Believe
The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, the Show That Kicked Its Way into Our Hearts
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- $23.99
Publisher Description
From The New York Times's Jeremy Egner, the definitive book on Ted Lasso.
When Ted Lasso first aired in 2020, nobody—including those who had worked on it—knew how a show inspired by an ad, centered around soccer, filled mostly with unknown actors, and led by a wondrously mustachioed “nice guy” would be received. Eleven Emmys and one Peabody Award later, it’s safe to say that the show’s status as a pop-culture phenomenon is secure.
In Believe, entertainment journalist and Ted Lasso fan Jeremy Egner traces the show’s creation and legacy through the words of the people at its center. Drawing on dozens of interviews from key cast, creators, and more, Believe takes readers from the first, silly NBC Premier League commercial to the pitch to Apple executives, then into the show’s writers’ room, through the brilliant international casting, and on to the unforgettable set and locations of the show itself.
Brimming with careful reporting and written to match the show’s heart and humor, Believe tells a story of teamwork, of hidden talent, of a group of friends looking around at the world’s increasingly nasty discourse and deciding that maybe simple decency still has the power to bring us together—a story about what happens when you dare to believe.
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Egner, television editor at the New York Times, debuts with a loving oral history of Apple TV's Ted Lasso, in which an American football coach transforms the fortunes of a beleaguered English soccer team. Recollections from actors, producers, writers, and other personnel take readers behind the scenes. For instance, real-life English soccer manager Chris Powell discusses how he was brought in to make the actors' gameplay look realistic, actor Hannah Waddingham recalls an emotional day filming a eulogy for her character's father while her real-life father underwent open-heart surgery, and star Jason Sudeikis reflects on sticking by his commitment to a three-season arc for the title character even after the show became an unexpected hit. In interstitial chapters, Egner comments on the show's influences (the second season's father-son dynamics were deliberately modeled on those in the Star Wars franchise) and key episodes (he suggests character Nate Shelley's redemption arc in season three's "International Break" is a bit rushed, but representative of the show's optimistic outlook). While Egner is willing to admit Lasso occasionally hit a bum note, the book's tone is overall adulatory, celebrating the show's uplifting message and rousing spirit. Fans will find plenty to cheer for.
