Tedependent

Tedependent is the slash ship between Theodore "Ted" Lasso and Trent Crimm from the Ted Lasso fandom.

Canon
When Ted Lasso is appointed head coach and manager at UK Premier League club AFC Richmond, all the journalists express skepticism about Ted's ability to lead the club, particularly when Ted demonstrates a lack of knowledge at the first press conference. Trent is the first reporter from whom Ted fields questions, and pointedly discovers Ted's lack of basic knowledge, including the offside rule.

Trent then concludes that Ted is "an American who's never set foot in England, whose athletic success has only come at the amateur level, a second-tier one at that, and is now being charged with the leadership of a Premier League football club, despite clearly possessing very little knowledge of the game".

Ted asks whether there is a question in that statement, to which Trent replies sarcastically: "Is this a fucking joke?"

When a bunch of paparazzi pictures of Ted and Keeley Jones are taken and set to be published by The Sun, the two ask Rebecca Welton to do something about it, unaware that this was part of a plot by her to sabotage Ted. Rebecca continues this scheme under the guise of helping them by sending Trent Crimm to do a profile on Ted in exchange for asking the owners of the Sun not to publish the picture. Rebecca knows full well Trent and the media's bias against Ted, and privately hopes for a scathing article.

Trent makes his disdain for Ted clear from the beginning of their day together at Nelson Road Stadium, and he questions Ted's willingness to use a trick play thought up by the team's kit man, Nathan Shelley. Despite suspicious spying by Coach Beard, Ted has no illusions about Trent's approach to the story, at one point comparing him to a Roomba looking for dirt. Trent also questions Ted's reasons for holding a party after the loss against Crystal Palace F.C. (something he learned from Jamie Tartt) to which Ted insists he does not care much about wins or losses.

Trent's disdain starts to fade as he continues to follow Ted, noting Ted's positive attitude despite children at a local school insulting him, and his scheme to get Roy Kent to lighten up by giving him a copy of A Wrinkle in Time: Trent even assists Ted on the latter scheme by explaining the plot of the novel to Roy. Eventually they have dinner together at Ollie's Indian restaurant, where both Trent and Ted have to eat the spiciest thing on the menu due to Ted's adventurousness.

Trent lays his cards on the table, that he thinks Ted is being irresponsible by taking the coaching job because the team means something to the residents of Richmond upon Thames. Ted counters that he likes coaching the same way Trent likes writing, and it's not about the wins or losses but making the players the best versions of themselves on and off the field. Trent leaves the interview perplexed, particularly when Ted offers a genuine appreciation of their time together.

A draft of Trent's overall positive profile on Ted is soon read out by Leslie Higgins to Rebecca, much to her anger. Pointedly, Trent reflects that while he fully expects Ted to fail and embarrass Richmond, he will not gloat, "...because I can't help but root for him."

In subsequent press conferences, Trent and Ted maintain a friendly relationship, with Trent not shying away from tough questions but trusting Ted to answer them well. After AFC Richmond's first game of the Championship season ends in tragedy when Dani Rojas accidentally killed the team's mascot Earl during a penalty kick, Trent Crimm asks Ted for a statement. Ted responds with a touching story about when he lost his dog Hank, and how something can make you cry while it exists and even when they're gone. Trent does not ask a follow-up question, though he is clearly moved by the story.

Trent also asks tough questions to other members of the team. When the team, led by Sam Obisanya, protests Dubai Air's sponsorship by covering the logos on their uniforms with black tape, Trent asks Sam at a press conference if he is accusing the Nigerian government of corruption, to which Sam replies, "Yes, I am."

Following Ted's unexpected departure from the field during the FA Cup match against Tottenham Hotspur, Trent approaches Ted in his capacity as a reporter to ask him what happened. Ted claims to have had food poisoning, and goes on the record about it. Sometime later, Nate leaks to Trent that Ted actually left the field because he had a panic attack. Trent feels he has a responsibility as a journalist to report this news, but due to his respect for Ted, he notifies him about the article the night before and leaks his source.

After the team wins against Brentford FC, Ted holds a press conference to talk about the win and addresses Trent's article, but notices Trent himself is absent from the room. Trent meets Ted outside in the parking lot, where he explains he was fired from the Independent for leaking his source. When Ted claims he didn't tell anyone about it, Trent replies that he was the one who ratted himself out, declaring that he is going to search for a new passion in life, away from the Independent. The two bemusedly observe that he can now start introducing himself as "Trent Crimm, Independent," something his father also told him when he found out. They part ways amicably, though Trent is left embarrassed when he realizes he locked himself out of his car.

