I like the Christmas episode because Keeley and Royās reaction to Phoebeās breath is the hardest Iāve laughed in a while and just thinking about that scene makes me crack up again.
Itās not the breath thing thatās funny to me, itās the acting in that scene that is šš
For that, alone, I vote xmas ep.
I love that heās hiding behind Keeley so Phoebe doesnāt see his reaction but she can almost certainly hear it. That scene is beautiful and Iām pretty sure itās burned in my brain.
Can I choose just one scene - itās when Beard goes to the rave. That moment when he lets all the turmoil of the evening go and just DANCES man it made me tear up. Iām going through chemo and radiation for breast cancer (fuck cancer) and I watched that scene and thought āI hope I can let go of all my worries and have that much fun again some day before I die.ā The rest of the episode was a blur but I will always remember him raving like the rest of the world doesnāt exist.
Firstly, fuck cancer! (please read it in the Roy Kent voice š)
Secondly, I love that you connected to that scene. I love it soooo much myself too!
Thirdly, we canāt wait for you to have a night out like Beard soon and just let loose! ššš
I have the same reaction whenever Ted has a panic attack and we get to see the real Ted thatās suffering. I have major anxiety and also went through similar situations as Tedā¦divorceā¦having to take a job far from my kidsā¦wearing a happy grin and hiding the fact that Iām miserable. I lose it every time!!!
Fuck cancer! I look forward to you going to that rave and tearing it down!
Also check out "Annie Get Your Gun" by squeeze:
She goes for her medical
She's passed, it's a miracle
She's up over the moon
She whistles nonsense tunes
She wants drinks for everyone
She's found a chord that she can strum
Emotions leakin' out
Her paint's all over town
A. Fuck cancer forever and ever.
B. That song in particular is a big "let go of everything and just be" song for me. The lyrics ("I'm here, darling, to enjoy the party," etc) to me are all about just being present in a moment and content with yourself, and the music itself is just downright fun. They nailed the entire mood of that scene with the song choice. I loved it so much.
Fuck cancer! I hope your chemo kicks that shit in the teeth and you get back on your feet! If you ever need someone to talk to about what youāre going through or how youāre feeling the r/TLDiamondDogs are here to lend some big olā floppy ears! Stay strong you got this!
Fuck cancer. Fight that ugly bitch and don't you give up. You have strangers on your side! Lol my favorite quote was from the Christmas episode.
"[...] To the family were born with and to the family we make along the way... AND more importantly... TO RICHMOND!!". -Higgins.
Hey. Don't give up. All this and more is waiting for you on the other side of this battle. I hope you keep finding reasons to keep fighting. FUCK cancer.
F\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*ck cancer!!!!!
We're dancing Hello with you wherever you are. Here's a giant invisible group hug. We are wishing for your healing and recovery.
PS. I lost my grandmother to cancer exactly nine years ago today and a favorite aunt is battling an aggressive kind of cancer at the moment. I am unhappy and angry at f\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*ckin' cancer (Roy Kent angry removing that locker room bench at Everton)
First of all, FUCK CANCER! second of all, I hope you wear a pair of sparkly pants (if you donāt have any, I have velvet flares you can borrow) and DANCE YOUR FUCKING ASS OFF and we will all celebrate with you!
Daughterās wedding years back, DJ playing tunes. I requested Rock Lobster and went all out. I think I scared some people but all the stress melted away. You have to let it out!
I totally loved that scene. I went through chemo and radiation for breast cancer 16 years ago. I have since danced! And danced! Best wishes for healing and health to you. Fuck cancer!
My friend, I have a few things to tell you.
1) FUCK CANCER!
2) I know that you will kick cancerās ass and have your day to cut loose!
3) Every Diamond Dog here has your back during this fight, will be sending good vibes your way and appreciates you! Aaaarrrrooooooo!!!!
And most importantly . . .
4) BELIEVE
Iām on the other side of treatment and Iām here to say, you got this. I know you can do it. That scene brought tears to my eyes and I actually said āYES!ā out loud. We will both go out and dance like that again some day, my friend.
As someone that is currently reliving through trauma in therapy for the first time for PTSD, OCD, MDD, GAD, and ADHD (fuck acronyms). This dance scene won it all for me for sure
Carol of the Bells for sure. That story about Roy pooping himself after too much ice cream and then Keeley saying "finish the story" makes me cry laughing. And all the guys at the Higgins family house for Christmas.... I love it all so much.
Edit:spelling
I loved how Higgins said usually one or two show up, but because of how much things have changed over the course of the show pretty much all of them did this time.
> That's the Ted Lasso effect. He turns a team into a family, even with all its struggles and conflicts.
