Apple TV is heading into what looks like a strong year, with a lineup that includes returning series and a handful of new titles. But according to the report, the most consequential release may be the return of Ted Lasso, a show that once felt finished after its third season and is now back with a fourth season that works partly as a reset.
The season 3 ending in 2023 left several major characters in new places. Ted was set to return to the United States to spend more time with his son, Roy had taken over as head coach of AFC Richmond, Beard had married at Stonehenge, and Rebecca, Keeley, and Higgins were considering the idea of starting a women’s team. That setup gave the series the feel of a classic sitcom finale, and the last episode was even titled “So Long, Farewell.”
That women’s team is what brings the show back. In the season 4 premiere, Ted is working part-time at a grocery store so he can spend more time parenting, while Rebecca, Keeley, and Higgins travel to Kansas City to ask him to coach the new squad. The episode plays like a reunion, showing where everyone has landed and stretching Ted’s eventual decision across the full hour before the action shifts back to England.
From there, the series settles into a more familiar rhythm, even as it changes shape in important ways. Ted and much of the coaching and leadership group return, but the team itself is made up of new players. Familiar names like Jamie Tartt, Sam Obisanya, and Dani Rojas are absent from the episodes Apple shared with press, aside from brief references. In their place is a younger, scrappier roster, along with assistant coach Alice, who offers a sharper contrast to Ted’s upbeat style. It is a gamble to move away from popular characters, but early episodes reportedly preserve much of the charm that made the show such a hit.
Source: theverge.com