Trent returns, explaining that he wants to write a book about Richmond. Although Rebecca, Leslie, and Keely vocally express support for this idea, they privately try to convince Ted to veto it, which he does not. Trent witnesses the groups' scheme to recruit Zava for the team, and pointedly asks Rebecca if, on record, she is only doing it to get back at her ex-husband. This time, Ted, Leslie, and Keely all silently urge Rebecca to deny it, which she does not. Trent commends her for pulling such a petty yet bold move.

Roy Kent, however, is not pleased at Trent's presence and discourages the whole team from talking to Trent. When Ted gives Trent a temporary workspace in Roy's office, Roy intentionally disrupts Trent from working. When the team's silence around Trent affects their attempts to strategize at a game with Chelsea, Ted confronts Roy and tells him to work things out with Trent for the good of the team. Roy pulls Trent aside and reveals his reason for hating Trent: Trent wrote a scathing review of his performance during his first year at Chelsea when he was only 17 years old. Trent apologizes, admitting he was writing just to get a rise out of readers, and the two reconcile.

After the game, which ends with a 1-1 tie, Trent observes as Roy and Ted talk about Roy's experience visiting his old team. He listens as Roy admits returning to Chelsea reminded him of his own insecurities about the game as his skills degraded in his last years on that team, admitting he should have just enjoyed the time he had left instead of worrying about how good he was. Trent and Ted agree that sports is a good metaphor for life.

When the Zava gambit pays off, Trent follows the team as they win multiple games. At a celebration of the winning streak at Sam's restaurant, he graciously accepts a matchbook gift from Sam before departing the party. On his way out, however, he notices Colin Hughes kissing his partner Michael in an alley outside the restaurant. Realizing Colin is keeping his sexuality a secret, Trent quietly starts paying more attention to Colin as he continues shadowing the team.

Unfortunately, Richmond's winning streak with Zava on the team runs out after a harrowing game with West Ham United. While working in the office, Trent overhears the coaching team struggling to come up with a workable game strategy. Noticing Trent's reaction, Ted asks if he wishes to weigh in. Trent declines at first, citing a need to maintain objectivity, but relents when everyone (including Roy Kent) teases him. He proposes an old-school long-ball game, a kick and rush tactic. However, he, Beard, and Roy concede that it also would not work.

Trent joins Richmond on an exhibition match in Amsterdam, which ends poorly for the team as usual. Noticing Colin separate from the rest of his team for a night out in Amsterdam, he quietly trails him to a gay club, making his presence known after the bartender shares with Colin some of the events happening that night. Colin panics and makes a run for it, only for Trent to reveal he knows and, pointedly, notes he probably has a good reason for not telling anyone – revealing to Colin's relief that he is also gay. The two share a beer along the canal, next to the Homomonument built for gay and lesbian victims of the Holocaust, and discuss their sexualities. Trent reveals coming out improved his relationship with his wife and daughter, but keeping the secret for so long was difficult – and, he points out, he cannot possibly imagine what it must be like for Colin as a professional athlete. Colin admits he knows his team would be supportive but finds it easier to not let it complicate their relationship, and shares his desire to be able to hug and kiss his partner after the games as his teammates do with theirs, without it becoming an event or having to be a statement. Trent, moved by Colin's story, points out the ringing Bells of the Westerkerk and notes that Anne Frank heard the same bells every night. The two return to the club and enjoy a fun night out together.

Trent's faith in Ted begins to falter as he watches Ted's gambit in utilizing Total Football bring in questionable results at various practices, to which he indirectly suggests that Ted has chosen to switch tactics out of nowhere. However, after Ted's encouragement emboldens Jamie Tartt to speak up during a break and figure out how to use their own strengths to enhance the strategy, Richmond scores a rare goal in their game against Arsenal. Trent excitedly runs up to Ted after the game declaring Ted's plan will work, and spells out in detail that Ted has been using the same strategy he always has: encouraging his players to be the best versions of themselves and support each other through small gestures that will have a huge pay-off in the end. After Trent runs off, Roy remarks that he is a bit of a dork, to which Ted smiles and replies "he's our dork."

Fanon
On AO3, Tedependent is the third most written ship within the Ted Lasso (TV) tag; Trent’s most written, and Ted’s second most written. This ship has 491 fan works on AO3 as of May 2023.

Fandom
FAN FICTION