Ted Lasso’s Moral Compass isn’t Ted; it’s Coach Beard
The mysterious assistant coach in Apple TV’s Ted Lasso is actually the show’s Jiminy Cricket
I’ve got a rule of thumb when it comes to things that quickly catch fire in American zeitgeist culture: don’t get sucked in immediately; you never know what the content will actually be.
I still haven’t watched Netflix’s critically-acclaimed (and apparently incredibly violent) Squid Game; I have passed on HBO’s teen drama Euphoria altogether (I’ve seen enough of that in real life); and I count it as something of a personal badge of honor that all these years later, I have never seen the viral sensation that scarred a generation of internet-users, Two Girls One Cup. But, after an entire year of fighting it, I gave in and watched the pilot episode of Apple TV’s Ted Lasso. And, I have to admit, I’ve been sucked into the biscuit-centric, optimistic world of a sport that, much like the show’s namesake, I’m still not fully clear on the rules of. Now here I am, a true Ted Lasso believer.
I credit the strength of the show largely to its writers and creators: Jason Sudeikis (actor/writer for Saturday Night Live), Bill Lawrence (creator of Scrubs), Brendan Hunt (Emmy-nominated actor from Key & Peele), and Joe Kelly (co-creator of The Detroiters). But, I believe the true genius of the show is reflected in the material, and the central optimism at the heart of its core thesis: all we have to do is believe.
During a time when so many of us are feeling the despair of the past few years, Ted Lasso came into my life like a mustachioed, American white knight riding a lawnmower in khaki pants. And honestly, it’s easy to get lost in Ted’s innate charisma. He can charm even the most stalwart of enemies, as we see his disarming kindness zero in on unsuspecting targets throughout the series.
As the surprise choice to coach an English Premier League football (soccer) team, Ted’s resume prior to the pilot episode boasted a modest career as an American college football coach. When we first meet Ted (Jason Sudeikis) in the pilot, the first words he speaks are actually “I believe.” He may have no idea why he’s suddenly on a plane to England, having accepted a job coaching a sport he seemingly knows nothing about, but darn it, he believes everything is going to work out.
While Ted has an incredibly strong sense of character, having seen the first two seasons more than a few times now, I realized upon my significant rewatches, that there’s actually a more prominent ethical and moral compass in the show that keeps him on track when he may begin to go off the rails. And that compass is Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt).
We meet Coach Beard in the same scene that we are introduced to Ted. On the plane over to England, we quickly learn that the quiet figure reading up on football (soccer) has been with Ted since his days coaching college football. And from the beginning of their big, British journey, Beard is there to remind Ted that he needs to take care of himself. More importantly, he’s there quietly providing the emotional and technical support that Ted will need to be successful in his new venture.
As the series progresses, details about Beard are shared sparingly. We know he’s got a history with Ted, at some point he developed a deep love and acumen for chess, does a pretty good Doc Brown impression, and loves a tumultuous woman named Jane. Honestly, we don’t even know his first name, or if Beard is indeed his last name, or just an ode to his ever-present facial hair. And that’s what makes him the perfect counterpart to Ted and his open-book tendencies.
When Ted needs to be spurred to action, Beard is there, silently nodding his encouragement. When Ted is out of line and taking his “wins don’t really matter” attitude too far, perhaps to the detriment of the team morale, Beard is there with pints of beer for support and a loud “snap out of it” moment. He convinces Ted that benching Roy is the right thing to do, even if it might push Roy away emotionally. When Ted’s “nice guy” methods don’t seem to be getting through to his players, Beard is there to provide the box that “Led Tasso” can explode in with minimal collateral damage.
But, the strength of this character is that Beard is also a pillar of integrity for so many others on the show. He confronts Nate about his abusive behavior towards Colin without sharing it with anyone else. He’s not interested in shaming Nate into better behavior. He’s showing him understanding and reflecting back to Nate a clear portrait of his motivations, in hopes that Nate will choose to be better moving forward.
In a meeting of the Diamond Dogs, Beard tells Roy directly to “grow up and get over” his jealousy of Keeley’s past. He’s not afraid to tell the truth. And more importantly, he’s not afraid to hear it either. When Higgins confronts Beard about his toxic relationship with Jane, Beard maturely thanks Higgins and hugs him. He knows that it took guts for Higgins to say how he felt. And at his core, Beard respects anyone brave enough to share their truth — especially if it might come at the expense of hurting a friend’s feelings in service of the larger goal of trying to protect them.
As a massive After Hours fan (my vote for Scorsese’s best film), I loved Beard’s solo episode. What at first viewing felt like a filler episode (it was added after the 10-episode season had already been written), upon repeat viewing, I really enjoyed the layers of what we learn about Beard in this episode. He listens more than he talks. He has deep and complicated thoughts on the human condition. And most importantly: he has a private life outside of football (soccer) and seemingly is comfortable in almost any situation. This can be a great tool for intimacy, but also a wall for self-preservation and distance. I’m very interested to see how many more layers of the Coach Beard onion will be pulled back for audiences in the upcoming season.
Coach Beard is a character that shares what he wants, when he wants. He doesn’t seem to seek personal validation from external forces, and he acts as the Jiminy Cricket for Ted and those around him. He is a pillar of quiet support when he’s needed most. He makes it possible for Ted to be Ted, and is an integral part of the success that AFC Richmond eventually finds in the second season.
While the show may be called Ted Lasso, it’s genuinely anchored by a man who may or may not legally be named Beard. And, just like Jiminy Cricket, Brendan Hunt looks pretty great in a top hat and tails.
