Last night I watched the next-to-last, penultimate, almost the end episode of Ted Lasso. As I've done for a few episodes now, I jotted down my thoughts while it was playing (then watched it again this morning so I could see it without the distraction of typing).

While there were no serious surprises (as there likely won't be since they are wrapping everything up), there were some nice character moments that made for an expectedly good episode.

Spoilers follow. Please watch the episode before reading any further!

• The quirk residents of Ted's neighborhood are always a treat. What I wouldn't give to get a peek behind the lives of these people.
• Oh boy. Ted's mom in town for an unannounced vist. Are we doing this because her dying wish is for Ted to come back home? Lord, I hope not.
• Oh for fucks sake. Just having Nate disappear off the show would have been a perfectly lovely thing after he made ammends to the horrible way he treated Will last week. But I guess we're wasting more time with a character I don't give a shit about.
• I will say that I do love Jade though. Show of hands... when she first appeared on the show, who thought that she'd turn out this good?
• SHIT! WHY IN THE HELL DOES THE TEAM WHO NATE HATED SO MUCH... WAS TREATED SO BADLY... WANT HIM BACK?!? This character has zero redeeming quantities now. Though I'm sure we're going to get a big redemption moment which will try to act like he does. Nate was horrible... horrible... to the people who embraced him. There is no redemption I can work with.
• Oh wow... up until now I thought that Mary Kay Place (Sweet Home Alabama) was playing Ted's mom. It's Becky Ann Baker! The mom from Freaks and Geeks.
• Aw, Sam. &heart;
• "Better Trent"... LOLOL. Oh, Roy. I'll miss you most of all.
• Ted's mom being more like Ted than Ted is pretty funny, actually.
• They've waited three seasons to make that Surrey joke, I'll bet.
• Okay... that dig at The Daily Mail is classic.
• I am not joking when I say that I would watch a Trent Crimm spin-off. I'll bet his life is ripe with fascinating stories.
• Nobody refers to Jan Maas without saying his entire name. I love that.
• Poor Jamie. Once again they're forging ahead with giving him the most complete story arc in the entire show. The fact that he plays so beautifully off of Roy is so much the better.
• Coach Beard is so wonderfully weird. And the only one with the correct perspective on Nate. Although... I'm sure this is a setup to him changing his mind. Because of course it is.
• Roy's reaction to weirdness is always so perfect.
• I'm enraged all over again thinking about the time wasted with Keeley and Jack. What a waste.
• I'm sure there's no metaphor or symbolism AT ALL with the Wizard of Oz Pinball machine.
• Another spin-off I would love to have? The Crown and Anchor Pub. Mae is fascinating enough on her own... but marry that with the people who frequent there? It's a new version of Cheers and could be every bit as entertaining.
• Goddamn environment! LOL. I'm not complaining. Any opportunity to see more of Rebecca.
• Christ. More time wasted with Nate. This is the second to the last episode, and there are far, far better ways they could have spent this time.
• And now I want popcorn.
• And to watch You've Got Mail, apparently.
• Yeah, Jamie blowing off his gig at Man City has come back to haunt him. But, of course, Roy is the one with the proper perspective on the situation.
• BWAH HA HA HAAAA! Jamie wasn't lying when he said that he had a poster of Roy in his room! But it's the Keeley poster that's worth a second look.
• Those Keeley hotel commercials will never not be funny.
• Freddie Mercury owning Richmond briefly is perfect. BUT THE JOKE ABOUT HIM FLIPPING STRAIGHTS IS FLAWLESS.
• Oh wow. Okay. We're actually going to play some football this time!
• Collin, once again being one of the most brilliant players in football after having been one of the worst. Apparently because he was in the closet. Since that story is finished, I guess this is their way of claiming that they hadn't forgotten about him?
• I've watched two football matches in a London pub. Once where the team they were supporting won... and once when they lost. The reason I wanted to watch a second one was because the first time was so much fun. The reason I never did it again was because the second time was not fun at all.
• The moment with the Man City coach is ominous. I wonder what that's about?
• I mean... what a great moment for Jamie. This pretty much finishes his arc which, as we are continually reminded, is the most complete of the show. Wonder what Roy said to him?
• Oh wow... Jamie's dad died?
• I guess not. He's truly reprehensible, but I guess we're redeeming him along with Nate for this moment?
• Ah. So that's why we got a moment with the Man City coach.
• Coach Beard and Ted showing how their relationship hasn't changed much since the first episode.
• Oh yeah. Here's where Beard is going to change his mind about Nate. "Fuuuuuuuuuuck" is right.
• Jade really is a lovely character, isn't she?
• You just knew that Beard had an interesting back-story. And this is everything you'd want it to be. Plus Le Mis, LOL.
• Yeah. Still detest Nate. Kinda wishing that Beard had head-butted him.
• And... the moment we knew was coming all season just came into focus. Not that we needed it. The fact that Ted was going home was broadcast very, very clearly throughout the entire season.
• Looks like New Rebecca and Ms. Cakes are seeking advice on how to nail Rupert to the wall. Interesting that they come to Rebecca after she finally came to terms with not needing to destroy him after all.
• And now I want sunflower seed bread. I haven't had that in 20 years or more. Though it's best with lots of butter on it.
• "That's just to annoy Americans." Classic. Oh gee, I wonder what Ted has to say to Rebecca?

One episode to go. Quite possibly forever. I need a hug.