Ted Lasso, the crown jewel of Apple TV+’s programming slate, wrapped up its 3rd season last week, but the question, of course, remains: was that the final whistle for Ted Lasso the television series, or just the swan song for Ted Lasso the coach? Co-creator and star Jason Sudeikis has been somewhat noncommittal, swearing that this is the end of the story he wanted to tell – the return to Kansas from the land of Oz – but at the same time keeping the locker room door open for a Ted Lasso-less Ted Lasso (Ted Lesso?). The most likely continuation of the series is probably something like AFC Richmond, picking up with the football club and the cast of characters we’ve come to know and (in some cases) love; essentially the same show just with a new coach (gaffer) and way fewer dad jokes. Think The Conners without Roseanne, or The Hogan Family without Valerie Harper (but with Sandy Duncan, which was arguably a net gain). However, we thought it would be fun to brainstorm what some other iterations of a Ted Lasso spin-off might look like.
OLA’S
After suffering a career ending knee injury in a World Cup qualifier, Sam Obisanya trades in his shin guards for an apron, devoting himself full-time to his Nigerian restaurant, Ola’s. His constant presence and unyielding enthusiasm are an unwelcome nuisance to head-chef Simi, as are his frequent menu suggestions (A When Harry Met Sally themed-menu, all you can eat Puff Puffs, bottomless bowls of Pepperidge Farm Goldfish on every table). But it’s not all smiles: upon hearing of Sam’s career change, his nemesis Edwin Akufo (Sam Richardson) buys the Nando’s next door, turning it into a competing Nigerian restaurant named “Original Famous Ola’s” and kicking off the Seven Years’ Prank War. Curiously, none of Sam’s former teammates ever bother to stop by for a bite. English food writer Nigella Lawson guests in the premiere (and does not care for the food).
YOUNG ROY
Former Chelsea FC star and current(?) AFC Richmond coach Roy Kent can only reveal so much about his backstory through press conferences and heart-to-hearts with his niece, so this wacky sitcom takes us back to the 90s, when Roy Kent was a just a young footballer being scouted by Sunderland FC. Full of bad haircuts, ill-fitting clothes, intrusive needle drops and dated references, Young Roy, shows how a boy became an icon. Brett Goldstein provides the voiceover narration and Jonathan Pryce supports as Granddad Kent.
TED LASSO: OFF THE DEEP END
Instead of staying in London with the gang at AFC Richmond, this series follows our hero Coach Theodore “Ted” Lasso on the next stop of his journey through the center of divorce, as he takes the reins of Mexico’s national men’s water polo team (thanks to a glowing recommendation from his former ace, Dani Rojas). With the Paris 2024 Olympics right around the corner, Ted must not only learn another new sport, but a whole new language (a love of quesa-dillas can only get one so far). Forget a fish out of water comedy, this is a fish IN water comedy.
CHEERS, RICHMOND
The rare double spin-off, this sitcom centers on the staff and patrons of Richmond’s favorite pub, The Crown & Anchor, who need to make room at the end of the bar for a new regular, Boston’s Norm Peterson (Sudeikis’ real-life uncle George Wendt reprising his Emmy-nominated role). After being forced to retire from a job he never talks about, Norm must fulfill an empty promise to his wife Vera to spend their twilight years in London. Initially averse to his new surroundings, Norm quickly grows to appreciate Jolly Old England, specifically its Imperial pint glasses. Finding his new Sam Malone in Mae (can’t spell Malone without m-a-e!) and the next generation of Cliff Clavin and Frasier Crane in Baz and the boys, Norm is 3000 miles (5000 kilometers) from Beacon Street but still right at home. Ted Danson cameos via FaceTime in the pilot. Forget a fish out of water comedy, this is a fish in beer comedy. Available exclusively on Peacock.
We very clearly remember the moment that we fell for The Office, the NBC stalwart that closes up shop at Dunder Mifflin tonight after nine mostly great seasons. It was the fall of 2005, when The Office was starting to find its legs after a rocky and uneven six episode first season, and we in our first autumn post-college, back at our parents’, and for the first time since we were four-years-old not attending school. We were at our best friend and future roommate’s house, hanging out, maybe barbecuing, maybe drinking a few beers, maybe watching the first season of Lost on DVD, which dominated much of our time (and thoughts) during that period. We knew about the The Office, another blatant attempt to import a UK hit stateside, but missed its brief run earlier that year, as was the case with the aforementioned Lost, as the only shows we watched religiously during our final year of college (and last few months before true adulthood) were The Simpsons and Survivor. We did, however, recall reading that it was an imperfect translation of the original, and the Steve Carell-led vehicle – who was then best known as 
Jumped The Snark 
