Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled that Season 4 of Ted Lasso will follow AFC Richmond’s women's team. I can’t wait to meet a new cast of characters, and I’m looking forward to seeing the new dynamics created among the ensemble when the show returns on the 2026 TV schedule. However, this big update also means not everyone from the original cast could return. It turns out, Jason Sudeikis personally called those actors too to break the sad news to them.

As of right now, actors like Toheeb Jimoh (Sam), Cristo Fernández (Danny), Phil Dunster (Jamie) and more will not be back for Ted Lasso Season 4. All these guys played important members of the AFC Richmond men’s team. However, with the focus shifting over to a whole new team, there wasn’t room to bring them back. Speaking to THR about making this choice, Jason Sudeikis said it was “very difficult” to call the guys and break this news to them. He also explained why it was vital for them to learn this news from him:

I can imagine how hard it must have been to both make and receive that call. For three seasons, this group was not only a team on screen, but off too. They experienced a phenomenon together as they made one of Apple TV’s greatest shows. So, finding out you won’t be returning for Season 4 must have been a hard pill to swallow.

I’m happy, though, that Jason Sudeikis personally called them all. I imagine this news was much easier to process after having a conversation rather than finding out about it online.

However, this is the way television works: casts evolve, stories shift and that causes big changes. In Ted Lasso’s case, this meant bringing in a full new team of female soccer players, and saying so long to the men’s team.

Of course, I’m optimistic the guys could make cameos. I mean, both Brendan Hunt and Brett Goldstein are in Season 4, and the last time we saw Beard and Roy, they were coaching the men. So, I don’t think it’s far-fetched to think we could see someone like Jamie or Danny pop in for a minute or two. However, we do know that no matter what, the guys will not be the regular players they were in Seasons 1 through 3.

Instead, a whole new team of women will be introduced. This new cast of characters will be played by Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsay, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey and Abbie Hern. Grant Feely has also joined the cast, and he’ll be taking over the role of Ted’s son, Henry (who was played by Gus Turner in the first three seasons).

The cast is not entirely new, though. As mentioned earlier, Sudeikis will, obviously, be back as Ted, and he’ll be joined by Brett Goldstein and Brendan Hunt, who play his fellow coaches, Roy Kent and Coach Beard. Hannah Waddingham will also return as the team’s owner, Rebecca. Juno Temple and Jeremy Swift will be reprising their roles as Keeley and Higgins, respectively, as well.

So, overall, Ted Lasso will be missing some familiar faces, and as the show’s lead said, it was hard to break that news to them. However, now, we get to enter a new chapter of AFC Richmond’s history with some of the characters we love and a whole new set of folks we get to learn about. To do that (and to spend time with the lads from Seasons 1 through 3), you can stream Ted Lasso with an Apple TV subscription and catch the premiere of Season 4 on August 5.

For a long time, the question surrounding Ted Lasso was: Will it ever come back? Following Season 3’s ending, we were given closure; however, the door never felt like it was fully shut. Now, the comedy is returning with a new season and a bunch of new characters. So, the new question is: Will Ted Lasso continue after Season 4 finishes its run on the 2026 TV schedule? Well, Jason Sudeikis has a plan.

Ted Lasso’s fourth season hasn’t even premiered yet. In fact, we have to wait until August 5 to stream new episodes with an Apple TV subscription. However, there’s already a lot of talk about what will happen next.

So, if you’re familiar with the plan behind the first three seasons of the great Apple TV show, you shouldn't be surprised to learn that “Sudeikis has a three-season arc in mind” for this new chapter. According to a report from THR, he would like to do Seasons 5 and 6 following the release of Season 4. In fact, work on Season 5 could begin soon, as it's been reported that “if all goes according to plan, the Lasso team will be back in the writers room in late August.”

While Season 5 has not been officially ordered, it stands to reason that history could easily repeat itself, and the Ted Lasso cast could find itself returning to the pitch for at least two more seasons. The SNL vet is ready for it too, as it was explained that he has already been writing down ideas in his Notes app. As all this information was explained, Sudeikis also noted that he needed this show to come back, so I get why they want it to continue too:

Knowing all of this, I’m thrilled about the potential for Ted Lasso to continue, and I love that there’s a rough plan in place. Personally, I was a fan of the first three seasons’ arc, and appreciated that they intentionally created one big story with them. I’d love it if they did that again with Seasons 4 through 6.

We know that Season 4 will kick off a brand new chapter for Ted Lasso and AFC Richmond, as he begins coaching the women’s team instead of the men’s team. Overall, Ted Lasso’s Season 4 trailer left me with lots of questions about all the characters and the journey they’re about to go on. So, I can already tell there’s plenty to explore in this continuation of the beloved show.

However, we can’t get too far ahead of ourselves here. As I said, the series has not been officially renewed for Season 5 yet, and Season 4 hasn’t even premiered. We get to return to Richmond soon, though, as Ted Lasso will premiere on August 5.

So, get ready, folks. It sounds like there’s a good roadmap for the future in place that has a “Richmond ‘til we die” mentality. And if all goes to plan, we could be seeing a lot more of Ted and co. on our screens in the years to come. Now, all we have to do is watch and believe that there will be more to come after Season 4.

Without fail, every single time I’ve rewatched Ted Lasso with my Apple TV subscription, I replay the moment where Ted hits his head on Rebecca’s door frame. It’s so shocking that I always instantly replay it. However, the story behind filming that moment makes it even crazier, because it was a total accident. And I have to say, the fact that it wasn’t meant to happen makes Hannah Waddingham’s look of horror in the episode make a lot more sense.

The moment in question happens during Season 1, Episode 10, after a meeting Ted has with Rebecca. During their conversation, Ted voices his insecurities about coaching the team, and Rebecca hypes him up. That prompts the coach to realize he can “cause chaos” on the pitch, and with his newfound realization, he jumps for joy out of her office. However, he jumps a bit too hard and hits his head and knee on the doorframe. He then falls down, gets up, and says he’s “fine.” According to Jason Sudeikis, he really wasn’t fine, though, as he explained on The Drew Barrymore Show:

Well, that story about filming this Ted Lasso moment could certainly explain why Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca looked like she was in utter shock when her coach slammed into the door frame (which you can see in the image at the top of this story).

While I know they turned the camera around to get Waddingham's coverage after Sudeikis hurt himself, I also have to assume they were both in shock about what just happened. So, I’d imagine that looking horrified and concerned for the camera was not difficult. In fact, I’d assume there was really no acting required there, because from a viewer’s perspective, the way the Ted actor jumped, hit himself, and then fell was so utterly unexpected. I have to believe they felt the same way on set too.

Now, I’m very curious to see if there are moments like this in Season 4 of Ted Lasso. Both Sudeikis and Waddingham are set to return, alongside Juno Temple (Keeley Jones), Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard), Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent) and Jeremy Swift (Leslie Higgins). Plus, a whole new set of characters will be joining them, as Ted will return to AFC Richmond to coach the women’s team.

With all that in mind, I’m sure the cast and creatives will bring us many new gags, goofs and hilarious quotes that will leave us laughing and maybe even gasping like this Season 1 moment did.

However, we’ll have to wait a bit longer to find out, as Season 4 of Ted Lasso is set to premiere on the 2026 TV schedule on Wednesday, August 5. In the meantime, we can all go back and watch this wild, injury-inducing moment by streaming the beloved comedy series on Apple TV.

Arguably the best relationship to come out of three seasons of the Apple TV series Ted Lasso is the one that evolved between Jamie Tartt and Roy Kent, and equally between Phil Dunster and Brett Goldstein. Starting at a point of absolute loathing, Jamie and Roy could barely be in the same room together in Season 1, but a bond formed as trust was built and they became the best part of Season 3.

One of the best shows Apple TV has to offer, it’s true that the beloved series had a divisive Season 3 finale, but before then, it was Dunster and Goldstein’s time to shine. While promoting HBO’s Rooster in this Rich Eisen Show clip, the actor confirmed that the love he and Goldstein had for each other was reflected in the time they shared in Amsterdam in Episode 6, resulting in his favorite scene to film. He said:

Cast members often say glowing things about their co-stars in interviews, but Phil Dunster seems to have genuinely enjoyed the time he spent with Brett Goldstein while making Ted Lasso. The time they shared together in Amsterdam not only provided one of the most wholesome moments of the series but also helped solidify the bromance between Dunster and Goldstein, as indicated in the way the actor spoke about it below.

In the episode, which you can watch or rewatch with an Apple TV subscription, Roy Kent makes a vulnerable admission that he never learned to ride a bike because the grandfather that was supposed to teach him passed away before getting the chance. Jamie Tartt, in the most Jamie Tartt way possible, decides to teach him on stolen bicycles bought from a stranger.

Teamwork, some shared conversation that revealed just how different their families are, and a desire to see a windmill forms a bond that cannot be broken. Phil Dunster said:

It’s also a time that went a long way in humanizing Jamie Tartt and Roy Kent. At the start of Ted Lasso, Jamie was a talented striker on the field but had an ego that made him impossible to be around. And Roy, the hot-headed veteran turned coach, wanted nothing to do with him. But after breaking down some emotional walls and realizing their insecurities made them more alike than they realized, the two became friends.

Ted Lasso will be making its return later in the 2026 TV schedule with its fourth season and with Ted now set to coach Richmond’s women’s football team. And while Brett Goldstein will be returning as Roy Kent, it’s currently unknown whether Phil Dunster will at least make a cameo or appear in some way. But we’ll all know for sure in August as the new episodes roll out, and hopefully Dunster and Goldstein will get to share some more memorable on-screen moments.

Sadly, Hollywood and the world at large have lost yet another beloved actor in Anthony Head, who died this week at the age of 72. Head’s death was confirmed by his family, and the beloved performer died due to complications from pneumonia. Known best for his roles on shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ted Lasso, Head has been widely mourned by fans thus far. Many of the late actor's co-stars are also now paying tribute to him, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, as she shared an emotionally candid post.

Sarah Michelle Gellar And Other Buffy Stars Honor Anthony Head

Head played the role of Rupert Giles (mostly known as just “Giles”) and was a regular cast member for the show’s first five seasons before recurring throughout the final two. Giles is a “watcher,” who serves as a mentor to Gellar’s young slayer, Buffy, and, in time, the two form a surrogate father-daughter relationship. Evidently, that connection extended beyond the show as well, based on the sweet sentiments Gellar shared about Head on Instagram. The actress shared a series of sweet photos as well as caption about not being “OK”:

Giles is arguably one of the supernatural horror show’s most lovable characters, and he dishes out invaluable wisdom to the characters throughout the course of Buffy’s seven seasons. While the writers deserve plenty of credit, Head’s warm performance really makes the character work, and he also seemed to endear himself to his co-stars while making the series. Emma Caufield, who played Anya Jenkins on the show, also shared some warm words about Head on Instagram:

Also joining the series of tributes to Head was Angel actor David Boreanaz. When taking to Instagram, Boreanaz shared a throwback photo of himself and Head, and he also shared a truly bittersweet message:

Charisma Carpenter, who played Cordelia Chase on the show, paid tribute to Anthony Head as well by sharing photos and a lengthy message on Instagram. While Carpenter admitted to not being as close with Head as some of her co-stars, she also got real about feeling the weight of his loss:

Sadly, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer family has lost multiple members in recent years, with Xander Harris portrayer Nicholas Brendon having passed away at 54 due to natural causes just earlier this year. And, in 2025, Michelle Trachtenberg died at 39 due to complications related to diabetes. Trachtenberg was best known for her role as Dawn Summers, a character she played throughout Buffy’s final two seasons.

Ted Lasso Stars Pay Tribute After Anthony Head’s Death

As a member of the Ted Lasso cast, Head played the despicable Rupert Mannion (to perfection). Now, several members of the cast have since spoken out in the aftermath of Head’s passing, including Roy Kent actor Brett Goldstein. In a post shared to his Instagram story, Goldstein paid loving tribute to Head:

Keeley Hazell played Bex, Mannion’s girlfriend and eventual third wife on the show, and the actress also posted a tribute to Head on her Instagram story. Hazell’s post contains two photos as well as a lovely message in honor of her on-screen husband:

Sweet sentiments also came from Jeremy Swift (known for playing Leslie Higgins on Lasso) shared a sweet selfie featuring himself and Head on Instagram. See it for yourself below:

The loss of Anthony Head still feels somewhat surreal at this point, though fans should know that it’s perfectly fine not to be OK like Sarah Michelle Gellar. If anything, though, the outpouring of love for Head is beautiful to see, and I feel confident in saying that his body of work – which includes other TV shows like Merlin and Little Britain – won’t be forgotten.

Actor Anthony Head worked on a number of beloved TV shows throughout his career, including starring as Giles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the villainous Rupert in Ted Lasso's cast. Unfortunately for his generations of fans, the multitalent has died at age 72. And his family has issued a statement about his final moments.

Head started off with a career in musical theater, before eventually breaking into mainstream TV as one of the stars of Buffy. That beloved cult series, as well as other projects like Ted Lasso, have resulted in tons of fans. But a report by BBC revealed he died at 72 years-old, along with a statement from his daughters Emily and Daisy. Their official comments read:

Anthony Head's daughters also said that they know "how dearly he will be missed by friends, colleagues and fans of the show he was in," emphasizing just how many fans the TV star had thanks to his work... particularly Buffy and Ted Lasso. The latter is considered one of Apple TV's best shows, and is set to return for more episodes. We'll just have to wait and see if he posthumously appears in the upcoming fourth season when it arrives for those with an Apple TV+ subscription.

The first footage of Ted Lasso Season 4 didn't include the late actor, so only time will tell if Anthony Head's character Rupert Mannion ends up appearing. While not a series regular, the late actor appeared in 18 episodes throughout its original run. Funny enough, Rupert is also the first name of his Buffy character, although he's primarily referred to as Giles.

From the family's comments, it's clear that the late actor's daughters understood just how much Anthony Head's work means to his fans. Particularly Buffy, since the show is a cult classic that's still regularly re-watched by fans (especially those with a Hulu subscription). Unfortunately, the Buffy community has lost a number of the leading actors recently. Because after Michelle Trachtenberg passed away in February of 2025, Xander actor Nicholas Brendan also died this past March. Head's death comes shortly after Hulu scrapped the Buffy revival, which fans were hoping to see Giles appear in.

Our thoughts are with Anthony Head's family during his impossible time. Fans can re-watch his roles in Buffy and Ted Lasso by streaming them, as well as the late actor's other roles in projects like Sweeney Todd, Little Britain, and Merlin. We'll have to which of his co-stars pen tributes to him after his passing.

One of the most important relationships in Ted Lasso is the friendship between Ted and Rebecca. We’ll get to see them return soon too, with Season 4 of Ted Lasso set to premiere this summer on the 2026 TV schedule. With that in mind, Hannah Waddingham recently spoke about her dynamic with Jason Sudeikis, the actor behind the titular character and co-creator of the show, specifically explaining why they have a “love-hate relationship” when it comes to one element of the show.

Now, it’s important to note that Waddingham has always spoken very highly of both Ted Lasso and Jason Sudeikis. However, in an interview with Variety, the production delays surrounding Season 3 did come up. Reports claimed that the wait between Seasons 2 and 3 was long because the SNL alum kept rewriting scenes. The Rebecca actress was asked about this and whether Season 4 ran more smoothly. In response, she said:

It sounds like Sudeikis isn’t afraid to make updates to his show as they go along. It also seems like this has stayed true as they’ve worked on Season 4 of Ted Lasso.

While the production delays between Seasons 2 and 3 were not confirmed, it seems like Jason Sudeikis is well known for making lots of changes. Notably, Season 2 of Ted Lasso aired in 2021, and then Season 3 premiered in 2023. So, it took two years to make it.

Meanwhile, it's been three years since Season 3 of Ted Lasso ended. After a few years of hiatus, production on Season 4 started in the summer of 2025, and it will be released on August 5 for those with an Apple TV subscription. We don’t know if rewrites and changes impacted the show’s production timeline for its newest episodes.

Anyway, again, Waddingham did candidly admit that she has a “love-hate relationship” with the Ted actor when it comes to this element of filming. However, she also said she’s “blessed" to be in "this AFC Richmond family.”

Listen, with every relationship there’s bound to be a bit of tension or conflict. It’s perfectly normal. It sounds like when it comes to Waddingham and Sudeikis’ working relationship, they might butt heads a bit when it comes to last-minute changes. However, overall, the actress made it clear how much she adores working on this great Apple TV show.

Now, to see what the cast and crew of Ted Lasso have in store for us, you can catch the Season 4 premiere on August 5. Ted and Rebecca will both be back for this new era as the focus shifts from Richmond's men's team to a new women's team, and I know I'm very excited to see Waddingham and Sudeikis working together again.

It’s hard to keep celebrity relationship rumors at bay, and that’s something Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein have faced with their upcoming Netflix movie. Office Romance is set to hit the 2026 movie calendar in just a few weeks, and regardless of whether or not they actually were involved off-camera, JLo certainly has had a lot of complimentary things to say about her co-star. Not only did she call Goldstein “the best kisser,” but she revealed what surprised her about him.

Anyone who’s seen the Office Romance trailer can tell there’s a spark between the lead couple, and that’s something that Jennifer Lopez acknowledged when she spoke about her co-star at Netflix's Upfronts. She told People:

Still, JLo admitted that Brett Goldstein wasn’t exactly who she expected to be after watching him play Roy Kent on Ted Lasso. She continued:

Roy Kent is more of a gruff character on the hit Apple TV series, prone to expletive-filled rants that mask how caring and loyal he is as a teammate and friend. Jennifer Lopez said Goldstein was completely different with her on the set of Office Romance:

Brett Goldstein actually co-wrote Office Romance with JLo in mind — in fact, if she hadn’t accepted the role, he was willing to throw out the script. The plot revolves around Goldstein’s Daniel, who becomes involved with his boss Jackie Cruz (Lopez), threatening both of their places within the company.

Fans have been particularly excited about the upcoming rom-com after reports that it was a “flirt fest” between JLo and Brett Goldstein between takes. The actor is famously private about his love life, and the headlines involving a possible romance between him and Jennifer Lopez in the wake of her divorce from Ben Affleck actually made some aspects of Office Romance a “nightmare” for him.

JLo may not have been aware of how sweet and soft-spoken Brett Goldstein could be, but audiences got a glimpse of it last fall when he played the leading man in All of You (available to stream with an Apple TV subscription).

Fans (and JLo) have a chance to see several different sides of Brett Goldstein this year. In addition to Office Romance and Ted Lasso Season 4 hitting the 2026 TV schedule this summer, the actor recently finished another season of Shrinking and voices two of the sheep in the book-to-screen adaptation The Sheep Detectives. I can’t wait to see him opposite Jennifer Lopez in their new movie, which will be available to stream with a Netflix subscription starting Friday, June 5.

Just when I thought Aimee Lou Wood was Saturday Night Live UK's biggest get of the season, an Emmy award-winner is swooping in to lead an episode toward the end of the show's inaugural run. That's right, Hannah Waddingham is coming to the 2026 TV schedule, and I have a feeling a Ted Lasso star and major SNL alum is going to show up with her.

