They Flanderized Coach Beard
Ted Lasso has fallen into another pernicious sitcom trap—one with its own, irritating, internet-bestowed name.
They Flanderized Coach Beard, a trend that has plagued television shows for years. In a nutshell, it refers to the gradual flattening of a television character over the course of a series' run, as writers play into and exaggerate certain traits, at the expense of a more three-dimensional portrayal. The phenomenon's namesake is The Simpsons' Ned Flanders, who started out as a model citizen contrast to Homer Simpson's sloth, gluttony, and wrath, before becoming the type of person who might shoehorn these traits into everyday conversation.
While Flanderization is a real issue, the author of the article argues that Ted Lasso's treatment of Coach Beard exemplifies the pitfalls of this trope, reducing a valuable supporting player to a caricature.
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