Warning! Spoilers ahead for the Season 3 premiere of Ted Lasso, “Smells Like Mean Spirit.” Read at your own risk!
After over a year of fans waiting, the third season of the Jason Sudeikis-led comedy Ted Lasso is now available to stream on Apple TV+. The Ted Lasso Season 3 premiere did bring in some bummer news, which included Roy and Keeley no longer being together following the second season. Not only that, but we also saw the start of Nate’s new life at West Ham United after joining Rupert as part of the coaching staff last season.
Nate leaving AFC Richmond was definitely a surprise, but he is not all that happy after betraying his job. Nate Shelley actor Nick Mohammed teased his villain era to Deadline and the guilt that Nate will most definitely feel now that he’s at West Ham, even despite the perks the new job comes with:
I don't think Nate is happy now. Sadly Nate, bless him, he's a troubled soul. I rarely think he's ever 100 percent happy, and he's always worried about something. Undoubtedly, he's made this decision to be at West Ham, this fancy club that comes with perks. In the moment, he's positive about those things like driving his fancy new car and having a bigger salary, but I think he's realizing they won't make him truly happy. He still carries the regret, guilt, and shame with the way he left AFC Richmond and the way he talks to Ted. I think that's going to eat at him until he's able to find some kind of catharsis or he addresses Ted directly.
It was previously unknown what role at West Ham Nate had taken up, but it is now confirmed that he is the team manager, and it was a betrayal no one saw coming. It hurt not only Ted but everyone watching since it was pretty sudden. However, they did evidently have a conversation off-screen in the second season. It sounds like the decision to leave AFC Richmond will be hitting Nate, even if it’s not all at once. While Nate’s villain era wasn’t expected, now I sort of need it.
Whether Nate will get a redemption arc this season is hard to predict, especially since the season literally just started. But the fact that he is regretting his choices in going with West Ham possibly foreshadows a big storyline for him, or at least a big arc. Unfortunately, it may not be so easy for Ted and Co. to forgive him for what he did, so fans will just have to tune in to see what happens. At the very least, knowing that Nate does feel bad about what he did makes things a little bit easier when it comes to redemption.
It should be interesting to see how long this storyline is dragged out before being resolved. Seeing how Nate’s decision to go with West Ham affects not only him but everyone else is definitely different as the third season progresses. Since Ted Lasso’s future is unknown past Season 3, I'm hoping for a resolution and redemption arc before the season comes to an end. Hopefully not before a great Nate villain arc, though!
With the third season of Ted Lasso just premiering, there are still more questions than answers about what's ahead for Nate and all the rest. Make sure you sign up for an Apple TV+ subscription so you can catch up with your AFC Richmond favorites. Check out CinemaBlend’s 2023 TV schedule to see what else is coming soon.