I was thrilled when I saw Sky TV's announcement about the actress hosting, and Waddingham on her own would be a treat. That said, wouldn't it be the ultimate Saturday Night Live crossover to have a former U.S. castmember and her co-star, Jason Sudeikis, appear as well? No word on that happening yet, but considering we just got a trailer for the fourth season of Ted Lasso and we know the series will be back on Apple TV this summer, I feel like it's well within the realm of possibility for something like this to happen.

Jason Sudeikis Would Be A Great Nod To Ted Lasso And SNL

Some might frown upon bringing in another celebrity to shine on another's moment, but it feels like that's a welcome recurring bit on Saturday Night Live. Similar to how UK legend Graham Norton showed up during Tina Fey's episode, I would love to see Jason Sudeikis show up during Hannah Waddingham's opening monologue so they can have an entertaining bit. Considering how beloved Ted and Rebecca are on Ted Lasso, as well as Sudeikis' history with the US SNL, something like this would be perfect.

He could also show up in a sketch centered around Ted Lasso, though things in Saturday Night Live are rarely ever that straightforward. I'll leave the creative brainstorming to the SNL UK writers, assuming they'll have a chance to work with Sudeikis if he does indeed show up to support Waddingham.

Will Other Ted Lasso Stars Appear?

Jason Sudeikis would be a great get for Saturday Night Live UK, but there are other Ted Lasso stars I'm sure we'd all love to see make an appearance as well. For example, I could see Brett Goldstein showing up to promote his new movie with Jennifer Lopez, Office Romance. It'd also be neat to see Phil Dunster, especially with all the critical acclaim that Rooster is getting over on HBO.

Ultimately, I'd be fine with seeing anyone from the Ted Lasso cast on Saturday Night Live UK, but if not, it's completely fine. The sketch comedy series has already won by securing Hannah Waddingham, and I'm so glad to get another chance to see her after her acclaimed series rose from the dead.

For those of us in the United States who don't have access to Sky TV, episodes of SNL UK are available on streaming, provided you have a Peacock subscription. Fortunately, I do, and can watch this as well as the UK version of The Traitors because I'm absolutely jonesing for a new American season.

Catch Hannah Waddingham on Saturday Night Live UK on May 9th with musical guest Myles Smith. I can't wait to see how Ted Lasso is mentioned, and fingers crossed, it will also include a cheeky little Jason Sudeikis cameo.

We officially have our first teaser trailer for Ted Lasso Season 4, and even though it’s short, it sparked a whole lot of thoughts. In fact, in the span of its one-minute and change runtime, I was specifically left with two questions I hope the show answers right when it returns on the 2026 TV schedule.

Did Ted Return To Richmond In A Way That Lets His Son Stay With Him?

The whole reason Ted left AFC Richmond at the end of Ted Lasso Season 3 was to be with his son, Henry. So, for him to go back across the pond, I’d assume they need to find a way to keep the coach and his family, specifically his son, together. To me, if they don’t, it will feel like a disservice to the way things were left the last time we checked in with the optimistic coach.

However, I really think they will find a way to do this. For Season 4, they’ve recast Henry – Grant Feely plays him now – and in the trailer, we get to see him as well as Ted’s ex-wife in the stands. Ted’s son has also appeared in images released for Season 4, which seems to imply that he’ll play a bigger role in this story.

So, that leaves me hopeful that they’ve found a way for Jason Sudeikis' character to coach this team he loves while keeping the people he loves the most close. I want Ted to be happy first and foremost, and I think he needs this team and his family to do that, so hopefully they stay together this time.

What’s Going On With Roy And Keeley?

When Season 3 ended, Roy and Keeley were in a fine-ish place, but they weren’t together. However, this teaser seems to allude to the idea that something is going on, and I can’t tell if it’s good or bad. Toward the start of the footage, Brett Goldstein and Juno Temple’s characters give each other a longing look that confused me, and it made me wonder if they’re keeping a secret. And Higgins confused reaction to this look further confirmed that yes, I should be reading into this with a bit of caution.

Then, later in the trailer, we get to see Roy and Keeley in a car together, as Goldstein’s character smashes a sunroof in. Why were they in the car together? Are they stuck? What were they so dressed up for? Was it a work function or a date? The questions just keep coming based on these few seconds, and I’m hopeful that we’ll get some clarity about the state of their relationship as the great Apple TV series returns.

Obviously, I have more than two questions about Ted Lasso coming back, as we got to see the new women's team and coach as well as other beloved characters, like Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca (who seems to be with that pilot), Jeremy Swift’s Higgins and Brendan Hunt’s Beard in the trailer too. So, I can’t wait to see what new questions and theories pop up as we actually begin to watch the show.

However, these two things are what I couldn’t stop wondering about as I pondered this first trailer, and you better believe it’s what will be on my mind until I can use my Apple TV subscription to watch the Season 4 premiere on Wednesday, August 5.

Bill Lawrence has been making great TV for decades. From some of the best sitcoms like Spin City and Scrubs, to streaming giants like Ted Lasso and Shrinking, he’s produced some major, and I mean major, hits. However, the way that happens isn’t totally because of one show’s singular success; it’s assisted by a domino effect of sorts, at least in these programs’ cases. Lawrence himself pointed that out while explaining how Jason Sudeikis’ soccer comedy opened the door for Jason Segel’s therapy comedy.

Shrinking’s third season just ended on the 2026 TV schedule, and it’s returning for a fourth season too. It’s proven itself over the years, and it’s solidified itself as an award-worthy series (can we give Harrison Ford an Emmy already?). So, I didn’t realize the role Ted Lasso played in getting this show off the ground.

However, Lawrence, who is a co-creator on both series, told Esquire how the Emmy-winning comedy about a football-turned-football coach made it so a comedy about a widowed therapist could happen:

Now, on the surface, it would seem like Shrinking and Ted Lasso don’t have much in common. However, Lawrence co-created both shows, and Brett Goldstein, who played Roy Kent on Lasso, co-created Shrinking. So, the ties between the series are actually very strong.

They are also both available to those with an Apple TV subscription, and Shrinking premiered on the service between Seasons 2 and 3 of Ted Lasso.

So, in a lot of ways, we need to say thank you to Ted Lasso for helping us get Shrinking. The soccer series turned out to be a massive breakout hit for Apple, as it took over the zeitgeist and took home many Emmys (including two wins and three nominations for Goldstein). Therefore, it tracks that the streamer would want more content from the folks who made it.

They really leaned into that too, because as Ted Lasso was wrapping up its three-season arc, Lawrence wasn’t just working on Shrinking; he was creating Bad Monkey, too (which has a second season on the way).

With all that said, both Lawrence and Apple TV can look back on an era of television that was wildly successful and made people very happy. It’s not over, either. As I mentioned, Shrinking will return for Season 4, with a plan to run a few more seasons after that. Bad Monkey is also coming back, and the long-awaited fourth season of Ted Lasso should premiere this summer.

While this is surprising in a sense, it's not exactly unusual. When a streamer or network finds people they like to work with, they'll keep the collaboration going. For example, after Mike Schur worked as a co-executive producer on The Office with Greg Daniels, they went on to co-create Parks and Recreation. Then, Schur co-created Brooklyn Nine-Nine and created The Good Place. All those comedies aired on NBC (though Brooklyn Nine-Nine didn't start there), showing the trust the network had in him and his collaborators.

Going back to Lawrence, his success actually reaches beyond Apple TV. Along with Ted Lasso, Shrinking and Bad Monkey, he has worked on the revival of Scrubs and the HBO Max comedy led by Steve Carell, Rooster, which also stars Ted Lasso’s Phil Dunster. And I feel like it's worth noting that Shrinking, Scrubs and Rooster were all airing at the same time, too. Talk about a busy guy.

Now, while each series stands strongly on its own, there’s absolutely no denying the run Bill Lawrence's work has been on since the soccer comedy became a hit. So, in some ways, we do owe a debt of gratitude to Ted Lasso for helping us get shows like Shrinking.

There are some shows in the annals of TV history that have become wildly popular due to writing, setting, character development and just general approachability for a large core audience. However, some shows that ultimately have grown popular on TV and streaming have done so despite being polarizing, cringe-worthy, tough to watch, and sometimes very dark in concept. Luckily, people who don’t get these shows are not afraid to talk about it.

There Are A Lot Of Popular Shows Some TV Fans Just Can’t Get Through

In a recent Reddit thread, not only did a slew of people share great shows they couldn’t get through, they also took things a step further. The takeaway I particularly liked about this thread was that most people explained the “why” behind why they couldn’t get through a certain show, despite it being a series that was ripe for watercooler conversation.

Here is a rundown of some of the best takeaways, with the exception of the one I agree with most. Intriguingly, the list includes both comedies and dramas. They also include projects like Game Of Thrones, which started strong, but had fans bummed by the ending. (And led to comments from Benioff and Weiss about hiding out.) Shows like Ted Lasso, on the other hand, remained critically-acclaimed throughout. Some of these shows also got more popular streaming over time.

• "Schitt’s Creek. Everyone says to get through the first season and it gets better but I just can’t."
• "Yellowstone. People talk about it like it's the best show of modern times, but I don't get it at all."
• "The Bear. Not because I can’t get into it, but as a former line cook who has been in that kind of environment, it’s TOO REAL to the point where it triggers PTSD in me or something and brings back horrible memories."
• "Ted Lasso. Every scene is so fucking contrived. Every character is a one-note parody of themselves."
• "Game of thrones. People wouldn't shut up about it for years and years. Finally I watched the first episode and was bored to tears. Everyone says it gets better, but I shouldn't have to choke down my entertainment. Boy did I feel justified when it all went belly up."
• "Black Mirror, this serie is just plain boring to me, I don't get the high praise."
• "The Wire. Finished first season and I was stuck going this is wtf people are going crazy over. Made it 4 episodes into season 2 and just decided I wasn’t the target audience."

It's a pretty bold list, right?

Honestly, I’ve watched a lot of these shows. I’m actively obsessed with The Bear, despite it being stressful and never really going anywhere. (Though I will note the individual commenter above is not the first person in the restaurant industry to say they can't watch.) However, there’s one series on this list that cropped up several times that I also have tried watching more than once and could never get through. Now, I’m wondering if this is a common theme for anyone else?

Whomever Said Breaking Bad Was My Kindred Spirit

A few of the comments in the thread mentioned Breaking Bad as a TV series they found anxiety-inducing. Now, people are really speaking my language. I never finished Breaking Bad and I don't regret it. In fact, watched the entire first season of Breaking Bad, and couldn't handle it in any way, shape or form. I didn't like the characters. I didn't like how bleak and violent it was. I didn't even really enjoy the Albuquerque setting. It all depressed me, and I stopped punishing myself a couple of episodes into Season 2.

While I wouldn't wish a dependence on prescription drugs on anyone, this post mostly felt like it could have been written by me:

One thing all these shows have in common is they are acclaimed, and yet many haters still exist. I really have to wonder if there's a large smattering of popular shows with under-the-radar haters out there that weren't listed in this thread, as well.

To me, though, the most interesting thing about this thought experiment is that all the posters (presumably) watched episodes of all of these shows and just could not get into programs ranging all the way from Ted Lasso to the highly-violent political intrigue Game Of Thrones. The shows on the list have a few things in common, but certainly not everything, and it's so interesting to me that standout shows don't gel sometimes for many different reasons.

For me, Breaking Bad was ultimately just too bleak. I have a hard enough time just getting through day-to-day life to want to watch a show about being in the drug industry for fun. Others just don't want to be bored or deal with cringey moments. Sometimes shows just lose their way over time, too. We're all wired differently as fans. The good news? That's why there are plenty of different types of TV to choose from.

A Ted Lasso renaissance is on the way later in the 2026 TV schedule with the fourth season, although major changes are on the way with Ted now set to coach Richmond’s women’s football team. It remains to be seen how many characters will be back for Season 4 to follow up on the divisive Season 3 finale. Phil Dunster, a.k.a. Jamie Tartt, looked back at his time on the Apple TV+ comedy and named his favorite line, which is a deep cut but A+ choice.

Dunster had already revealed that “poop-eh” was his favorite word to say as Jamie, with his take on the Mancunian accent making “poopy” a lot funnier than it had any right to be on paper. Speaking with Esquire, the actor shouted out his favorite word, but clarified that his favorite line isn’t even one of Jamie’s. He said:

Phil Dunster was just a little bit off in his recollection of the line, which comes from Episode 3 of Ted Lasso’s excellent first season. While it’s a somewhat obscure pick compared to moments from the show that would go viral back in the day, I’m 100% on board.

I credit Episode 3 as the one that really hooked me into Ted Lasso. It introduced the somewhat softer side of Roy with Phoebe, provided a closer look at Trent Crimm, dropped some of the first clues about the Roy/Keeley romance, included Ted’s “You spoke to God?!” in response to Rebecca telling him she’d spoken to the owner of The Sun, and of course the visual gag of Nate – to quote Phil Dunster – “kicking some dog poo off the pitch” with Nick Mohammed nailing the delivery.

As for the actor getting the line slightly wrong… well, Season 1 released way back in 2020, and Jamie wasn’t actually part of the scene, so I think he can be forgiven. If you tune in to Episode 3 of Season 1 with an Apple TV+ subscription, this is what you’ll hear:

Unfortunately, Phil Dunster was not among the actors listed as series regulars for the fourth season, so he won’t be joining Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Juno Temple, and Jeremy Swift as returning stars. New cast members for Season 4 include Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsey, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern and Grant Feely.

That’s not to say that Dunster hasn’t been busy, and he can currently be found with an HBO Max subscription as part of the cast of the critically-acclaimed Rooster. Plus, fans can always hope that Jamie at least makes a cameo in Season 4 of Ted Lasso. It’s still not entirely clear how the new season will pull off shifting focus over to the women’s team while still keeping Roy deeply involved, as he ended Season 3 as the coach of the men’s team.

Ted Lasso is expected to return in August, with or without Phil Dunster. Stay tuned for new updates, and revisit the first three seasons streaming on Apple TV+ now.

I am on record as saying that I think Ted Lasso is one of the best television shows ever made. It’s a series that, over the course of three seasons, does everything right at every step along the way, and even the co-creator of the show, Bill Lawrence, who also created other sitcom heavyweights, like Scrubs, says one of his favorite sitcom moments is in Ted Lasso.

Bill Lawrence recently sat down with Deadline and the stars of the Scrubs revival, Zach Braff and Donald Faison. The topic of the relationship between characters J.D. and Elliott came up, as the couple had apparently gotten divorced following the original season finale, but the show’s return confirmed there was still a spark between them. Lawrence himself doesn’t know where the relationship will go, but he hopes it’s handled similarly to another show on the 2026 TV schedule, Ted Lasso, which he says Jason Sudeikis handled well. Lawrence said…

He’s specifically talking about the relationship between Sudeikis’ coach and Rebecca, as played by Hannah Waddingham. The two characters got incredibly close over the course of three seasons, and they clearly shared an emotional bond. However, while audiences clearly wondered if the show might “go there,” it never really even talks about it, though it does briefly imply something might have happened as a joke. It’s something that Lawrence says would have been unthinkable on TV even a few years ago. He continued…

It’s certainly true that teasing relationships was, and still is, a big part of all sorts of television. Frequently, that’s what the show is ultimately about, with the series teasing a relationship between two major characters for as long as is humanly possible. Even when that’s not what the series is about, it's rare to have single characters of the opposite sex and not at least deal with the idea of a relationship, whether or not it ultimately happens.

It’s essentially a trope now, and tropes, while they have their place, can be frequently quite boring simply because we’ve seen them all before. Ted Lasso certainly could have gone that route, but it also had the freedom to just not do that. Lawrence loved that fans were able feel that, without it needing to simply check the boxes. He explained…

With Ted Lasso and Rebecca working together again in Ted Lasso Season 4, things still could go the romance path, and if it makes sense for the story, that’s fine. But nobody needs to expect it to happen. Such will hopefully also be the case on Scrubs. If it makes sense for two characters to get together, fine, but if they don’t, that’s fine too.

After a three-year absence, Ted Lasso is finally returning this year, with Season 4 set to premiere on the 2026 TV schedule this summer. However, there will be a handful of familiar faces from the previous three seasons absent, including Phil Dunster, who played Jamie Tartt. The good news, though, is that we’ll still see him on our small screens this year thanks to a new HBO comedy, and his former Ted Lasso co-stars Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham are doing right by their man and hyping it up.

Next month, Dunster will star alongside Steve Carrell in Rooster, which was actually co-created by Bill Lawrence, the same man who gave us Ted Lasso. So there was at least one familiar face Dunster got to work with on this new project, and he shared some Rooster pictures on Instagram:

It didn’t take long for Hannah Waddinham and Brett Goldstein to show him some love in the comments section. The actress, who plays Rebecca Welton on Ted Lasso, said:

And while Roy Kent had a contentious relationship with Jamie Tartt during the first three Ted Lasso seasons, the same can’t be said for Goldstein and Dunster in real life. The former showed his support with this:

Rooster stars Steve Carell as Greg Russo, a best-selling author who has a complicated relationship with his daughter Katie, a college professor played by Charly Clive. Phil Dunster plays Katie’s ex-husband, who left her for a grad student. Suffice it to say that Carell and Dunster’s characters won’t get along (Greg refers to his former son-in-law as a “bad person” whom he hates), but hopefully the actors themselves had a delightful time working with each other.

These two are joined in Rooster’s main cast by Danielle Deadwyler, John C. McGinley and Lauren Tsai, and the recurring cast includes Annie Mumolo, Connie Britton, Robby Hoffman and Scott MacArthur. Bill Lawrence created the series with Matt Tarses, and it will run for 10 episodes on a weekly basis. Check out the Rooster trailer to get a better idea of what you can expect if you watch it live on HBO or stream it later with your HBO Max subscription:

It’ll be good to see Phil Dunster back on TV again, and this pairs nicely with the recent announcement of him joining the How to Train Your Dragon 2 cast. Still, it’s a shame we won’t see him performing on opposite Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham, as well as Jason Sudeikis, Juno Temple, Jeremy Swift and Brendan Hunt, in Ted Lasso Season 4. If Season 5 happens, maybe it could be arranged for Dunster to make a guest appearance as Jamie.

Spoilers for Shrinking Season 3, Episode 2 are ahead! You can stream it now with an Apple TV subscription, and then catch new episodes on Wednesdays.

Season 2 of Shrinking saw both Alice (Lukita Maxwell) and Jimmy (Jason Segel) forgive Louis (Brett Goldstein), the man who caused Tia's death. However, we never saw Tia’s best friend, Gaby (Jessica Williams), forgive him. In Season 3, which just began airing on the 2026 TV schedule, though, Williams’ character did get to confront him. So, I asked her about the assertive moment, and she told me the story behind filming it with the Ted Lasso star.

