The Clubhouse (July 30th 2024)
This week, we continue our Ted Lasso rewatch and check out Simone Biles Rising on Netflix
WELCOME 🎟️
Welcome back to The Clubhouse at Balls on Film! 👋🏻
It’s time for another week for sports-adjacent entertainment. We’re continuing our Ted Lasso rewatch, getting into a new Netflix documentary and more this week, so let’s get to it.
First, though - I’ve been enjoying the discussion and comments over on the Karate Kid review from Friday very much. One comment in particular from
really stuck with me though. He mentioned that the Karate Kid was one of his favourite movies as a kid, but that he hasn’t seen it in 25 years! It stood out because it made me so insanely jealous of Joe! I can’t imagine the sheer joy he’s going experience going back and revisiting that movie after all this time. I hope he writes about it!
Please get involved and leave a comment below with your thoughts on Ted Lasso or anything else from this week. Be sure to let me know what you’ve been watching too, sports-related or otherwise.
Let’s get to it!
THE BIG ‘TED LASSO’ REWATCH: EPISODE 2 - ‘BISCUITS’ ⚽️
Season 1, Episode 2 - ‘Biscuits’ - It’s Ted’s first day of coaching, and fans aren’t happy. He makes little headway but remains undeterred as the team plays its first match
⚠️ Spoilers ahead ⚠️
It was after watching episode 2 that I knew I had already fallen in love with Ted Lasso. The pilot is a gentle introduction to the main characters and overall premise, but it’s episode two that really propels things forward by bringing in so many of the great supporting characters and putting a few more pivotal storylines in motion. It’s also where we get to see Ted manage his first game and understand just how different his kindness-first approach is to what players and fans are used to.
We get a fleeting glimpse of it in the first episode, but in ‘Biscuits’ we get to see more of Rebecca’s vulnerabilities that lie beneath her icy exterior. Ted bringing the biscuits to her office for the first ever ‘Biscuits with the Boss’ opens the door to her beginning to have slight doubts about her plans to sabotage the team. It also sets in motion a very funny storyline in which Rebecca tasks Higgins with finding out where Ted got the biscuits from. She loves them, but doesn’t want to be social with Ted. What is initially a lighthearted story is one that hits the audience with the now trademark Ted Lasso emotional gut punch later, when it’s revealed that Ted makes the biscuits himself. This is revealed to us as we see Rebecca attempting to sabotage Ted by planting a fake story in the press about a romance between him and Keeley. It’s frustrating to see Rebecca come so close to changing her mind about everything so early, but to then reject the same kindness that Ted offers to her at the last minute. Obviously it makes for a much better storyline, but we already love Ted so much by this point that the thought of him being set up to fail already stings.
The team dynamic is also explored much further in this episode. We meet more of the players and get a better sense of the tension between Jamie and Roy. Jamie’s role as the locker-room diva and someone who is very much not a team player is further emphasised in a very sweet storyline in which Ted and Beard arrange a surprise birthday bash for Sam Obisanya. As most of the locker-room embrace the positive vibes despite the team’s loss, Jamie stands alone. The whole Jamie redemption arc, as well as how the relationship between Roy and Jamie plays out over three seasons is so good, and it’s fun to look back at the early days here. It’s quite impressive how much the show makes you loathe Jamie early on, and where we end up just thirty-something episodes later.
‘Biscuits’ feels like an extension of the pilot, and it very much is in a lot of ways. It builds on that initial foundation and the biscuit reveal at the end feels like how the pilot would have ended if the episodes had been longer, like in the second and third season. The show’s relationships and conflicts are solidified here, and you end the second episode with a real sense of who everyone is - all except the dark and mysterious Rupert, who brilliantly lurks in the shadows and only exists by name until later.
Observations:
The foreshadowing during training where Ted notices his hands begin to numb is treated as such a non-event here. I don’t think I even noticed it on my first rewatch of the show, but it really does speak to the level of detail that goes in to the writing.
Nate breaking the window is such a great moment, but I couldn’t help also see it as some very dark foreshadowing to the next season’s final episode.
It’s nice to see Jamie’s (very slow) journey begin here too. Much like Rebecca, we get a quick glimpse of the real, very vulnerable Jamie when Ted attempts some positive reinforcement only for him to go right back the other way when he complaints to Trent Crimm.
I really love the scene near the end where Ted plays football in the middle of the street with Shannon, the young fan on the street. There’s so much in this episode that further endears Ted to us, from this scene to the biscuit reveal. Side note, does anyone else that the Shannon character could be involved in a future spin off about an AFC Richmond women’s team, should it ever happen?
Mae is such a great character, and I love how she gradually becomes the matriarch figure of the show, which starts here with her giving Ted advice and scolding the pub-goers for jeering him.
