In season two episode five of Apple TV’s Ted Lasso, titled ‘Rainbow,’ Nick Mohammed’s (Intelligence) Nate learns from Juno Temple’s (Horns) Keeley and Hannah Waddingham’s (Game of Thrones) Rebecca how to be more assertive in an attempt to get a window seat at a local restaurant for his parents’ 35th wedding anniversary, called ‘Jade’ by Nate. Meanwhile, Brett Goldstein’s (SuperBob) Roy finally makes his return to Richmond – this time, as a coach – after Jason Sudeikis’ (We’re The Millers) Ted requests that he help his successor, Kola Bokinni’s (2 Pigeons) Isaac, get his mojo back after he forgets the fun that football once brought him.
This episode primarily focused on the power of love and passion in all these characters’ lives. Isaac regained his love of football through one of Roy’s infamous and comedically F-bomb-filled pep talks, which in turn helped Roy realize that his love lay in Richmond football rather than sports commentating. Both players rediscovered their love for the game, regardless of if they knew it or not. However, perhaps the most jaw-dropping moment of ‘Rainbow’ came when Rebecca was texting her secret admirer on Bantr, a dating app that allows users to text without the knowledge of their partners’ physical appearance. After a scene cuts from Rebecca smiling at her phone to Ted doing the same, it’s safe to assume that they’re getting to know each other on a romantic level without knowing.
Meanwhile, Nate discovers how to be perfectly okay with not being well-known by the public, as most of the Richmond players are. Nate’s character development has been progressing from the first episode of the series, as a bullied and unappreciated kit man to assistant coach under Ted. His character finally reached its peak in this episode, because, while he was more confident in himself and his abilities, he still felt like an outsider on the team, as the only one to continuously go unnoticed by the public. Nate’s built-up courage to get his family to the table he had asked for may seem like a small feat, but will surround the bigger picture of Mohammed’s character finally getting the attention he deserves.
Overall, the episode provided a heart-warming end to Roy’s departure from the team, encouraged the show’s most unappreciated character to go after what he wants, and opened the door for a potential romance between the show’s two stars. The theme of this episode could not be clearer – especially with two unnamed characters breaking the fourth wall at one point to tell the story of how they fell in love. Love and appreciation are essential themes of the entire show that will arise repeatedly throughout this season.
Rating: 8/10