I had been wondering for all of Season 2 how Gaby would feel about Louis, and I was so happy when they finally had a conversation in Season 3. Of course, it wasn’t exactly a nice talk, as Gaby fully called him out over what happened to her best friend and how he's been living since then. However, it was needed. Thinking about all that, and how emotionally taxing it must have been to film, I asked Jessica Williams about working on it with Goldstein. In response, she said:

Obviously, she’s joking here. As Season 3 of Shrinking is coming out, Season 4 of Ted Lasso is in the works, and it's set to premiere this summer. So, it tracks that Goldstein couldn’t stick around as much to play Louis because he’s also reprising his role as Roy Kent.

However, in all seriousness, Williams told me just how involved Goldstein was in this moment and how vital it was for Gaby.

She explained that she could not fathom the idea of her character forgiving him. While Alice and Jimmy could make peace with him, she could “not reconcile it” for Gaby. So, she’d had conversations with co-creator Bill Lawrence about getting a scene between her and Louis that was confrontational.

The Booksmart actress explained that the goal was to actually get this moment in Season 2. However, ultimately, the timing didn’t work out. Williams told me that all that “made sense.” But when Season 3 came around, it was time to bring this interaction back into the conversation. Recalling a talk she had with Lawrence about it, the Emmy-nominated actress said:

Brett Goldstein is so involved in Shrinking. Not only does he play Louis, but he’s also the co-creator of the series and has written a handful of episodes, including this one. So, all around, he felt like the perfect scene partner to support Williams through this emotional moment.

However, he wasn’t the only one on set, obviously, and Williams told me how she and the crew worked together on this scene specifically. Noting how it was different from a typical workday, the actress explained:

It is a very heavy moment in the show, as Gaby does not hold back how hurt she is as she talks to Louis. Speaking about those words, Jessica Williams said it was actually “really easy to memorize” because of how well-written they were.

Overall, this felt like a much-needed moment of confrontation and catharsis for Gaby. It also served as an effective exit for Louis, seeing as Goldstein had to go work on Ted Lasso, according to Williams. Speaking further to the importance of this interaction between the two characters, the actress said:

Truly, this moment was needed for Gaby. While Jimmy and Alice had their moments with Louis last season, she never did. And frankly, she was incapable of having the same kind of relationship with him. So, Jessica Williams made that very clear, and they made it happen.

Now, I’ll be curious to see how this interaction impacts her relationships with Louis, Alice and Jimmy. We’ll get to find out soon, though, because Shrinking airs every Wednesday on Apple TV.

Ted Lasso once very wisely told Sam Obisanya to “be a goldfish.” They have a short memory, and it’s better to move “onward, forward” than dwell on the past. Well, that’s not what Toheeb Jimoh is doing while speaking about Season 4 of Ted Lasso, and I mean that as a compliment. That’s because while his hopes for the titular coach played by Jason Sudeikis were not very Sam-coded, they're funny (and one of them is very valid).

Now, while Season 4 of Ted Lasso is in the works, Toheeb Jimoh is promoting his show on the 2026 TV schedule, Industry. As of right now, it seems highly unlikely that he’ll return to the hit Apple TV show as Sam, seeing as he said he’ll be “an audience member for this one” in reference to the new installment. However, People still asked him about the comedy that is returning like a cat that came back to life, as Brett Goldstein described it. Specifically, the outlet asked about Jimoh’s hopes for Ted, and he started his answer with this joke:

Obviously, he’s joking, and this is hilarious, especially because I don’t think his character, Sam, would ever say something like that. The fictional footballer would probably be aghast by this sort of morbid thought process. Which makes the actor’s response funny. However, things get better, and even more un-Sam-like, as Jimoh followed up his joke with his real answer:

While I’m certain Sam would want to win a trophy, I don’t think he’d be this blunt about it. However, I do appreciate what Jimoh is saying here. Of course, I agree with Ted’s mentality; he’s an inspiring coach for a reason. However, at the same time, I also think AFC Richmond deserves a big win. And while Ted might never outwardly say that, someone needs to, and in this case, it’s the Sam actor.

Now, here’s where things get really un-Sam-like. After his response about wanting Ted to win, Toheeb Jimoh also said:

I know Sam had some angry moments in the show; however, every time he got mad, it was very warranted, he quickly calmed down, and he never acted out of hand. So, it’s hard to imagine him wanting a “revenge arc” for his coach. However, I am here for Jimoh totally zagging with this answer, because it really is the last thing I’d expect him to say after playing Sam for three seasons.

So, will Ted have a “revenge arc” when Season 4 is finally available with an Apple TV subscription? I doubt it. However, as the focus shifts over to a women’s team, I do hope they’re able to win, and Ted can get all the acclaim he deserves.

Everybody, stay calm, it’s happening! Ted Lasso Season 4 is premiering on the 2026 TV schedule, and there are new photos that give us a peek into what the AFC Richmond coach will be doing when he returns to the pitch. However, while there’s a lot of hype about one of Apple TV’s best shows coming back, some fans are voicing their worries as well.

New Photos From Ted Lasso Season 4 Dropped, And A Release Window Was Announced

Nearly a year after Jason Sudeikis confirmed Ted Lasso’s return, the streamer revealed that the beloved comedy will premiere “this summer” for those with an Apple TV subscription. Meanwhile, over on Instagram, these exciting images of Ted’s return to the pitch were revealed.

Alright, let’s break these images down a bit. First, in the image you can see at the top of this story, we have Ted and Rebecca standing outside what appears to be a private jet as they exchange biscuits (though it’s unclear who is giving and who is receiving them).

Second, we got our first look at Tanya Reynolds’ new character, and she appears to be a coach of the women’s team that Ted is returning to help with. Speaking of the team, that’s what image three shows off.

Meanwhile, the fourth image gives us a glimpse of Ted visiting Mae’s pub with his son Henry (who has been recast for Season 4).

Along with these images, the streamer reiterated that Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt and Jeremy Swift will all be back to reprise the roles they played in the first three seasons. Meanwhile, a bunch of new cast members have been added, including Reynolds, Grant Feely (Henry), Faye Marsay, Jude Mack, Aisling Sharkey, Rex Hayes and Abbie Hern.

Now, all this is a lot to take in, especially when you consider the fact that Season 3 wrapped three years ago. So, understandably, fans are having mixed reactions.

Now, Fans Are Sharing Their Opinions About Ted Lasso Season 4

Let’s start with the critical reactions first. I think it’s fair that some fans are worried, considering Season 3 of Ted Lasso ended in a way that could have just been the end. While I’m personally excited for Season 4, in the comments of the streamer’s IG post, other fans made their qualms known, writing things like:

• I loved this show but I don't know that it has anything more to say after a pretty solid ending. To make another session feels like a cash grab. -coppertopmpls
• It concerns me that this show is returning. I love this show, but this has "Toy Story 4" written all over it, where in my mind this show has ended and done, and bringing it back feels like beating a dead horse. -benwise_gamgee
• I hope this new season doesn’t ruin the series. The ending was as perfect as it could get -bradenkemmerer
• I’m worried this is going to be bad. It ended perfectly it didn’t need another season. -alex_gorell
• Please be good. PLEASE BE GOOD 🙏🙏🙏 -meemalee

Meanwhile, there were tons of comments filled with fans who very obviously “believe” in Ted Lasso’s comeback. It’s safe to say it’s been a long time coming, and in some ways, it feels like the show has been resurrected. So, many viewers couldn’t contain their excitement, as they commented things like:

• BEST NEWS EVERRRRR -playlovelearn.se
• AHHHHHH what the world needs now more than ever🥹💜 -broadelways
• My love Rebecca is coming back to me! Summer cannot come soon enough! 🩷 -rebeccaswelton
• They’re coming back to us.💙❤️Can’t wait!!!! Biscuits with the boss will be back!!!🩷Awww, look at them💜….my heart🥹 -zoonya2603
• I’m soooo excited and tearing up! I truly BELIEVE it is what we all need…. again! ❤️💙⚽️ -laurentheeditor_1

As Ted would say, going into Season 4, I think we should “be curious, not judgmental.” So, I’m with these excited fans. I understand the concern about the series returning after what felt like a natural conclusion. However, I’m optimistic that we’re about to get a fresh and funny story that also brings back the elements of Ted Lasso we know and love.

So, stay tuned, folks. Ted Lasso is returning to the pitch this summer, and clearly, there are a lot of folks waiting with bated breath to see what happens with him and this new AFC Richmond team.

Whenever Ted Lasso Season 4 premieres, be it on the 2026 TV schedule or later on, we’ll reunite not just with Jason Sudeikis’ title protagonist, but also Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca Welton, Brett Goldstein’s Rot Kent, Jeremy Swift’s Leslie Higgins, Juno Temple’s Keeley Jones and Brendan Hunt’s Willis Beard. But there are still many actors from the Apple TV subscription-exclusive series whose involvement in the next season remains up in the air, including James Lance. While he’s keeping mum about whether we’ll see him reprise reporter Trent Crimm, formerly of The Independent, Lance recently talk about a “really lovely scene” from Season 3 that he looks back on fondly.

I continue to keep my fingers crossed that Lance will appear in Ted Lasso Season 4, as I’m sure Trent will want to closely follow the formation of AFC Richmond’s new women’s team. Alas, when ComicBookMovie inquired about this while interviewing Lance about his 2025 movie Tinsel Town, he simply responded with, “I can't say anything. I know nothing.” He was, however, willing to discuss what makes Trent such a great character, which included the following:

James Lance is referring to Season 3’s second episode, “(I Don't Want to Go to) Chelsea,” when Trent Crimm is beginning to write his book AFC Richmond. Naturally this meant he’d need to talk to and spend time with the players, but Roy Kent, still angered about a blistering article Trent wrote about him when he first started playing for Chelsea, forbid them from talking to the now-author. Trent apologized for what he wrote about the then-17-year-old Roy, so with the two reconciled, Roy gave permission for Jamie Tartt and the other players to speak freely around Trent.

I like what James Lance said about this scene, because while it was bad enough that Trent Crimm initially couldn’t get information and quotes for his book, being ignored surely did remind him of when he was treated the same way as a youth. But this time around, he was welcomed into the group, in a manner of speaking, once he and Roy buried the hatchet. That’s not to say these two are now the best of friends, but at least Roy will be more cordial with Trent and not call him a prick anymore… probably.

These kinds of reflections on Ted Lasso are welcome to read and hear about as we wait for more news about Season 4. If James Lance does end up reprising Trent Crimm, I look forward to his thoughts about the AFC Richmond team and how he ends up writing about them, be it for another book or another publication.

When Ted Lasso Season 4 kicked off production, we got a photo that fully confirmed the return of OG cast members, Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca), Juno Temple (Keeley), Jeremy Swift (Higgins) and, of course, Jason Sudeikis (Ted). We also knew that Brett Goldstein (Roy) and Brendan Hunt (Beard) would be back as well. However, other key players from the first three seasons, like Nick Mohammed, who played Nate, still haven’t been confirmed. While he won’t say if he’s in it or not, his latest comments do have me thinking that the AFC Richmond coach might be back on the pitch for these new episodes.

To be clear, Nick Mohammed has not confirmed his return. In fact, he told CinemaBlend that we’ll “have to just wait and see.” However, when Collider asked him about Ted Lasso’s new season and his potential involvement in it, he said a bit more than that, explaining:

Alright, let’s break this down. Again, it’s certainly possible that Mohammed isn’t coming back. However, the fact that he won’t flat-out deny his involvement has me suspicious. On top of that, this response implies that he knows more than the general public does, which has me thinking he could easily be in Season 4.

He also made it clear that he’s been in communication with the Ted Lasso cast. Now, I know the ensemble is close, so this isn’t shocking and could mean they were literally just hanging out outside of work. Although the show is in production, and if he’s hanging out with them and knows about what’s being made, it’s hard not to make connections and think Nate might appear.

Plus, at the end of Season 3 (which you can stream with an Apple TV+ subscription), Mohammed’s character was coaching AFC Richmond with Coach Beard and Roy Kent. And considering we know that Brendan Hunt and Brett Goldstein will be back for Season 4, it’d be a bit odd if the other coach didn’t appear.

Now, earlier this summer, Nick Mohammed said he didn’t know if he’d be in Season 4. However, he did note that he had dates checked by production and would come back if asked to. Based on his latest answer, I’m starting to theorize that he was asked back, and that’s exciting news.

However, we’ll just have to wait and see if that turns out to be true or not. At the moment, Ted Lasso Season 4 does not have a premiere date, but we know it’s in production. We also know it will follow AFC Richmond’s women’s team, which means we’ll get a lot of new cast members alongside the returning originals.

The question of how many originals, though, is up in the air. But if I were a betting woman, I’d say the chances of Nick Mohammed coming back feel higher than they used to be.

If the name Maximilian Osinski sounds familiar to you, it’s possible you’ve been watching him play hacker Boris Peskov on the Paramount+ subscription-exclusive series NCIS: Tony & Ziva. However, if you’re a Ted Lasso fan, you know him as the actor who played Zava, who briefly played for AFC Richmond in Season 3. While Zava is a skilled footballers, Osinski told CinemaBlend that in real life, he messed up a play and accidentally injured one of his costars on the Apple TV+ show.

The actor recalled this moment towards the end of my recent interview with him about NCIS: Tony & Ziva, which included him talking about how that robot dog sequence from Episode 8 was filmed. When I brought up Ted Lasso and if he had fun stories from his time on the Emmy-winning series, he started off by saying:

Toheeb Jimoh, of course, played Sam Obisanya, one of the main AFC Richmond players during Ted Lasso’s first three seasons. He was also upgraded to a series regular in Season 3, so it’s unfortunate that one of the first things that happened to him in his newly-promoted role was getting hit in the eye socket. It was an accident on Maximilian Osinski’s part, but he was understandingly feeling badly about what happened.

Fortunately, Jimoh’s injury wasn’t as severe as it could have been, and he actually took the shouldering in stride with Osinski. The Zava actor continued:

It’s good to hear that Maximilian Osinski had an enjoyable experience working on his four Ted Lasso episodes. Zava abruptly left AFC Richmond and retired from football at the end of “Signs” to be with his family and work on his avocado farm. However, a magazine cover seen in the Season 3 finale revealed that he came out of retirement to play for Los Angeles Football Club, and was quoted as saying, “They love avocado toast here.”

While there’s no indication that we’ll see Zava return in Ted Lasso Season 4, now that he’s back to playing football, at least it’s a possibility now he could pop back in, albeit not as an AFC Richmond competitor since the upcoming season will focus on the new women’s team. At the very least, I’d like another update on what he’s up to these days. Feel free to revisit Maximilian Osinski’s time on Ted Lasso with your Apple TV+ subscription.

When Nick Mohammed was announced to be joining the cast of Slow Horses Season 5, I was a little surprised. Not because I don’t like the Ted Lasso star, quite the opposite, but the tone of the spy thriller is very different from most of Mohammed's previous work, which was primarily in comedy. I’ve been watching him blossom in Slow Horses with my Apple TV subscription, and the gig is definitely not comedic. For the actor, that was refreshing, as we discussed when I spoke with him recently.

From A Football Coach In A Comedy To A Mayor In A Thriller

To be fair, Mohammed’s Ted Lasso character Nate, has one of the most dramatic arcs on the popular show. He goes from naive ballboy for Richmond AFC to “Wonderkid” manager at West Ham. Fans see his journey from the nicest character on the show to the most diabolical, before getting redemption at the end. It proved that Mohammed can handle any kind of role, and he goes even further in Slow Horses. So, when I got to talk to him about the new gig, Mohammed admitted to me it's been "a bit of a challenge."

His character on the Apple TV thriller, fictional London Mayor Zafar Jaffrey, isn’t meant to be funny, and so far, four episodes in, we’re not exactly sure just what kind of man he is. However, there are hints he isn’t who he presents himself to be. It certainly seems that he’s at least not as mild-mannered as he presents himself to be.

Still, while the roles are different, like Nate in Ted Lasso, there are opportunities to use his comedic skills too, as he said:

Of course, as Ted Lasso went on, Nate’s world got darker and darker, and it seems like Jaffrey on Slow Horses could be going down a similar path. Where that path goes, we’ll just have to keep watching to find out.

But What About More Ted Lasso?

Still, I couldn’t help but ask if any paths would be leading Mohammed back to Season 4 of Ted Lasso, which is in production now. His response?

Like Jaffrey in Slow Horses, Mohammed will keep us guessing for now.

Ted Lasso has been out in the world for five years now, and while I’d heard all the high praise for the comedy series, I’ll be honest, I just didn’t think I’d gel with it because I’m not necessarily a football or Jason Sudiekis person. Thank goodness my partner threw it on during a random evening. It took a few episodes for it to sell me, but it really wasn’t long before our binge became an evening ritual for us that brought hours of joy, laughs and even tears. Now that I’ve finished it, I can sincerely say it’s one of my favorite comedies I’ve ever watched, and a lot of that has to do with how it discusses mental health.

This show is so darn lovable, and I found myself on the edge of my seat for not only every football game, but every character development that happened along the way. But, the aspect of the series that really meant the most to me was Brett Goldstein’s Roy Kent – from beginning to end, and I need to dive into why, as I join the fandom in simultaneously looking forward to returning in Season 4 (yes, with Brett Goldstein back), and having concerns about how it could top the first three seasons. Let’s get into it:

I Love How Ted Lasso Depicts Mental Health

I’m someone who deals with having an anxiety disorder on a daily basis, and depression on special occasions, and I’m all for movies and TV shows making me feel seen, but a hilarious comedy series achieving that is pretty special. So many depictions of mental health come with the weight of how hard and difficult it is, and it can bring up a lot of challenging feelings when a piece of media decides to discuss anxiety or depression. But, whenever Ted Lasso approached these topics, I felt like I was receiving a big hug.

I felt like the show was looking me in the eye, and telling me it was OK, rather than it feeling like “Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M. was suddenly playing in the background of my life. It’s also one of those rare shows I’m just so happy exists. It’s a show essentially about an entire team of male players living in England who learn how to process their emotions better, and that feels like both the most random (and best) place for these discussions to be had on a TV show.

But, Watching Roy Kent’s Journey Was The Highlight Of The Series For Me

The real kicker (yes, pun intended) that blew me away is the writing for Goldstein’s Roy Kent, who starts as the team captain for AFC Richmond before retiring and later becoming the new manager by the end of the series. He’s the kind of character that grew on me slowly, and before I knew it, was making impressions of his gruff voice saying “Oi” in my daily life, and becoming very invested in his arc.

Don’t get me wrong, Ted Lasso has an amazing mental health arc. Just thinking about how his time with the team allowed him to heal from his wounds regarding his father’s suicide, and go back to his young son less afraid of the demons he’d held onto before? Just thinking about it makes me want to happy cry. But, while Ted feels like a unicorn of a human to me, I’ve known a lot of Roy Kent-types in my life, and to some degree my inner monologue can be Roy Kent-esque. It's so satisfying to see a show not only poke fun at him constantly, but give him the room to grow and evolve like an actual human, in a positive, but authentic way.

