Ted Lasso 3x08 "We'll Never Have Paris" Review

Ted in his house during Ted Lasso's "Well Never Have Paris" — ©Apple TV+

Ted Lasso 3×08 “We’ll Never Have Paris” Spoilers Ahead

Note from Marvelous Geeks’ Team: With the ongoing WGA strike, it’s imperative that we state we stand in solidarity with all writers asking for better wages and the respect they deserve in this industry. No story comes to fruition without the idea born and nurtured inside a writer’s head. Writers are the beating hearts of everything we love — we stand with them and for them.

Ted Lasso Season 3, Episode 8, “We’ll Never Have Paris,” jointly written by Keeley Hazell and Dylan Marron, effectively centers around agency, consent, and boundaries. It looks at most of its characters and meticulously asks them to consider what their own desires mean when they could inadvertently pose threats to other people.

The episode rightfully centers around Keeley Jones, bringing her past forward to illuminate the thematic importance of agency. At the same time, it brings Henry Lasso back to London and forces Ted out of his mind a bit, leaning on Beard to steadily remind Henry and simultaneously viewers what the show is about. At the end of the day, (mostly) everyone in this series has tremendous love brewing inside for the people surrounding them. It takes one of Ted Lasso’s most significant messages (“ain’t nobody in this room sad and alone”) and brings it to light through most characters’ journeys.

We’ll Never Have Paris

Beard talking to Henry and Ted outside of The Crown and Anchor pub in Ted Lasso 3x08 — ©Apple TV+

Like the majority of the episodes in this season thus far, Ted Lasso 3×08 “Well Never Have Paris” examines what it means to exist as a sole person who’s tethered to someone else. If “The Strings That Bind Us” connects the team through their shared experiences and adoration for one another, then “Well Never Have Paris” ties the Lasso family together with Beard.

There’s a moment in this episode that scared me a little because Ted would’ve crossed a line if he utilized the information he wanted Rebecca to find, resulting in him directly disrespecting Michelle’s agency. Hiring a private detective or someone equivalent could only work if he were sincerely terrified that her life was in danger or vice versa. Otherwise, despite the lingering pain, it’s no one’s business what Michelle and Dr. Jacob are doing in Paris. But thankfully, we don’t go there in Ted Lasso 3×08 “We’ll Never Have Paris,”instead, we get a heartfelt conversation with Ted and Rebecca about why he never took Michelle to Paris.

This conversation between the two of them essentially proves how far Rebecca has come and where Ted could go as well. (It bothers me that we don’t know whether Dr. Jacob was pursuing Michelle while they were in couples counseling, but still.) It is also unclear whether their relationship is meant to last or how much we should care now. What is crystallized, however, is the detail that Rebecca understands the importance of using time wisely because she has come far enough to see where it’s most valuable. With this, the episode focuses on Henry’s turmoil in understanding that though his parents aren’t together, he’s still one of the lucky ones to have both a mother and a father who adore him deeply. And for such advice to come from Beard with a live performance of The Beatles’ “Hey Jude” makes for another brilliant moment in Ted Lasso history. (This metaphor and the whole scene deserves a scene breakdown one day.)

It’s fascinating how Beard is the one character whose romantic relationship is the most unstable, but concurrently, he’s the wisest of the bunch—the one who understands so much of what’s necessary to move forward. His moment with Henry not only reflects how proud he is of Ted but how well he knows him to have this conversation when he isn’t around. It makes for the kind of moment that ensures the understanding of agency is at large because this isn’t similar to Ted going behind Michelle’s back out of his fears, but it’s Beard realizing that the kid sitting in front of him could use an outside (but trustworthy) perspective.

Nude Photo Leaks and Toxic Masculinity

Keeley Jones in her office at KJPR in Ted Lasso 3x08 "We'll Never Have Paris" — ©Apple TV+

Beyond the Lasso family (and Nate), Ted Lasso 3×08 “We’ll Never Have Paris” is Keeley Jones’ episode. It’s a moment in time that should’ve come sooner where the audience gets to know a little bit more about her while she stands her ground for what she believes in. When several models and actresses are violated with their nude photos and videos releasing, Keeley is one of the targets, resulting in a disagreement with Jack and AFC Richmond looking inward at their own doings.

Almost every year, something like this happens to someone well-known, and the same discussion arises on the internet. “If you didn’t want them out, you shouldn’t have taken them.” And at the same time, a bunch of us have to step in and talk about consent, agency, and boundaries, reiterating that no one owes anyone anything but human decency and respect. Whether a person feels comfortable taking nudes or not is their sole decision to make. And whether those photos are publicly released by their consent or privately sent to someone else is also their decision. And the interesting thing here is that neither Keeley nor Jack are wrong about their choices, with the exception of the statement.