All three seasons of Ted Lasso are available to stream on Apple TV+.
SIMONE BILES RISING 🤸
I remember watching ESPN and other sports news networks in 2021 when Simone Biles pulled out of the competition at the last minute, and witnessing the furore that followed from all of the talking heads who rattled on about her letting the team down. Some even called her cowardly.
Simone Biles Rising feels like her long-awaited response.
The four-part docuseries (parts 3 & 4 coming later this year) offers an detailed look at Biles’ life and career, as well as the struggles that she has faced - particularly when she withdrew from the aforementioned competition due to mental health concerns. The film addresses issues such as the pressure of competition, her physical injuries, mental health, and Larry Nassar scandal. We also get an intimate look at her family life, her relationship with her husband and the support system that surrounds her. It’s a sports documentary that conceals something much more important and meaningful.
The series doesn’t shy away from addressing the pundits who trashed her back in 2021, and even plays some of these clips in their entirety. It makes for some pretty uncomfortable viewing, and will really make you rethink the practice of media figures saying just about anything for clicks that’s become so normalised now in the world of ‘hot take’ sports debate.
It also does a great job of highlighting the immense mental strain elite athletes endure, and the ways in social media can take its toll. There’s one scene in particular that sees a younger Simone facing criticism on Twitter for how her hair looked during a competition. The messages are shown on screen. It’s tough to watch, and you can tell how hard it is for her (and no doubt for other athletes) to block out this type of noise.
It’s not all uncomfortable viewing here, though. The series does a wonderful job of showcasing Biles’ immense talent. One of the most compelling aspects focuses on her rigorous training regime. The gruelling physical and mental preparation required to compete at the highest levels of gymnastics will leave you with a whole new level of appreciation for what you see on TV. You leave each episode with a real sense of the extreme discipline and dedication that’s led Biles to her success. The camera crew, who have followed her since her time in Tokyo, have been able to capture some amazing footage, that brings a real sense of excitement. These first two episodes do a wonderful job of never forgetting to celebrate the incredible athlete that’s at the heart of the mental health crisis it’s also trying to shine a light on.
Simone Biles Rising is a multi-layered look at one of the greatest athletes of our time. It celebrates Biles’ incredible accomplishments while also providing a candid exploration of the personal and professional challenges she has faced. I think I’d have actually preferred this to have been released as a feature-length documentary, but Netflix seems to love to drag out every documentary over several episodes these days. Regardless, I can’t wait for the next part!
Simone Biles Rising is now available to stream on Netflix.
NON-SPORTS RECS 🍿
Drops of God (Apple TV+)
Who knew that a show about wine tasting could be so gripping?! In Drops of God, a woman discovers the world's greatest wine collection that's left by her estranged father, and competes against his protege to claim her inheritance. I’m only a few episodes into this show and I am utterly gripped already. If you like themes of family dysfunction, food, wine and betrayal, then this show is for you. It’ll make you hungry and, if you don’t drink wine then you might start by the time this is over. The plot is refreshingly unique, and it looks absolutely stunning too. There are so many hidden gems on Apple TV+, but this is one that should go to the top of your list.
Walking Is Fitness (All Podcast Platforms)
This daily, ten minute podcast by Dave Paul is intended as one to get you motivated to get out walking more, and it really works! Every day, join Dave on one his walks as he talks about the benefits of walking, and shares some personal stories too. It’s a warm and easy listen, and seeing the new episodes appear each day serve as a gentle reminder for me to get out of my office chair, and go for a walk while I listen. My daily steps are up considerably! I can’t recommend it enough.
RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop
The four-hour documentary on the making of RoboCop that you didn’t know you needed. A must-watch for fans, this documentary leaves absolutely no stone unturned when it comes to the making of the film. Every living cast and crew member is here sharing stories and there’s some truly amazing behind the scenes footage too. Yes, it’s very long but I loved it. I had no idea Peter Weller was so crazy on set, and some of the stories certainly surprised me - but it’s nice to hear the man himself even admit a lot of it. “Robo wants an Oreo” is something I won’t soon forget!
Available to stream on Prime Video and to rent/buy on all other digital platforms.
THE ROUNDUP 🎟️
Thank you joining me this week. Don’t forget to come back here on Friday for a very special edition of Balls on Film. If you missed the announcement on Friday, my cousin, and critically acclaimed author
will be joining us for a special guest feature as he reviews Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler.As always, let me know what you’ve been watching and if you’re watching along with Ted Lasso, share your thoughts on episode 2 as well.
Until next time!
~James
Putting the Simone Biles documentary on our list - have been simply astounded watching her this week. And Drops of God is a hidden gem of a series that not enough people have watched. Thanks for sharing.
James, thanks a bunch for the shout out!