Roy Kent's Story Ends With A Great Message About Perfectionism I'll Be Taking With Me

This brings me to the finale of Ted Lasso, and what was so meaningful about it for me. After many episodes of Roy kind of roughing it alone, the scene where he asks to join the Diamond Dogs felt like a jolt of sunshine to my chest. He discloses his desire to change and become “someone better,” but hitting a personal wall with it. This leads to a discussion between the Diamond Dogs about whether people can change and the pursuit of perfection. Then, Leslie Higgins sweeps in with this golden nugget of Ted Lasso advice:

What I like best about the scene is how much of a pay off it was from the rest of Roy’s arc. We see him deal with his inner demons throughout the show, but most of the time it’s not really been fully explained by him. We have a feeling about what’s holding him back by this point, but seeing him actually ask for help is the best development for his character. Plus, he’s getting to a point where he wants to alter his patterns, but he hasn’t figured it out himself.

I think it’s so relatable to often not turn to help until you’ve exhausted all the options you can think of – that often leaves us in a place of cyclical pain and suffering. Seeing the light click on for Roy meant so much, especially because we had three seasons of backstory with the character.

I Appreciate How Ted Lasso's Ending Wraps Up Roy Kent's Mental Health Journey

The end of Ted Lasso leads to Roy not only becoming the new manager of AFC Richmond, but hiring on a head of mental health for the club, and he is seen having his own appointment. Season 1 Roy wouldn’t have been caught dead in a therapy session, which goes to show that change is attainable. But, what I also love is that we don’t leave Roy with every answer to his questions. He clearly loved and wanted to be with Keeley, but that happy ending didn’t materialize.

As I've learned, and will keep learning, mental health and self acceptance is an ongoing journey, not a quick fix. I love that Ted Lasso ended with Roy being human, not perfect – simply “moving towards better.”

Ted Lasso may be the greatest show in the history of television. Look, I realize that a statement like that is sort of bold, but hear me out. I’m not saying that no show has ever been better than Ted Lasso, I’m just saying I’ve never seen it. After using my Apple TV+ subscription to recently watch all three seasons of the show again, I am more convinced than ever that the show is as close to perfect as TV can get.

Whether or not I’m the only one who thinks it's perfect, I’m certainly not the only one who thinks it’s great. A lot of people think the show is so good that they’re actually not sure about Ted Lasso's return, for fear the show’s greatness might be damaged in some way if the new season doesn't measure up. However, I think Ted Lasso is so good that such a thing isn’t actually possible.

Ted Lasso’s Three Seasons Tell A Complete Story That Cannot Be Tarnished

Watching all three seasons of Ted Lasso simply reinforces what a tightly-wound story it is. Details mentioned back in Season 1 return in Season 3. Every major character, from Ted Lasso and Trent Crimm (The Independent) to, yes, Nate, have satisfying character arcs. I know the show didn’t write three seasons of TV up front and then just film the whole thing, but the way the show misses no details makes it feel like it was.

And then, the show ends where it needed to end. It was the only place it could end. I guess a lot of people had issues with the Ted Lasso finale, but I'm not one of them. Everybody is where they want to be, or at least where they need to be. Each character is a better person because of Ted Lasso, and Ted is a better person because of everyone else. It’s an incredibly satisfying conclusion as a viewer.

If Ted Lasso Season 4 Doesn’t Work, Just Ignore It

But that’s the concern, because the end of Season 3 of Ted Lasso won’t be the end of the story. Ted Lasso Season 4 is coming. As a fan of Ted Lasso, I’m as excited as anybody. I can’t wait to see what happens, and I don’t think there’s a single bad episode of the show. To continue such an incredible streak will be difficult, but even if they don't, it's fine.

From all reports, the new season of Ted Lasso won't be so much a continuation of the previous story as a new story starting. We'll see Ted take control of a women's football team rather than the AFC Richmond we know. This isn't the fourth part of an ongoing saga, but an entirely new chapter. As such, it can be easily separated if it doesn't measure up.

Ted Lasso's Star Wars Connection Works Here

In addition to being a Ted Lasso fan, I’m also a Star Wars fan. Jason Sudekis has compared the three seasons of Ted Lasso to Star Wars, and the analogy is apt here as well. I’m a fan who enjoys two-thirds of the Sequel Trilogy but admittedly doesn’t love Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The fact that the Sequel Trilogy really utterly fails to stick the landing annoys me to no end. So much of it is great, and then it ends… like that.

For this reason, I haven't given much time or attention to the Sequel Trilogy since its release. But I can watch the Original Trilogy all day long, and it's still great. The fact that the prequels are mid and the Sequel Trilogy ends badly doesn't change that the Original Trilogy is pretty great. If what follows the "Ted Lasso trilogy" isn't great, that will be unfortunate, but it won't make re-watching the original three seasons bad.

I certainly hope Ted Lasso Season 4 is as great as the first three. I have every confidence that even if it's not amazing, it will still be pretty good. But even if it's not, that's fine. Even if it's somehow bad, I don't care. Nothing that follows can make the first three seasons any less perfect.

Ted Lasso had an incredible run for three seasons, and while a lot of fans had issues with the way the series ended, it was an emotional experience for many people. Well, get ready to have your emotions toyed with yet again, as Ted Lasso Season 4 is on the way and co-star and writer Brett Goldstein is apparently writing a quite emotional episode.

In addition to playing the indomitable Roy Kent, Brett Goldstein was also a story editor and writer on the first three seasons of Ted Lasso. He personally penned four episodes in the first three seasons, and speaking with InStyle, he reveals he’s co-writing an episode in Season 4 that he promises will be emotional, one way or another. The Emmy winner said…

It’s fairly ominous to hear Brett Goldstein talk this way. Plenty of Ted Lasso moments in the first three seasons got me emotional. I basically keep my Apple TV+ subscription now so I can re-watch Ted Lasso and cry. I fully expect Season 4 will make me cry, too. But just what big emotional moment is going to happen? I have a few different ideas.

An Episode About Ted And His Family

One big place we can fully expect emotions to run high is with Ted Lasso and his family. Ted’s son and the feelings he clearly still has for his ex-wife are a huge part of his life. In the Season 3 finale, Ted ultimately decides to stop coaching AFC Richmond for his family, and so it makes sense that the decision to go back to coaching, however his family is impacted, will be a big deal for Ted.

Brett Goldstein also notably wrote the Season 1 episode “Tan Lines,” in which Ted’s wife and son come to visit him. It’s the episode in which Ted comes to the realization that his marriage is truly over, the sort of thing that causes him to break down, and makes us cry, too. So, we know this guy can write emotional stories about the titular character, and he can do it really well.

Something Big Might Happen With Rebecca Welton

While it’s hard to pick a favorite character (other than Ted) on Ted Lasso, it’s difficult not to be in love with Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca Welton. She seemed to get a quite happy ending in the final episode of Season 3, but now I’m afraid there might be something sad on the horizon for her.

Godstein mentions that he’s co-writing this mystery episode with Jamie Lee. She’s responsible for three other episodes of the series, and all three of them, “For the Children,” “Man City,” and “Signs,” are particularly important episodes for the character of Rebecca. Perhaps something will happen in her relationship, assuming she’s still in one.

Could This Signal Nate’s Return To Ted Lasso After All?

Finally, I’ll throw out my most radical theory, but one that I like: could Brett Goldstein be writing the return of Nate? Up to this point, it’s unclear if we’ll see Nate the “Wonder Kid” in Season 4 of Ted Lasso. He’s not part of the officially announced cast, though actor Nick Mohammed has made comments that indicate he could appear.

If Nate does make an appearance, but isn’t part of the regular cast, it could be here. Two of the episodes that Brett Goldstein previously wrote were “The Signal” in Season 2 and “Big Week” in Season 3. These are key episodes in Nate’s emotional rollercoaster of a story, so Goldstein has written for the good-turned-bad-turned-good-again character before. Perhaps the reason Nate isn’t a regular cast member is something that will be part of the story, leading to an emotional episode when he does appear.

Of course, anything is really possible. There’s a whole new team of players that we haven’t met yet, and will likely have their own stories to tell. This emotional episode could be about any of them just as well. Whatever happens, when the Season 4 episode written by Brett Goldstein comes along, I’ll be sure to bring the tissues.

At the moment, anticipation is running high for fans of Tom Holland as the eventual releases of The Odyssey and his fourth Spider-Man movie, Brand New Day, loom over us. However, before we get to see him transform into Telemachus and Peter Parker, he turned into a whole bunch of new characters for a Lego commercial. And one of those characters looks a lot like an iconic Ted Lasso footballer, and fans can’t get enough of it.

As you can see in the Lego ad below, Tom Holland is unrecognizable as he plays everything from a CEO with flying shoes to an old man gardening to a grumpy executive. The Spider-Man actor rocked a bunch of different prosthetics and wigs to pull off all these characters, and that included him having blonde hair and wearing a red and blue jersey to play a popular footballer. If you’ve seen Ted Lasso, I bet you know where this is going…

So, after seeing this playful commercial, fans were quick to clock the resemblance between Holland’s footballer and the legend that is Jamie Tartt from Ted Lasso. Specifically, he looks like Phil Dunster’s character in Season 3 of the Emmy-winning series that you can stream with an Apple TV+ subscription, as @your_belle pointed out with this perfect GIF:

Truly, all he needs is Jamie’s Mancunian accent, and he’d basically be AFC Richmond’s cocky star.

Admittedly, I do think that if my guy Jamie – especially him in Season 1 or 2 – realized that Tom Holland had his same look, he might have a thing or two to say. However, the reformed and nicer player from Season 3 would probably love it, although I think at least one side-eye glance would be warranted, as @shelbbs247 posted:

The blonde dye job that leaves the natural root mixed with the center part really gives massive Jamie Tartt energy. And I have to wonder if it was intentional. While I don’t know if it was or not, I do know that fans can’t stop talking about this hilarious resemblance, as other great reactions included:

• Jamie Tartt becomes even more insufferable when he learns Spiderman has the same hair as him -@jqmiietartt
• Jamie Tartt is that you?!?!! -@rollisitemple
• This happened to my good friend Jamie Tartt once -@galmances
• Close enough, welcome back Jamie Tartt! -@xbiscuitboxpink

Holland certainly does look like “my good friend Jamie Tartt.” And considering both Ted Lasso Season 4 and Spider-Man 4 are in production, both projects are at the top of mind, making the comparison even more obvious. It’s also got me even more hyped for each project.

Holland appearing in this ad reminded me of all the fun projects he has on the 2026 movie schedule. So, now, I’m counting down the days to The Odyssey’s July 17 premiere and Spider-Man’s July 31 release. Meanwhile, while Phil Dunster reportedly isn’t returning to Ted Lasso, the football scene in this commercial had the energy I needed to start singing “We’re Richmond ‘til we die” again.

So, all around, I love that this beloved Marvel actor rocked a look that people couldn’t stop comparing to Jamie Tartt.

I’ve watched Season 1 of Ted Lasso with my Apple TV+ subscription at least four times. So on my latest rewatch, I didn’t think it’d made me emotional because I know exactly what’s going to happen. However, the opposite is true. I’ve barely started my rewatch of this great comedy, and it’s already made me tear up.

The First Time I Watched Ted Lasso, I Made It Through Without Getting Misty Eyed

For the record, I’ve been a Ted Lasso fan since Season 1 came out, and every time a new season has been released, I’ve rewatched it, typically with friends or family who haven’t seen the series before. So I’ve seen this first set of episodes the most times.

Typically, I’m focused on Ted Lasso’s funniest lines and the great advice the AFC Richmond coach gives. Like Jason Sudeikis' character, for better or for worse, I chose to really only process the heartwarming moments, and the more emotional beats – while I got them and cared for them – slid into the background.

Well, that didn’t happen this time. I'm only six episodes into Season 1, and it’s got me all kinds of emotional, so let’s talk about why.

The Episode Where Michelle Visits Ted In Season 1 Changed Made Me Very Emotional

Specifically, the episode that broke me was Season 1, Episode 5, “Tan Lines.” In it, Ted’s wife Michelle and his son Henry come to London to visit him. Throughout the episode, Michelle and Ted come to terms with the end of their relationship, as they call “Oklahoma” on each other. As they deal with that, we also see the coach struggle at work as he tries to get through to Jamie Tartt. In fact, he almost uncharacteristically yells at Phil Dunster’s character before his son comes into the locker room.

However, he tries to embrace the changes, both personally and professionally, while not wanting to accept the end of this relationship. During a moment with the team in the locker room, all this collided as Ted said:

By the end of the episode, Ted tells Michelle that he’ll be ok if they separate, even though it’s not a change he wants. We then see Ted say goodbye to his now ex-wife and his son, and while he puts on a brave face for Henry, you can’t help but notice the sadness in his eyes. It was that code-switching and truly vulnerable reaction that made me tear up.

This moment alone 100% got me. However, I also think my reaction to this scene shines a light on the different way I’m seeing Ted Lasso as a whole this time around.

I haven’t re-watched it since Season 3 ended, and I think knowing, understanding and loving all these characters' full arcs has added to my emotions. I know Rebecca’s not evil; she’s simply a wounded woman who is trying to feel better after being burned by her ex-husband. I know Jamie isn’t fully a jerk; he just has never had the support and tools he truly needs. And I know Ted isn’t the optimistic coach we all see him to be all the time. He's nervous and in pain, and it takes a lot of vulnerability and growth for him to really come to terms with that.

Of course, all this was clear from the jump, as my reaction to Season 1 has shown. However, thinking about how much these characters grow from this point on certainly adds to the emotional reaction.

This moment, where Ted and Michelle decide to no longer be together, was the inevitable breaking point the coach was trying to avoid, and seeing it happen broke my heart. However, knowing what’s next for him and that this is the first step toward some major growth made me cry tears of joy too.

As a fan of Ted Lasso, I’m excited that Season 4 is on the way. While the full cast list hasn't been confirmed yet, I’m looking forward to (hopefully) seeing my favorite characters return to my screen as well as to Richmond. The setting of Ted Lasso was as important as any character, and even more so to one of the stars.

Nick Mohammed, who played Nate in the first three seasons, recently appeared on BBC Radio, where the topic of Ted Lasso Season 4 came up. He confirmed that he and his family lived in Richmond until recently, and they've moved in part because being a star of Ted Lasso while living in Richmond was getting a bit too much. Mohammed said:

It turns out that Nick Mohammed and his family had lived in Richmond for years before he became a major cast member of a show that was set there. It sounds like Mohammed was getting recognized a lot just living his life. He jokes that he was afraid it looked like he was hanging around Richmond because he wanted to be recognized, but the honest truth was much simpler: it’s where he lived. He continued:

The new season of Ted Lasso will see Ted coach a female soccer team, but that team will reportedly still be located in Richmond. We know at least some of the new season will shoot in the U.S., but the bulk will still happen in and around London.

Of course, Nick Mohammed apparently living right outside Richmond makes the fact that he may not be returning for Ted Lasso Season 4 that much more bizarre. Even if he has scheduling conflicts, if they’re making the show right down the street from his house, surely he can find the time.

And yet, Nick Mohammed is arguably the most significant Ted Lasso cast member whose casting for Season 4 is a big question. Mohammed recently said he’s “not sure” if he will be in the show, which is an odd thing to say at a point when production was getting ready to start.

That doesn’t mean Nate won’t be there. It’s possible his return is being kept hidden for story reasons. It’s also possible that he won’t be a regular cast member in the season, but will appear in a smaller role, so he’s just not being included in conversations regarding the main cast.

I certainly hope to see plenty of Nate and plenty of Richmond in the new season of Ted Lasso. Maybe he won’t be in the show, and Nick Mohammed will just end up as an extra. After all, he lives there.

To call Ted Lasso a massive hit might be underselling it a bit. The show was incredibly popular during its three-season run, arguably the single best reason to ever get an Apple TV+ subscription. Needless to say, a lot of people are excited that the show is coming back for Season 4.

We were routinely told by Jason Sudeikis and others during the show’s initial run, that it was originally conceived as a three-season show and that Ted Lasso would end at that point. An unnamed “insider” who recently spoke to the Star insists that it was always the case, at least at the time. The source claims…

The three seasons of Ted Lasso told a complete arc that certainly wrapped things up nicely for fans. There wasn’t a need for another season, which is not to say there weren’t people hoping it would happen.

It seems the fan reaction to Ted Lasso had a lot to do with Sudeikis’ decision to return, as the source says people were constantly asking him about the character. Eventually, he came around to the idea of continuing the story of Ted Lasso. While the source claims the star is getting paid a ton to return, he insists that’s not the reason he’s coming back. The source claims…

It seems that Ted is as important to Jason Sudeikis as he is to everybody else. That message of optimism that meant so much to the people watching the show is also important to the actor, so he wants to keep it going.

The process of making Ted Lasso Season 4 has been a long one, as all the stars had to be re-signed because no fourth season had been planned. It looks like almost everybody in the Ted Lasso cast will be back for the new season. Expectations will certainly be high, though it seems that if Jason Sudeikis may be trying to “prove himself” as a writer, he will be holding himself to a high standard as well. Ted Lasso Season 4 is currently in production.

It has often been said that a story, typically of the thriller variety, can live or die by the strength of its villain. However, there are many films and TV shows that like to keep the suspense high by keeping the antagonist a secret until later.

Unfortunately, this does not always result in the most satisfying or logical outcome, as the following examples will show. Also, keep in mind that there will be SPOILERS.

Aldrich Killian (Iron Man 3)

A key reason why many fans do not like Iron Man 3 is that the apparent main antagonist, The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), is revealed to be a scapegoat imposter named Trevor Slattery. However, there are also many people, myself included, who feel the disappointing twist pales in comparison to the pitifully petty motivations of the true villain, Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce), who invents a terrorist persona to get back at Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) for ignoring him at a New Year's Eve party once. I mean, is that not the plot of The Incredibles?

The Final Five Cylons (Battlestar Galactica)

Ronald D. Moore's SyFy original version of Battlestar Galactica is considered one of the most refreshing TV reboots of all time, in spite of its lackluster finale. The sci-fi drama's long-awaited reveal that the Final Five Cylons are Saul (Michael Hogan) and Ellen Tigh (Kate Vernon), Galen Tyrol (Aaron Douglas), Samuel Anders (Michael Trucco), and Tory Foster (Rekha Sharma), who also had no recollection of their origins, left many fans disheartened.

Blofeld (Spectre)

Director Sam Mendes' second 007 adventure, 2015's Spectre, was already slightly tainted by the reveal that the events of the previous Daniel Craig-led James Bond movies were quietly orchestrated by the character's historical archenemy, Blofeld (Christoph Waltz). The absurdity only grew when the villain unveils a twist right out of the spy movie spoof, Austin Powers in Goldmember: he and Bond are half-brothers.

Colleen Wing (Iron Fist)

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe-canon series, Iron Fist, it is revealed that Danny Rand's (Finn Jones) ally, Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick), is associated with the evil organization, The Hand. However, this twist was largely ignored very shortly afterward, making it ultimately underwhelming.

Roman Bridger (Scream 3)

Scream 3 is widely considered to be the weakest of the self-aware slasher movie franchise, and much of the concern is tied to the person behind the Ghostface mask this time, Roman Bridger (Scott Foley). Not only does the director of Stab 3 turn out to be the unknown half-brother of Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), but he claims to have been orchestrating the kills in the first two installments out of revenge against their mother, who rejected him years earlier.