This is what agency is at the end of the day—it’s understanding that everyone has the freedom to do as they please. Jack might not feel comfortable with such photos existing, and she has every right to if that’s something she doesn’t want to do. She also has every right to care about her business, as that’s clearly something that’s been a huge part of her life. Similarly, Keeley has every right to stand her ground and own up to the detail that she doesn’t regret her decisions. The fact that remains here is that people need to look inward and not out in such sensitive matters. Just because it’s not something you would do, it doesn’t mean the person standing before you shouldn’t either. And at the end of the day, the guiltiest person here is the violator disregarding someone’s agency.

But where Jack and Keeley’s relationship is concerned, this ending feels abrupt after the kind of episode we get. Will Jack return? Is this really the end? If she can’t understand why Keeley won’t put out the statement and why it’s wrong for her to expect it, then they merely aren’t right for one another. Still, as Lyra from Fangirlish points out, having the only sapphic relationship on the show deal with such complications isn’t a good look, and it deserved more care. It also doesn’t give the relationship a proper landmark, which remains a perpetual issue this season with all the time jumps.

AFC Richmond talk about deleting photos off their phones in Ted Lasso 3x08 "We'll Never Have Paris" — ©Apple TV+

Further, the discussion that Ted Lasso 3×08 “We’ll Never Have Paris” brings to the forefront with this episode does a tremendous job of continuing to show the series’ understanding of toxic masculinity. After the team learns that Keeley is one of the targetted women, Isaac steps up as captain, fighting nearly everyone with Jamie to delete whatever they have in their phones that could jeopardize the women in their lives. The scene holds familiar humor to thread it with the stark reality of how dangerous the world can be, and it does so with nuance. But it does lead to a place that puts Isaac in a sticky situation.

Isaac’s intentions are in the right place here, but he shouldn’t have taken Colin’s phone from him. And where that leads is understandably a place where Isaac would know that Colin’s jokes about dating men are serious. I wish we got to see more of a conversation at this moment—something to ensure that Isaac accepts Colin as he is, but I imagine it’s a moment that will come later. Colin’s journey remains his own and one that thus far is entirely on his timetable until this very moment. So I sincerely hope the two of them get to talk about it at some point, potentially with Isaac apologizing for taking his phone out of his hands in the first place.

The Diamond Dogs + New Member, Trent Crimm

Trent Crimm officially joins the Diamond Dogs in Ted Lasso 3x08 "We'll Never Have Paris" — ©Apple TV+

Seeing more of James Lance’s Trent Crimm remains one of the best things to happen in Ted Lasso Season 3. His inclusion in the Diamond Dogs also makes for a perfect addition in an episode that contrasts Nate’s need for friends to share their “most intimate thoughts and experiences.”

Still, this particular Diamond Dogs meeting and the end of the episode almost feel like a call-out to the fans. (I’m including myself in this.) “You should find out before you flip out” feels like the kind of crisp message that reminds viewers to be patient about the endgame before worrying about it. Yet, that’s not an easy feat, is it? Especially when you’ve been around for ages and you’ve been burned by TV before.

Ted Lasso 3×08 “We’ll Never Have Paris” is a solid episode, but it’s necessary to note the time jumps that are impacting the story. It’s hard to get attached to the changes when it feels like things are happening off-screen that we should be seeing. While montages generally do a great job of fortifying where we’re at, we should see more of them in a presumed final season. At the same time, it’s challenging not to worry about things like Nate’s redemption when we get the scene with him and Ted like we did today. The dichotomy remains fascinating, but with four episodes left in this arc, surely we’re all biting our fingers now.

Ted Talks and Further Thoughts

I have so many questions about seeing a green matchbook in Ted’s hands. So many questions.
It’s so beautiful to see how far Jamie has come. It gives Phil Dunster some incredible work to play with, and the writing in this episode, followed by his performance during the apology scene with Keeley was everything! Their friendship today is so stinkin’ wholesome that it makes my heart squeeze.
Serious question, can Beard offer me some life advice? I don’t know. I just think he’d be great at it.
HIGGINS RUNNING UP ALL THOSE STAIRS OH MY God!
It’s always so beautiful to see how far Keeley and Rebecca’s friendship has come — the two of them talking this week makes for another exceptional scene worthy of a scene breakdown. (I’ll get to it, friends. I promise!)
Jamie telling Will to burn a whole framed photo made me cackle!
This episode hurting Keeley hurts me.
Why won’t Michelle put Ted out of his misery and actually talk about Dr. Jacob?! While she doesn’t owe him anything as her ex-husband, she can at least reassure him (and us) that they began dating after they started seeing him. It’s just icky. Still, I’m glad he didn’t cross the line in spying on them.
Rebecca’s house remains goals.
How much time has passed since Nate and Jade’s first date that they’re now onto labels!?? Someone tell me the time!?!
Diamond dogs howls will never not get me.
Roy, buddy. We don’t ask such questions — ever. It’s a good thing he apologizes right away, but yikes.
“Restructure society so women aren’t constantly sexualized while simultaneously being crucified for being sexual.” IS AN A+ LINE.