When Ted Lasso concluded its third season in 2023, it was widely accepted as the definitive ending to the beloved show. But rather than delivering the emotional high note many fans had been expecting, the so-called “finale” left a lingering sour taste and a disappointing, anticlimactic feeling. Despite eventually showing signs of creative fatigue, the Apple TV original series has still been looked back upon as a cultural favorite when it was at its peak.
With the surprising development of Ted Lasso Season 4, it’s difficult to discern exactly what drew creator/star Jason Sudeikis and co. back to a story they previously claimed to have completed. Is this latest season an attempt at redemption, or a chance to explore unfinished ideas? Most of all, could it simply be proof that some people can never muster the courage to abandon the pitch?
There’s No Place Like Home… Right?
Several years after returning to his hometown of Kansas City, American football coach Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) finds himself living a very different life, having swapped the touchline for the checkout desk of a local grocery store. His trademark optimism and charm remain intact, but there’s a sense that he’s become complacent and in denial of his lack of fulfillment. As you would expect, an episode of Ted Lasso set almost entirely in America feels strangely out of place, making the arrival of familiar Richmond faces, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), Keeley Jones (Juno Temple), and Leslie Higgins (Jeremy Swift), come across like a soft reset.
Courtesy of Apple TV
Now finding themselves as fish out of water, the British trio haven’t traveled thousands of miles away from home to merely sample Kansas City’s famous barbecue or catch up with an old friend. They arrive with an agenda: to persuade their former coach to return to West London and lead the new AFC Richmond Women’s Team. As formula dictates, Ted initially resists the idea. However, the biggest surprise is how easily the Lasso family falls in line this time around. Whereas Ted’s first move to Richmond was once complicated by the distance and emotional cost of leaving them behind, his son and ex-wife are suddenly ready to board a flight back to West London with little hesitation.
An Accidental Own Goal
This new chapter offers both the promise of a fresh start and the familiarity of home turf. Initially, Ted Lasso Season 4 seems untethered from the multiple storylines that had begun to weigh the series down. Before long, Ted is back in his old office with Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), navigating the first hurdles of this job while bonding with his new team, the Lady Greyhounds, and his new assistant coach, Alice Chilton (Tanya Reynolds). Elsewhere, the Richmond delegation faces the challenge of securing financial backing and resources for the women’s team.
Courtesy of Apple TV
Considering the continuing rise in popularity of women’s football in England, this is arguably a natural evolution for the series. Yet, the execution of its commentary within the first five episodes often feels misguided. Ted Lasso Season 4 places women’s football at the heart of the story, though it does surprisingly little to challenge the cultural prejudices surrounding the sport and, at times, even reinforces them.
By sidelining one of the Lady Greyhounds’ key strikers through an unexpected pregnancy, the show risks reinforcing the long-standing notion that female biology makes women inherently less reliable athletes. Coupled with repeated depictions of women as overly emotional, as well as Rebecca’s continued uncertainty over whether she identifies as a feminist, the writing this season repeatedly falls back on worn-out stereotypes.
Extra Time, Similar Result
Ted Lasso Season 4 is by no means entirely devoid of the magnetism that previously made the show such a hit. However, it never quite reaches the heights established in the first two seasons, where its humor, natural emotional sincerity, and packed ensemble cast worked in perfect harmony. The ingredients are still there, but perhaps the recipe has been misread.
The casting remains one of Ted Lasso‘s strongest elements, with Tanya Reynolds (Sex Education) and Faye Marsay (Andor) standing out from the new additions. Yet, the writing rarely allows these characters to leave the same impression as the AFC Richmond men’s starting lineup. Instead, this fourth season frequently diverts into underwhelming romantic subplots, flip-flopping between Rebecca and her uncharismatic beau as well as Roy Kent’s (Brett Goldstein) contrived dating life, which is driven by his failed attempts to win back Keeley. These underbaked subplots repeatedly take valuable time away from developing the new key players. The end result is not the grand “comeback” Apple TV was hoping for, but rather a season that is tonally uneven and narratively unfocused.
Without a doubt, this season will likely arrive at a resolution that seemingly champions empowerment and teamwork. The first five episodes of Ted Lasso Season 4, though, point to a creative team overcomplicating a winning strategy. With too many plays unfolding at once, the football itself becomes secondary, leaving little room for the camaraderie and character-driven storytelling that once defined the series. Ted Lasso Season 4 knows exactly where it wants to finish, but is taking a backhanded route to get there.
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
New episodes of ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 premiere every Wednesday on Apple TV!
Premiere Date: August 5, 2026.
Developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, & Joe Kelly.
Season 4 Showrunners: Jason Sudeikis & Jack Burditt.
Season 4 Writers: Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Jack Burditt, Joe Kelly, Leann Bowen, Sasha Garron, Phoebe Walsh, Dylan Marron, Jane Becker, Bill Wrubel, Jamie Lee, Brett Goldstein, & Julia Lindon.
Executive Producers: Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, Joe Kelly, Brett Goldstein, Leann Bowen, Jeff Ingold, Liza Katzer, Jane Becker, Jamie Lee, Bill Wrubel, & Jack Burditt
Main Cast: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Jeremy Swift, Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsay, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern, & Grant Feely.
Music by Marcus Mumford & Tom Howe.
Production Companies: Ruby’s Tuna Inc., Doozer Productions, Universal Television, & Warner Bros. Television.
Network: Apple TV.
Episode Count: 10 (Season Four).
