his father too.

The right winger and restaurant owner is one of the most loyal characters on the show, wavering from Richmond or from who he truly is. He’s the vice-captain at Richmond and finally gets his call-up to the Nigerian national team after the end of Lasso’s third season in charge at Richmond.

One of the delightful figures of AFC Richmond, with Dottie Lasso making sure to mention how he was the player she wanted to meet most. We see him at the end of the series as a key figure for the Mexican national team and kissing two women at Coach Beard’s wedding. Truly a superstar. Speaking of Beard …

Ted Lasso’s right-hand man for his entire coaching career stays in England at the end of the series because he’s in love with Jane and he marries her with everyone but Lasso (that was weird) in attendance. We find out his real first name is Willis. And he’s also an assistant with Shelley under Kent’s first Richmond staff.

The former kit-man to assistant coach, then Richmond exile and leading West Ham to Champions League positioning in the Premier League, to “differences” with Mannion that led to him quitting the Hammers and finding a girlfriend in Jade. No one had more of a showing-all-sides-of-your-personality journey in season three than Shelley.

Probably the breakout star of season three, with him being closeted being an early, major storyline of the season.

He eventually comes out to his team at halftime of a match against Brighton, where he leads a second-half comeback with two assists.

Hughes also gets called up to the Welsh national team and is seen kissing boyfriend Michael after the final game of the season and Beard’s wedding.

Oddly enough, Higgins’ character wasn’t involved in many major storylines of season three and was used as the comedic glue to keep the rest of the show together. Like when he spilled tea on himself in his office or his joyful prance into Lasso’s office for a meeting of the Diamond Dogs.

Formerly of The Independent, Crimm spends season three writing a book about AFC Richmond and changes the title in the final parts of the season at Lasso’s request. He also comes out as gay to Hughes after seeing him kissing Michael away from his teammates. His last appearance of the series is at a book signing and we see on the cover that it features a very brief foreword by Roy Kent.

Ted’s son and only child with now ex-wife Michelle. The driving force behind Ted’s departure from AFC Richmond and he’s wearing No. 9 for his youth soccer team, playing in a game with dad coaching in the final shot of the season. Playing “Father And Son” by Cat Stevens as the final montage rolled was just a great touch.