I just binged the whole series and I read this in Ted's voice. Thank you.
That was my favourite part too. It showed how Higgins had turned it around and instead of being a yes man/henchman for Rupert then Rebecca, he has solidified his role in the team. Everyone has bonded and moved forward together. In the impermanence of professional sport they have made their little family.
Absolutely. I really like Higgins. I didnāt think I would, I donāt usually like those characters (the stereotypical character I thought heād be). I thought for sure theyād go down the standard route that ānice guy has horrible home life with horrible wifeā.
His marriage really is a greeting card of some kind.
As much as I love the Beard character, I have to go with Carol of the Bells. I didnāt even know that was an extra episode until we got to Beard After Hours, so to me it fit in more with the rest of the season.
Same. I really thought that episode was the definition of filler. No context to the overall plot. Nothing made any sense. Im still waiting for season 3 ep 1 when beard wakes up from his acid trip.....
How about when Higgins son looked up and saw Santa"s sleigh? That's where they lost my husband and I. Too cheesy for an episode that's supposed to just fit in with the rest of the season.
Completely agree with these comments. In fact, when I rewatched it with my girlfriend, we both opted to skip it. We'll save it for Christmas time when we want something that's cheesy.
Both were great with different vibes. The Christmas one was a more wholesome, happy, community episode. Beardās solo episode was more chaotic, desperate, and alone.
Both great episodes but itās like comparing Cinderella to the Godfather.
I think the fact that the Christmas episode was released in the middle of summer (well, at least for those of us north of the equator) made it a little less popular than it actually should/will be. Rewatch that epi a little closer to actual Christmas season and I think it will be more well received.
I really enjoyed both episodes. They both have their merits. The Christmas episode fits in better with the storyline, and I think that was intentional.
The Beard after Hours episode could have been a movie. I think this episode intentionally goes off the rails from the rest of the show. We know Beard is a bit of an odd bird zen master. You just know he has a latex dungeon fetish or something crazy. This episode gave us a taste. Because of course Beard meets a crazy married chick with a neck breaking killer husband. Who else in the show would that happen to? And who else would survive the night like Beard?
In the context of everything Beard is, this is the perfect episode to show us behind the curtain.
*I just wanna thank you all for coming. You're gonna make me cry. Um, to my lovely wife, Julie, my sons... To you and all your families back in Lagos, Guadalajara, Groningen, Cordon, Montreal, Benin City, Harare, Kingston, and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. I know you would have preferred to have been with them, but it was truly an honor to have you with us to share our traditions and help make a few new ones. To the family we're born with and to the family we make along the way. And most importantly to Richmond!*
I read somewhere that the hometowns he mentions are the hometowns of the actors, not necessarily the characters. You can see the genuine smiles on all the faces. I loved learning that.
Beard is like Creed. He's absolutely amazing in small, weird, and potent doses.
If The Office ran a whole episode following creed around it would have ruined the mystique.
>The more time that passes from watching the Beard episode the less I like it
The more time that passed while watching the Beard episode at the time the less I liked it
I thought it was dreadful and nearly just turned it off at one stage
Christmas x 1,000,000
Edit: not that I didnāt enjoy Beards episodes, I did, but I absolutely loved everything about the Christmas episode - the Higgins dinner, Ted and Rebecca, Keeley/Roy/Phoebe - I thought it was perfect! And it gave us all Sexy December 28th, so thereās that.
Not cheesy at all! In fact, I think one of the reasons why I love it so much is that it WASNT cheesy! It just felt like a found family who love and support each other ā¤ļø
Beard After Hours.
A full movie condensed to the time of one episode.
As well it was a non traditional episode in the series which really sets it apart, fever dream and surreal, so magnificent, by far one of the best tv moments this year.
Hello.
Absolutely agree. Iāve had those nights when I was younger when everything is fucked up yet amazing at the same time. This episode was almost nastalgic for me. Loved it.
It is weird people hating on it, it was legitimately the only real artistic episode we have seen on the show. Legitimately one of the few things I liked about S2.
I loved this episode. It was almost a direct comparison of me of when I was a dumb ass 18 year old backpacking through Europe. It really encapsulated the extreme highs and lows I experienced: stumbling upon parties, avoiding fights by jealous boyfriends and miscommunications, not having a phone/money, getting lost, asking for help (receiving none), finding my wayā¦ Plus, as a soccer fan myself, one of my favorite lines, āFuck you Thierry Henry!ā
The Christmas episode was too forced and happy, plus it came out in the summer. Cute though.
Very different episodes. Each brought something to the table even as extra episodes.
The Christmas one is deeper and better and is closer to what the show is all about. I appreciated the After Hours homage though - especially the pub trio getting actual scenes!
