I am here to argue that Ted Lasso and Succession exist in the same universe

[lizbee]

Which is to say, lockdown is hard and I require CONSTANT ENRICHMENT, and I've been thinking about both shows a lot, and have accordingly developed an ELABORATE THEORY

Actually, it's not that elaborate. They're both realism with the sliders adjusted a fraction, albeit in opposite directions. Roman accidentally bought the wrong soccer team for his dad's birthday, and it's only by a trick of fate and the existence of Scotland that it wasn't AFC Richmond.

(Yes, Harriet Walter is in both shows, but lots of families have a Harriet Walter!)

INCIDENTALLY, I do not understand why people call Ted Lasso "wholesome" and "comfort viewing" because we're a couple of days away from the season finale and I'm having this recurring anxiety dream where AFC Richmond is bombed and Beard is one of the (few) casualties.

(Thank you to my subconscious for specifying a low body count.)

On the other hand, I've also seen complaints that season 2 lacked conflict, and, again: ANXIETY DREAMS. NATE, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

No one would ever accuse Succession of lacking conflict, and it's so far from being "wholesome" that the same people who claim that watching Ted Lasso is good for you will turn around and argue that watching Succession means you're a bad person. And I'm like, THEY'RE THE SAME UNIVERSE, MATE! They both have UK-US writing teams and the same acute understanding of how the underdog becomes the bully, and how trauma and abuse are passed down through generations. It's just that one show goes, "Yeah, this is hard, but if we trust and help each other, we'll get through it," and the other goes, "Our issues are too deeply entrenched, all we can do is hold onto the side and try not to drown."

And I know both stories can co-exist because I exist in the same universe as Rupert Murdoch.

Anyway I know everyone hates Rebecca/Sam but it hits a lot of my narrative kinks so I'm shipping it for now and you can't stop me. And I shipped Ted/Sharon right up until she became his therapist, and now he's out of treatment, I'm gonna ship it again. Yeah, I know that's not how it works in real life, I just like them together. Yes, despite Sharon's relentless professionalism. Maybe because of it. I realise that this makes me a bad person, but I can live with it.

Comments

[muccamukk]

Rebecca/Sam is so cute and I enjoy it so much. So there!

I have been enjoying this season less because there has been *so much* conflict.

[lizbee]

I've seen that complaint, too, and I at least understand it -- I don't think there's necessarily more conflict than last season, but it's more subtle, and it lands differently if you're watching week to week (ANXIETY DREAMS) than binging.

[muccamukk]

Yeah, I haven't pinned that down. I can't know what it would have been like to watch S1 as it came out, or to binge S2, so that has to be some of the differences, but everyone just seems so *unhappy* this season, and it's getting worse not better. (Like second last episode last season, spent most of its time resolving conflicts, not adding more).

[lizbee]

I wonder if it's the difference of going in knowing they already had a season 3, instead of the possibility of being a one-and-done?

[muccamukk]

I might riot at a major cliff hanger, at this point.

[tellitslant]

I love Sam/Rebecca and I would 100% ship Ted/Sharon if I could get past the therapeutic relationship, so I am on board with your opinions! (I don't watch Succession, though.)

[deird1]

Oh, Rebecca/Sam is totally hitting my narrative kinks. I'm shipping it like mad!