Flint Marko (Spider-Man 3)

Just like in the comics, Sam Raimi's first Spider-Man movie establishes a random burglar as the one who killed Peter Parker's (Tobey Maguire) uncle, Ben (Cliff Robertson). However, Spider-Man 3 lazily retcons the incident as the fault of the otherwise sympathetic superhero movie villain, Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church), who also happens to get thrown in a particle accelerator that turns him into Sandman.

John Connor (Terminator Genisys)

The idea of humanity's destined defender, John Connor (Jason Clarke), being turned into a cyborg was widely deemed a cheap stunt that was stupidly given away in the marketing for 2015's Terminator Genisys. However, what really makes this an objectively dumb movie twist is that, early on in the film, John's biological parents, Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney), irreversibly transport themselves from 1984 to 2017, meaning that, based on the Terminator movies' rules of time travel, John should have never been born.

Khan (Star Trek Into Darkness)

Admittedly, the reveal in 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness that Commander John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) is really Khan (the iconic villain originated by Ricardo Montalban) is not exactly nonsensical. However, fans of the franchise saw it coming from a mile away, so it wound up being deeply unsatisfying.

Walter Sparrow (The Number 23)

In Joel Schumacher's 2007 psychological thriller, The Number 23, family man Walter Sparrow (Jim Carrey) becomes obsessed with a disturbing book about a killer that turns out to be his own memoir, which he wrote and forgot all about after a stint in a mental institution. That is already a little far-fetched, but the most flabbergasting aspect of the twist is that his wife, Agatha (Virginia Madsen), who is fully aware of his past, is the one who buys him the book in the first place. Why would she want to conjure up those kinds of memories?

Dylan Rhodes-Shrike (Now You See Me)

One of the most notoriously illogical "the hero was the bad guy the whole time" twists comes from 2013's Now You See Me, which stars Mark Ruffalo as FBI agent Dylan Rhodes, who obsessively pursues a group of illusionist thieves who call themselves The Four Horsemen. By the end, it is revealed that he is actually part of their group and orchestrated the entire ordeal to avenge the death of his father, a magician named Lionel Shrike.

The Plants (The Happening)

Considered one of the weakest M. Night Shyamalan movie twists is the reveal that the mysterious, deadly event at the center of 2008's The Happening is being caused by a hypnotic pheromone vengefully released by the Earth's vegetation. Then again, the ridiculous plot point is among the key reasons the thriller is considered a classic of so-bad-it's-good cinema.

Alchemy (The Flash)

Tom Felton was cast as Dr. Julian Albert on The Flash at the same time the mysterious Alchemy was introduced on the Arrow-verse series. Considering the actor's reputation for villainous roles, especially Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter movies, it quickly became apparent to viewers that the historian and the masked villain (an avatar for the evil Speedster, Savitar) were one in the same.

Will Benson (I Still Know What You Did Last Summer)

In I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, Julie James' (Jennifer Love Hewitt) classmate, calling himself Will Benson (Matthew Settle), confesses that he is "Ben's son" and orchestrated this Bahamian bloodbath with his father, Ben Willis, who targeted her and her friends just a year earlier. This punny twist is exactly why I can't help but enjoy the absurd 1998 slasher sequel.

Olly (Game Of Thrones)

While the determination to avenge his parents' death was cited as a motivation, Olly's (Brenock O'Connor) villainous turn ultimately feels forced, especially when you consider how loyal and good-natured he was when first introduced on Game of Thrones.

Mac (Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull)

In 2008's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Mac (Ray Winstone), reveals himself to be a collaborator with the bad guys, then claims to be a double agent really on the side of Indy (Harrison Ford), and then, at the end, says he actually lied about being a double agent. I am honestly more disappointed by this lazy double-twist than any of the other reasons most fans don't care for the fourth Indiana Jones film.

Gabriel (Malignant)

I think the crazy twist from the Malignant ending –Gabriel is Madison's (Annabelle Wallis) parasitic twin and has been possessing her body to commit vengeful murders – is actually pretty awesome. However, one thing I have never understood about James Wan's 2021 Giallo tribute is how Gabriel can control electricity or make telepathic phone calls.

Marie (High Tension)

With heart-stopping suspense and some unforgettable kills, High Tension is a great breakout feature from writer and director Alexandre Aja... up until the end. The 2003 French-language horror flick stabs itself in the foot by revealing that the crazed killer (Philippe Nahon) whom Marie (Cécile de France) has been trying to save her friend, Alexia (Maïwenn), from is her own dissociative identity, which feels lazily tacked on and contradictory to the entire plot.

Christina Scofield (Prison Break)

In Season 4 of Prison Break, it is revealed that Michael Scofield's (Wentworth Miller) mother, Christina (Kathleen Quinlan), is a high-ranking member of the conspiratorial society called "The Company." This entire subplot actually left critics and fans underwhelmed, believing it was a desperate attempt to keep the show going after the eponymous escape had already been achieved.

William Schenk (Spiral)

The key to a great Saw movie is not how cool the torturous traps are, but a suspenseful aura that keeps audiences on their toes, complemented by a killer twist ending. Unfortunately, most viewers were able to guess that the mysterious main villain from the franchise's ninth installment, Spiral, was the seemingly slain Det. William Schenk (Max Minghella) pretty early on.

Silas (The Vampire Diaries)

On The Vampire Diaries, when the shapeshifting Silas reveals that his true face is identical to Stefan's (Paul Wesley), fans of the CW series were not too amused.

Dr. David Callaway (Hide And Seek)

In 2005's Hide and Seek, widowed psychologist David Callaway (Robert De Niro) comes to the horrifying realization that a series of murders that his daughter, Emily (Dakota Fanning), claims are the work of her imaginary friend, Charlie, were actually committed by his own dissociative identity. No matter how well this thriller may have attempted to cover its tracks, the whole Fight Club-style, "I had no idea it was me the whole time" reveal had grown into a tired cliché by then.

Dan Humphrey (Gossip Girl)

I have a theory that the people behind Gossip Girl never had any idea what the true identity of the eponymous blogger (voiced by Kristen Bell) was going to be. So, they just said, "You know what would be crazy? What if it was Dan Humphrey?" because that would be the biggest surprise. Indeed, it was, but only because it makes absolutely no sense, given how shocked and angry Penn Badgley's character was by many of Gossip Girl's posts about him.

Yuri Komarov (A Good Day To Die Hard)

I could go on and on about why fans and critics alike despise 2013's A Good Day to Die Hard, but let's just focus on one reason for now. In a cheap plot twist, John McClane (Bruce Willis) and his CIA operative son, Jack (Jai Courtney), discover that the man they have been protecting, Yuri Komarov (Sebastian Koch), is the true enemy.

Nathan Shelley (Ted Lasso)

In the Apple TV+ original series, Ted Lasso, reporter Trent Crimm (James Lance) tells the titular character (played by Jason Sudeikis) that it was Nate Shelley (Nick Mohammed) who shared confidential information about his panic attack with him. Apparently, Nate sells Ted out and goes on to coach the rival team because he felt like Richmond's head coach abandoned him, for reasons that still feel vague and inexplicable to me.

Tom Watson (The Girl On The Train)

At first, The Girl on the Train convinces you to suspect that the main character, Rachel (Emily Blunt), accidentally murdered Megan (Haley Bennett) while under the influence. As it turns out, in a twist ripped from an episode of Dateline, the true culprit was Rachel's abusive, gaslighting former husband, Tom (Justin Theroux).

Brahms (Brahms: The Boy II)

The 2016 thriller The Boy leads you to believe that a porcelain doll is possessed by the spirit of a deceased child named Brahms, only to show that the strange happenings were done by the real Brahms, who is alive, grown-up, and living in the walls of his parents' estate. However, the sequel, Brahms: The Boy II, retcons that ending, revealing that the doll is, indeed, sentient and has been manipulating children, including the real Brahms, into committing horrific acts for years.

Ares (Wonder Woman)

While widely considered to be one of the better DCEU movies, many also feel that Wonder Woman suffers from a lackluster ending, in which it is revealed that Sir Patrick (David Thewlis) is Ares in disguise. Let alone the underwhelming execution of the twist, the emergence of the true God of War deprives the comic book film of a more potent message about humanity's flaws and contradicts the motivations of Gal Gadot's Amazonian warrior in other films.

Ian Buckells (Line Of Duty)

When the British cop drama, Line of Duty, ended with the reveal that "H" is Ian Buckells (Nigel Boyle), fans theorized this was a red herring that would be resolved in a subsequent season. That is the only way they could reconcile with such a foolish character being identified as the corrupt criminal mastermind.

Detective David "Rooster" Fisk (Righteous Kill)

The 2008 cop thriller Righteous Kill is widely considered to be a low point in both Robert De Niro and Al Pacino's careers, especially because of the twist. It turns out that Pacino's character, Rooster, is the vigilante killer whom he and his partner, Turk (De Niro), have been pursuing all along.

Owen Carver (Fountain Of Youth)

By the end of Apple TV+'s Fountain of Youth, archaeologist Luke Purdue (John Krasinski) discovers his wealthy financier, Owen Carver (Domhnall Gleeson), is actually a corrupt liar who greedily wants the titular mystical artifact all for himself. While quite nonsensical, this deeply uninspired twist is just one of many ways the adventure film's ending rips off Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Aliens (The Forgotten)

In the 2004 thriller, The Forgotten, Julianne Moore's character, Telly, just kind of randomly assumes that the mysteriously lost memory of her deceased son, among other children, could be the work of extraterrestrials. She just so happens to be right.

Ray Bronson And Stevie Ward (I Know What You Did Last Summer)

In the 2025 legacyquel, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Stevie (Sara Pidgeon) decides to kill her friends, believing they are responsible for the accidental death of her boyfriend, even though they tried to save his life. However, her murder streak also includes people who had nothing to do with the incident. Even more absurd is that original survivor Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr) helps with the scheme, believing the world forgot about what happened to him and his friends in 1997. However, this begs the question of why he decided to kill a popular true crime podcast host who was preparing to do an episode on that very ordeal.

Listen, Ted Lasso, we’re all excited for the return of your show for Season 4, but before I get too complimentary here, I need you to understand that not everything is all “biscuits” and barbecue while you film episodes in Kansas City this month. Not only did you decide it was okay to cancel my 9-year-old nephew’s final soccer practice of the summer, but you also disrupted my 11-year-old niece’s trip to her favorite boba tea shop in The Plaza. Come on, Ted! You’re supposed to love kids!

First, The Final Soccer Practice Of The Summer Got Canceled

When I heard from my nephew about his final practice getting canceled, I was simply devastated. My nephew is a sports nut! Not only can he rattle off baseball stats that would make any sabremetrician jealous, but he can’t get enough soccer, baseball, golf, basketball, and hockey in his life. My poor sister is forever locked into driving him from practice to practice all weekend, every weekend, and frankly, every day of the summer. Except last Thursday.

Sure, my sister was secretly grateful to get the break, but not my nephew. When I asked him how it felt to have his soccer practice canceled by a world-famous Premier League manager, he said,

You see, Ted, my verbose nephew only wanted to play the sport you are so famous for coaching, and he was supposed to have not one, but two practices that day, as he pointed out,

Instead, he got no soccer that day, because once you, Ted Lasso, insisted that the park be shut down for your little TV show, that afternoon, he decided he didn’t want to go in the morning, either. It’s truly heartbreaking. He was forced to spend the whole day at home with his big sister. Not ideal, Ted!

By the way, Coach Lasso, he doesn’t even watch your show! It’s because of the language, and not because he doesn't appreciate the show's wonderful humor, as does my whole family, but still! He’s boycotting now (unless my sister lets him watch), so there’s one viewer you won’t have when Season 4 is available with an Apple Plus subscription. Instead, he’ll try to sneak in episodes of another Apple TV+ hit, Stick without my sister noticing (again, language). Take that!

And That’s Not All Ted (If That Is Your Real Name)

If it wasn’t bad enough that you shut down an entire city park in Kansas City to film, according to my niece, your production also blocked entry into her favorite Boba tea shop in town. My niece is crazy about Boba tea (who can blame her), but over the weekend, as you and your friends made your hilarious hit show, she was forced to take the long way around to the entrance and enjoy some tea!

When I asked her how she felt about all the cameras and microphones getting in the way, she said,

You’re breaking my heart, Ted. Kansas City loves you, I get it. It seems even my niece has gone to the dark side. That’s probably because she could still get her tea after a minor annoyance and got the chance to see a real Hollywood production for the first time, but to cancel a kids' soccer practice without even showing up to give one bit of your great advice? Next time, do better, Ted.

Go West Ham.

We’re getting a fourth season of Ted Lasso; however, we won't be seeing the whole AFC Richmond family, it seems. When it was revealed that they were filming Season 4, Apple TV+ also announced the cast of regulars, which included quite a few original actors and a bunch of new folks, too. However, key players like Phil Dunster, Nick Mohammed and more were missing. The Jamie Tartt actor not being included particularly bummed me out. But he also posted about production, and his cryptic and short reaction is making me, as Ted would say, “believe.”

Not long after rumors began to swirl about Ted Lasso Season 4 and the cast members who might come back, reports came out stating that Phil Dunster would likely not reprise his role as Jamie due to scheduling issues.

Then, when we learned that production for the new season had begun, it was confirmed that Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Jeremy Swift, Brett Goldstein and Brendan Hunt would be the OG Ted Lasso cast members returning. Dunster wasn’t mentioned. However, he did post the following reaction to the news on his Instagram story:

Now, that side eye could mean a lot of things. It could mean he’s simply excited to see what they’re cooking up. However, to me, it’s quite cryptic. And, I’d be lying if I didn’t note that it immediately made me wonder if Dunster is coming back.

Jamie Tartt became a fan-favorite character during his tenure on the show, and he delivered some of Ted Lasso’s funniest lines. It’d be a bummer if he didn’t return. However, the actor’s post with this cheeky side-eye makes me think that maybe he knows something we don’t, and maybe he’ll pop in for a quick cameo or something.

However, that’s just me speculating. As far as we know, Dunster won’t be back, and in the grand scheme of things, I get why. Nick Mohammed is also unsure if he’ll return as Nate, and he explained that he understands the choice, considering this new season is about Richmond’s women’s team, not the men’s team.

So, we don’t want the new show to be overstuffed, I get that. In fact, it makes perfect sense, and it's an idea I agree with.

Jamie is one of my favorite characters, though, and he is part of what made Ted Lasso, Ted Lasso. Therefore, I hope that I’m reading into this post right and maybe Phil Dunster will return to the pitch to say hi.

Realistically, though, I think we all need to remember the “poop-eh” lesson from Season 3. In the end, this is all just speculation, and we might need to just let these thoughts flow. I don’t want to get my hopes up. However, I also won’t let them completely die either.

So, until the finale of Ted Lasso Season 4 airs, and we’ve watched everything they’re currently filming with an Apple TV+ subscription, I’ll continue to “Believe” that Jamie Tartt could maybe return.

I know that Ted Lasso Season 4 is in the works, but there’s been a Jason Sudeikis-sized hole in my heart ever since this show’s divisive third season concluded in May 2023. Though I love Shrinking and other great shows available with an Apple TV+ subscription, I’ve spent the past couple of years looking for a funny, wholesome, and unafraid show to take its place. Well, I think I found that with Stick, a new 2025 TV show starring Owen Wilson.

Without giving too much away, the show follows Wilson’s Pryce “Stick” Cahill, a former professional golfer given a shot to reenter the golf world and train a young prodigy years after losing his son to cancer. It checks all the boxes when it comes to humor, heart, and awesome sports action, and I think more people should be talking about, or at least watching, what’s quickly become my favorite show on TV right now.

Ted Lasso Was My Comfort Show, But Stick Is Taking Its Place

Ted Lasso used to be my main comfort show during its original run. Yeah, it touched on some heavy topics and didn’t shy away from using mental health as a major plot point, but it also was so damn wholesome and charming. If I needed a boost, it was there. Well, Stick is doing that for me now, to the point where my wife and I watched the first nine episodes in a couple of nights.

The Series Has The Perfect Blend Of Sports Comedy And Drama

Though I can count on one hand how many times I played a round of golf, some of my favorite sports movies are set on the links. Give me golf with some comedy and a touch of drama, and I can watch for hours. Stick does just that with its perfect blend of comedy and drama, both on and off the course. Like Ted Lasso, it doesn’t sacrifice one for the other, which is pretty rare these days.

The Way The Show Handles Grief, Depression, And Anxiety Is So Honest

Considering the main character is a father still coming to terms with his son’s death, it should be no surprise that grief is a major aspect of Stick. The way the series handles topics like grief, depression, and anxiety is so honest and never feels disingenuous or sugarcoated. Each of the characters is dealing with loss in their own unique way, which adds so much to the series.

There Are Like Three Underdog Stories Wrapped Into One In Stick, And It's So Uplifting

I love a good sports underdog story, and Stick has like three wrapped into one. You have Pryce trying to rebound after crashing out, you have his student, Santi Wheeler (Peter Dager), trying to prove himself in the world of golf, you have Santi’s mom, Elena (Mariana Trevino), attempting to make something of herself after decades of putting her dreams on a shelf to die, and that’s just the beginning.

I Hope Apple TV+ Picks It Up For A Second Season, Because This Show Could Go Places

At the time of this writing, there is still one episode to go in Stick’s first season, and I hope there’s more on the way. Apple TV+ has yet to announce if this will be a one-and-done affair, but I think this show has some serious legs. There are just so many directions this show could go, especially if Timothy Olyphant’s Clark Ross, one of the best TV villains in a while, sticks around.

If you haven’t already, I cannot recommend this show enough. Seriously, if you’re looking to laugh, cry, and pump your fist into the sky, Stick is going to do the trick.

It’s been a little over two years since Ted Lasso Season 3 was aired, and for a long time it was unclear if that would be the final season or not. Then in February, it was officially announced that Ted Lasso Season 4 is happening, and now we finally have our first look at the Apple TV+ subscription-exclusive show’s return and more. While that’s all well and good, there is a notable name missing from the main cast now that has me somewhat perplexed.

Our First Look At Ted Lasso Season 4 And More Key Information

But let’s get to the good stuff first now that Ted Lasso Season 4 has begun filming: below, you can see Jason Sudeikis’ title character enjoying a meal with Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca Welton, Juno Temple’s Keeley Jones and Jeremy Swift’s Leslie Higgins. These four, along with Brett Goldstein’s Roy Kent and Brendan Hunt’s Coach Beard, are the established Ted Lasso folks who will be series regulars in Season 4.

Additionally, Apple TV+ released a quick behind-the-scenes video of cameras starting to roll on the above Ted Lasso scene.

Ted Lasso Season 4 kicked off production today in Kansas City, which is also Jason Sudeikis’ hometown, and additional photography will take place in London. The official synopsis states that Ted will return to AFC Richmond for his “biggest challenge yet”: coaching a second division women’s football team, which was teased in the Season 3 finale. So it’s easy to infer in the scene being shot that Rebecca, Keeley and Leslie are visiting Ted in his Missouri stomping grounds to court him back across the pond to coach this team.

