This Rebecca conspiracy should have started much sooner
Editor’s Note: The following article contains spoilers for Season 3 Episode 11 of Ted Lasso.With only one episode left before the possible series finale, Ted Lasso hastens to tie every loose thread. That’s why Nate’s (Nick Mohammed) Redemption and his decision to leave West Ham happened off-screen. That’s why Keeley Jones (Juno Temple) was mostly wasted in Season 3. However, the most confusing moment of the season may have happened in Season 3 Episode 11 when Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) receives an unexpected visit from Bex (Keeley Hazell) and Ms. Kakes (Rosie Lou). Surely this surprise visit anticipates the fall of Rupert (Anthony Head), who has proven again and again that he can no longer be saved. But such a major plot point should have started earlier in the season.
What does the scene with Rebecca and Bex mean in “Ted Lasso”?
We first met Bex in Season 1 of Ted Lasso When Rebecca finds out that her ex-husband is dating a younger woman named Rebecca. To make things even more embarrassing, Bex and Rupert were having an affair prior to Rebecca’s divorce. Even though Rebecca met Bex in the worst possible way, the younger woman isn’t all that bad. She actually appears to be in love with Rupert and devotes her energies to raising their child. Unfortunately, Rupert is still an asshole, and not long after his new marriage, he’s turning his eyes to other women.
In Season 3 we meet Mrs. Kakes, Rupert’s new secretary. Rebecca catches Rupert with Ms Kakes when she realizes the owner of the West Ham is cheating on his new wife. While Rupert’s actions are censurable, an affair is not illegal. While Rupert is undoubtedly a sexist swine, his behavior has so far been borderline criminal. But when Bex and Ms. Kakes pay a surprise visit to Rebecca, Ted Lasso could implicate Rupert in a sexual harassment case.
We know that Ms. Kakes suddenly disappeared from the series. And when Rebecca Rupert is questioned about his secretary, he claims Ms Kakes was fired for allegedly inappropriate behavior at work. This is most certainly a false claim and Rupert is probably trying to cover up his affair by firing Ms Kakes. However, when Rupert’s now-wife and wife Kakes are working together, even turning to the millionaire’s ex-wife for help, we can bet something more serious was going on behind the scenes than a consensual affair. But while we’re all eager to hear Rupert’s assessment, the three women should have joined forces much earlier this season.
Rupert’s reckoning should not be rushed
While we still can’t know for sure which of Rupert’s despicable acts prompted Bex and Ms. Kakes to visit Rebecca, it’s pretty reasonable to assume the three women will work together to uncover the millionaire’s toxic behavior. As a man in a position of power, Rupert took advantage of his secretary, which is reason enough to go after the villain. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough time Ted Lasso treat the matter with the seriousness it deserves.
Ted Lasso loves to mix fact and fiction, drawing inspiration from real-life issues plaguing the sports industry. So it wouldn’t be surprising if the series explored how old white men believe their money gives them the right to abuse women. Still, this is a sensitive issue that shouldn’t be rushed into, and that’s exactly what’s going to happen next week. This is because there is only one episode left in Season 3 of Ted Lasso, which could be the final season of the series. And writers can only fit a limited number of storylines in an hour.
If Ted Lasso ends with Season 3, the series must use the last episode to say goodbye to Ted, to declare if Richmond will win the championship, to give a worthy farewell to all the individual players, to reinstate Nate in his position as coach, to betray , whether Sam (Toheeb Jimoh) will ever escape persecution by Edwin Akufo (Sam Richardson), solve Keeleys and Roys (Brett Goldstein) relationship and make a decision about Rebecca’s romantic future. How the hell are they going to investigate Rupert’s fall in a way that adequately addresses the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace? It’s just not possible! Either Apple TV+ finally greenlights a new season and pushes some of those plot points into the future, or it risks rushing into another important topic that deserves more attention Ted Lasso can currently give.
At the beginning of this season Ted Lasso Already used Keeley’s leaked intimate video to postpone plot points that had little to do with her. And while the series makes a point of blaming the hackers who got hold of Keeley’s personal video rather than the women who chose to make those videos in the first place, the whole affair was shut down in just a few episodes. So while the illegal display of women’s bodies is a pressing problem, the show just ignored it and moved on, rather than giving everyone the time they needed to grasp the magnitude of the problem. As much as we love this series, Season 3 has a serious pacing issue that continues to spoil major storylines on serious issues, and Keeley is an unfortunate example of that Ted Lasso will likely address Rupert’s predatory behavior.
Rupert is Ted Lassois the biggest villain, and we’re glad he’s finally facing the consequences of his actions. But sexual harassment isn’t something the show can just pick up on for a single episode and say its job is done. Also, in order for Rebecca and Bex to bond, they need the right amount of time to explore their relationship. And it’s even worse to realize that Ms. Kakes didn’t even mention a first name Ted Lasso, is only displayed for a few minutes of runtime. Eventually, after some alarming encounters with Rupert, Ms. Kakes has reappeared, but this is another story development that took place off-screen.
It makes sense that the three women would join forces against Rupert and demonstrate the power of the Sisterhood against the Patriarch. Unfortunately, this plot was introduced too late in the season and we have little hope Ted Lasso will treat this action with the care it deserves.
The last episode of Ted Lasso Season 3 arrives Wednesday, May 31 on Apple TV+.