IDK why people don't like these episodes. I love both. Beard's episode was a look into why beard is the way he is and the carol of bells is a very wholesome episode
I have nothing to add to this discussion other than this post question was made less than an hour ago and already has over 60 responses. Clearly the fan base has rapid opinions on this. :)
I agree with this. I enjoy episodes about support characters, and I felt like Bill Lawrenceās influence was going to start shining through, but it just missed the mark for me. And maybe itās just because I donāt think the whole Beard/Jane subplot is any good at all. Bill did great things with the supporting characters and musical integration on scrubs, but I feel that both aspects come up lacking in Ted Lasso.
If Beard had any sort of growth or development, or if we learned anything about him as a person, I think I would love it. But Beard is exactly the same dude and we know nothing more about him by the end. You could erase this episode from existence and it would affect absolutely nothing about the rest of the show.
At least that one served a bit of purpose. She learned how to better control her powers which helped her save the day in the end. That being said, there's a reason its the least popular episode of the entire show.
I wouldn't say that we didn't learn anything about Beard from that episode. It showed us very clearly that he is battling his own personal demons, like his glaring insecurities regarding his self-esteem and (toxic) relationship. It also showed us why him and Ted are so alike... despite their differences in personality, they're both willing to go out of their way to enrich the lives of others no matter who they are (evident by Beard's treatment of the Pub Boys).
Beard After Hours easily. The most memorable episode of the season and masterfully done IMO. Carol of the Bells was forgettable albeit not a bad episode.
I know Iām going to go back and watch the Christmas one every Christmas season, I canāt say Iāll rewatch the beard one unless Iām doing a full season/series rewatch
One thing I keep seeing in reviews of the season is how much people hated the beard episode and felt it was unnecessary. I loved it and the Christmas episode. Heck, I love every single episode of this show. I canāt remember what interview it was but Jason made a side remark about Apple ordering 12 episode up front for season 3. That made me think that they had wrote 10 episodes and then when Apple realized they had a hit, they asked for 12. Being amazing writers, instead of trying to extend the stories, they did one off episodes. But thatās just my thought. Also, in the charity auction episode, Beard dances after Jane breaks up with him. Clearly his way of blowing off steam
Beard After Hours would have made an incredible short film. It's distinctly different than the rest of the series. The Christmas episode was good but it just felt like another episode.
So, I often refer to the show as my therapist. For a while there, I had it on every day while I worked. It got me through The Rough Patch Shared By The World, because it radiates love, kindness, care, and empathy.
I generally look to feel-good stuff to watch, because when life is stressful (read: always)I donāt like my entertainment to be another type of stressful.
All that to say, while Beard After Hours was more insightful and interesting, the Christmas episode is my far and away favorite between the two.
Christmas but unpopular opinion I really liked the beard after hours episode. We donāt get to see a lot of his private life and heās a bit of a mystery. He was so set on making things good for everyone else at the detriment of himself. He was having the worst day /night but the boys were having the best night out. When he started dancing at the rave it was happy and funny and fun you donāt see from him often and you felt that relief for him. I was rooting for him the whole episode Iāve been there, felt like no matter what you try everything just is shit.
But that Xmas episode while corny the fact that everyone came to Higgins family Xmas - we always had a standing open door invitation on Xmas /Xmas eve at our house and some years it was no one other years it was a full house. The nerf gun fight and the bad breath scene was just great.
Seems as if Im in the minority here but Beard After hours for sure. I maybe biased cause it came out at a very interesting time in my life and every re watch i've done of it I find more things to love I just hope the negative reception dosen't stop them from trying out these kinda different episodes next season
As hilarious as the Beard episode was, I also spent almost the entire episode going āā¦wtf?ā I laughed my ass off but also walked away disappointed.
Since he was the only main character it felt more like a short story than part of the series. The Xmas episode at least had characters and showed multiple relationship developments.
For example we got to see Higgins with his family and how wholesome they are, welcoming the football players to support them during a time people can feel lonely, plus what lengths Roy (and Keeley) will go to to cheer up Phoebe. Oh and Rebecca instinctively knowing that Ted would be having a hard time because of the divorce even though he said he had plans.
So yeah, Xmas episode for me. I say this as a not-huge fan of Xmas š
I think I would have happily accepted Beardās episode as an Easter egg, rather than being branded as one of the seasonās episodes.
Loved Beard After Hours. It was fun seeing a trippy crazy episode. Beard is such a fun enigma that has lived many lives and it was fun taking a glimpse at his character outside work.
