Comedy Series 'Ted Lasso' and Documentary 'Boys State' Debut on Apple TV+

Apple today released "Boys State" and "Ted Lasso," two new shows on its TV+ streaming platform.

"Boys State" is a political documentary that covers a week-long annual program where 1,100 17-year-old teenage boys in Texas participate in a mock exercise to build their own state government.

Filmmakers Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine closely track the escalating tensions that arise within a particularly riveting gubernatorial race, training their cameras on unforgettable teenagers like Ben, a Reagan-loving arch-conservative who brims with confidence despite personal setbacks, and Steven, a progressive-minded child of Mexican immigrants who stands by his convictions amidst the sea of red. In the process, they have created a complex portrait of contemporary American masculinity, as well as a microcosm of our often dispiriting national political divisions that nevertheless manages to plant seeds of hope.

Apple purchased "Boys State" earlier this year for $10 million. The documentary won the Grand Jury Prize for documentary at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, and Steve Jobs' widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, is one of its executive producers.

"Ted Lasso" is a comedy series from actor and Saturday Night Live alumnus Jason Sudeikis, and revives the character he played for NBC Sports' 2013 English Premier League coverage.

Sudeikis plays Ted Lasso, a small-time college football coach from Kansas hired to coach a professional soccer team in England, despite having no experience coaching soccer.

Apple has been adding new television content to ‌Apple TV‌+ on a regular basis, and yesterday we learned that Apple is planning to launch an ‌Apple TV‌ Channels bundle that features CBS All Access and Showtime at a discounted price as soon as next week.

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Top Rated Comments

Ar40 Avatar
56 months ago
Started Ted Lasso last night. It is amazing so far.

Looking forward to Boys State.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
boswald Avatar
56 months ago
More politics polluting entertainment. No thanks, Apple.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
graysunderland Avatar
56 months ago
Why do video cameras have to involve body politics and present me like a obese guy and that I am someone sitting around eating junk food all day that need to change his diet and start exercising? It is just so annoying.

*edit: see with the post I was making fun of now deleted, my post just sounds dumb now. Sigh. ?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rmoliv Avatar
56 months ago
I have no interest in watching any of those. They both seem dull and the story isn’t captivating at least to to me.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cmaier Avatar
56 months ago
1 and a half episodes into Ted Lasso. Better than I expected. I’m enjoying it.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Harmonious Zen Avatar
56 months ago

Seems like all Apple TV+ has turned out to be is one big preach pulpit, trying to masquerade as entertainment (and failing MUCH more often than not).
That's just patently false and really just shows how little of the shows you've watched.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)