In recent years, the media has taken the term ‘girl boss’ and used it repeatedly, often only looking at one side of the equation. The phrase, first popularized by Sophia Amoruso in her 2014 autobiography #GIRLBOSS, originally pertained to a woman in charge of her life who continues to pursue her own ambitions. Since then, audiences have taken the liberty to use this term however they see fit, even when it’s in reference to women creating their own downfall.
The likes of Selina Meyer (Veep) and Miranda Priestly (The Devil Wears Prada) technically fit the criteria of what it means to be a girl boss, wherein both are the author of their lives and are in the pursuit of their goals. We see these women in charge of their workplaces, in positions like editor-in-chief of a major fashion magazine and Vice President of the United States, as well as being active authors of their own lives. However, both of them created their own destruction and were never apologetic about it.
In a 2018 interview with NBC, Amoruso reiterated what it truly means to be a girl boss. She explained that a true girl boss is someone who looks at their mistakes and continues to learn from them. This is the other part of the equation that none of the aforementioned characters have exhibited. Although these women occasionally ponder on the choices they’ve made, none of them show remorse for their actions. While it’s refreshing to see women take charge of their own lives, it’s important to explore what healthy growth looks like, specifically the kind that doesn’t lead women into their own undoing.
That’s what Rebecca Welton gives us.
Unless you’ve been completely off the grid, you’ve probably heard of Ted Lasso, the latest comedy show that kicked its way to viewers’ hearts over the past year. The series revolves around the lives of the ensemble players of the football team AFC Richmond, which is coached by the show’s titular character, Ted Lasso (played by Saturday Night Live alum Jason Sudeikis), and owned by Rebecca Welton (played by Hannah Waddingham from Game of Thrones). Originally from America, Ted gets hired by Rebecca to coach Richmond for all the wrong reasons.
Unlike most shows, Ted Lasso doesn’t start off with its main character front and center. Instead, it first introduces us to Rebecca moving into her new office, subconsciously prepping the viewers to see her as a vital character in the series. We quickly learn her motive to derail Richmond in order to upset her cheating ex-husband, Rupert Manion (Anthony Head). Some may say that move is a girl boss moment, seeing that Rebecca is taking matters into her own hands as Selina and Miranda did in their own lives. This sets up an interesting relationship not only between Rebecca and Ted but also between her and the audience. We, the viewers, know something these characters do not, as we are more aware of the different sides of Rebecca than Ted.
At first glance, it looks like the show is setting Rebecca up to be the main antagonist, because who could be against the kind-hearted Coach Lasso? Although, unlike Selina Meyer and Miranda Priestly, Rebecca takes things a step further by actually listening to the people around her. What originally seemed to be a traditional antagonist and protagonist set-up turned out to be the other part of the equation in what it means to be a girl boss.
We quickly learn that Rebecca Welton was never an antagonist. Throughout the first season, her actions are undeniably questionable, hiring paparazzi to follow Ted and sending Ted to spend a day with a journalist she hopes will write negatively about him. But the thing about the writing in Ted Lasso is that we get to understand and empathise with Rebecca. We see all the wrong decisions she makes, but also we get to see all the humanising moments, such as her admitting to Keeley (Juno Temple) that she is uncomfortable on the red carpet, not knowing what to say before a speech, and feeling uneasy around her old friend, Sassy (Ellie Taylor), with whom she had a falling-out. We never just see Rebecca as one-dimensional, full of revenge, and emotionless.
Rebecca tries to resist the charms of the optimistic Coach Lasso, especially since she’s plotting against him, but she ultimately gives in just like everyone else. It’s hard to resist Ted when he constantly understands everyone and offers the positive side of the situation. Ted takes it upon himself to mend the relationship between the entire team and star player Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster), even going the extra mile to create a bond between the constantly fighting Jamie and Team Captain Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein). However, it’s hard not to understand Rebecca’s side as well. After meeting the stuck-up Rupert, whose only intention is to get ownership of Richmond, viewers finally see why Rebecca would want the football team’s downfall.
Eventually, Rebecca takes a step back to reassess her choices. Ultimately, after getting to know the coach, she chooses to do the right thing by telling Ted her true intentions and apologizing to him, even if it only comes when she gets an ultimatum from Keeley (but no one is perfect). While Rebecca was already dancing around the idea of telling Ted the real reason for hiring him, the thing that definitely pushes her is Keeley. After Keeley goes out on a date with Roy that ends with him stealing a paparazzo’s memory card, she finds out that Rebecca was the one responsible for the photos of her and Ted early on. From there, Rebecca’s road to healing takes a different route and she chooses the better one — the Lasso way. With Keeley and Ted right beside her, we see Rebecca put herself out there, especially in the second season, going out on dates and reconnecting with her old friend Sassy and her goddaughter Nora (Kiki May).
Rebecca Welton is a complex woman who offers us something different in the age of ‘girl boss, gatekeep, gaslight’ memes. While Ted’s positivity is a breath of fresh air in terms of toxic masculinity, Rebecca, on the other hand, gives us a new take on what it means to be a strong woman. It’s not at all about revenge and sticking it to the man; instead, it’s about standing up for yourself without harming anybody in the process, as well as addressing your wrong decisions and choosing to do better from now on. That’s who Rebecca Welton is.
