Positive masculinity or toxic positivity? Apple TV+’s Ted Lasso as a capitalist utopia

Abstract

Ted Lasso (2020-present) follows American Football coach, Ted Lasso, as he transforms the waning English Premier League team, AFC Richmond, through his relentless optimism and his mantra of ‘believe’. The show has been praised by critics for its emphasis on kindness and particularly for its exploration of ‘positive’ and ‘vulnerable’ masculinities. It is placed front and centre not just in promotion for Apple TV+ but also for the broader Apple brand which is heavily integrated into the show’s storyworld. Through a textual analysis of the series, this article critically examines Ted Lasso’s representations of masculinity and homophobia within the context of professional football. We argue that Ted Lasso subtly replicates the corporate identity of Apple in which real-world issues are selectively harnessed and distorted to create a utopic world-vision. Despite a celebrated veneer of ‘positive masculinities’ the show still exists in service of a sporting culture that is overtly steeped in hypermasculinity. Instead of challenging sports-based homophobia as it exists in the real-world, the show minimizes its existence at the (almost total) expense of including gay characters and storylines. In ‘dismantling’ toxic masculinity through such shallow means, we contend that Ted Lasso is ultimately symptomatic of a show sublimating its narrative wants to Apple’s corporate needs.