Ted Lasso season 4 review: Richmond reunion delivers a warm, winning return

If you thought Ted Lasso had said its bit with that last, blindingly crowd-pleasing third season finale, looks like you weren't the only one. Even Jason Sudeikis and the lot spent ages insisting it was all wrapped up—trilogy, job done. Well, ignore everything you heard back in 2023, because Ted's lacing up the trainers once more, but this time he's chucked himself into women's football, second division no less. Not exactly what you'd call a quiet comeback.

Ted Lasso returns for season four on 5 August on Apple TV.

Back to Richmond—Sort Of

So, what gets Ted back to the UK after he high-tailed it home for his son, you ask? Turns out, it's the old Richmond gang—Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), Higgins (Jeremy Swift), and Keeley (Juno Temple)—making a trip all the way to Kansas City. Their pitch: come back to coach Richmond’s newly minted women’s squad. And yes, Ted is still nursing his commitment to family (Henry, his lad, is now Grant Feely), so at first he's hardly keen on swapping the Midwest for the Thames again. But if you've watched this show, you'll know it wouldn't take a ten-episode arc just for him to say no, so by episode one he's downing the tea and rallying a fresh set of underdogs.

This isn't a full-on reboot, but it's close. Apart from a handful of familiar faces, it’s pretty much new shirts, new stories. Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) is still growling over the men’s team, with Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) as loyal sidekick, but the old guard mostly show up for cameos or the odd subplot. Spare a moment for Rebecca though—juggling two teams (plus a long-distance Dutch boyfriend) isn’t cheap, and the men with the money aren't exactly falling over themselves to invest in women's football. Fair to say, she’s banking on Keeley’s vision to keep it all afloat.

Fresh Blood, Same Chaos

The real hook isn’t the nostalgia, it's this new team. The Richmond Lady Greyhounds—actual nickname, not me making it up—are led on paper by Alice Chilton (Tanya Reynolds), though Alice, brilliantly, is thoroughly put out at getting usurped by Ted. Amongst the women you’ll find Boots (Jude Mack), a keeper who seems allergic to kit; sisters Siobhan and Niamh (Rex Hayes and Aisling Sharkey) battling it out; walk-on wild card Lizzie (Faye Marsay, last seen in Andor); and a striker, Gemma (Abbie Hern), who’s got some pretty vicious history with Alice. Even in these early episodes, the dynamic feels tight—nobody here is just padding out the extras pool.

• Ted coaches the women's second division Richmond squad
• Returning cast: Rebecca, Keeley, Higgins, Roy Kent, Coach Beard, occasional others
• Key new players: Alice Chilton, Boots, Siobhan, Niamh, Lizzie, Gemma
• Writers’ room: Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Bill Lawrence, Joe Kelly, and new additions galore
• Directing return for Declan Lowney
• Dr. Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles), Trent Crimm (James Lance), and Tracey Ullman all popping up

The format hasn't budged: you won't be slogging through endless match replays; the storytime leaps around the season, focusing on key moments (sometimes a bit quick, honestly, but it keeps things snappy). There's also the usual list of oddball staff and side characters, some new, some welcome returns. If you’re after more pitch action, you’ll have to settle for the training ground shenanigans and whatever Ted gets up to off the clock.

Does It Still Work?

Pretty much. The dialogue is still swinging wildly between filth and wholesome motivational catchphrases—no one's dialing it in. Writers like Jane Becker, Joe Kelly, Jamie Lee and plenty others have joined the originals to keep the banter buzzing and the emotional gut punches landing. And if you were a fan of Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein's post-Lasso show Shrinking, it won't feel like an accident. It's that same lightning-in-a-bottle attempt at inspiring niceness, but in a way that doesn't make you want to throw your remote out the window.

Ted's personal arc shifts a bit too—now he’s a dad in a better place, wrestling more with family than fame. Rebecca’s got the stress of two teams and a long-distance romance. Roy and Keeley? Their heat’s cooled, but it's not completely extinguished. Even Coach Beard is still tangled up with Jane. So, while the heart of the show is still our favourite Yankee coach, it’s never just Ted's therapy hour. The whole thing moves forward, not around in circles—about the only nostalgia trip you'll be getting is in the opening credits.