”The creators of Ted Lasso knew early on they had something special on their hands.”

Utterly delightful. If you already love Ted Lasso, prepare to fall even deeper in love with the creators, the cast, the characters, and the brilliance behind the show as a result of reading this book.

”It’s a story about what happens when you dare to believe.”

I was fascinated to hear where the writers drew their inspiration - I never would have imagined that so many different movies, musicals, shows, genres, and even personal lived experiences played a role in helping the writers and actors hone the final product. I was so interested in the casting process and how the selected actors made the characters their own, and then in hearing how they participated in their characters’ story arcs and transformations over multiple seasons. I loved the episode breakdowns that analyzed key moments in the show’s history.

”As one might suspect on a show as in touch with its feelings as Ted Lasso, the final day on set was an emotional one.”

I could imagine this book being remade as a documentary; truly, it reads more like a documentary transcript than a book, with the inclusion of many verbatim interviews from the cast & crew, without much added structure or narration from a third-person voice in those sections. I loved it, and it made me want to go binge watch the entire series all over again.

”This thing called life… might be all that you get. It might be it. And wouldn’t you rather spend it moving through the world with grace, with empathy, and with people you love?”

——

A huge thank you to Jeremy Egner, Penguin / Dutton, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, the Show That Kicked Its Way Into Our Hearts- the joy of falling in love with Ted Lasso all over again. Getting to dive back into the world of Richmond, Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, and more, was truly magical.

Off the bat, I enjoyed Egner’s choice if layout to share cast interviews. I felt as if I was sitting with the actors/writers as they shared their take on one another, filming, and the series as a whole. I particularly enjoyed hearing the casting process and could feel the excitement as each actor was brought on board.

As a fan of the show, I also enjoyed hearing where scenes, coach speeches, dialogue, and music selection came from. Hearing that inspiration was drawn from sports movies, mentors in real life, famous coaches, and even musicals was fascinating- maybe even enough to change my views towards the episode “Beard After Hours.”

Jeremy Egner’s passion of writing and sharing his love of Ted Lasso is evident through this novel. I found the added bonus of, “Who Won The Episode”, “Best Save, “Best Assist”, “Best Line”, and “Random Stats” at the end of each episode chapter to be a fun touch.

Thank you Jeremy Egner, Dutton, and NetGalley for allowing this Ted Lasso fan to enjoy this book!

Are you a lover of the show Ted Lasso or have someone in your life that is? Answer yes to either one of these, then I've got a book for you.

Believe is an oral history about the behind-the-scenes story of how Ted Lasso came to be. It's pretty well known that Ted Lasso first appeared in a NBC sports promo and his character was later further expanded into the Apple TV series of the same name. I loved hearing the stories from all of the actors, showrunners, and personnel that helped the show touch so many lives. I enjoyed that Egner also focused on some key episodes each season that helped to further the storylines of characters but also move the plot along of the series. I personally enjoyed all three seasons of the show, although I know the third season didn't resonate with everyone. This book offers a nice farewell, or possibly see you later, to the characters that helped many of us find companionship during the pandemic and beyond.

If you don't want spoilers for the show, don't read this book. From the beginning things will be spoiled for you if you haven't watched or finished the series.

As Christmas is fast approaching, this would make a great gift for the Ted Lasso fan in your life, even if it's yourself.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

As a fan of Ted Lasso I was excited to dive back into the Ted Lasso universe. This book offers great insight from the beginning with interviews with the writers and actors. I enjoyed seeing the behind the curtain and seeing where the show started and knowing how it progressed while I watched it! This is a great book for all fans who Believe!

I love Ted Lasso and this behind the scenes look at the making of the series was really enjoyable. Told through firsthand accounts of the writers, producers, and stars of the series, this book takes the reader on an adventure from the creation of the Ted character all the way through the end of the show and feelings about continuing beyond season 3. A delightful read for any fan.

This is a great supplement to (in my opinion) one of the best series ever, Ted Lasso! Super detailed from the series inception to the end, this is THE book if you want all of the nitty gritty details about the Ted Lasso series. I really enjoyed reading all the details about the actors, producers, writers, etc.

I did not know I needed this book until I read (i.e. inhaled) this book.

I love Ted Lasso. I am forever indebted to the coworker who introduced SNL and Jason Sudekis into my life. Because of that, I also watched Ted Lasso, which got me out of some dark times. Mostly, I loved that everyone on there had a genuinely good experience. I've read oral histories of TV shows where some people where jerks, or there was secret drama (a la Modern Family), or it turns out actors felt "unappreciated" (a la The West Wing) and it's comforting to know that what you saw on Ted Lasso is what you got. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll now be printing a "Believe" sign for above my office door.

Thanks, NetGalley!

As a Ted Lasso lover, this book was so fun to get a behind the scenes of how it came to life. This is not information you learn about most shows, but it is so interesting to know! Ted Lasso will always be a top favorite of mine and this book just put it up a few notches.

Really enjoyed this book and learning more about one of my favorite shows. It took me awhile to get through it, but that was a me issue. I find it hard to get through these types of books, but it was rather interesting for the subject.

