‘Ted Lasso Season 2’ Trailer: AppleTV+'s Feel-Good, Award-Winning Comedy Returns In July

Last year, “Ted Lasso” was simply an under-the-radar comedy about a character invented for a TV commercial. But after turning into a surprise hit with critics and audiences alike, it returns to the pitch for a second season as one of Apple TV+’s headliners.

Co-creator Jason Sudeikis reprises his title role as the relentlessly optimistic American football coach brought in to run AFC Richmond, a struggling English soccer club. The rest of the main cast are all back, including Hannah Waddingham as the uptight owner, Brett Goldstein as the aging captain, Juno Temple as the captain’s girlfriend, and Jeremy Swift as the director of operations. The first season’s bittersweet “Rocky” ending saw AFC Richmond relegated after losing the big match, which leaves plenty of room for conflict before the inevitable turnaround begins. One of season two’s wrinkles involves the team hiring a deadpan sports psychologist (Sarah Niles) who appears impervious to Lasso’s charms.

The series was co-developed with Bill Lawrence, an old hand at launching likable sitcoms with staying power (his previous shows include “Spin City,” “Scrubs,” and “Cougar Town”). Lawrence has already indicated that ‘Lasso’ will likely end sooner rather than later due to Sudeikis’ busy schedule. (A third season was greenlit last year before production on season two even began.) However, if the show’s breakout success continues, Apple will undoubtedly encourage them to continue.

With its themes of kindness, sensitivity, and emotional maturity, ‘Lasso’ seems to have come along at just the right cultural moment. Earlier this year, Sudeikis took home “Best Actor” hardware from the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards, and the Critics Choice Awards for his portrayal of the über-empathetic lead character. To top it off, the series was nominated for a Peabody Award in May, with the committee citing its “anti-male toxicity” and “radical optimism.” And if you believe the philosophy that television typically gets better as the episodes accumulate, the appeal of ‘Lasso’ is set to swell even more.

The second season kicks off July 23. Watch the new trailer below.