When our TV Team started wondering if Ted Lasso was really, finally going to go there with Keeley in season three, we all agreed that obviously Keeley has been bisexual from the second she arrived on-screen and has simply remained bisexual without confirmation to the audience this entire time. Consider the facts: She almost never sits normal, with her feet on the floor and her back straight in a chair. She has a tough exterior which hides ooey-gooey feelings. She owns more — and more fashionable — outerwear than even Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat. She balances ambition and loyalty with ease. And she’s absolutely been through at least one pop punk phase. When real life queer pal Jodi Balfour signed onto Ted Lasso to play a character named Jack, we really felt it was only a matter of time.
AND WE WERE RIGHT.
In Season 3, Episode 5, “Signs,” it all happens!
Recapping this whole season, or even this whole episode, is outside the scope of this post, but here’s the highlights: In Season 3, Keeley seems like she’s in a love triangle with Roy and Jamie (even though Roy is her true love, I believe, and maybe that’s because Roy Kent is the only man I personally love in this whole world). Keeley’s bestie Rebecca is having a hard time over at AFC Richmond, and usually Keeley would be right beside her to help her work through it, but right now Keeley’s got her hands full at her new PR firm. There’s drama with an employee, just as Jack — Keeley’s big investor — arrives to see how things are going. Jack offers Keeley some good advice about how to fire someone compassionately, but it doesn’t work, and Keeley’s canned employee returns to the office with a literal lamb that keeps pooping all over the place. Jack and Keeley don’t let it get them down; they have a laugh and some booze and clean up after the lamb.
Keeley forgets about her work stress for a minute, about Jamie and Roy, about everything besides the fact that Jodi “Jack” Balfour is there, making eyes at her. Keeley doesn’t even question it, doesn’t hesitate, she leans right in for a kiss. They make right out and then, later on, take off each other’s clothes behind frosted privacy glass!
Look, are Keeley and Roy going to end up together? Yes, of course they are. Is this storyline an attempt to placate Keeley/Rebecca shippers? Maybe. Probably. Is making out with your boss a good idea? Abso-fucking-lutely not. But, you know, not every kiss is forever, despite what the jewelry ads say. Sometimes sex is just good fun, a happy diversion, and Keeley deserves a reprieve from the drama. Plus, I am never going to protest Jodi Balfour showing up and confirming that someone’s gay. I’ve been rooting for that since before AFC Richmond even existed.
I think Jodie Balfour only filmed two episodes of Ted Lasso, but I could be wrong about that. Maybe the love triangle will become a love square. Maybe the person who’s here, there, every-fucking-where is actually Keeley Jones! BELIEVE!
I KNEW IT! I’VE BEEN CALLING IT SINCE SEASON 1! Glad that they actually gave it the screen time though. While I agrre Keeley/Roy are probably end game, I’ve had a little Keeley/Rebecca place in my heart this whole time and I do indeed feel placated.
I am so happy the show went there! And I hope we get a decent storyline with Colin now too!
Thankfully Trent Crimm (the only man I trust *after* Roy) has not outed Colin just because he can.
I’ve heard theories that Trent is gay too! And this (along with his personal development) is part of why he keeps his mouth shut.
I actually had that same thought! but only in this episode because he was drinking out of a rainbow mug and the season is getting very overtly gay now.
Thank you for this post!
Love this write-up.
I haven’t watched season 3 yet so I just skimmed this but YAY!
I’ve been sure that Keeley’s bi ever since she made a seemingly throwaway comment about being attracted to Rebecca season 1, but was worried they wouldn’t move beyond sub-text.
same! so glad they actually went there and took Keeley’s bisexuality seriously instead of just making their little jokes! (I am looking at you, The Good Place)
Just watched this and my dog was SHOCKED when they snogged.
Me, not so much so
I would say that Keeley has been canonically bi since season 1 because she had a conversation with Rebecca that’s like
“Why not jump back in the lady pool and have sex with your new friend?!” and then fairly seriously says that she’s imagined having sex with her?
A theory of mine that is more of a conspiracy theory is that they have been setting up Pheobe to come out as a lesbian/queer at some point (because of the book drawings).
I thought the same about Nora after her awesome undercut at the funeral!
Am I the only one who remembers Keeley talking about being with women in season 1? Paraphrasing, she says to Rebecca that if she is going to dip back in the lady pool, it might as well be with her. This was not a surprising development to me.
I do think she will end up with Roy, but I’m glad they are giving him time to work on his insecurities.
Hey guys I watched from Europe (Ireland ) and hey you can see them clearly kiss there’s no cutaway to silhouette
So I had no idea that Jodi Balfour had been cast in this season. But then before I watched last weeks episode I saw ONE GIF of Jack and Keeley interacting – no sound or even subtitles – and I instantly KNEW IT.
I also want Roy and Keeley to be endgame. But in the meantime, I’m more than happy to have her with Jack for a while, especially if it means more Jodi. And I fully believe Roy won’t bat an eyelash when he finds out who Keeley’s been seeing while they were on a break.
Juno Temple and Jodi Balfour have such electrifying chemistry. Even just their scenes last week, when it was just hooded glances and lip biting. I was instantly hooked. Like honestly I already ship these two more than any pairing on The L Word Gen Q.
Also to add – in Canada there was no quick cutaway, you defs get to see them make out on the couch a little bit. The behind the glass shot isn’t until later. Sorry US friends.
The same is true in the US, I think Heather just wasn’t paying attention lol.
I don’t know about u but sex is NOT JUST GOOD FUN OR A HAPPY DIVERSION FOR SERIOUS COUPLES. It’s not fuck that’s so disrespectful UNLESS there’s been a horrific leg injury as dry humpin saves the day
wait, did the US version cut out the actual kiss??? just to clarify: in the episode I saw, Keeley kissed Jack, pulled back like “I shouldn’t have done that”, and then Jack was like “no you definitely should have” and kissed her right back! and then later in the ep we see the silhouette of them making out/stripping as part of a montage
No, it wasn’t cut in the US. I think this reviewer just wasn’t watching haha.
Thanks so much for writing this! After the way they were making eyes at each other last week, a hookup seemed inevitable but really glad they didn’t drag it out and make us wait for it (though I too root for Roy as end game)
As an aside, I also loved that this episode featured a song by Rachael Yamagata who I have adored for years. I’m reminded that I was first introduced to her music on a podcast that was a spin-off of the planet podcast (for original l word). They included her in a segment about singers you thought/wanted to be queer based on lyrics but sadly are not. Anyway, both podcasts were so fun, and as Gen Q ends I can’t help being grateful for both series even if they were far from perfect
It’s warm vodka, not wine. Haaha
Yes, it was pretty obvious where that was headed, but it was foreshadowed ahead of time, too- in the earlier shots in Keely’s office, her computer screen is partially visible in the lower right, and her desktop wallpaper (or whatever is behind the windows she had open, anyway) is the Bi Pride flag.
Do bisexuals not “sit normal”? I never knew that was a thing but in fact I don’t.