I started Ted Lasso a little over 2 weeks ago and I just started season 3 today. I’m just wondering why Nate has become such a villain. He had one good call made for the game against Spurs then accidentally word vomited out wonderkid in the post match interview. He claims that Ted will take all the glory, which I haven’t seen him do. Did I miss something? Does it have to do more with his Dad being so indifferent to him having some success? Or is he truly that in love with the attention he was getting for that brief period which he now craves? Any help will be appreciated!
when you watch season 2 again, you can see:
1)Nate has been helpful with tactics to Ted in season 1, he helped him be a good coach. he was a good assistant to him and Beard. and he was rewarded by promotion.
last time Ted talked to him alone, sadly, was in episode 7 season 1. Ted is busy with his own struggles in season 2.
When Nate suggests he’d talk to Isaac in season 2, episode 5, “Rainbow”, Ted laughs in his face. Then he says “oh,you’re serious?” coach
Beard confirms he knew Nate was serious. Ted missed it. Nate wants to be equal to Roy, Beard or Ted, he wanst people to see him as more than just a bullied loser,he wants to also be
a successful big dog, like they are. Ted laughing at the idea that Nate is an equal to the rest of them,
that he’s also a man with skills and valuable input, was devastating and hurtful.
Nate’s father clearly refuses to give him any validation, support or praise. So Nate never learned how to give that to himself.
He doesnt understand that you cant change how others see you
just like Ted couldnt change it in season 1. you can and should focus on loving yourself and praising yourself even when others dont - Ted is very good at that but Nate
only sees the surface. \He sees that Ted is loved and Roy gains respect, but he doesnt see HOW it is done. He thinks he needs to be mean, because Roy seems mean.
when Roy joins the coaches, Nate is shown couple of times being pushed aside while Ted hugs or pats Roy. Nate
needs the validation of a father figure - his father failed completely at giving him any positive feedback
and Ted is missing that Nate feels alone in this.
after becoming Wonderkid, Nate gets validation from internet strangers, but Ted is still distant, focusing on his own struggles.
Will, the new kitman, reminds Nate of his own vulnerable side. Nate things it’s all weakness. He attacks Will because he wants to attack his own weak self. He spits on himself, because he can’t accept the vulnerable part of himself.
Then
he gets a bad comment on Twitter - and that destroys the validation he had. So he immediately starts believing that Will gifting him the T-shirt was done with bad intentions.
Nate has no training in how to be a people-manager.
Nate sees how much he tries to work but he doesnt see what is happening to Ted, only that Ted randomly leaves a match.
Keeley approaches Nate twice to start fixing his tie without asking. She means well,
but it reveals that subconsciously, she sees him as a 6 year old boy.
She would never do this to Beard or Isaac.
Nate has not enough people skills and people training to tell her politely to stop and let him take care of his clothes.
At the funeral, where she does this, others start bringing up that Ted got him a suit. He feels
that everyone is infantilizing him, seeing him as a child.
He’s desperate and hurt and doesnt know how to change this, besides being mean and evil.
So Nate
tries to take down the biggest dog of all big dogs: Ted.
To prove to himself and the world that he’s strong, even if his father and Ted both are ignoring him.
Ted is laughing at him, others say he’s a child who needs Ted to buy him clothes and Keeley to fix his tie…
How can he convince the world he’s a man equal to Roy or Ted? Take down another big
dog,
who is having some girly, weak panic attacks.
about how his own father treats him.
I’ve watched this show through more times than I can count and this is one of the most beautiful breakdowns of Nate and his struggles through seasons 1 & 2. So thoughtful and perfect in a way I could never have properly articulated like you did. Thank you!
That’s probably the best summary of Nate I have read. Are you sure you are not Nick?
thank you . sadly,i’m not Nick but i’ve been inspired by the video about Nate that I linked here.
Thanks for putting into words Nates’s struggles. He is one of my favorite characters. This explanation helps me understand why I feel so empathetic towards the character. I hope all the Nate haters read your words. Bravo!
Very well put.
Also:
LMFAO. this is why I shy away from any praise and think to myself how I’m always not good enough, then I think that this is good because I keep myself humble.
the healthy path is the “middle road”. know yourself and praise yourself, but don’t be dishonest to yourself. Like Ted Lasso:
he knows he’s good at coaching. He knows he’s good at playing darts. Also at telling jokes. He also
knows
that he’s bad at reading books,
he’s bad at understanding football or, say,
he’s bad at doing mushrooms with Beard.
And he doesn’t lie to himself. He accepts that he’s good at some things and he gives himself praise. He enjoys
being who he is.
But he doesn’t give himself false praise. He knows he’s bad at some stuff and he fully accepts that no problem.
Perfect. And you’re right, you don’t really notice these things during the first watch.
Beautiful analysis. As much as it was focused on mostly Ted though it’s good to mention that he admitted he kissed Keely to Roy who had just vented his anger that Jamie merely confessed his own feelings. Expecting something worse instead Roy the infamous hothead basically brushes it off, meaning no one ever sees Nate as a threat/man. It was a innocent schoolboy thing to do to an older babysitter
Rightfully Roy doesn’t consider Nate competition, it’s like comparing a kitten to a lion. Nate obviously resents this but what can he do.
I also wondered if Roy’s anger towards Jamie was partially due to his own feelings towards him. He went from hating Jamie to gradually starting to understand and care about him, but at that point it is still a love/hate relationship. Roy cares about and respects Nate as a coach. Would that also impact him not seeing Nate as a threat?
I don’t think Roy think about Nate very much, he’s just the guy who comes up with plays , he does stuff Roy doesn’t like to do but he’s replaceable.
😭 such a great show
Well done