Season four has potential to be the series’s second best, and one that will bring in a whole new audience of viewers to, not just the series, but to women’s sports as a whole.
After three years, Apple TV’s beloved Ted Lasso is back for its fourth season, setting up the series’s next three-season arc — Ted returning to London to coach Richmond’s first-ever women’s team — the Lady Greyhounds.
Season three of Ted Lasso had mixed reviews from fans and critics alike. The episodes were too long, storylines were rushed in some places and dragged out in others. There were too many loose ends throughout the season that ultimately led to nothing, or whose conclusions were dissatisfying — something even more frustrating for viewers, especially considering the lengths of the episodes. For episodes that were teetering close to an hour, there was a whole lot of nothing happening.
Thankfully, it seems that the writing team has learned from their mistakes with the newest season. The episodes are still longer than the standard for a comedy — a little over 40 minutes, but with this new cast of characters, it makes total sense.
Season four brings back the magic of season one that seasons two and three were sorely missing. The chemistry between the original cast is stronger than it's ever been — it’s clear that they’ve missed these characters as much as we have, too, and the new additions fit into the world seamlessly.
Jason Sudeikis as Ted is in top form, though the Ted we see three years on isn’t exactly like the old Ted. But I think audiences will love him just the same, if not more. Hannah Waddingham as team owner Rebecca Welton is a force, as always, one that’s been a steady heart throughout the series’ run so far. Brett Goldstein’s Roy Kent is just as acerbic as ever, and Brendan Hunt’s Coach Beard is still the same weirdo Beardo.
Tanya Reynolds, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern, Jude Mack, Rex Hayes, and Faye Marsay join the series this season as the members of the women’s team, and they are each incredibly funny and lovable in their roles. Flowers should be given to all of the new cast members, who add so much to the series. It’s so refreshing to have a cast of mainly women in a series about sports. And these women are fierce, funny, and very, very quickly become a family.
And while the magic of season one is back, it’s not the exact same story. Unlike in season one, in which the men’s team was a fully established team, the women’s team is not. The challenges they face throughout the season are nowhere near the same as the challenges the male players faced in season one. There’s rampant misogyny from shareholders and spectators alike, and an overall sense of "they’re not good enough, and never will be" from everyone else. This team is the real underdogs of the series.
Season four also rights another of season three’s wrongs, giving the original characters a sense of purpose throughout the season, instead of wandering aimlessly throughout the story. Keeley’s (Juno Temple) storyline in particular is a personal favorite — it’s just a shame that it’s taken four seasons to let Temple truly shine as this character that clearly means so much to her. Pub owner Mae (Annette Badland) also has a lot to do this season, which audiences will really enjoy as well.
Overall, based off of the first four episodes of the season so far, it has potential to be the series’s second best, and one that will bring in a whole new audience of viewers to, not just the series, but to women’s sports as a whole. It won’t be a surprise at all when it nabs a handful of nominations come award season (Ted Lasso will be eligible for the Actor Awards and Golden Globes this year, and the 2026-2027 Emmy season).
New episodes of Ted Lasso premiere on Apple TV on Tuesdays at 9pm EST.
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