Earlier this month I upgraded to an iPhone 12 and got the benefit of a year of free Apple TV Plus. With the unusual exception of "The Morning Show," I heard little buzz about most of the service content, but the almost unanimous praise for "Ted Lasso" (so much so that Apple announced seasons 2 and 3 of "Ted Lasso" at the same time).

Ted Lasso is the story of an American college football coach who unexpectedly becomes the manager of a fictional top-flight soccer team, AFC Richmond. Jason Sudeikis stars as the eponymous Coach Ted, and the show is actually based on a series of promotional spots that NBC ran in 2013.

The show's second series comes out next month, so now was a good time to give it a try. The first collection of 10 episodes received praise from nearly every critic, and several colleagues raved about it at staff meetings.

Instead of increasing my interest and expectations, this positive feedback only further convinced me to disagree. I approached "Ted Lasso" with the attitude of one of the characters in the show: Trent Crim--a cynical sports journalist who tries to drag Ted down for being a Yankee who doesn't understand sports.

My initial cynical attitude toward the series was due to two factors: first, I had never found the original NBC promos that inspired the show particularly funny; second, I had never been a fan of the show.

I vividly remember it being a social media sensation in 2013, and while I recall multiple friends describing it as "hilarious," I was not impressed at all.

The idea of stretching a series of short promos that repeated the same joke over and over in just a couple of minutes into a 10-episode, five-hour television series did not appeal to me. At all.

Another reason for my bias against the series is a bit more personal. As a huge soccer fan (I'm sorry to call it soccer and not soccer in this article), I've always been highly skeptical of any non-documentary series/feature that attempts to tackle the beautiful game. The reason for this lies in past efforts that have failed spectacularly.

There is definitely a gatekeeping nuance to this attitude, which is more of a personal failing on my part than a problem for the creators behind "Ted Russo". Especially when you consider that the show was developed in part by Bill Lawrence (creator of "Scrubs," my favorite sitcom of all time). If only I knew he was the true director of this show.

But yes, I thought the series would be a dismissive mockery of the sport I have spent most of my life obsessing over. I was wrong.

When the credits rolled on the first episode, I sat back with a big smile on my face. After watching the second episode, I did the same thing again. Consider me totally incognito. Ted Lasso, I'm sorry I ever doubted you.

Looking back on the past year and a half, I think we all need some optimism in our lives. I agree. That's what makes Ted Lasso a special program.

Brought to life by Jason Sudeikis' best comedic performance since his SNL days, Coach Lasso is the embodiment of goodness. He is sincere, compassionate, kind, goofy and very charming. He's a character that probably couldn't exist in real life, but spend half an hour in his presence and you'll forget all your real-world worries.

The show itself is quite derivative narratively. The setting may be quite original, but it covers most of the plot points and relationship dynamics that sitcoms have used up for decades. Still, Ted Russo captivated me.

Ted Russo is simply comforting in a time when that has never been more precious. We are seeing more complex series and more original programs being released. However, it is a challenge for anyone to find a show that is currently being produced that has more heart.

As for my preview concerns, I can't say for sure that "Ted Lasso" perfectly captures England's unique soccer culture, but it certainly doesn't make light of it. The creative team has clearly done their homework, and the soccer elements of the show are serviceable for the most part.

Indeed, season one is far from over. No, not because the mid-season episodes slow down, quite the opposite. After watching three episodes out of the blue, I wanted to savor "Ted Lasso" rather than rush through it. I am slowly working my way through the series to fully appreciate the warm feeling each episode gives me. My editor has asked me to rewatch it again before season two begins.

Even at my slow pace, I feel like I'm burning through the first season too quickly. I am very thankful that I only have to wait a few weeks for new episodes to start. I have a lot of respect for those who wait months.

If you haven't given Ted Russo a chance yet, for whatever reason, I urge you to find the time. You won't regret it; Apple TV Plus may not be the most attractive streaming service compared to its competitors, but Ted Lasso is worth the price of admission on its own.