3x11 Mom City

Sorry, I don't like this schmaltzy Jack Grealish part. Only funny moment: Jamie's room. That's also perhaps the only hilarious moment in this whole episode. The other part in Manchester is soccer-centric. How are they so bad tin re-enacting actual soccer games? It looks horrible. Everything. The pitch, the players, the players, the fat referee, the stands. Well, maybe the latter is perhaps depicted realistically. Man City is a soulless and cheating investor's club that is a danger to "our" beautiful game and their stadium isn't exactly Europe's Bombonera. (Personal remark: It's just silly that people call it The Ethiad as if that's a honorary nickname earned over decades). Only Pep is really him and he looks good indeed ('cause he won't ever look bad. He's Premier League's Xabi Alonso).

The Nate redemption/forgiveness story comes to an end. I didn't enjoy this a bit. It's totally foreseeable and horrible Hollywood kitsch. Never ever Nate was believable or a likable character. And the only interesting part of it, namely a boy who became a grown man with a morale that stands up to his manipulating, gaslighting club-owner was never really elaborated on. He doesn't speak up against him or the club culture he's trying to cultivate. Instead he first flees into this restaurant and then crawls back to Richmond because he's a good guy. As if we ever believed that wouldn't happen. If I could chose, I'd like to learn more about Nate's girlfriend. She seems to be the much more interesting (and possibly complex) character.

The other part is about Ted's mom. It's barely watchable. Ted has Daddy issues. That's it? That's the reason behind it all? It really seems they added this part hastily to this penultimate episode because they had no time to finish his "panic attacks story" before the grand finale (although they told this story half-decently before by adding this psychologist). Since they had no time and psychotherapy is a lengthy process with uncertain outcome, they came up with a magic remedy: a hug between mom and son. And so ends one of the more complex sub-plots of this show with some hastily put together Hollywood kitsch.

Likewise, they attributed 15 seconds to Rebecca's great revenge. I mean, last episode she already learned not caring anymore about her ex. That must have been a moment of relief. And I liked this part in the last episode. But here comes the big fat redemption part and it's only 20 seconds and very implicit. Waddingham is such a good actor and Rebecca perhaps the most likable, most funny person in this show and all we got is this? Where's the drama?

I'm usually okay with the fact that the show's plots are simple AF, that the jokes are innocuous and only mildly funny and that characters are not really complex. I mean, that's something I never expected from this show. I was okay with watching a kitschy but often heartwarming show full of lovable characters. But this episode was too much to stomach. Sorry. They probably had good good intentions. Can it get worse? Yes it can. By letting them win the title in the next epiosde. Like it's 1992 Hollywood and the Mighty Ducks win the state title because their coach made them believe.

The movie in minute 26: You've got Mail (https://trakt.tv/movies/you-ve-got-mail-1998)

Minute 10: Planned plays:

• Midnight poutine (no sketch available in this ep but in S01E10): essentially a corner kick to a guy at the 30 m line who then subsequently fires a long distance shot in the right corner of the goal
• Upside down taxi (no sketch available but in S01E10): two central strikers run in the box while the two wingers simultaneously run back and leave the box
• Loki's toboggan (sketch in both this episode and S01E10): four attackers swarm out from a central position at the 20 meters mark and overload the box
• La cucaracha (sketch in both this episode and S01E10): 6 attackers push into the box in a unpredictable flanking manoeuvre.
• Seven finger Steve (sketch in both this episode and S01E10): one attacker breaks through the defensive lines while all other forwards move back or out of the way (although it's very unclear what this sketch really means)
• Leaky tap (only in this episode): Another corner variant I guess. In multiple steps players "infiltrate" the box while two other players are positioned at the goal line? (although it's also very unclear what this sketch really means)
• Lasso special (only in S01E10): That's an American Football line-up. Central players push against the opponent's defensive lines while the wingers flank these formations and reach the box (although it's also very unclear what this sketch really means)