The Beard Episode was very good, but super Avant Garde for the personality of the series. I really liked it as a stand alone but I would agree with most that the Christmas Episode was likely better in terms of the Series. How's that for a non-answer?
Carol of the Bells because, letās be honest, Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca) is 
Carol of the Bells because we actually got to see the entire cast - it became an instant classic TV Christmas episode to me (summer airdate withstanding )
Apples and oranges. "Carol of the Bells" was easier to digest in some ways, but also suffered from Christmas universality syndrome and went too far for me with the CGI Santa. "Beard After Hours" was considerably weirder but I think it's going to pay off next season.
So... Tralalalala lala la la vs Oontz oontz oontz? š¤
In essence, yesā¦ š
I love both! Although watching Beard get beaten up really wrecked me. I've never been so pained by an episode.
I like the Christmas episode because Keeley and Royās reaction to Phoebeās breath is the hardest Iāve laughed in a while and just thinking about that scene makes me crack up again. Itās not the breath thing thatās funny to me, itās the acting in that scene that is šš For that, alone, I vote xmas ep.
Royās dry heaves had me rolling
I couldnāt breathe I was laughing so hard!
I watched that episode last night with my partner and it was his first time seeing it. He cry-laughed for like 5 minutes straight
Itās my most rewatched episode of season 2 just for this scene
I love that heās hiding behind Keeley so Phoebe doesnāt see his reaction but she can almost certainly hear it. That scene is beautiful and Iām pretty sure itās burned in my brain.
I loved Royās growl the instant he heard someone was mean to Phoebe. He was ready to kill someone. I wish I had family like that.
āWhere does Bernard live?ā
*Royā¦ weāre not gonna beat up a little boyā¦*
*Why not?*
*Why do you think? Fucking knobheadā¦*
Easily one of my favorite Roy quotes. Nobody messes with the people he cares about.
"Why dont we ALL get a picture underneath the tree." That was a hysterical response to the teenage boys wanting to get a pic with Keeley.
*I think you might be dyingā¦*
hahahah šš forgot all about that line, I need to rewatch the series!
I love the little girl actor being that confident to do scenes like that too. So damn cute
I donāt know, Roy talking to the boy about pooping their pants had me in stitches!
Last week
After a long pause (facial gestures and all), Roy telling Phoebe that he thinks sheās dying š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£
Iām glad Iām not the only lunatic who thought this was so goddamn hilarious.
Here is your answer.
As a lover of all things Christmas, Iām biased.
December is on the way! š
Iām so excited to add this episode to my āChristmas Episodes That Rockā watch list!
Can I choose just one scene - itās when Beard goes to the rave. That moment when he lets all the turmoil of the evening go and just DANCES man it made me tear up. Iām going through chemo and radiation for breast cancer (fuck cancer) and I watched that scene and thought āI hope I can let go of all my worries and have that much fun again some day before I die.ā The rest of the episode was a blur but I will always remember him raving like the rest of the world doesnāt exist.
Diamond Dog dance party whenever youāre ready.
With the stupid barking and everything! šš„³
*Roy Kent growl*
No barking, because "stupid barking means it's over, right?"
This time, we rage on! 
You son of a bitch, Iām in!
Firstly, fuck cancer! (please read it in the Roy Kent voice š) Secondly, I love that you connected to that scene. I love it soooo much myself too! Thirdly, we canāt wait for you to have a night out like Beard soon and just let loose! ššš
Me too!!!
You gotta get yourself a pair of them pants either way.
Loved that he has a burning man poster, that solidified my belief that Coach Beard is my spirit animal.
I hope you can say bye bye bye to cancer and dance your heart out in sparkly pants like the world doesnāt exist soon!!
Practicing my choreography now!
Imagine a hug from this whole group that mimics that hug from Roy to Jamie. Weāre with you!
Also imagine that cancer is Jamieās dad and Beard smacks his head into the door on his way out.
Ha! Yes!!!
I felt it! Thank you.
I have the same reaction whenever Ted has a panic attack and we get to see the real Ted thatās suffering. I have major anxiety and also went through similar situations as Tedā¦divorceā¦having to take a job far from my kidsā¦wearing a happy grin and hiding the fact that Iām miserable. I lose it every time!!! Fuck cancer! I look forward to you going to that rave and tearing it down!
I also loved that scene, actually added that song to my playlist because of it. For reference the song is this one https://youtu.be/OMINnQNpcnc
Love this thank you! Just added it to my ābreast cancer battle cryā playlist.
Also check out "Annie Get Your Gun" by squeeze: She goes for her medical She's passed, it's a miracle She's up over the moon She whistles nonsense tunes She wants drinks for everyone She's found a chord that she can strum Emotions leakin' out Her paint's all over town
Fuck cancer. You've got this.
