This week’s episode of Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso made it somewhat clear what is happening with Ted (Jason Sudeikis). His journey and talk with his mother wouldn’t be possible if it weren’t for Jamie Tartt and his realization that his father can’t continue to control his life. From the start of the series, Phil Dunster’s Jamie has gone from a punk who didn’t deserve to be with Keeley Jones (Juno Temple) to a man who is constantly working on himself and trying to be a better team player. It is what makes season 3 so special: Jamie is actually really amazing?
Throughout this season, we’ve all come to terms with the fact that we now really love Jamie. Maybe it is because he’s been working on himself and is willing to listen to others and he’s working to be a better person all around, which is why in season 3, episode 11, titled “Mom City,” seeing Jamie open up about his struggles with playing against Manchester City is so shocking.
It all boils down to his relationship with his father. In season 1, it was established that Jamie’s connection to football was through his father, and it caused a problem in their relationship. He was abusive towards his son, and we saw the aftermath of Jamie leaving Man City to come back to Richmond in season 2. Jamie’s talk with his mother in “Mom City” is when we finally understand how his “lack of care” about his father is all an act, and that coming back to Manchester has been weighing on him—and we also get to see just how hard it is for him to play against his former team.
But he plays against them (and does it well).
No one has grown like Jamie Tartt has
Watching Jamie play against Man City and use his pain over his father to help guide him and be the team player we’ve seen him become is a great way to show just how far he’s come. In season 1, Jamie hated the idea of sharing the spotlight. It was one of the reasons he gladly went to a new team. He wanted to be the star of the Greyhounds, and he wasn’t because that’s not the kind of team Ted Lasso leads. Then, at Manchester, he wasn’t good enough for them, and he went to do a reality show to try to find love and be the star there.
Through all of that, he learned that his father forcing him to play the way he did and screaming at him was a detriment to Jamie and his skill. That’s why, throughout season 3, we’ve seen a new Jamie. He is willing to be there for his team, he shows he cares about his friends (like wearing Sam’s number to play for England), and he’s more willing to share the spotlight if it means winning.
It’s why his goals against Man City hit so hard. We’ve seen how he has let others take the spotlight and how he is willing to step back, but his team was there to make sure Jamie looked the best he could against a team that hated him. And this journey was possible because Jamie finally has finally come to terms with his relationship with his father, and his mother’s words helped to guide him to be the best version of himself.
(featured image: Apple TV+)
