I don’t have much in common with Stephen Colbert. I am not religious, nor a late-night talk show host, nor do I have my own band (but heaven knows I’ve tried). I was never a correspondent on The Daily Show, despite all the fruit baskets I have sent them. There is a chance that we have performed in the same dingy NYC clubs and bars, though not simultaneously. But at the end of the day, our most significant similarity (aside from loving The Lord Of The Rings) is that we both get encouragement from Ted Lasso.

I came to Ted Lasso late. A little bit before the second season premiered. Instantly I was enamored with the characters in the show, especially Ted. He is a flawed but good-natured man who is always happy to offer a word of encouragement or a lame joke to boost someone’s mood. I happened upon the show the week before I was set to direct a short film that I wrote (a big first for me) and took the “Ted Lasso Mentality” to set with me. I used it to encourage a collaborative and fun mindset while we were filming.

On a recent episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the eponymous host received his own motivation from the show by way of the actual cast. Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Phil Dunster, Cristo Fernández, Toheeb Jimoh, Kola Bokinni, and Hannah Waddingham all appeared backstage to help motivate Stephen. It’s a fun little scene that makes the show’s end feel all the more real. Between this and their appearance at the White House Press Room, it’s giving big “farewell tour” vibes.

I will miss Ted Lasso, though I think three seasons is a good run for any show (especially if that’s the plan). When something is good, you don’t want it to overstay its welcome. Maybe in five to ten years, they’ll decide to revisit the character. Until then, I can always go back to that well if I need a little inspiration. I just can’t get the cast to visit me in my dressing room, which is fair.