Our final essays can show how we have grown over the semester

Our Composing Arguments course is getting into the final two weeks of the semester, and next week's assignment is to write a review. I like this assignment because the range of potential topics is so vast -- from movies and TV to music to concerts, to restaurants to museums, to a brand of shoes to video games.

Anything a reader might be thinking about spending money or time or energy on is fair game.

I also like this assignment because a review is in many ways the most common form of persuasive writing and one of the most obvious in terms of the writer taking a position.

Of course, a thoughtful person is likely to find at least a few things they aren't fond of even while writing about something they highly recommend. This "qualifying" of our arguments is the mark of sophisticated thinking and writing, and probably is the reason we often talk about issues having "gray" areas. This can be frustrating to some, since it would be nice to find some "you can't possibly object to anything in this" arguments.

On the other hand, if something literally cannot be criticized in any way, what's the point of the argument (or the review, in this case)?

My favorite TV show from this past blighted year was "Ted Lasso," on Apple TV, starring Jason Sudeikis. It's a fish-out-of-water story about an American college football coach lured to England to coach a failing professional soccer team. 

The second season is scheduled to premier on July 23, which is quite exciting to Ted fans.

There's a bit of "Major League" at work in this series, since the team owner wants the team to fail miserably as a way to punish her ex-husband. In "Major League," the female owner hopes that the Cleveland Indians will perform so poorly that she can uproot the team to Florida.

I know that Apple TV is one of those optional steaming services, and thus there will be many who won't be able to watch this series (though Apple offers a free year of Apple TV when you purchase an iPhone or iPad, as a come on).

I don't want to launch into a full analysis of the show here, but will simply note that the core "feel" of the show was just what I needed during the height of the plague. It is ultimately optimistic and positive, showing the good in people who might seem superficially not-so-good. 

Ted may be a bit naïve, but he can also be shrewd and is always empathetic. It doesn't hurt that Sudeikis inhabits the role so well -- and earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV comedy a few months ago.

There is so much content to be found on the varied TV platforms that even the best shows may get overlooked, and that is a great starting point for a review. You are offering a service to readers by recommending something they might really enjoy.

My quick summary of  "Ted Lasso" is probably not enough to get you to watch. You would need a bit more unless you think so highly of my opinions that you accept my advice on faith. 

Relying on readers to simply believe us, even without compelling evidence, is not an effective strategy for any sort of persuasive writing.

Repeat over and over: no claims without support.