Reading 2024
Book 198: Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, the Show That Kicked Its Way into Our Hearts by Jeremy Egner

Saw this book on a friend’s IG page as she was taking the Ted Lasso tour in England. Thanks #NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my review (Pub date is November 12). Book 39 of #30booksin30days is a nonfiction book I read on my Kindle.

Synopsis: Egner approaches his reporting as a journalist and as a cultural critic, but also with an affection and admiration fans will appreciate, carefully and humorously telling Ted Lasso’s story of teamwork, of hidden talent, of a group of friends looking around at the world’s increasingly nasty discourse and deciding that maybe simple decency still had the power to bring us together—a story about what happens when you dare to believe.

Review: How fun was this book! Going to have to rewatch Ted Lasso again after reading this. Every little detail about the trajectory of a small show on a brand new streaming service, to a huge hit. All the actors involved in each episode and all the inside scoop you can handle, and maybe more than you want. Really enjoyed this, my rating 4⭐️.

As someone who has watched Ted Lasso all the way through three times, plus individual episodes here and there, I thought I knew everything about the show. There was so much symbolism I missed and a depth to each episode that I didn’t think about until I read Believe, which is a fascinating behind the scenes look at the show, the characters, the writers, the plot trajectory, and the original concept of Jason Sudeikis. I enjoyed the authors style of writing and how he presented the contents of Believe. A perfect book for our library, and a must for everyone you know who loves Ted Lasso, and let’s face it, who doesn’t.

This book is filled to the brim with so many fun tidbits about the cast, production & filming of Ted Lasso! Reading this made me want to do a rewatch of the show, so I could try and pick up all the little references to other pieces of pop culture scattered throughout that I missed the first time around. And honestly, this would make a great rewatch companion guide with the way the author laid the book out by season & with chapters dedicated to individual episodes.

The chapters about specific episodes that provided a deep dive into the plot, and included stories/thoughts from the actors regarding their characters in that episode, were definitely my favorite! One of my absolute favorite chapters discussed how the actresses that played Rebecca & Keeley formed a real life friendship early on in filming. So the way you see them in the show is how they are off camera as well & I just love that so much 🥹

It did feel somewhat repetitive at times, as the author would briefly mention something in one chapter & then use very similar wording when he began to expand upon that same thing in a later chapter. But all the memories shared by the cast members were so funny & moving that I was able to quickly move past that.

This is kind of obvious but, I wouldn’t recommend reading this if you haven’t watched the show yet, or watched but did not enjoy (which, let’s be real… that second one’s highly unlikely). All you Lasso fans though— run to your nearest bookstore on November 12th to grab a copy of this behind the scenes goldmine!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group - Dutton for this ARC

This was so much fun to read as a fan of the show. I loved the inside information on how the show came to be. This just added to my excitement for the new season 4 that was announced!

From the moment I first found Ted, I was in love. His optimism, his realism, and his way with connecting to people really captivating me. Having a chance to learn more about the show that has taught me to brush things off and get back out there is such a joy and a pleasure. Jeremy did a fabulous job. I just love Ted Lasso and everything having to do with this show!

Believe is a history of Ted Lasso, perfect for any fan of the football-themed show. Jeremy Egner delves deep into the process of how the characters were initially created for a series of NBC Sports advertisements and how casting helped determined characters along the way. A must-read for any fan of the show.

I had to put my Ted Lasso Fan hat on for this one; it was way more in depth than I'd anticipated. And I have to be honest... I still haven't finished the show yet. Our subscription ended and we're too lazy/broke/busy to start it back up for me to finish. My husband finished it without me though (surprise, surprise) and absolutely loved it so I wanted to read this for fun fact ammo against him. It was perfect for that!

I highly recommend this for super fans of the show. It would even be a neat way to peek behind the scenes as you watch the show for the first time.

{Thank you bunches to NetGalley, Jeremy Egner and publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!}

I'm a huge fan of Ted Lasso and was excited to read this book. The book tells the story of an unlikely character went from a NBC sports campaign to a series that broke records and touched the hearts of many. While I enjoyed the inclusion of interviews and in depth analysis of key episodes of each season. I could have done without some of the cringe comments and real life upheaval that was touched upon. Overall a solid 4.5

I could have easily given it 5 stars if a clear answer was given on if we will ever get more Ted but alas the answer was opened ended and vague.

I don't know that there are any non-Lasso fans who'd pick this book up, but I really enjoyed it! While there wasn't a ton that was like.......groundbreaking or any wild stories from behind the scenes, it was lovely getting to hear about some of the "big" episodes and from a lot of the cast/crew/production team about how Ted Lasso came to be. All in all, if you're a Lasso fan and a non-fic fan, would recommend!

This book is super fun for fans of Ted Lasso (and who isn't?). Egner interviews not only the cast, but the creators, producers, and crew to give a well-rounded look behind the scenes of the beloved show. There's plenty of behind the scenes drama and fun anecdotes to please fans both diehard and new.

Ted Lasso was a family favorite so I enjoyed getting too see what went on behind the scenes.Ar really engaging read just like the series #netgalley #believe