The aforementioned six actors will be joined on Ted Lasso Season 4’s main cast by Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsay, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern and Grant Feely, the latter of whom is taking over as Ted’s son Henry. Alas, many of the notable performers from Ted Lasso’s first three seasons won’t be back for this next installment. Some of these absences are understandable, but I am curious why Nick Mohammed is on that list.

It’s Weird Nick Mohammed Seemingly Isn’t Back For Ted Lasso Season 4

Nick Mohammed’s Nate Shelley started off Ted Lasso Season 3 coaching West Ham United under Rupert Mannion, and by the end, he was back at AFC Richmond and coaching alongside Beard and Roy. With those two coming back for Season 4, why isn’t Nate rounding out the trio?

Admittedly, Mohammed’s absence doesn’t come as a complete surprise, as the actor said earlier this month that he was unsure if he’d be in Season 4. As far as real life goes, it could just be that scheduling issues prevented Mohammed’s return, but it’s nontheless strange we’re not going to see Nate around. After all he went through to finally come back to AFC Richmond, did he leave yet again? I find it hard to believe we won’t check in on him because he’s too busy with the men’s team since Roy and Beard are appearing, and presumably they’ll still be working with those players.

Whatever the reason is for Nick Mohammed not being part of Ted Lasso Season 4’s main cast, I’m crossing my fingers that he appears later in the season in a recurring capacity or as a special guest star. Until then, keep visiting CinemaBlend for updates on how this “risen from the dead” show is coming along alongside coverage of shows airing on the 2025 TV schedule.

Ted Lasso Season 4 is coming, the hype around it is real, and that means its cast members are frequently asked about it. So, after Hannah Waddingham compared returning to an “exhumed dog” and “rising from the dead,” she’s getting questions about Rebecca’s potential story. That means she’s also getting inquiries about the love life of AFC Richmond’s owner.

Obviously, she can’t actually give away any details about what’s to come for Rebecca. However, her cryptic six-word response about her character’s potential for romance 100% has me theorizing about what’s to come.

Hannah Waddingham Gave A Short But Effective Response When Asked About Rebecca Finding Love On Ted Lasso

At the moment, Season 4 of Ted Lasso is being written, and it will start production eventually, as Waddingham told ET that they “are going to be filming.” She also said “there’s going to be people” and “footballs” in it. That is all the solid facts she gave us, which is hilarious. However, when pressed for more info about Rebecca’s love life specifically, she got a bit cryptic, saying:

Along with whatever that means, The Fall Guy actress commented on getting Ted back to London, since he famously goes back to Kansas at the end of Ted Lasso’s third season. In response to comments about the coach traveling back across the pond, Waddingham said:

Listen, I would not be shocked if she’s the one to go get him, because Ted and Rebecca have a lovely friendship. However, I could also see Coach Beard making the return flight. But that’s beside the point, and not the theory I’m on about today.

After those short and sweet comments, Waddingham literally sang that she needed to stop talking and turned the conversation over to the movie Smurfs, which is what she was actually there to promote.

However, I’m still stuck on that initial six-word response we discussed, and have a theory about it and Rebecca’s love life.

I Think This Means Rebecca’s Love Life Will Look The Same As It Did In Seasons 1 Through 3

Hannah Waddingham kept it simple when asked about her character’s love life, simply saying that “Rebecca will be Rebecca-ing.” I think that means we will see romance play about as big a role in her life as it did in the first three seasons.

Therefore, I’m theorizing that Season 4 will feature a love story for Rebecca that’s fairly small and a side plot, much like her relationships with Sam and that pilot were. I also -- and this is important -- think it means there will be no romance between the AFC Richmond owner and Ted.

While Tedbecca has been teased in the show, and Waddingham and Jason Sudeikis have remarkable chemistry, there has been no romantic love story between them. So, if Rebecca is still Rebecca-ing, I am theorizing (and manifesting) that their relationship will remain platonic, and she’ll keep casually dating other guys.

However, we won’t know for sure until Season 4 premieres for those with an Apple TV+ subscription, and we don’t know when that will happen. So, let’s keep the theories going as we wait for more Ted Lasso.

While “never say never” can be a pretty good maxim to adopt for one’s life, it certainly seems to be true when it comes to entertainment, specifically some of our beloved shows coming back to life. The early days of the 2025 TV schedule brought fans some stunning and delightful news in March, when it was announced that Ted Lasso Season 4 is actually going to become a real thing, two years after the Season 3 ending had everyone thinking that was the end of the road for Jason Sudeikis' former coach and his AFC Richmond crew. Now, star Hannah Waddingham is comparing the series to an “exhumed” dog and I totally get her meaning.

What Did Hannah Waddingham Say About Ted Lasso Being Like An Exhumed Dog?

Ted Lasso was such an immediate, blockbuster hit that the conversation about whether or not it would end, as originally planned, after its third season has been going on since well before Season 3 began airing. Though all signs had pointed to “yes” for one of the best Apple TV+ shows (despite stars like Hannah Waddingham being willing to return), fans held out hope and will be rewarded soon.

When speaking to Variety about bringing Rebecca back to the small screen, Waddingham had a pretty apt analogy for Ted Lasso’s long-awaited return, and said:

Are her words a teensy bit morbid and odd? Maybe, but like I noted, this totally fits the situation, and not just because the Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning star had previously talked about the cast and crew having “mourned the loss, and now it's rising from the dead.”

Whenever a beloved TV series (especially one that brought as much joy, emotion and all-around laughter as Ted Lasso did during its three seasons) ends, all of the fans want more, and often those who work on the show do, as well. But, nothing is ever certain in life or the television business, so it’s best to fondly remember what was and just find ways to move on. The actors/writers/etc. get new jobs, and the audience delves into new TV obsessions to fill the hole that’s been left. You might wish that adored pet you had for years was still around, but you know that’s not the current reality.

In fact, Emmy winning actor/writer Brett Goldstein, opened up about the comedy’s return and compared it to a weird childhood story about a dead cat, so Waddingham’s words actually fit. She continued:

You know what? Every Ted Lasso fan on the planet is ready for Waddingham to be able to put in her two cents on what Rebecca is doing now and to see her back in her finely tailored clothes and high heels. After all, we’re Richmond ‘til we die…and then come back to life!

Ted Lasso isn’t just one of the best shows on Apple TV+, it’s a full-fledged cultural phenomenon. So, the idea of anyone in the Ted Lasso cast turning down their part feels almost unimaginable. However, before it was a hit, this was a small comedy on a new streaming service, and one key actor recently explained why he said no before eventually accepting the gig.

Nick Mohammed, who played Nate on Ted Lasso (which you can stream with an Apple TV+ subscription), is the actor who recently opened up about turning down the comedy at first. Before being cast as the kit man-turned-coach, he was up for Higgins alongside Brett Goldstein, who ultimately played Roy, Phil Dunster, who ultimately played Jamie, and Jeremy Swift, who did end up playing Higgins. Between that and a few other factors, Mohammed said no at first, explaining on The Comedian’s Comedian Podcast:

Further elaborating on why he said no, Mohammed said that he’d auditioned for another part in Ted Lasso and was simply working on something else at the time. That something else was the show Intelligence, and he explained why that played into his initial choice, saying:

For those who don’t know, Intelligence is a British sitcom that Mohammed starred in with David Schwimmer. The Friends actor played an NSA agent who moved to the UK to work for the Government Communications Headquarters on a cybercrime unit, and Mohammed played a computer analyst who worked alongside him.

Sound familiar? Well, it is a fish-out-of-water comedy about an American who moves to the UK to play a pivotal role in an institution that is confused about why he’s there in the first place. However, as Mohammed stated, outside of the general premise, they are quite different.

So, with all that in mind, and considering the Nate actor did create Intelligence, I can see why he wanted to devote his time to it instead of Ted Lasso.

However, the Ted Lasso team was persistent, and they laid out Nate’s whole good-turned-evil-turned-back-to-good arc:

They did hold true to their word, and by the end of Ted Lasso Season 3, Nate had been on a full, emotional and redeeming journey. Mohammed loved that too, so he was thrilled to play the part. The success the show found amid all that was just the cherry on top, as he said:

He’s right, nobody knew the success Ted Lasso would be, and it truly took the world by storm, getting bigger and bigger season after season. Now, Ted Lasso is set to return for Season 4; however, Mohammed doesn’t know if he’ll be back or not just yet.

Although no matter what, he made it clear how grateful he is for the show, and I’m sure he’s very thankful he ultimately said yes to playing Nate the Great.

So, we know we’re going back to Richmond, Jason Sudeikis confirmed Ted Lasso’s return. However, we don’t know which actors will be coming back to the great Apple TV+ series as their beloved characters. That uncertainty just became more emphasized, too, as one key cast member explained why he doesn’t know if he’ll be back or not yet.

Now that Ted Lasso Season 4 is confirmed, we’re slowly but surely hearing from the cast about it. Nick Mohammed, who played Nate, was asked about the upcoming episodes while on The Comedian’s Comedian podcast. In response, he explained that he has no clue if he’ll be back, saying:

Now, Brett Goldstein has talked about returning to write, and Hannah Waddingham said she starts filming this month, in July. We also know Jason Sudeikis will be back as the titular character to coach the women’s team. Outside of that, we don’t really know who will be back and who won’t.

In Mohammed’s case, he said he’s had “dates checked,” however, outside of that, Nate’s future is unknown. But, the actor is fine with that and totally understands why, explaining:

This makes perfect sense. Obviously, I would love to see the whole Ted Lasso cast return. However, realistically, that probably can’t happen. The show would be overstuffed if it tried to focus on the men’s and women’s teams, and that would be bad.

So, when we return to watch new episodes with an Apple TV+ subscription, maybe don’t expect to see every familiar face. However, don’t count them out either. Mohammed made it clear that while he’s unsure if he’ll be back, and his option wasn’t extended, he assumes Nate could return somehow. He said:

I could totally see that happening. When Season 3 of Ted Lasso ended, Nate had been redeemed, and he was working his way back up the coaching ladder at Richmond. He’d proven to be quite the football genius, so it’d make sense if he got recruited to lead another team.

So, maybe that’s what will happen, and maybe Nate will pop into Season 4 for an episode or two to assist Ted with the new team.

That’s just a guess, but it feels plausible, and it seems like Nick Mohammed is down for anything. He even said that if the opportunity to return arose, he “absolutely would want to.”

Overall, even though the actor isn’t sure if he’ll be back, he made it clear how understanding and happy he is, no matter what happens. In fact, he closed his comments by saying his three-season arc was “such a gift,” and that if that “was the end of Nate, and that was it, I can hardly complain.”

I think that’s a great mentality to have, and hopefully, both Nick Mohammed and fans will have a bit more clarity soon about who is coming back and who isn’t for Season 4. In the meantime, as we learn more about Ted Lasso’s next chapter, we’ll be sure to keep you updated.

Well, here’s something I never even imagined writing: Brad Pitt is a Ted Lasso fan. Of course, I don’t think I should be that shocked. The comedy is one of Apple TV+’s best shows, and it feels like everyone and their mother has seen it. However, I don’t think often about what A-listers are fans of, so I didn’t have this story about the F1 star gushing about Ted Lasso on my bingo card, but I’m thrilled it happened.

For those who don’t know, Pitt actually worked with a Ted Lasso cast member, Sarah Niles, on F1, which premiered on the 2025 movie schedule recently and is currently in theaters. In the Joseph Kosinski movie, the actress plays the mother of Sonny Hayes' (Pitt) teammate, Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris). In the Apple TV+ show, she played A.F.C. Richmond’s team psychologist, Dr. Sharon Fieldstone.

While the two were working on F1, Niles said Pitt came up to her to sing Ted Lasso’s praises, she told THR:

Well, that’s so sweet! I wonder if Pitt binge-watched Ted Lasso with an Apple TV+ subscription or if he watched week to week as the episodes dropped a few years ago. I’d love to know what his favorite wholesome Ted moment is and if there are any quotes from the show that he says, too.

Also, did Brad Pitt think Season 4 of Ted Lasso would happen? Now that the writers are hard at work on new episodes, I want to know if he’s as excited for them as I am.

All those inquiries aside, I adore knowing that the Moneyball actor is such a fan of the show. And he’s right to love Dr. Sharon Fieldstone. Niles played her brilliantly, and her character made such a major, positive, and emotional impact on the players and coaches she helped.

Along with this all being a sweet and fun fact about F1’s leading man, Niles also explained what it showed her about Pitt as a leader. She said:

Overall, it’s clear that Niles has a lot of respect and admiration for her co-star, and seems like the feeling is mutual. Now, I can’t wait to see how they continue to support each other.

I also can’t wait to see Season 4 of Ted Lasso, and now I can’t help but hope the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood… star finds his way into it somehow. I realize that’s probably a super far-flung dream. However, a girl can dream (or "believe" rather), and maybe Sarah Niles could pull some strings.

No matter what, though, I’m just thrilled that both of these sports stories exist. Ted Lasso and F1 each tell epic stories about people overcoming the odds and achieving what seems impossible. They’re uplifting and action-packed, and I love them both. So, it’s lovely to know that Brad Pitt does too.

About two years after Ted Lasso’s Season 3 finale and the presumed ending of the Apple TV+ comedy, it was announced that the series will indeed be returning. It’s unknown when, and we don't know who will be part of it yet, but the fact that Season 4 is actually happening is cause for celebration. For a while, it was hard to tell if another season was possible, but luckily, fans won’t have to wonder any longer. Now, Roy Kent himself, Brett Goldstein, is revealing why he eventually warmed up to doing another season, and his explanation obviously included an f-bomb.

Not only is Goldstein part of the Ted Lasso cast as Roy Kent, but he is also a writer on the show. So he’s part of the team that's making decisions about where this next story will go. Now, while talking about Season 4 of Ted Lasso on Vulture’s Good One podcast with Jesse David Fox, the Emmy winner opened up about why he warmed up to the idea of returning to Richmond, saying:

For a while, it was assumed that Season 3 of Ted Lasso was it, but even though some stories were wrapped up, it was clear that the door wasn't fully closed, and there was potential for a fourth installment or spinoffs. Not only was there still interest within the cast, but fans probably kept their hopes up, too, that something would happen, no matter how much time had passed.

Now, even though not much has been shared about what exactly Ted Lasso Season 4 will consist of, it’s clear that there are some exciting ideas churning, and Goldstein dropped an appropriate f-bomb while explaining it:

When previously asked about returning for Ted Lasso Season 4, Goldstein used an analogy about a dead cat coming back to life, and it was weirdly fitting. You have to move on, but you still hope and pray that somehow it gets brought back to life because a part of you knows this shouldn’t be the end. In the case of the cat, it wasn't dead. And in the case of Ted Lasso, even after saying goodbye, they still returned for another round.

Now, the wait for Season 4 could be a long one, but fans have already been waiting for almost two years for news on a fourth season. So, waiting a little bit longer for it to actually come out shouldn't be too painful. Additionally, more news about the new season is expected to be released as they continue developing it, so hopefully, we'll learn more about the cast and the plot sooner rather than later.

Ted Lasso continues to be one of the best shows on Apple TV+, so it’s not surprising that it’s finally coming back. It’s unknown when it will eventually return, but for now, fans can watch the first three seasons with an Apple TV+ subscription.

You know how there are just those friendships on television that you watch, and you sit there like, “Dang, I need to have friends like that!” Here are some of the best that I’m sure you’ve loved time and again.

Troy And Abed (Community)

When I was thinking of names for this list, Troy and Abed were the first two that came to mind. When it comes to the Community cast, the chemistry among them is utterly perfect; however, the best is undoubtedly Donald Glover and Danny Pudi as Troy and Abed, respectively. I could think of no better friendship duo than these two and their weirdness – I even have a mug of them saying, “Troy and Abed in the mooorning!”

Steve And Dustin (Stranger Things)

While they are indeed the among the friendships with the most significant age gaps on this list, I can’t leave out Steve and Dustin. I feel like we were all introduced to what these two could be in Season 2 when Steve started to enter his whole “mom” era (as the memes online would say) with the kids. But throughout the four seasons, we’ve seen their friendship grow in specific ways that make it a million times better. I love this duo so much.

Chandler And Joey (Friends)

Yes, really, the entire Friends cast is something I genuinely love, but speaking specifically, Joey and Chandler are the epitome of “best friends forever.” These two have been through it all, and I swear, the episode where Chandler moves out is one that always hits me hard in the feels. They are goofy in every way.

Eleven And Max (Stranger Things)

When we watched Eleven and Max together on Stranger Things in Season 3, something was healed in our souls. There’s just something so sweet about watching two teenagers go out and live their lives and become close friends without any boys to bother them. I love these two so much.

Ekko And Powder (Arcane)

While Arcane is one of the best shows to binge on Netflix, it wouldn’t be on that list without its impressive character connections, and one of those is Ekko and Powder. That’s right, not Jinx, of course, but Powder before she went through all the trauma – and especially in that different reality in Season 2. These two had a special connection unlike any other, and my only wish was that we got more.

Cristina And Meredith (Grey’s Anatomy)

Duh. I think when anyone thinks of TV best friends, they think of Cristina and Meredith from Grey’s Anatomy. These two stuck together through thick and thin and went through some of the most dramatic instances that characters in a medical TV show could experience. You can’t get better than them.

Jackie And Donna (That ‘70s Show)

I love these two because the best thing about Jackie and Donna is that they weren’t friends at first. They did not like each other. But throughout the show, they ended up getting really close. And really, I think that’s an excellent way for a friendship to start in a show – where they see the worst versions of each other but choose to become friends anyway when they realize how much they have in common.

Ted And Coach Beard (Ted Lasso)

The Ted Lasso cast has plenty of great friendships, but one that I have to give special praise to is the one between Ted and Beard. At first, it feels like they wouldn’t get along because Beard is just so…weird in so many ways. But they vibe on a different level, and it’s a friendship that truly stands the test of time.

Jack And Liz (30 Rock)

The 30 Rock cast is so talented, but the main friendship that I’m sure we all love is Liz and Jack. Why? Because these two are brutally honest with each other. They always show up for each other in times of need, and they’re not afraid to tell each other how it is. That’s a true friend.

Jess And Cece (New Girl)

God, the list of times that these two have gone through ridiculous drama because of the boys that Jess lives with is endless. But you want to know the best part? Jess and Cece were always there for each other. Whether it was Cece dealing with Schmidt, Jess with Nick, or whatever other crazy shenanigans they went through, it was always these two.

Veronica And Fiona (Shameless)

I will literally always love Veronica and Fiona. The entire Shameless cast essentially defined my college years, as I loved the show. But these two? They were great friends. Fiona was hyped about V just as much as Veronica was about her. They were not afraid to get dirty in order to protect one another. I love ‘em.

Leslie And Ron (Parks And Recreation)

The best thing about Leslie and Ron in the Parks and Recreation cast is that they are always there for each other. Often, with many of these office shows, friendships can turn romantic in the blink of an eye, but they were always just hilarious together in so many ways. I can’t help but love them.

Bellamy And Clarke (The 100)

While a part of me will never forgive this CW show for not putting these two together because the chemistry was amazing, there’s a lot to love about Bellamy and Clarke from The 100. They went through some of the worst things together, but no matter what, they always stood by each other and let them live their lives, even if they didn’t necessarily agree with their choices. It’s perfect.

