Ted lasso

I don’t pretend to understand the complex nuances of licensing, but if there were *any* TV show from the past few years I would have guaranteed Funko would be furiously milking, it’s the Emmy-winning Apple TV+ juggernaut Ted Lasso. The massive popularity of the feel-good series - and its entrenched position in the cultural zeitgeist - are precisely the sort of catnip Funko typically finds impossible to ignore (they certainly couldn’t announce those Squid Game Pops fast enough). Consider:   

Wave One: Ted Lasso / Rebecca Welton / Roy Kent / Coach Beard / Keeley Jones / Jamie Tartt

Wave Two: Nate Shelley / Sam Obisanya / Leslie Higgins / Dani Rojas / Isaac McAdoo / Trent Crimm, The Independent

Simple, right? I mean, what self-respecting Ted Lasso fan wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to own a Trent Crimm, The Independent Pop? God knows I would. Instead, all we’ve gotten so far are convention exclusives of Ted and Coach Beard, which is both frustrating and pretty disappointing.​

Nonetheless, Ted himself is a perfectly solid addition to any collection (FYI - in spite of the would-be cache of the “Summer Convention Limited Edition” sticker, they were simply stocking these at the Funko Pop store in Hollywood. No above-and-beyond effort was required). The figure easily captures Jason Sudeikis’s likeness with the distinctive hair and mustache (though, if I’m being honest, it would be preeeeeeetty easy to pair this head with a Chicago Bears sweater and call it a Mike Ditka Pop). The relaxed, hands-in-the-pockets pose effectively conveys Ted’s easygoing vibe, though Funko decided to forgo his trademark visor. Instead of his training attire, we get tan slacks and an AFC Richmond cardigan (complete with a pretty darn impressive rendition of the club crest, given that it’s less than half-a-centimeter wide). It’s a pretty basic figure, all things considered... and while Ted could have been holding a “BELIEVE” sign or something along those lines, I think less is actually more in this case.

Another minor detail I like is the circle around the figure number being a soccer ball. Funko has become quite adept at these smart little touches.