SNAPSHOT
Emmy® winner Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso, an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team — despite having no experience. But what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for with optimism, underdog determination — and biscuits. The widely acclaimed series also stars Emmy® winner Hannah Waddingham, Emmy® winner Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Juno Temple, Phil Dunster, and Nick Mohammed. (synopsis courtesy Apple TV+ / YouTube)
Now this is just what I had on my list to Santa!
Well, not precisely, but if I’d been pressed and had to pick something unexpected to light up an increasingly dark and foreboding festive season (cases are climbing exponentially in Sydney) then I would’ve hoped against hope it would be something Lasso-inclined.
And so it has come to pass, and in heartwarming stop-motion style too.
The delight of Ted Lasso, and somehow the writers who are gifted like few others in the sitcom realm, is that they take the poignancy and humanity and the surreal comedy that marks the series as truly something special and fit it into four and half festively sparkling minutes that manage to be Wallace and Gromit-level silly but also profoundly touching as Ted’s moustache goes missing and he wonders who he is without it.
There are some lovely character moments courtesy of Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster), Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) and even Nate (Nick Mohammed) who is determined to chase the moustache down whatever it takes, and a beautiful scene at the end when the true meaning of Christmas hits Ted who reacts with customary heart-on-sleeve warmth and good humour.
The Missing Christmas Mustache is the gift we all need this Christmas and I suspect if you’re like me, you’ll be unwrapping it over and over just to remember there is still some good left in this blighted world of ours.
Ted Lasso: The Missing Christmas Moustache is currently screening, along with seasons one and two of the show, on Apple TV+