Sam And Dean (Supernatural)

Is it cheating because they’re brothers? I don’t know. To me, I think Sam and Dean’s friendship is one of the highlights of the Supernatural cast. It wouldn’t be a great show if it weren’t for Sam’s quips, Dean’s sarcastic comments, or how they work so incredibly well together. I mean, it had fifteen seasons. Of course, their friendship was amazing.

Jake And Finn (Adventure Time)

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Jake and Finn have a friendship that’s special in so many ways. They are friends forever, and you can’t take that from me.

Aang And Sokka (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

When it comes to rewatching Avatar: The Last Airbender, one friendship I particularly love is that of Aang and Sokka. You’d think it'd be because they are always there for each other. Sokka will support Aang no matter what, and Aang will protect his friends as if they were his family. But the real reason is that they are just idiots together – and I mean that in the best way possible. They come up with the silliest plans. And it’s something that makes me laugh every time.

Will And Carlton (The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air)

While they were cousins, they did not have to be friends. However, watching the evolution of Will and Carlton’s friendship throughout The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is something that I will always love. A begrudging respect began to form, and by the end, the two of them had become truly close friends, having been through a lot together.

Lily And Robin (How I Met Your Mother)

I think a reason why a lot of people like Lily and Robin from How I Met Your Mother is that, in reality, they feel like a lot of real-life friendships – especially with me. Whether it’s cracking jokes, drinking wine, or needing someone to rant to, these two were each other’s person, and that’s something we can always be grateful for.

Ted And Rebecca (Ted Lasso)

Were Ted and Rebecca close from the start? Not at all. But I love it when the grumpy x sunshine dynamic finally comes around, and these two are the epitome of that, where even Rebecca starts to see how great Ted is. By the end of the series, she was crying as she watched him leave to return to America. Now that’s a friendship.

Jimmy And Gaby (Shrinking)

The Shrinking cast has some memorable friendships, but I have to point out Jimmy and Gaby. Sure, they did have their moments of possibly having a fling, but in reality, these two are just funny together. They have some hysterical moments that make me snicker. And it’s something I rewatch when I need a laugh.

Rachel, Phoebe And Monica (Friends)

I couldn’t just pick a duo for these three because, in reality, they’re all great friends. I feel like each of them has stuck their neck out for the other on any occasion because they care so deeply. There’s something so special about having three friends who would do anything for the other, and these three take the cake.

Jimmy And Paul (Shrinking)

Does Paul continuously say they aren’t friends? Of course. Does that stop Jimmy? Nope! Watching these two interact is the highlight of my week whenever new Shrinking episodes come around, and I would fully watch an entire series dedicated to just them, with Paul turning grumpy as Jimmy’s pestering continues.

Grace And Will (Will And Grace)

Of course, I had to put these two on this list. The titular characters of Will & Grace are so iconic that they came back around in a revival back in 2017. Their friendship is hysterical, and they are always there for each other, no matter what.

SpongeBob And Patrick (SpongeBob SquarePants)

SpongeBob and Patrick are the epitome of how two characters can be as dumb as rocks, but they vibe so well. I love ‘em to death, no matter how stupid these two are together and the trouble they get into. Some of the best SpongeBob memes revolve around their friendship.

Scott And Stiles (Teen Wolf)

As someone who lived during the Teen Wolf era, Scott and Stiles were EVERYWHERE. And I mean everywhere. I looked on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr (that’s right, you remember her), and I couldn't escape their friendship – or the people shipping them.

Turk And J.D. (Scrubs)

If the term ‘bromance’ had a picture in the dictionary, it would be Turk and J.D.. They were hilarious in every way and perfectly captured what it was like to be just two guys who vibed well and absolutely loved each other. They are what made Scrubs so good.

Charles And Jake (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

There are plenty of friendships I could point to in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, but one that always stands out to me is Charles and Jake. I really don’t think they were the brightest bulbs when they were together, but somehow, they always managed to get the job done hilariously.

John And Sherlock (Sherlock)

Because, of course, I have to put these two together. Did Sherlock drive John out of his mind? Of course, he did. But Sherlock would also do anything to protect John and his family, and we see that even if Sherlock himself was practically unable to show emotions. That’s the kind of true friendship we all need.

Steve And Robin (Stranger Things)

Yes, because we love Steve and Robin. The hilarious part about these two is that everyone thought Robin and Steve were going to become the next big romantic thing when Season 3 came around. Still, nope, it turns out Robin was actually a lesbian, and these two ended up becoming besties – and are always there for each other.

Lorelai And Rory (Gilmore Girls)

Okay, so while they are mother and daughter, I’m pretty sure we can all collectively agree that Lorelai and Rory are best friends as well. That’s kind of the whole premise of the show. Mothers and daughters would dream of the close relationship that these two had.

Eddie And Dustin (Stranger Things)

Eddie was a true all-star of Stranger Things Season 4, but one of the biggest reasons for that is because of his friendship with Dustin. Eddie got to him on a personal level (one different from Steve's), and that friendship will always be remembered.

Toph And Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Toph and Katara have a powerful friendship. Not only do they bring out the best in each other with their powers, but they constantly challenge each other, especially in the beginning when they don’t get along. But it would be a friendship that would last a lifetime.

Ugh, now I feel like I have to rewatch all of these shows to see these guys again. I think it’s time for a marathon.

It was a truly sad day when news broke that George Wendt passed away. However, it was lovely to see his Cheers co-stars, including Ted Danson and Kelsey Grammer, pay tribute to him. In that same vein, it was wonderful to hear how Jason Sudeikis, who is Wendt’s nephew, Brett Goldstein and the writers of Ted Lasso commemorated the late actor after learning about his death.

Back in March, Jason Sudeikis confirmed that Ted Lasso Season 4 was happening, and now, they’re writing the new episodes. So, while on Ted Danson’s podcast, Where Everybody Knows Your Name, the Roy Kent actor shared that he was with his co-star and Wendt’s nephew when news of his passing broke, saying:

Watching some of Wendt's greatest moments from one of the best sitcoms of all time is such a sweet way to remember him. Plus, considering the fact that Ted Lasso’s co-creator is directly related to the Cheers legend, it makes sense that they took a moment while writing their show to pause, remember and honor him.

As he sent his condolences to Danson, who had started the podcast by saying, “Can we not pretend that we didn’t just start a conversation about George Wendt,” Goldstein also shared his own stories about the late actor. He noted that his Ted Lasso co-star had told them tales about his uncle. However, while working on one of the best Apple TV+ shows, he also got to meet the man behind Norm, explaining:

After that, Danson opened up about processing the death of his friend, how tragic it is, as well as the importance of celebrating him and his legacy. Well, it sounds like that’s exactly what they did here as well as in the Ted Lasso writers' room.

However, Ted Lasso’s love for Wendt and Cheers goes beyond this moment. In the Season 3 finale, there’s actually a Cheers Easter egg in Mae’s pub. They included a picture of Geronimo, which was on display in the bar that Sam Malone ran. It was in the pub for Ted Lasso's entire run. However, for the finale, they moved it to a more prominent place so it was visible to viewers.

So, all around, there’s a lot of love for Wendt and Cheers among the Ted Lasso cast and crew, and Goldstein made it clear that they loved and adored him as well as appreciated his support of their show.

Overall, George Wendt’s death is tragic. However, I’m grateful that folks like Danson and Goldstein are speaking up about his kindness, skill and legacy. So, with that in mind, you can go back like the Ted Lasso writers did and watch Cheers with a Paramount+ subscription.

Hollywood has conditioned audiences to expect two central characters of similar romantic preferences and with great chemistry to fall in love by the end of a film or at some point in a TV series’ run. Thus, it is typically more refreshing to see these protagonists remain compatible but without giving in to a forced will-they-won’t-they dynamic. In that spirit, here is a thankful tribute to pop culture’s best platonic couples.

Max And Furiosa (Mad Max: Fury Road)

For the fourth installment of his beloved franchise of post-apocalyptic thrillers, 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road, writer and director George Miller introduced a female hero to serve as the title character's equal in another road war. Not once is there a hint of any romantic connection between Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) and Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), and the modern action movie classic is beloved all the more for it.

Jerry And Elaine (Seinfeld)

One key way Seinfeld established itself early on as a groundbreaking comedy was doing away with any will-they-won't-they gimmick between Jerry Seinfeld (Jerry Seinfeld) and Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) by starting them off as a couple, breaking them up before the show even started, and seeing them remain friends through the run. While the beloved TV sitcom occasionally dropped hints at rekindling their romance for laughs (such as when they became friends with benefits or Jerry's impromptu marriage proposal), there is no doubt they are stronger as pals.

Marlin And Dory (Finding Nemo)

Finding Nemo could have easily incorporated the typical "widowed father finds love again" trope by seeing Marlin (Albert Brooks) and Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) fall into a charming interbreed romance during their search for his eponymous son (voiced by Alexander Gould). However, I think most would agree that making the clownfish and Blue Tang nothing but friends is an essential aspect of what makes the Oscar winner one of Pixar's best movies.

Leslie And Ron (Parks And Recreation)

At the Paley Center for Media, Parks and Recreation co-creator Michael Schur shared that Leslie Knope and Ron Swanson were initially conceived as the "mom and dad" of the Pawnee Parks Department office, but without any intention of giving them romantic chemistry. The closest the co-workers have ever come to being more than professional is when Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman pretend to make out for the sitcom's gag reel.

Harry And Hermione (The Harry Potter Movies)

The Harry Potter movies may be named after Daniel Radcliffe's "Boy Who Lived," but the young wizard would not be able to achieve what he does at Hogwarts without the help of his very best friends, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson). In any other blockbuster franchise, the title character might end up with the girl in the end, but the thought never seems to cross their minds, and instead, Hermione and Ron come to develop feelings for each other.

Joey And Pheobe (Friends)

There always seemed to be romance in the air for the members of the Friends cast, from Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel's (Jennifer Aniston) rocky, on-again-off-again relationship to Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler's (Matthew Perry) marriage, and even Rachel and Joey's (Matt LeBlanc) attempt at being more than roommates. However, Joey and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) were practically brother and sister, even though they did kiss when he thought she was her twin sister, Ursula, and he did offer to marry her when he thought she was pregnant. That is, thankfully, the closest they ever came.

Hawkeye And Black Widow (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Natasha "Black Widow" Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) and Clint "Hawkeye" Barton (Jeremy Renner) share a deeper bond than most characters from the Marvel movies in order can claim, having known each other long before forming the Avengers together. The ultimate sign of their undying, platonic love for one another is in 2019's Avengers: Endgame when neither is willing to let the other sacrifice themselves to retrieve the Soul Stone, only for Clint to fall apart when he is forced to say goodbye to Nat.

Liz And Jack (30 Rock)

They may have gotten off on the wrong foot in the pilot for 30 Rock, but TV writer Liz Lemon (series creator Tina Fey) and her boss, Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin), eventually come to form a respectable professional team. I cannot imagine anyone would have ever expected these characters to fall for one another, but it was the mere unlikelihood of their romance that made their bond one of the comedy's strongest elements.

Bob And Charlotte (Lost In Translation)

I honestly feel like I might be cheating by including Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson's characters from the 2000s-era movie classic, Lost in Translation, because the oft-discussed ending of Sofia Coppola's Oscar-winning dramedy suggests their bond evolves into something more. However, up until then, they share a friendship that each desperately needed and anyone would be lucky to have.

Mal And Zoë (Firefly)

One of the many issues that led to the premature cancellation of cult sci-fi series Firefly was creative demands from Fox executives, such as one note requesting that Zoë (Gina Torres) not be married to Wash (Alan Tudyk) to leave room for any romantic potential with Nathan Fillion's Captain Mal Reynolds. Thankfully, creator Joss Whedon stood his ground and adamantly refused, allowing the interplanetary outlaws to remain thick and thieves in the purest sense.

Ripley And Hicks (Aliens)

Writer and director James Cameron's second chapter of the Alien movies franchise introduced one of cinema's most revered platonic couples in the form of Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and Cpl. Dwayne Hicks (Michael Biehn). There are more than enough hints at the Xenomorph survivor and the marine sharing a romantic connection, but the sci-fi movie classic leaves their level of affection ambiguous instead of ending with a big, celebratory smooch like any other filmmaker might have pushed for.

Don And Peggy (Mad Men)

With how many women on the Mad Men cast Don Draper (Jon Hamm) had affairs with, one might have expected something to happen between him and his assistant/protege, Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss). Of course, that was never on the cards for them, as the 1960s ad executive saw her as more of a daughter, sharing with her many winning professional successes and tender personal moments throughout the hit AMC series' run.

Daisy And Hoke (Driving Miss Daisy)

Driving Miss Daisy from 1989 traces the longtime relationship between a grumpy older woman, Daisy Werthan (Jessica Tandy), and her chauffeur, Hoke Colburn (Morgan Freeman). Seeing their friendship survive racial and ageist adversaries in the mid-1900s South makes this Best Picture Oscar winner an enduring inspiration.

SpongeBob And Sandy (SpongeBob Squarepants)

As a marine biologist like SpongeBob Squarepants creator Stephen Hillenburg would know, sea sponges do not require mates to reproduce (which does make the inclusion of the title character's parents a bit nonsensical, admittedly). Nonetheless, nothing could have ever happened between SpongeBob (Tom Kenny) and his squirrely pal, Sandy Cheeks (Carolyn Lawrence), anyway, even if some adult viewers of Nickelodeon's beloved animated series have theorized their shared passion for martial arts was a form of foreplay.

Rey And Finn (The Star Wars Movies)

It took some time for the Star Wars movies to embrace the idea of purely platonic relationships between characters of the opposite gender, specifically when the franchise was revived in 2015. In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, loner Rey (Daisy Ridley) and reformed Stormtrooper Finn (John Boyega) become fast friends and remain allies in the fight against the First Order in the last of the sequel trilogy.

Will And Jack (Will & Grace)

During the revival seasons of Will & Grace, there were hints at Will Truman's (Eric McCormack) relationship with his friend, and fellow gay man, Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes), evolving into something more. However, that would have undermined the entire spirit of the sitcom because, as Will, the duo are meant to be "girlfriends, not boyfriends."

Jimmy And Dottie (A League of Their Own)

According to SlashFilm, director Penny Marshall shot a kissing scene between Tom Hanks as Jimmy Dugan and Geena Davis as catcher Dottie Hinson for the 1992 sports movie favorite, A League of Their Own. The scene was ultimately cut, maintaining the characters' strong bond as a baseball player and her coach.

Ted And Rebecca (Ted Lasso)

In the hit Apple TV+ original series, Ted Lasso, Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham) initially hires the eponymous American football coach (played by Jason Sudeikis), hoping that he will ruin the football team her ex-husband cherished. Instead, she comes to appreciate the good he does for the team on and off the field, and a trusting, loving friend in and out of the office develops.

Shang-Chi And Katy (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings)

Succeeding Black Widow and Hawkeye as the definitive platonic couple of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is arguably Xu "Shaun" Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Katy (Awkwafina). In 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, when Shaun tells his best friend/co-worker/karaoke partner that he has to leave town to help protect his younger sister, she insists on coming with him without a second's hesitation.

Jake And Rosa (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

Having come up at the police academy together, Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz) share one of the closest bonds among the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast. Refreshingly, the New York detectives' relationship never evolves into anything beyond strict professionalism and deeply supportive friendship, as Jake eventually marries Amy Santiago (Melissa Fumero) and Rosa goes through various relationships with both men and women, having come out as bi-sexual in Season 5.

Drax And Mantis (Guardians Of The Galaxy Movies)

In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Drax (Dave Bautista) makes it abundantly clear that he has no romantic interest in Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and, in fact, is physically repulsed by the idea of being with her. In turn, the cosmic Marvel heroes prove to have a great brother-sister dynamic, especially when they team up to find Peter "Star-Lord" Quill (Chris Pratt) the perfect holiday gift in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.

Jack And Chloe (24)

No one had Jack Bauer's (Kiefer Sutherland) back like Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub) on 24. The CTU agent's relationship with the analyst was, essentially, one-sided at first before they became strong allies and even best friends.

Dredd And Anderson (Dredd)

To even describe Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) and Judge Anderson (Olivia Thirlby) from 2012's underrated comic book flick, Dredd, as friends would be far from accurate. However, as law enforcement officials, they could not be a better match as partners, evidenced by their impeccable compatibility while working to bring down the wonderfully over-the-top action villain, Ma-Ma (Lena Headey), and her drug operation.

Joan And Sherlock (Elementary)

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson make up one of the most iconic and influential partnerships in pop culture history. A modernized, gender-swapped reinterpretation of the characters in CBS's Elementary, starring Johnny Lee Miller as Holmes and Lucy Liu as Joan Watson, has also been recognized as a pairing for the ages.

Arthur And Iris (The Holiday)

In the acclaimed rom-com, The Holiday, Iris Simpkins' (Kate Winslet) love interest is Jack Black's L.A. film score composer Miles Dumon. However, the visiting Brit spends most of her time in the States with elderly former screenwriter Arthur Abbott (Eli Wallach), which quickly becomes the most charming relationship in Nancy Meyers' 2006 holiday season favorite.

Lexi And Stefan (The Vampire Diaries)

In his many, many years as an ageless creature of the night, Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) took many lovers throughout the years, but there was one female The Vampire Diaries character he called one of his best friends. Arielle Kebbel plays fellow bloodsucker Lexi Branson, who, essentially, serves as Stefan's moral compass and bonds with him over the shared passion for the music of Bon Jovi.

Edgin And Holga (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves)

What made 2023's Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves such a blast, especially for experienced players of its namesake role-playing game, was the strong sense of unity and teamwork among its cast of heroes. No characters in the fantasy adventure represent those qualities better than Edgin (Chris Pine) and Holga (Michelle Rodriguez), who are endlessly loyal to one another from the start.

Veronica And Wallace (Veronica Mars)

Kristen Bell's title hero from the teen mystery drama Veronica Mars first met Wallace Fennel (Percy Daggs III) when she saw him duct-taped to a flagpole and came to his rescue. This marked the beginning of a friendship that few high schoolers can claim.

Charly And Mitch (The Long Kiss Goodnight)

In The Long Kiss Goodnight, amnesiac mother Samantha Caine (Geena Davis) discovers, with help from private eye Mitch Henessey (Samuel L. Jackson), her past as a deadly top agent. From then on, the 1996 thriller from director Renny Harlin becomes a fun buddy action flick as "Samantha" embraces her true identity as Charly Baltimore.

Maddie And Simon (School Spirits)

The acclaimed Paramount+ original series School Spirits is a ghost story from the perspective of a ghost, namely 17-year-old Maddie Nears (Peyton List), who is unable to interact with the living... except for one person. Her unbreakable bond with her best friend, Simon Elroy (Kristian Ventura), allows him to see her, making him the only one who can help solve the mystery of her death, which she has no memory of.