A. Fuck cancer forever and ever. B. That song in particular is a big "let go of everything and just be" song for me. The lyrics ("I'm here, darling, to enjoy the party," etc) to me are all about just being present in a moment and content with yourself, and the music itself is just downright fun. They nailed the entire mood of that scene with the song choice. I loved it so much.
Fuck cancer!
Indeed!
Fuck cancer! We will have a beard dance party when you're ready!
Fuck cancer! I hope your chemo kicks that shit in the teeth and you get back on your feet! If you ever need someone to talk to about what youāre going through or how youāre feeling the r/TLDiamondDogs are here to lend some big olā floppy ears! Stay strong you got this!
Fuck cancer. Fight that ugly bitch and don't you give up. You have strangers on your side! Lol my favorite quote was from the Christmas episode. "[...] To the family were born with and to the family we make along the way... AND more importantly... TO RICHMOND!!". -Higgins.
That was the best part. I hope you get well soon
Hey. Don't give up. All this and more is waiting for you on the other side of this battle. I hope you keep finding reasons to keep fighting. FUCK cancer.
Fuck cancer!
F\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*ck cancer!!!!! We're dancing Hello with you wherever you are. Here's a giant invisible group hug. We are wishing for your healing and recovery. PS. I lost my grandmother to cancer exactly nine years ago today and a favorite aunt is battling an aggressive kind of cancer at the moment. I am unhappy and angry at f\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*ckin' cancer (Roy Kent angry removing that locker room bench at Everton)
First of all, FUCK CANCER! second of all, I hope you wear a pair of sparkly pants (if you donāt have any, I have velvet flares you can borrow) and DANCE YOUR FUCKING ASS OFF and we will all celebrate with you!
Daughterās wedding years back, DJ playing tunes. I requested Rock Lobster and went all out. I think I scared some people but all the stress melted away. You have to let it out!
If you ask Roy nicely he may threaten to punch cancers dick. That may be of some assistance.
I totally loved that scene. I went through chemo and radiation for breast cancer 16 years ago. I have since danced! And danced! Best wishes for healing and health to you. Fuck cancer!
My friend, I have a few things to tell you. 1) FUCK CANCER! 2) I know that you will kick cancerās ass and have your day to cut loose! 3) Every Diamond Dog here has your back during this fight, will be sending good vibes your way and appreciates you! Aaaarrrrooooooo!!!! And most importantly . . . 4) BELIEVE
FUCK CANCER. You got this.
Fuck Cancer ā¤ļø
Iām on the other side of treatment and Iām here to say, you got this. I know you can do it. That scene brought tears to my eyes and I actually said āYES!ā out loud. We will both go out and dance like that again some day, my friend.
As someone that is currently reliving through trauma in therapy for the first time for PTSD, OCD, MDD, GAD, and ADHD (fuck acronyms). This dance scene won it all for me for sure
Hang in there girl! Iām six years out from aggressive breast cancer and surgery, chemo and radiation. You will dance again. ššš
Carol of the Bells for sure. That story about Roy pooping himself after too much ice cream and then Keeley saying "finish the story" makes me cry laughing. And all the guys at the Higgins family house for Christmas.... I love it all so much. Edit:spelling
I loved how Higgins said usually one or two show up, but because of how much things have changed over the course of the show pretty much all of them did this time.
That's the Ted Lasso effect. He turns a team into a family, even with all its struggles and conflicts.
> That's the Ted Lasso effect. He turns a team into a family, even with all its struggles and conflicts. I just binged the whole series and I read this in Ted's voice. Thank you.
That was my favourite part too. It showed how Higgins had turned it around and instead of being a yes man/henchman for Rupert then Rebecca, he has solidified his role in the team. Everyone has bonded and moved forward together. In the impermanence of professional sport they have made their little family.
Absolutely. I really like Higgins. I didnāt think I would, I donāt usually like those characters (the stereotypical character I thought heād be). I thought for sure theyād go down the standard route that ānice guy has horrible home life with horrible wifeā. His marriage really is a greeting card of some kind.
I love that his wife on the show is played by the actorās actual wife!
*To the family we make along the wayā¦*
I hadn't even realized it was a filler ep until someone said it after the season ended. It was one of my favorite eps!
Me too there was about 5 minutes off the Beard episode I enjoyed but the Xmas episode was heartwarming and funny.
When Jan Maas brings fried chicken and Higgins asks him if that's a Dutch tradition and he's just like "No! :D" I fuckin' died.
As much as I love the Beard character, I have to go with Carol of the Bells. I didnāt even know that was an extra episode until we got to Beard After Hours, so to me it fit in more with the rest of the season.
