When 2020 began, there were a slew of shows people were anticipating. Amazon's launch of a prequel to The Lord of the Rings, Disney Plus' foray into the Marvel Cinematic Universe on the small screen, Ryan Murphy returning to American Crime Story. Yet, these stories and more were all delayed because of what 2020 brought to the world.
But because of 2020, shows that were more wholesome, sweet, and funny ended up becoming the small screen salve. Television audiences flocked to the tales of characters trying their best, rather than characters fighting dastardly villains. Ted Lasso and Never Have I Ever are two of the most prominent standouts of high-quality television in 2020 and in the spirit of competition, it's worth determining which holds the advantage.
10 Ted Lasso: Bill Lawrence's Pedigree
By this point, Bill Lawrence has earned his place in the pantheon of great television creators. Between Scrubs, Cougar Town, and now Apple's Ted Lasso, when Lawrence creates a show, it's definitely going to be a delightful success.
He has a warm, inviting sensibility to his television and Ted Lasso definitely reflects that. It also contains the goofiness made famous by some of Scrubs' physical comedy and non-sequiturs. Sometimes, familiarity goes a long way.
9 Never Have I Ever: The Mindy Of It All
Between these two shows, Ted Lasso was not the only one created by a television veteran. Mindy Kaling lent her talents (along with Lang Fisher) to the creation of Netflix's Never Have I Ever and her genius also shone through.
A killer soundtrack, fun fashion, relatable characters acting opposite delightful stars. These are the hallmarks of a Mindy Kaling show and they were seemingly at their zenith on Never Have I Ever, which carried the Kaling torch forward from the excellent Mindy Project and Four Weddings remake.
8 Ted Lasso: Weekly Hype Machine
A strong advantage that Ted Lasso has over Never Have I Ever is that it did not drop all of its episodes at once. The cultural conversation around Never Have I Ever died down after a couple weeks, but Ted Lasso built its following over the course of weeks, culminating in a massive amount of anticipation by the time the series finale aired.
This is just a more fun viewing experience with television. Ted Lasso was all the better for its ability to grow characters along with the viewers.
7 Never Have I Ever: Diversity Of Storytelling
It's not that Ted Lasso wasn't diverse, but rather that Never Have I Ever explored so many different perspectives during its ten-episode run in the first season. An entire episode shifted the glorious John McEnroe narration to Andy Samberg to cover the arc of Ben, for example.
In the fourth episode, though, the celebration of Ganesh Puja is explored in a nuanced and relatable way. One of the strongest aspects of Never Have I Ever was its earnestness towards these diverse sides of life.
6 Ted Lasso: Roy Kent
Jamie Tartt has a fun song affixed to his name, Ted Lasso transcended the curse of commercial characters being unable to carry their own shows, Keeley Jones was hysterical. But Brett Goldstein's Roy Kent character, however, shows a welcoming heart of the show.
One of the best television tropes is the character with a tough exterior and a warm heart filled with kindness. Roy Kent is basically Ted Lasso's version of Dr. Cox and Goldstein plays him with true empathy. The veteran midfielder makes Ted Lasso a brilliant show even if he was the only character on it.
5 Never Have I Ever: The Greatest Love Triangle
Another fun trope in television is the enemies-to-lovers story arc. That is definitely evident between Devi and Ben on Never Have I Ever, as their kiss was a high point of the season finale of the show.
However, Devi also has so much chemistry with Paxton, the other character on the show with a romantic capacity rooted for by fans. Because each pairing makes sense and is adored, it makes the love triangle genuinely conflicting. Devi can't go wrong!
4 Ted Lasso: The Sudeikis Vehicle
One of the best casts of Saturday Night Live stretched from the mid-2000s to the early-2010s. From that class, many have received their own shows, like Kristen Wiig on The Spoils of Babylon, Andy Samberg on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and Bill Hader on Barry.
For a long time, though, Jason Sudeikis never had this same opportunity. It was Ted Lasso that eventually became the vehicle for his leading man charisma and wry sense of humor. Ted Lasso shines through Sudeikis first and foremost.
3 Never Have I Ever: Breakout Stars
While Sudeikis elevates Ted Lasso, he was still an established veteran in the comedy field. Never Have I Ever, on the other hand, became a celebrated new show in 2020 on the heels of a number of stars who were not well-known before Netflix.
This includes Darren Barnet, Lee Rodriguez, and Jaren Lewison. Yet, it mostly refers to Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, who led the ensemble as Devi. Ramakrishnan is a true star and Never Have I Ever was a perfect breakout role for her. She helped the series feel so authentic.
2 Ted Lasso: A Wholesome Antidote
Throughout all the pain and hardship brought in 2020, the best sides of the year were those that provided antidotes. Ted Lasso was basically a television show that doubled as an antidote to the worst parts of the year.
It was wholesome, endearing, and it believed in the best of people. Ted Lasso, as a character, demonstrated how the world would be a better place if more people treated each other with kindness and respect. It was exactly the show the world needed this year.
1 Never Have I Ever: The Acknowledgement Of Pain
While Ted Lasso did occasionally dabble with themes of loss and displacement, it was largely a show that celebrated sweetness above all else. Never Have I Ever, conversely, wrapped its entire first season arc around Devi's healing from her past traumas.
While wholesome antidotes are welcome, it's also good to enjoy shows that tackle challenging themes and present ways forward for the audiences, who might find themselves relating to the main characters. No matter which route is chosen by viewers, though, Ted Lasso and Never Have I Ever are some of the best 2020 had to offer on television.
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