Look, nobody really knows why Roy Fucking Kent and Keeley Fucking Jones broke up. At this point, I’m not convinced even the writers of Ted Lasso are entirely sure why–and if they do know, they haven’t spelled it out very clearly for the rest of us. Something about Roy thinking he didn’t deserve her? Or something about him being stuck? I’m not sure what those two ideas have to do with one another, or with the characterization of Roy and Keeley’s relationship in seasons one and two, but that’s what we’ve been given to go on.
The assumption many fans–myself included–made was that they broke up at the start of season three only so that they could have some romantic tension for a while and then get back together. Why? Well, because they were perfect for each other! They had terrific chemistry and a loving, healthy, sexy, mutually supportive relationship. They were #CoupleGoals. But instead of romantic tension, this season gave us…nothing. Almost no scenes together. Roy was off having a storyline with Jamie that has been an absolute delight, but didn’t show a lot of Roy working on getting himself unstuck or learning to deserve Keeley. It didn’t have anything to do with Keeley at all. And Keeley’s plotline was basically just “how miserable can we make Keeley.” I did not like it, any of it. Point being, it wasn’t about her and Roy. It wasn’t about her getting over Roy. It definitely didn’t have any romantic tension with Roy.
Then, in this week’s episode, “International Break,” Roy suddenly realized that he had hurt Keeley. I think. I don’t know. He flirted with Phoebe’s awesome flirty teacher again, and she said something about him being stuck and causing damage, and all of a sudden he needed to write an indecipherable apology/love letter to Keeley. It’s as inscrutable as their breakup was.
But there they were, finally in a scene together, just the two of them! Brett Goldstein and Juno Temple still have great chemistry. The characters are lovely together, even if their relationship has lost a bit of its spark simply because it’s JUST SO CONFUSING now. They’ve been apart for too long, and nobody knows why, even them. It’s all caused something to shift in the longing, wanting, needing parts of this romance. I’m a huge Roy and Keeley shipper, but even I sort of don’t care anymore. I just want it resolved already.
Which brings me to my point. I swear I have one! My point is this: I don’t think it’s resolved yet. I think the Ted Lasso writers are still going to keep inexplicably dragging this once-perfect relationship through the mud. Why? Because of what Keeley was saying when we learned that she and Roy had gotten back together, and the looks she and Rebecca gave each other.
If that’s not foreshadowing, I don’t know what is. And it makes me mad! Yes, Keeley is also at the bottom of her emotional barrel, but to equate her taking Roy back with Rebecca taking Rupert back is crazy. Rupert is an asshole who never supported Rebecca. Roy is a wonderful man who always supported Keeley. Are we supposed to believe that this season meant he wasn’t? That his breaking up with her meant he was Rupert-level toxic and bad for Keeley? Is breaking up because you’re stuck the same as being The Devil?
All I can hope for is that this little piece of foreshadowing is dropped the same way Zava was.
