The Emmy-winning AppleTV comedy series “Ted Lasso” returns for Season 4, a little over three years after a Season 3 finale that felt very much like a series finale. The upbeat AFC Richmond men’s soccer coach with a heart of gold and a cornucopia of pop culture references chose to leave England and return home to Kansas to spend more time with his young son.
So why is the show back? Sudeikis thought he completed the story he wanted to tell. But after taking a break, he realized there was more to explore. It reminds me of Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” epiphany… and then their “Toy Story 5” epiphany. They felt like they had more to say with those characters. So does Sudeikis with his “Ted Lasso” gang. Unfortunately, most of it is subpar.
I’ve screened the first half of Season 4. Ep. 1 (which is now available) is about Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), Higgins (Jeremy Swift) and Keeley (Juno Temple) visiting Ted in Kansas City. After three years away, they want Ted to return to London and coach the new women’s AFC Richmond team. The episode offers glimpses of some of the strongest aspects of “Ted Lasso” Season 1 (which I consider one of the best seasons in the history of TV). He’s still charming and honest, with a smile, but also reflective. As we know quite well, there’s more under the surface (and mustache). The episode isn’t a home run by any means — but I chuckled about a half dozen times and found it a sunny experience to be brought back into this world after some time away.
However, the quality goes down from there. The next four episodes don’t feel like they have intense pressure behind them (the behind the scenes tension in trying to achieve greatness with Seasons 2 and 3 was palpable). But there are a boatload of hyper moments from returning and new characters — and a host of glaring script issues. The storylines get just as silly, predictable and unfunny as they were in the second half of S2 and all of S3. The dynamic of Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley will make you think, “Wait? Are we really going down this path again?” None of the newbies in the ensemble — including Tracey Ullman — provide much other than over-the-top, embarrassing antics. And the episodes are, once again, too long. A tight, focused 24 minutes can be much more successful than a stretched-out, scattered 44 minutes.
I’ll stick with “Ted Lasso” because, like AppleTV’s flagship drama “The Morning Show” — which is ending with Season 5 next year — I’ve come too far to quit. Ted is still worth rooting for. Sudeikis’ speeches and overall demeanor in the role still make for interesting moments. But all that surrounds the iconic character is rather weak.