Even though Ted Lasso may have taught us to always believe, I’m not very optimistic about the show’s new season.
This sitcom was one of Apple TV’s first hits, and while its popularity may have remained consistent during its run, the quality has been much more hit-or-miss.
After Ted Lasso Season 3 concluded in the spring of 2023, the streamer announced another season.
Here’s the twist: Coach Lasso isn’t returning to the Greyhounds.
He’s returning to Richmond, but this time he’s coaching a second-division women’s football team.
Even though the premise sounds great, I still have a lot of doubts about whether this season will save the show after the confusing way the Ted Lasso Season 3 finale ended.
What Happened to the Characters We Love?
Saying that Ted Lasso was a massive cultural phenomenon would be an understatement.
The show gained immense popularity during the pandemic, inspiring hope and serving as a comforting watch for many.
While the first two seasons of the show are fantastic, the third season received more mixed reviews.
While numerous plot points illustrate the decline in quality, the overall problem with Season 3 is that the characters seem to have undergone a complete transformation — and for the worse.
One of the most prominent examples of this is the Roy-Keeley-Jamie love triangle.
All three of the characters were acting so strangely that Keeley had to establish that she wanted nothing to do with either Roy or Jamie in the Season 3 finale.
For a show that prioritized friendship and understanding beyond romantic relationships, it’s so odd that Ted Lasso ruined the dynamic among all three characters, which is concerning because Keeley has already been confirmed to return.
Nate was another character that Ted Lasso Season 3 did dirty.
Although the concept of Nate’s villain arc was initially exciting, the show struggled to find its direction and ultimately failed to provide a proper resolution to his storyline.
With this in mind, renewing Ted Lasso means the show has its work cut out for it in bringing back the characters we love and fixing the mess Season 3 made.
Lightning in the Bottle or A Perfect Formula?
Ted Lasso, at its core, is a story about growth and learning.
The best part of the show so far has been watching how Coach Lasso has improved the Greyhounds and how they, in turn, have helped him realize that he also needs to take care of himself.
The way the show handled its mental health storylines helped promote its message of spreading kindness.
Going into Season 4, it’s hard to imagine that the sitcom can recreate this with a completely new team.
The prospect of the focus on a women’s football team is really wonderful.
Still, there needs to be a genuine effort to emulate the same kind of radical honesty and care that made early seasons of Ted Lasso so special.
Plus, this is the second time we’re watching Ted start his career over again.
Therefore, hitting the reset button and having Ted yet again join a new team feels like an unfairly easy cop-out.
Additionally, with a completely new team, fans will undoubtedly be comparing them to the Greyhounds’ personalities. If this other Richmond football team fails to live up to the previous team’s reputation, then there’s no point in watching at all.
Look, I love the show as much as the next person, but after Ted Lasso Season 3, I hoped they would know when to call it quits.
Now, with Season 4, it risks falling into the trap of every viewer’s worst nightmare and overstaying its welcome.
But at the end of the day, all we can do is hold onto hope that Season 4 will find the show’s lost magic again.
What do you think? Will a new season of Ted Lasso recapture the magic that melted away during its third season?
Do you have high hopes, remaining ever optimistic as the show itself demands?
Or has the premise let you down, making you a skeptic, worrying about what the return might mean?
Comment your thoughts or hopes as to what Season 4 might cover!
And if you’re looking for something a little different, but oddly optimistic in the most pessimistic way, be sure to check out Pluribus, also on Apple TV!
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