Filming for the fourth season of the hit Apple TV+ series, Ted Lasso, has finally begun, building hype for what the show has in store for audiences with its new episodes. It has already been revealed that Ted Lasso season 4 will see the titular character reunite with his pals at AFC Richmond and return to London to coach a women’s football team. This upcoming season will mark a long-awaited return to one of the most beloved TV shows in recent memory.
It’s anyone’s guess how Ted Lasso will continue the stories of Ted and his friends at Richmond, especially since the season 3 conclusion — the original series finale — seemingly wrapped everything up. It’s unknown how the fourth season and its new story will rank amongst the rest of this Emmy Award-winning series. Whatever happens, Ted Lasso season 4 needs to accomplish a lot to improve upon the show’s past mistakes, appeal to longtime fans, and succeed once more on streaming.
Ted Lasso needs a focused narrative
When Ted Lasso began, the show’s primary focus was on the development of Ted, Rebecca, Nate, Keeley, Roy, and Jamie. As the series progressed, it focused on many more supporting characters in AFC Richmond and gave them more prominent roles in the story. With its third season, Ted Lasso explored too many characters and plotlines separate from the main arc. Consequently, the show veered off in many directions. Some episodes showed very little of Ted Lasso.
That isn’t to say that this approach hasn’t worked in the past. The season 2 episode Beard After Hours dedicated roughly 40 minutes to Coach Beard, exploring his mysterious and surreal private life with a tone and style that fit the character and provided an interesting change of scenery. However, these kinds of tangent stories became more prevalent in the third season, to the point that Ted Lasso seemed to be presenting many different shows in one.
Ted Lasso season 4 should go back to basics by focusing on Ted and the returning characters trying to connect with their new football team. While the show will focus on multiple characters and their arcs, it should ensure that these subplots don’t stray too far from the main path. This could make the new season especially jarring for audiences accustomed to the characters and story from the show’s first three seasons.
The show must balance new and old characters
Ted Lasso season 3 presented multiple arcs for the characters at AFC Richmond and their loved ones. This approach fleshed out a lot of the show’s world and helped bring some closure for everyone by the time the season ended. Nevertheless, the way season 3 tried to resolve every storyline within the time it had, particularly in the finale, felt rushed and unearned.
In addition to not juggling too many storylines at once, Ted Lasso needs to make sure its characters develop at a natural pace. Storylines should not be forced. Since season 3 was meant to wrap up the characters’ journeys together, their actions in season 4 shouldn’t be made just for the sake of continuing the series.
Season 4 must feature steady storylines
Ted Lasso season 3 presented multiple arcs for the characters at AFC Richmond and their loved ones. This approach fleshed out a lot of the show’s world and helped bring some closure for everyone by the time the season ended. Nevertheless, the way this season tried to resolve all these storylines with the time it had, particularly in the finale, came across as rushed and unearned.
In addition to not juggling too many storylines at once, Ted Lasso needs to make sure its characters develop at a natural pace. Their storylines also shouldn’t be forced upon them with this series renewal. Since season 3 was meant to wrap up the characters’ journeys together, their actions in season 4 shouldn’t be made just for the sake of continuing the series.
The show must maintain its sense of hope and optimism
When it first aired in 2020, Ted Lasso shared a heartwarming message about the importance of love, faith, friendship, and self-care. This made it a beloved, much-needed show after COVID brought so much death, isolation, and hardship. Though the show’s later seasons got more intense with how it explored mental illness, trauma, and parental abuse, the characters became more engaging and relatable.
Given how depressing the modern world still is since the end of season 3, it seems more crucial than ever for Ted Lasso to come back with more uplifting stories to inspire audiences and help them believe in themselves and the show.
Stream Ted Lasso on Apple TV+.