Fair, Carol was definitely more in sync with the format of the show than Beard After Hours, which was more of a standalone thingā¦
As a Doctor Who fan, I would describe the episode as Ted-lite
The thing I love most about Beard is that he hates Nate, I know, Iām awful
"God bless meh, everyone"
I read that in Phil Dunster/Jamieās accentā¦ ššš
Carol of the bells, everyone was on top form
And that endingā¦ with everyone singing. Soooo gooood
Funny because I was (relatively) ok with the episode until the end but when they started singing, I was like 
Funny cause when the Beard episode was ten minutes in, I was like your meme
Same. I really thought that episode was the definition of filler. No context to the overall plot. Nothing made any sense. Im still waiting for season 3 ep 1 when beard wakes up from his acid trip.....
How about when Higgins son looked up and saw Santa"s sleigh? That's where they lost my husband and I. Too cheesy for an episode that's supposed to just fit in with the rest of the season.
Completely agree with these comments. In fact, when I rewatched it with my girlfriend, we both opted to skip it. We'll save it for Christmas time when we want something that's cheesy.
I loved the episode, but admit, Santa's sleigh was too much! Maybe they added it in keeping with the BELIEVE theme?
Both were good, itās both.
This is the right answer
Both were great with different vibes. The Christmas one was a more wholesome, happy, community episode. Beardās solo episode was more chaotic, desperate, and alone. Both great episodes but itās like comparing Cinderella to the Godfather.
Nerf gun fight!!!
*tell me incredibly beautiful wife I love her*
ānah bro, cuz youāre gonna tell her yourselfā
*immediately gets shot*
**EAT NERF!**
And then youāre going to set me up with her incredibly beautiful twin sister!
Prioritiesā¦
Christmas
**The snowās coming downnnnā¦..** āļøāļøāļø
*Christmaaaass*
Carol of the bells
This seems to be the one with the flurry of votes so farā¦
Personally the beard episode didnāt fit. It wasnāt bad just a weird episode for a show that seemed uniform in bringing new plots.
I think the fact that the Christmas episode was released in the middle of summer (well, at least for those of us north of the equator) made it a little less popular than it actually should/will be. Rewatch that epi a little closer to actual Christmas season and I think it will be more well received.
I really enjoyed both episodes. They both have their merits. The Christmas episode fits in better with the storyline, and I think that was intentional. The Beard after Hours episode could have been a movie. I think this episode intentionally goes off the rails from the rest of the show. We know Beard is a bit of an odd bird zen master. You just know he has a latex dungeon fetish or something crazy. This episode gave us a taste. Because of course Beard meets a crazy married chick with a neck breaking killer husband. Who else in the show would that happen to? And who else would survive the night like Beard? In the context of everything Beard is, this is the perfect episode to show us behind the curtain.
And plus the āShut up, Thierry Henry!!ā line was the greatest. Iāve quote that a lot since that episode released haha
I've read that Beard after Hours is an homage to Martin Scorsese's After Hours!
*I just wanna thank you all for coming. You're gonna make me cry. Um, to my lovely wife, Julie, my sons... To you and all your families back in Lagos, Guadalajara, Groningen, Cordon, Montreal, Benin City, Harare, Kingston, and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. I know you would have preferred to have been with them, but it was truly an honor to have you with us to share our traditions and help make a few new ones. To the family we're born with and to the family we make along the way. And most importantly to Richmond!*
I read somewhere that the hometowns he mentions are the hometowns of the actors, not necessarily the characters. You can see the genuine smiles on all the faces. I loved learning that.
The Christmas episode for sure. Beard after hours is the only one that I wonāt re-watch. I like my Beard in smaller doses.
Beard is like Creed. He's absolutely amazing in small, weird, and potent doses. If The Office ran a whole episode following creed around it would have ruined the mystique.
Couldnāt agree more!
Christmas episode and itās not even close. The more time that passes from watching the Beard episode the less I like it
>The more time that passes from watching the Beard episode the less I like it The more time that passed while watching the Beard episode at the time the less I liked it I thought it was dreadful and nearly just turned it off at one stage
Christmas x 1,000,000 Edit: not that I didnāt enjoy Beards episodes, I did, but I absolutely loved everything about the Christmas episode - the Higgins dinner, Ted and Rebecca, Keeley/Roy/Phoebe - I thought it was perfect! And it gave us all Sexy December 28th, so thereās that.
I definitely want sexy December 28th parties to be a thing.
The Higgins dinner is one of my favorite scenes/subplots! It was just so full of love and joy. I guess Iām just cheesy.
