He’s back. Apple TV+ celebrates the return of its unofficial mascot, Ted Lasso, with the premiere of Season 4. And after watching the first episode, audiences can say it is a warm welcome.
If you have paid any attention to the Ted Lasso marketing, you know Season 4 is all about Ted Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis, donning the cape once again to coach a women’s team. However, by the end of Season 3, Ted had vowed to return to Kansas City to spend more time with his son, Henry, and his ex-wife, Michelle.
So, the objective of this first episode, aptly titled “Home,” is to somehow justify renewing Ted Lasso after its storybook ending. While some fans may disagree with the idea of Season 4, the first episode really hits the mark.
At the beginning of the episode, Ted has been living in Kansas City for three years and is now working as an assistant manager at Fowch’s Fine Foods. While he maintains his usual happy-go-lucky attitude, it’s clear this isn’t his first choice of career — a perfect seed for his eventual change of heart.
Rebecca Welton, Keeley Jones and Leslie Higgins make a transatlantic trip to see Ted. While they claim to be scouting the Kansas City women’s soccer team for Richmond’s new women’s team, Ted quickly realizes their real purpose is to convince him to return as a Richmond coach.
As an audience, we already know he takes the offer. The series isn’t about the assistant manager of Fowch’s Fine Foods. We know it’s about a soccer coach. So the episode has the difficult task of sustaining the “will he or won’t he” tension even though we know the answer.
While Ted is initially against moving across the pond again, the episode explores his emotional turmoil in a compelling way. A nighttime montage of Kansas City sights feels Lost in Translation-esque, giving the city a melancholic quality, as if Ted shouldn’t leave such a beautiful place behind.
But the crux of Ted’s decision is whether he is willing to sacrifice time with Henry to pursue his passion in Richmond.
In the final scene, Ted texts Michelle and asks about a “change of scenery.” She responds positively, but Ted worries about Henry’s opinion. It is then revealed that Henry has been responding from Michelle’s phone while she watches.
By the end of the episode, Ted, Michelle and Henry decide to move to Richmond, allowing Ted another crack at coaching.
The episode gives us more Ted Lasso: witty humor combined with surprisingly heartfelt moments. And for a show that has become such a cross-cultural icon, I think that’s all you can ask for.
Rating: 8.5/10