Abstract

The Apple TV+ sports comedy Ted Lasso has been a hit among fans, who flock to the show and its positive messages. The show offers a refreshing tone, one that promotes positivity and optimism even when faced with the reality of a cynical world. By using the analytical perspective of metamodernism to understand its popularity, scholars and fans alike can gain a deeper understanding of core message of the show, which mimics the oscillation between the cynical and the sincere. Fundamental scholars in the emerging study of metamodernism, such as Robin Van Den Akker, Timotheus Vermeulen, and Alison Gibbons will be examined further in this paper to define metamodernism and see how it can be used to gain deeper meaning from Ted Lasso. Metamodernism will then be used to further examine how masculinity operates within the show. Scholars Robert Hanke, Lynn C. Spangler, and Amanda D. Lotz will be used to establish the scholarship that already surrounds the subject of men in television. Ted Lasso showcases competing notions of masculinity in a balance that will be called the "metamodern masculine" in this paper. This masculinity mimics the traits seen within metamodernism and represents a progressive masculinity, one that balances the hegemonic and new masculinities discussed by the scholars. The themes of the show, when examined using metamodernism, point to a hopeful future, falling in line with a pattern of emerging media and speaking to a need for hope among audiences and society.

Degree

College and Department

Fine Arts and Communications; Theatre and Media Arts

Rights

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