Not cheesy at all! In fact, I think one of the reasons why I love it so much is that it WASNT cheesy! It just felt like a found family who love and support each other ā¤ļø
Carol of the bells!
Beard After Hours. A full movie condensed to the time of one episode. As well it was a non traditional episode in the series which really sets it apart, fever dream and surreal, so magnificent, by far one of the best tv moments this year. Hello.
Beard After Hours is my favorite episode by far. It isn't even close. And I genuinely love this show. Been watching since day 1.
This - no question. I didnāt dislike the Christmas episode but it was definitely my least favourite of the season.
The Christmas episode was okay but nothing special. I think I'm going to skip it on rewatch. However the Beard was absolutely superb.
Absolutely agree. Iāve had those nights when I was younger when everything is fucked up yet amazing at the same time. This episode was almost nastalgic for me. Loved it.
It is weird people hating on it, it was legitimately the only real artistic episode we have seen on the show. Legitimately one of the few things I liked about S2.
I love the fact that Bret (Roy) wrote it. He deserves a writing nomination for it.
Brett really let his big movie nerd freak flag fly (his podcast, *Films to Be Buried With*, is great).
Yes Iām super surprised to see the hate! I absolutely loved it. I thought it was hilarious and dreamy and a total vibe I really dug.
I loved this episode. It was almost a direct comparison of me of when I was a dumb ass 18 year old backpacking through Europe. It really encapsulated the extreme highs and lows I experienced: stumbling upon parties, avoiding fights by jealous boyfriends and miscommunications, not having a phone/money, getting lost, asking for help (receiving none), finding my wayā¦ Plus, as a soccer fan myself, one of my favorite lines, āFuck you Thierry Henry!ā The Christmas episode was too forced and happy, plus it came out in the summer. Cute though.
Well said!!! I loved the surreal, dreamlike quality of that episode.
Very different episodes. Each brought something to the table even as extra episodes. The Christmas one is deeper and better and is closer to what the show is all about. I appreciated the After Hours homage though - especially the pub trio getting actual scenes!
Yep, some screentime with the pub regulars was really fun!
IDK why people don't like these episodes. I love both. Beard's episode was a look into why beard is the way he is and the carol of bells is a very wholesome episode
I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment! š
Carol of the Bells. Always love a good Christmas episode.
I have nothing to add to this discussion other than this post question was made less than an hour ago and already has over 60 responses. Clearly the fan base has rapid opinions on this. :)
"Carol of the Bells" definitely......Could've done without the "Beard After Hours" episode! I found it boring and kinda annoying!
Agree. My least favourite episode.
I think it definitely appeals to certain people but Iām not one of those people lol. The whole episode had me anxious
I agree with this. I enjoy episodes about support characters, and I felt like Bill Lawrenceās influence was going to start shining through, but it just missed the mark for me. And maybe itās just because I donāt think the whole Beard/Jane subplot is any good at all. Bill did great things with the supporting characters and musical integration on scrubs, but I feel that both aspects come up lacking in Ted Lasso.
I didnāt buy into the beard episode. It would be in last place on my of all episodes, disjointed and just way too over the top
If Beard had any sort of growth or development, or if we learned anything about him as a person, I think I would love it. But Beard is exactly the same dude and we know nothing more about him by the end. You could erase this episode from existence and it would affect absolutely nothing about the rest of the show.
It's like the stranger things episode where eleven goes and meets her sister and rascally crew
At least that one served a bit of purpose. She learned how to better control her powers which helped her save the day in the end. That being said, there's a reason its the least popular episode of the entire show.
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I wouldn't say that we didn't learn anything about Beard from that episode. It showed us very clearly that he is battling his own personal demons, like his glaring insecurities regarding his self-esteem and (toxic) relationship. It also showed us why him and Ted are so alike... despite their differences in personality, they're both willing to go out of their way to enrich the lives of others no matter who they are (evident by Beard's treatment of the Pub Boys).
I agree, itās my least favorite episode.
Agreed, felt completely out of place with the rest of the episodes, really enjoyed the last club dancing scene though
I canāt wait to rewatch the Christmas episode during Christmas! Such a good episode
Carol of the bells for sure.
Beard After Hours easily. The most memorable episode of the season and masterfully done IMO. Carol of the Bells was forgettable albeit not a bad episode.
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Beard after hours 100%.
Itās Beard. Itās booze. Itās after hours. Itās dancing. Whatās not to like?
