Ted Lasso returns at an important time for Apple TV
The hit feel-good sports sitcom returns for a fourth season with a soft reboot, helping Apple TV challenge major streaming rivals.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Ted Lasso returns for a fourth season that serves as a soft reboot for the series.
- The plot kicks off when Rebecca and friends travel to Kansas City to convince Ted to coach a new women's team.
- Several original cast members are replaced by an entirely new squad of players on the women's side.
- The comeback strengthens Apple TV's streaming strategy and market presence in 2026.
2026 is shaping up to be an excellent year for Apple TV. Apple’s streaming service has built out an impressive slate that spans returning favorites like Silo and Sugar to all-new hits including OnlyFans-inspired dramedies, terrifying comedies, and paranoid tech thrillers. But the most important release might be a feel-good sports sitcom. After what seemed like a definitive finale, Ted Lasso is back with a fourth season that doubles as a soft reboot for the show, mixing up familiar characters with a substantially new cast. And as Apple TV continues its push for a bigger piece of the streaming market, the return of its most culturally impactful series could go a long way toward solidifying its place against more established competitors.
The end of season 3, which happened in 2023, promised a lot of change and what seemed like a happy ending for much of the main cast. Among many other things, Ted (Jason Sudeikis) was heading back to the US to spend time with his son, Roy (Brett Goldstein) had just been promoted to head coach of AFC Richmond, Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) got married at Stonehenge, and Richmond’s leadership group of Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), Keeley (Juno Temple), and Higgins (Jeremy Swift) were flirting with the idea of launching a women’s team. It had the energy of a sitcom ending, and the episode was even called “So Long, Farewell.” But it’s that fledgling women’s team that spurs the show’s return.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The season 4 premiere almost feels like a different show at first, and that largely comes down to location. At the outset, Ted is working part-time at a grocery store in order to have more time to parent, and Rebecca, Keeley, and Higgins have come to Kansas City in an attempt to convince him to be the inaugural coach of the new team. It’s like a reunion episode of sorts, with old friends catching up for the first time in years, which helps viewers understand what has happened in that time. It also drags out Ted’s inevitable decision to say “yes” across a full episode.
Bringing back Ted Lasso as a soft reboot centered around a women's football team is a clever strategic move for Apple TV to maximize its valuable IP amidst fierce competition with Netflix and Disney+. Utilizing women's football as a backdrop taps into real-world growing sports trends while preserving the trademark optimism and wholesome humor that defined the series.
The premiere serves as a transitory moment for this new era of Ted Lasso, and from there the show shifts back to England and takes on a much more familiar feel — but with some significant changes. Part of what makes season 4 feel like a reboot is the players. Ted and most of the rest of the coaching staff and club leadership are back, but the actual team itself is all new. That means that favorites like Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster), Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh), and Dani Rojas (Cristo Fernández) aren’t in the show at all aside from some brief mentions. In their place is a scrappy squad of up-and-coming players, and an assistant coach named Alice (Tanya Reynolds) who provides a more stern counterpoint to Ted’s relentless optimism.
"The streaming service is having a moment, but it needs plenty of hits to compete with the likes of Netflix and Disney."
Andrew Webster
Source: The Verge
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