‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 is nearly here. Can it live up to the hype?
‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 is nearly here. Can it live up to the hype?
Fans have been yearning for the return of ‘Ted Lasso’ for years. Can its return fulfill those expectations? I believe.
“Ted Lasso” is all about belief. And after months of speculation, rumors, and misdirections, the deep belief of fans that the show could come back to Apple TV was finally validated. Though the show was originally intended to be a three-season story arc, “Ted Lasso” will come back for a fourth season on Apple TV starting Wednesday, Aug. 5.
But shows with as much hype surrounding them as “Ted Lasso” can often disappoint when they come back after a long hiatus. Whether the characters lack the same appeal, or the writing lacks the inspiration it once had, long layoffs can knock even the best TV shows off track. I’m confident that “Ted Lasso” can avoid that problem, and I’m very excited to see if that prediction is borne out.
In “Ted Lasso” Season 4, Coach Lasso will return from Kansas to help AFC Richmond get its new Division 2 women’s soccer team off the ground. The season is intended to kick off another three-season “Ted Lasso” arc, and much of the show’s original cast is returning, including series co-creator Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard, Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Walton, Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent, Juno Temple as Keeley Jones, and Jeremy Swift as Leslie Higgins.
See the trailer for ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4
I was hooked on “Ted Lasso” as soon as I sat down to watch the first season. I’ve always been a Bill Lawrence enthusiast, so when I heard that he was the show’s co-creator, I was immediately turned from skeptic to fan, and I’ve never looked back. The series has had its uneven moments, but it has also had incredibly powerful episodes in its day.
For me, however, the writing of “Ted Lasso” has always taken a back seat to the chemistry its characters share. The soccer scenes have always mattered less than watching the show’s characters come through for each other time and again; that’s the feel-good essence of “Ted Lasso” in my eyes, and it’s a message that is found all too rarely on TV these days.
How will it manifest itself in “Ted Lasso” Season 4? That’s one of the aspects I’m most excited to discover. The show has a real opportunity to dive more deeply into Ted as a character. So many of his actions in the first three seasons were motivated by his son Henry in some form, and now that Henry will have a more prominent role in the show, it will be fascinating to see Ted navigate fatherhood — particularly given some of the traumas the character has surrounding his own father.
I’m also intrigued to see where the partnership of Keeley and Rebecca goes this season, particularly against the backdrop of the creation of a women’s team. The pair has mostly avoided descending into the sexist tropes of a “girl power” team-up as the show has gone on, but will their relationship continue to evolve in Season 4 and beyond?
There’s only one way to find out. “Ted Lasso” Season 4 premieres on Apple TV on Wednesday, Aug. 5. The season will have ten episodes, and one per week will drop until the season finale in October. Apple TV costs $13 per month, but offers new customers a seven-day free trial.
Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.