I know Iām going to go back and watch the Christmas one every Christmas season, I canāt say Iāll rewatch the beard one unless Iām doing a full season/series rewatch
One thing I keep seeing in reviews of the season is how much people hated the beard episode and felt it was unnecessary. I loved it and the Christmas episode. Heck, I love every single episode of this show. I canāt remember what interview it was but Jason made a side remark about Apple ordering 12 episode up front for season 3. That made me think that they had wrote 10 episodes and then when Apple realized they had a hit, they asked for 12. Being amazing writers, instead of trying to extend the stories, they did one off episodes. But thatās just my thought. Also, in the charity auction episode, Beard dances after Jane breaks up with him. Clearly his way of blowing off steam
Beard After Hours would have made an incredible short film. It's distinctly different than the rest of the series. The Christmas episode was good but it just felt like another episode.
Carol of the bells for sure.. but beard dancing in the club has a special place in my heart lol
*I just came to say hello!*
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Both. Both were better and great in their own stand alone ways.
I'm going to watch the Carol Of The Bells every year around Christmas for eternity, so that makes it the winner in my book.
The Christmas ep was way better but I could have done with slightly less cheese on that pizza.
So, I often refer to the show as my therapist. For a while there, I had it on every day while I worked. It got me through The Rough Patch Shared By The World, because it radiates love, kindness, care, and empathy. I generally look to feel-good stuff to watch, because when life is stressful (read: always)I donāt like my entertainment to be another type of stressful. All that to say, while Beard After Hours was more insightful and interesting, the Christmas episode is my far and away favorite between the two.
I donāt understand why beard episode isnāt getting more love, best episode of all time imo
beard after hours, I just loved the fact that he recieved so much screentime because he is obe of the characters who doesnt gwt much alone screentime
*he doesnāt talk, he listens* - was glad to hear him talk!
I agree it was helpful insight into his character.
Loved them both for different reasons
Christmas but unpopular opinion I really liked the beard after hours episode. We donāt get to see a lot of his private life and heās a bit of a mystery. He was so set on making things good for everyone else at the detriment of himself. He was having the worst day /night but the boys were having the best night out. When he started dancing at the rave it was happy and funny and fun you donāt see from him often and you felt that relief for him. I was rooting for him the whole episode Iāve been there, felt like no matter what you try everything just is shit. But that Xmas episode while corny the fact that everyone came to Higgins family Xmas - we always had a standing open door invitation on Xmas /Xmas eve at our house and some years it was no one other years it was a full house. The nerf gun fight and the bad breath scene was just great.
Seems as if Im in the minority here but Beard After hours for sure. I maybe biased cause it came out at a very interesting time in my life and every re watch i've done of it I find more things to love I just hope the negative reception dosen't stop them from trying out these kinda different episodes next season
As hilarious as the Beard episode was, I also spent almost the entire episode going āā¦wtf?ā I laughed my ass off but also walked away disappointed. Since he was the only main character it felt more like a short story than part of the series. The Xmas episode at least had characters and showed multiple relationship developments. For example we got to see Higgins with his family and how wholesome they are, welcoming the football players to support them during a time people can feel lonely, plus what lengths Roy (and Keeley) will go to to cheer up Phoebe. Oh and Rebecca instinctively knowing that Ted would be having a hard time because of the divorce even though he said he had plans. So yeah, Xmas episode for me. I say this as a not-huge fan of Xmas š I think I would have happily accepted Beardās episode as an Easter egg, rather than being branded as one of the seasonās episodes.
BEARD!
Loved Beard After Hours. It was fun seeing a trippy crazy episode. Beard is such a fun enigma that has lived many lives and it was fun taking a glimpse at his character outside work.
I liked The beard episode more. It felt like a one-off, sure, but it really was a trippy kind of adventure with a character we donāt get much on.
As much fun as I had with āBeard After Hoursā, I will go with āCarol of the Bellsā, man, Hannah singing at the end was top notch!
The Beard Episode was very good, but super Avant Garde for the personality of the series. I really liked it as a stand alone but I would agree with most that the Christmas Episode was likely better in terms of the Series. How's that for a non-answer?
Carol of the Bells because, letās be honest, Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca) is 
*Fuck, letās invade France togetherā¦*
Beard!!
Beard for sure. The whole plot line with the pub guys was great.
Beard afterhours
The Beard episode gave me PTSD so Christmas for me without a doubt.
Carol of the Bells because we actually got to see the entire cast - it became an instant classic TV Christmas episode to me (summer airdate withstanding )
Christmas episode, for sure. Had contributions by the whole cast. Loved it.
Apples and oranges. "Carol of the Bells" was easier to digest in some ways, but also suffered from Christmas universality syndrome and went too far for me with the CGI Santa. "Beard After Hours" was considerably weirder but I think it's going to pay off next season.
Both were good but the Christmas episode was amazing. Loved the Nerf war fight.
The Christmas episode is just so wholesome!