With Ted Lasso returning this week for its third and potentially final season, it's time to recognize the true backbone of the show, Keeley Jones (Juno Temple). In a series famous for its wholesomeness and lovable characters, Keeley still manages to stand out among the rest, evolving from a potentially one-note character into a complex, independent woman who always brings out the best in those around her.
Apple TV+'s hit comedy Ted Lasso follows the fictional English football team AFC Richmond under the leadership of former American football coach Ted Lasso, a character originated by Jason Sudeikis in 2013 for a series of promotional videos for NBC's coverage of England's Premier League. He is hired by the team's owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) in an attempt to sabotage the team to get back at her unfaithful ex-husband (the team's previous owner), given Ted's total lack of experience and understanding of even the simplest rules of the game. At first vexed by his southern accent, lack of cultural and football knowledge, and relentless optimism that borders on obnoxious, Rebecca eventually grows fond of him and abandons her vengeful plot. After being relegated in Season 1, AFC Richmond manages to claw their way back into the Premier League in the Season 2 finale, with their goal for the next season being to take home the FA Cup.
One of the most popular shows on Apple TV+, Ted Lasso has amassed a number of awards in its short run, with each season receiving 20 Primetime Emmy Awards nominations, winning the award for Outstanding Comedy Series both times, along with acting nominations for almost the entire main cast, and wins for Sudeikis, Waddingham, and Brett Goldstein. Season 1 premiered in August 2020, when the world was very much still in the thick of the pandemic, with lots of people at home looking for feel-good, escapist television, and Ted Lasso offered just that. While it does address more serious issues like divorce and mental illness, it's difficult to finish an episode of Ted Lasso without a smile on your face. This is in part due to characters like Keeley, who continuously uplifts the people around her.
Keeley's Character Has Evolved Throughout the Show
Keeley is introduced in Season 1 as the vapid, influencer/model girlfriend of AFC Richmond's star player and resident douchebag Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster), who Rebecca uses to orchestrate a scandal in the tabloids by having her and Ted photographed together. After apologizing, Rebecca and Keeley quickly move on and form an unlikely friendship, and Keeley becomes an important part of Rebecca's life, who was in need of a friend while experiencing the fallout from her divorce.
Keeley serves as a foil to Rebecca's character. She's bubbly and excitable compared to Rebecca's icy professionalism, but their friendship brings out the best in each other. Keeley gives Rebecca the confidence boost she needs to recover from the emotional scars left by her ex-husband, and Rebecca encourages Keeley to pursue a new business venture when she admits she's no longer satisfied with her career as an influencer. After breaking up with Jamie, Keeley doesn't have any real ties to Richmond anymore, but Rebecca, Ted, and the rest of the team like having her around so much, that Rebecca finds a role for her as the team's PR manager, which she quickly excels at.
Keeley's Romantic Relationships Have Also Experienced Change
Though Keeley starts the series dating Jamie, the young, egotistical star of AFC Richmond, it's clear from her first few interactions with Roy Kent (Goldstein), that the two of them have more chemistry and compatibility than she and Jamie. After she dumps Jamie, we see her spend more time bantering with Roy, and they are officially in a relationship at the start of Season 2, introducing us to the strongest romantic relationship in the show. It's a perfect execution of the opposites attract trope: Keeley is sweet and bubbly while Roy is grumpy, no-nonsense, aging footballer with a secret soft side.
Their juxtaposition works so well because they both help each other deal with their insecurities. In Season 1, Roy is nearing the end of his playing career and feeling dejected that he is no longer the star that he used to be, further exacerbated by his constantly butting heads with Jamie, who is poised to be the team's next big thing. Starting to show his age, Roy eventually retires, throwing him into a new crisis of what to do with the rest of his life. Keeley suggests he try his hand at commentating, and he has a short run as a pundit for Sky Sports, but later returns to Richmond as an assistant coach. Keeley is there to support him but never hesitates to poke fun at Roy, who often takes himself way too seriously, reminding him that he gets paid millions to run around a field and kick a ball around. But this emotional support isn't one-sided, as Keeley suffers her own insecurities as she starts her new career in public relations, afraid that people won't take her seriously because of her past as a model/influencer. But Roy is there to reassure her that she's a smart and savvy businesswoman, capable of being successful beyond just her looks.
They're not without their conflicts, but it's the healthy way that they're able to resolve them that makes them such a strong couple. Before they are officially in a relationship, there's a moment where the two of them get into a fight, leading Keeley to sleep with Jamie again. This naturally angers Roy, but Keeley makes it clear that he is going to have to forgive her and not hold a grudge if they want to continue dating. She also struggles to get Roy to open up to her, given his tough exterior, sometimes pushing him past what he is willing to give. But once he does open up, they develop an even stronger bond. Although Season 2 ends with Keeley and Roy's relationship on the rocks, hopefully, we will see them reconcile and move forward in the upcoming season.
In a show largely dominated by male characters, Keeley's presence and character development are significant and speak to the show's writing. What could have been left as a one-note caricature of social media influencers, always an easy target for satire, she evolves into a three-dimensional character who at times holds the show together. She provides emotional support to Rebecca, Roy, and Ted, and makes great connections with the rest of the team when she starts officially working for Richmond. She's a girl's girl who loves fashion and never compromises her femininity in an attempt to fit in with all the surrounding men. We watch her become an independent businesswoman, eventually offered the opportunity to start her own PR firm, but she never loses her silliness and wit, which makes her such a charming character.
Ted Lasso Season 3 premieres Wednesday, March 15 on Apple TV+.