Ted Lasso follows the titular character, who accepts a position as a coach for an English Premier League soccer team, despite the fact that he has very little knowledge about this sport.
In Ted Lasso, soccer team AFC Richmond’s owner, Rebecca, hires Lasso after watching him lead an underdog American football team to victory.
Though Rebecca’s goal is to sabotage the team by using Ted to exact revenge on her unfaithful husband, Ted ends up winning the hearts of everyone with his uplifting personality and lessons.
Here are 10 shows like Ted Lasso that have elements such as an inspirational protagonist, underdog teams, or workplace comedy.
1. Friday Night Lights (2006 – 2011)
Available on: Hulu, Prime Video, Peacock, Netflix
Cast: Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Gaius Charles, Zach Gilford, Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki, Taylor Kitsch
Inspired by H.G. “Buzz” Bissinger’s non-fiction book Friday Night Lights: A Town, a Team, and a Dream and the 2004 film, Friday Night Lights follows the story of the Dillon Panthers, one of the nation’s best high school football teams, and their recently hired head coach, Eric Taylor.
The show takes place in the small town of Dillon, Texas, where the game of football matters the most. The people of the town desperately want the high school football team to succeed, forcing Eric Taylor to push the boundaries.
Friday Night Lights brings the game of football to the center and gives it the utmost importance, much like how Ted Lasso does it.
2. Big Shot (2021 – 2022)
Available on: Disney+
Cast: John Stamos, Jessalyn Gilsig, and Yvette Nicole Brown.
Big Shot follows Marvyn Korn, who is fired from the NCAA men’s basketball team due to his temper. He relocates to California, where he starts coaching a girls’ basketball team at Westbrook School.
In an attempt to prove his worth, Korn goes above and beyond to train and teach the girls his system of playing the game. Some take his way of teaching positively, while others don’t.
Big Shot is praised for the strong performances by the cast, especially the performance of John Stamos, who plays Korn, and its portrayal of the obstacles women face in the sport of basketball.
John Stamos channels a different energy, but much like Ted Lasso and many other sports dramas, Big Shot is inspirational and heartfelt when it comes to the relationships between the characters.
3. Eastbound & Down (2009 – 2013)
Available on: HBO Max
Cast: Danny McBride, Steve Little, Katy Mixon, John Hawkes
Former pitcher Kenny Powers, who turned on his hometown of North Carolina, returns after being forced into retirement because of substance abuse and his obnoxious behavior.
Once a popular baseball player with multi-million dollar deals is now set to work as a substitute teacher at his old middle school.
Working at his school helps him realize that he is not exactly well-liked. Hoping to rebuild himself as a star, Powers aims to right his wrongs.
Eastbound & Down centers around a protagonist just like Ted Lasso, but his ways to climb up the ladder are way different from Lasso’s.
4. Ballers (2015 – 2019)
Available on: HBO Max
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Rob Corddry, John David Washington, Omar Miller
Spencer Strasmore, a former NFL player, rebuilds his life after football by using his knowledge to mentor and help younger players in the league as a financial advisor.
While Strasmore thrives as an advisor, as time goes by, he becomes much more than just an advisor to his clients.
Ballers doesn’t get the ball rolling for a great sports drama, but the presence of Dwayne Johnson attracts a certain amount of audience, and he does bring his charm to the show, along with a great partnership with Rob Corddry as Joe Krutel.
5. Brockmire (2017 – 2020)
Available on: Hulu
Cast: Hank Azaria, Amanda Peet, Tyrel Jackson Williams
Brockmire follows the story of Jim Brockmire, a famous Major League Baseball announcer whose career falls in shambles because of his on-screen meltdown after learning about his wife’s infidelity.
Though Brockmire loses his name, he aims to return and reclaim his throne a decade later by working at a minor league in his small town.
Brockmire might be dark in nature, but once the viewers get acquainted with the show, they will realize that it carries the same heart that Ted Lasso does.
6. The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers (2021)
Available on: Disney+
Cast: Lauren Graham, Brady Noon, Maxwell Simkins, Swayam Bhatia
Based on the 1992 film The Mighty Ducks, The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers marks the return of the Ducks, but the team works differently now. There is a cutthroat mentality that the team follows.
Since becoming a hockey powerhouse, the Mighty Ducks have been very careful and selective about who they want on their team. When 12-year-old Evan Morrow is rejected by the team and given harsh feedback, his mother encourages him to form an underdog team of his own.
The situation of Evan and his team may remind the viewers of how AFC Richmond is treated in Ted Lasso.
7. The League (2009 – 2015)
Available on: Hulu
Cast: Mark Duplass, Nick Kroll, Katie Aselton, Paul Scheer, Stephen Rannazzisi, Jon Lajoie
The League takes place in Chicago and follows six friends who take part in a fantasy football league.
The six friends deeply care about each other, but at the same time, they want to win this game no matter what, leading them to pull pranks on each other and later face the consequences of the same.
The show is fun and humorous. The characters push their limits and plot against each other in order to win the game.
8. GLOW (2017 – 2019)
Available on: Netflix
Cast: Alison Brie, Betty Gilpin, Sydelle Noel, Britney Young, Marc Maron, Britt Baron, Kate Nash, Gayle Rankin, Kia Stevens, Jackie Tohn, Chris Lowell
GLOW takes place in 1985 and follows Ruth Wilder, a struggling actress who, looking for an opportunity, joins the still-in-development professional wrestling promotion called the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling, along with several other women who audition for the same.
Wilder’s approach to acting sees her clashing with the director of the show. When her former best friend, Debbie, with whom she had a falling out, joins the show, they display a rivalry that can make or break the show, but in order to do that, they must work together.
Throughout the show, the highly optimistic and passionate Ruth, just like Ted, drives the other women to work together toward building a promising wrestling promotion.
GLOW fictionalizes the characters and gimmicks of the 1980s women’s professional wrestling show called Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling.
9. Cobra Kai (2018 – 2023)
Available on: Netflix
Cast: Ralph Macchio, William Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, Xolo Maridueña, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser
Cobra Kai serves as a sequel to the original The Karate Kid films by Robert Mark Kamen. It takes place decades after the 1984 All-Valley Karate Tournament, where Daniel LaRusso defeated Johnny Lawrence.
Both rivals are now living distinct lives from the ones they had back in the day. Rescuing a teenage neighbor sees Lawrence reform the Cobra Kai dojo, and his rivalry with LaRusso also receives a kick-start again.
Cobra Kai brings well-written characters, nostalgia, and teen angst together to put forth a highly entertaining martial arts drama.
Much like Ted Lasso, the show features motivating mentors and heartfelt relationships between the characters.
10. Mythic Quest (2020 – Present)
Available on: Apple TV+
Cast: Rob McElhenney, Ashly Burch, Jessie Ennis, Imani Hakim, David Hornsby, Charlotte Nicdao, Danny Pudi, F. Murray Abraham, Naomi Ekperigin
Mythic Quest follows the owner of a fictional video game studio and his employees, who are working on the titular game, which is a popular MMORPG.
The very first season of the show focuses on the team working towards an expansion to the game called the Raven’s Banquet, which will determine the fate of the studio.
Mythic Quest makes use of the same old workplace comedy formula. While Ted Lasso sees Ted putting his team on one page, the members of Mythic Quest’s team often clash against each other while working toward their goal.
Also Read: 10 workplace shows like The Consultant