Preston And Denise (Can't Hardly Wait)

Any other fun party movie would have the nerdy teen protagonist pining for the popular girl end up with his female best friend instead. However, in Can't Hardly Wait, Preston (Ethan Embry) does end up with his dream girl, Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt), while his best friend, Denise (Lauren Ambrose), forms an unexpected connection with Kenny (Seth Green) after getting locked in a bathroom together.

Meredith And Alex (Grey's Anatomy)

On a medical drama in which most people seemed to be getting into bed with each other, it was refreshing to see two characters from the Grey's Anatomy cast, namely Justin Chambers' Alex Karev and Ellen Pompeo's Meredith Grey, sharing a relationship that was purely friendly.

When Season 3 of Ted Lasso ended in 2023, it felt like the show could be over. While there were ways to continue AFC Richmond’s story, it was unclear if that would actually happen. Well, now, it’s actually happening, and Hannah Waddingham opened up about that and shared an exciting detail about Season 4.

Back in March, Jason Sudeikis confirmed that Season 4 of Ted Lasso was happening after months of rumors and speculation about the show’s potential return. Since then, some of the cast have shared thoughts on returning to Richmond, and that includes Hannah Waddingham. During an interview with Capital FM, she was asked about returning to play Rebecca, and in response, she said:

This sentiment goes along with other things that have been said about Ted Lasso Season 4. Specifically, Brett Goldstein told a story about a seemingly dead cat that made the same point. He explained that he had a friend who thought his cat had died, and his family had mourned and buried the cat. However, it turned out to be a different cat, and eventually their pet did return home.

Connecting that to Ted Lasso, the Roy Kent actor explained that he felt like that kid as this show returns more than two years after it ended. As he said, they “all cried” and “had a funeral,” but now they’re returning.

During that interview, Goldstein also reiterated a point Sudeikis made in his initial announcement, as they both confirmed Season 4 was being written. The Ted actor also noted that the new season will follow his titular character as he coaches a women’s team.

Now, Waddingham’s latest update both confirmed Rebecca’s return and a filming timeline, as she said:

Man, this show is really moving now! Considering both how long it took for Season 3 to come out and how many years it's been since that season ended, I had no clue when we’d get Season 4. And I still don’t. However, Waddingham’s update is a massive step in the right direction.

The fact that they’re going into production this summer makes me hopeful about a season potentially coming sometime in 2026. Of course, we cannot confirm a release date; however, the Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning actress’s comment gives me hope that it could come out sooner rather than later.

So, fingers crossed, we’ll get to use that handy Apple TV+ subscription to watch Season 4 of Ted Lasso sometime in the next year or so. However, in the meantime, I’ll just be grateful that this show did come back from the dead and re-watch the delightful first three seasons to get reacquainted with the world of AFC Richmond.

While it felt like just about everyone was in on the Severance hype, when I recommend other shows on the 2025 TV schedule that are only available with an Apple TV+ subscription, sometimes people have no clue what I’m talking about. Now, a creator of a series that is housed on the streamer is calling out the service for its marketing tactics, going as far as to say that it's “probably the worst marketer in the universe.”

Alex Berger is a French-American producer behind hit shows like The Bureau and The Agency, he’s also the man behind the Apple TV+ series La Maison. While speaking at Canneseries (via Variety) about the success of The Agency (which is available with a Paramount+ subscription), he also opened up about the disappointment he felt with La Maison, seeing as both shows premiered in 2024. Explaining why he was upset about how Apple marketed his drama, the executive producer explained:

La Maison, which is a French drama about a family that runs a haute couture house, was critically acclaimed. In fact, it boasts a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it flew under the radar.

It feels like this show has what it takes to be one of the best Apple TV+ series. However, Berger blames the lack of marketing for it when it comes to the number of people who actually watched it.

After his initial comments regarding his disappointment toward Apple TV+’s marketing strategy, Berger was asked why he chose to take his project to this streamer. He explained that he had hoped his series could help expand the service’s international offerings. However, ultimately, he was “very frustrated” with how his project was advertised, explaining:

Over the years that Apple has been producing television, it has made a ton of critically acclaimed hits. Shows like Jason Segel’s Shrinking, the adaptation of Silo, Seth Rogen’s The Studio and more have been met with love from critics. However, when it comes to the masses watching these projects, it’s harder to track and truly know if they’re big hits.

Obviously, Apple TV+ has some massive, and I mean massive, hits. Ted Lasso has become a major moment in the world of television, winning Emmy after Emmy alongside the hearts of millions. Now, it’s even coming back for Season 4, and hype is high. Severance also went super viral this year with Season 2, and became the streamer’s most watched show, logging 589 million minutes viewed in the U.S. across all its episodes (per Deadline).

While this service has some notable and very big successes, it also doesn’t have the same number of hits as streamers like Netflix, Max, Hulu, and Paramount+.

According to Berger, this could be because of how shows are marketed on the platform. He’s clearly very frustrated with how his drama was treated, despite its critical acclaim, because it didn’t reach as many people as he would have liked.

Now, it will be interesting to see if Apple TV+ evolves in its marketing ways to make it so more people know about its impressive library of content.

When Ted Lasso came to a close with Season 3, it was unclear if it would return for a fourth installment. While many stories came to a close and Ted returned to Kansas, there were also doors left open, setting up the beloved Apple TV+ series for a return if it wanted one. Well, now it’s coming back, so here’s what we know so far and what the cast of Ted Lasso has said about Season 4.

What We Know About Ted Lasso Season 4

Season 4 of Ted Lasso is up and running, folks! It was announced that filming began in Kansas City on July 21, which means we’re one giant step closer to the titular coach making his way back to AFC Richmond and our screens.

Along with production being confirmed, the cast of Season 4 was also revealed. We know that Jason Sudeikis will be back as Ted alongside Hannah Waddingham’s Rebecca, Juno Temple’s Keeley, Jeremy Swift’s Higgins, Brett Goldstein’s Roy and Brendan Hunt’s Coach Beard.

We also learned about some of the new cast too, and while their characters weren’t revealed, I assume they’ll be playing at least some of the AFC Richmond women’s football team. The new folks joining the cast include: Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsay, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey and Abbie Hern.

Also, Ted’s son Henry will be back in the show; however, Grant Feely is taking over the role from Gus Turner.

Notably, some big names from the original Ted Lasso cast are missing, like Nick Mohammed, Phil Dunster and Toheeb Jimoh, who played Nate, Jamie and Sam, respectively. It’s unclear if they’ll make appearances in the show, and I’m crossing my fingers that we at least get a cameo from the beloved members of the men's team.

What The Cast Has Said About Season 4

Jason Sudeikis Confirmed Ted Lasso Season 4 Is Happening

March 14, 2025, was the day Ted Lasso Season 4 was officially confirmed after months of rumors and speculation. Back in 2024, co-creator Bill Lawrence said this show’s return would be up to Jason Sudeikis. Then, on this spring day, Mr. Sudeikis finally addressed it all.

Verifying that a senior season is happening, the man behind Ted Lasso said on New Heights:

On top of confirming that Season 4 was in the works, the SNL alum explained where the story is headed, saying:

Back when Season 3 of Ted Lasso ended, I guessed that it could continue with a women’s team, considering Keeley’s proposal to Rebecca. So, it’s exciting to know that this vision could very well become a reality with the help of the titular mustachioed coach.

Brett Goldstein Compared Ted Lasso Coming Back To A Dead Cat Coming Back To Life

On the heels of Ted Lasso Season 4’s confirmation, Brett Goldstein was asked about returning. The actor plays Roy Kent in the show and serves as a writer, so he has the inside scoop.

When asked about how it felt to say goodbye to the show, only to come back, on Wild Card with Rachel Martin, the Emmy winner told a wild story about a dead cat coming back to life. He explained that a friend of his thought his cat had died, so they buried the body and mourned it. Then, they found out they didn’t bury their cat; it was someone else’s, and their pet eventually did come back.

After hearing that story, Goldstein was asked, “Did you bring Ted Lasso back from the dead?” In response, he said:

It’s an odd story to tell, but it also makes sense. In a lot of ways, it did feel like Ted Lasso was gone forever, and we came to terms with it never coming back.

However, it’s back, as the Shrinking co-creator explained:

So, the wheels are in motion, the cat is alive, and one of these days we’ll be making our way back to Richmond with Jason Sudeikis, Brett Goldstein and more.

Hannah Waddingham Would 'Always' Play Rebecca, And Compared Returning To An ‘Exhumed Dog’

Now, let me take you back to a time before Season 4 was confirmed, but after a report spread that the soccer comedy was coming back. In that claim, it was alleged that Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein and Jeremy Swift had been in talks to return. So, about a month after that news broke in August 2024, the Rebecca actress was asked about it.

As you can imagine, Waddingham got hilariously real about returning to Ted Lasso, telling ET:

She was also asked if there was a script, and she said, “Of course, there’s no script.”

However, now she knows some things. There is a script, and Ted Lasso is filming Season 4. Right before all that, though, Waddingham was asked about coming back, and like Brett Goldstein, compared the feeling to an animal coming back to life. She told Variety:

I am also here for it! And I cannot wait to see the owner of AFC Richmond back in action and bossing everyone around as they get this new team up and running.

Nick Mohammed Is Unsure If He’ll Be In Ted Lasso Season 4

Nick Mohammed has always been quite cheeky when it comes to this comedy. However, he also keeps it real and has been clear about not knowing if he’ll be in Season 4.

When rumors about Ted Lasso’s return started swirling, the Nate actor used his X account to tease Season 4. Also, when he had to move some Mr. Swallow tour dates for his comedy show, he said it was because of “some filming.” In that clip, he asked people not to “speculate” about what this filming was for. However, he did hold up a “believe” sign and captioned his post with #tedlasso. So, read into that what you will.

That happened in January, and when Season 4 was confirmed in March, Mohammed posted this on X:

After all that, Mohammed explained that he does not know if Nate will be back. While on The Comedian’s Comedian Podcast, he said the following about the potential to reprise his role:

He did say that he’s had “dates checked,” so it’s possible. However, he hasn’t seen scripts. There’s no bad blood, though. He made sure of that by explaining why it makes sense that not everyone from the OG show would come back:

So, don’t count Nate the Great out yet, but also don’t get your hopes up.

Juno Temple Explained Why Her Feelings About A Ted Lasso Spinoff Are 'Complicated'

When Season 4 reports were running rampant, Keeley actress Juno Temple was asked about them. Like Waddingham, she didn’t have any official news. However, she did share her thoughts on Ted Lasso’s potential return, telling EW:

So, Temple wasn’t quite sure what was going on. However, she did note that she’d heard whispers.

She also explained, understandably, that she’d only want to return for a spinoff or continuation if everyone was involved. However, she also expressed her interest in a story about Richmond’s women’s team, saying:

Well, I think she’ll be thrilled to know that Season 4 of Ted Lasso will be about a women’s team, and hopefully it will involve all of the original cast, too.

Cristo Fernández Had A Very Dani Rojas Reaction To Season 4 Claims

Of course, we’ve got a comment from one of the Richmond players, too. Back when Season 4 reports started rolling around, Cristo Fernández was asked about coming back to play Dani Rojas in the series after reprising the role in a State Farm ad.

While on The Cooligans podcast, the actor noted that he’d read the news, and said he’d love to return, saying:

I don’t think Ted Lasso would be Ted Lasso without Dani screaming, “Fútbol is life!” So, hopefully, this lovely actor can come back. He clearly wants to, and I bet the fans would want it, too.

Well, there you have it. That’s what’s been said so far about Season 4 of Ted Lasso. As we learn more, we’ll keep you updated. In the meantime, you can stream the wonderful series with an Apple TV+ subscription while you start imagining what could be in store for this next chapter.

Ted Lasso is coming back, and that’s thrilling. However, it’s also a bit confusing considering Season 3’s finale felt pretty...final. To that point, Brett Goldstein was asked about returning to the beloved Apple TV+ series, and he admitted that it was odd, too. Then, he explained why it felt so weird with an analogy about a seemingly dead cat that came back to life, and while I know that sounds wild, it also makes a lot of sense.

For context, Goldstein was asked about Ted Lasso coming back after going through the emotional goodbye in Season 3 while on the Wild Card with Rachel Martin podcast. The Emmy-winner confirmed that he did go through the whole process of saying goodbye, and then explained how he feels about coming back with a story about his friend who had thought his cat was dead (and yes, you read that correctly):

Weirdly, this is fitting. When Ted Lasso ended in 2023, we got a conclusion. Ted went back to Kansas, and everyone moved into a new chapter of their lives. In Goldstein’s case, Roy continued coaching at AFC Richmond, but now as the manager. It was satisfying, it was an end, I said goodbye for what I thought was the last time. However, it also left the door open for more stories.

Now, we’re getting more, and in a way, this show is coming back from the dead, like the actor’s friend thought his cat had. To that point, the Shrinking actor said:

After hearing this wild story, Goldstein was directly asked, “Did you bring Ted Lasso back from the dead?”

He confirmed that this was how he felt, and he brought it all back around to this cat who turned out not to be dead, saying:

While I can’t speak for the Ted Lasso cast, I know I went through my own little grief process after I watched the last episode of Season 3 with my Apple TV+ subscription. It sounds like the comedian did too. They didn’t know if the show would come back when they made the last finale, so they all said their goodbyes to their characters.

However, now, Ted Lasso has been resurrected thanks to Jason Sudeikis, and like this family was with the cat coming back, I think a lot of us were surprised.

So, yes, this dead cat story actually does apply a lot to what’s going on with Ted Lasso.

This wasn’t the only thing Goldstein said about the show, either. He also provided a brief, but effective, update about where the new episodes are at, saying:

Well, they’re hard at work on Season 4. That means we can really start to get excited about Ted Lasso’s return.

For a while there, like the kid with the cat, we thought the show was probably gone for good. However, now that it’s officially in the works, we can go back to being “Richmond ‘til we die!”

Alright, we need to talk about Ted Lasso Season 4 because…I have words.

Now, because you come at me with pitchforks and tomatoes and all that stuff, I would like to preface this by saying I am the biggest supporter of this series. I think it is one of the best Apple TV+ shows (even though Severance overtook it in popularity this year). Because of this show, I've had so many amazing moments and met amazing people.

But with the confirmation that Season 4 of the series is finally happening after reports were floating around that it would happen, I knew I needed to talk about it. So, let's get into it.

As Someone Who Loves The First Three Seasons, I'm Here For A Fourth

Before I get into my issue with the upcoming fourth season, I want to say that I have wanted more from this show for so long.

I love Ted Lasso. This show has given me so much advice that it honestly sat with me for hours on end. It introduced me to actors that I truly love. The Ted Lasso cast has given me characters that I have related to, loved, and cherished.

Heck, this series even made me love watching soccer. I never loved watching soccer. I'm an American football girl through and through—I went to Penn State! But there is nothing quite like watching the Richmond soccer (football in the U.K.) team win—or lose. Those games are electrifying, even if they are all fictional. But they're all based on real soccer experiences.

To learn that a fourth season is confirmed is one of the best things I've heard in 2025. But there's one thing about this upcoming season that I need to talk about.

But I'm Not So Sure That Following A Woman's Team Is The Correct Path, And Not For The Reasons You Think

From the report we got straight from the star, Jason Sudeikis, on the New Heights podcast, he said that Lasso is going to be leading a women's soccer team now. I have a few issues with that, but not for the reasons you probably expect.

I could not care less that this is a women's soccer team. In fact, I should be excited, considering I am a woman, and I love watching women play soccer. The U.S. Women's Soccer Team is legit and offers some of the best sports viewing experiences I have ever witnessed in the last five years or so.

My main issue, though, is that we don't know these people.

I know, I know—your argument will be, "Oh, we didn't know the team in the first season. What's so wrong about meeting a whole new group of people?" To that, I say, yes, we didn't know the main players of Richmond in the first season of Ted Lasso, but we grew to know them and love them.

And now, in the middle of the series, we're swapping out? For a whole new team?

I totally understand cast shake-ups, obviously. As someone who has been working in entertainment journalism for nearly five years now, I have seen cast lists come and go and change at the drop of a hat. But for something like Ted Lasso, where the series doesn't just revolve around the titular character but the people that surround him, it bothers me.

Giving us a whole new team in the middle of the series kind of defeats the point of us loving the original team and watching them grow and adapt with time. I don't know if we're going to get the same reaction in Season 4.

Ted Is Still In America At This Point, But Will He Come Back To England?

Also, the Ted Lasso Season 3 finale (originally the series finale, but I guess not anymore) ended with Ted literally flying back to America, Roy becoming the new club manager, and so much changing so quickly.

So, is he going to coach a women's team in America? Or are we going to go back to England again and forget all about those extremely emotional goodbyes? I mean, I feel like we have to because the culture shock that Ted experienced—as well as his moments with the Richmond fandom—was a big part of what made the show so much fun.

But if he comes back, are we going to get that same experience from someone who is coaching a women's team? Or is that pitch that Keeley gave to Rebecca going to be where Ted goes, and he has to build a team from the ground up in England? I'm not sure, and I don't know if it's going to work out the way we want.

Are We Ever Going To See The Other Players Again?

Another thing that bothers me about Season 4 of Ted Lasso and the team change is that it feels like we are never going to see the original team again—the ones that we truly loved.

When the reports of Season 4 first came out a little while ago, Phil Dunster was one of the few main characters who wouldn't come back, which felt like a significant loss. We all ended up liking Jamie Tartt by the end of Season 3, and, reportedly, hearing that he won't be back is sad.

But it makes me think of what might happen to all the other players—like Sam, Colin, or anyone else. Are they just… going to be in the background and mentioned once or twice, or will we actually see these characters again?

I'll Still Watch The Fourth Season, But I'm A Little Wary

Look, I can complain until the cows come home, but at the end of the day, I'm still going to watch Season 4.

This is the girl who openly cried during the Ted Lasso Christmas special and would have literally done anything for more story a couple of years ago. As long as Jason Sudeikis is back in the series, which he is, it's still going to be Ted Lasso.

But a part of me feels melancholy about the potential to lose out on the team that we've all grown to love. Perhaps my mind will shift with time, and I'll learn to love the women's team just as much, maybe even more. But only time will tell.

I think it might be time for a Ted Lasso rewatch. It's time to settle down and keep repeating, "Football is life!"

When it comes to some of the best Apple TV+ shows, I can think of no better one than Ted Lasso. Well, maybe Severance and how big it's gotten with its cliffhangers and plot twists, but if you're looking for something that's fully wholesome, Ted Lasso is the way to go. And this show has some of the sweetest life lessons that I have ever been taught. Let's go through some of the best.

To Be A Goldish

Out of any of these moments, Ted's advice of being "a goldfish" might perplex fans at first. But truthfully, he uses it for the first time when Sam (one of the soccer players) makes a mistake during a training session. Ted says to "be like a goldfish" because those animals have short-term memory loss, and if they can just forget the mistakes and move on, they'd be happier.

That Forgiveness Is Freeing

Jamie Tartt has had a lot of character development over the three seasons of Ted Lasso, and one big moment was when Ted teaches him this lesson. In one of the final episodes of Season 3, Ted encourages Jamie to forget his father for their past (which is something Jamie does not want to do). Ted says that forgiveness is something that he's giving to himself, rather than another person, because he's choosing to move on.

To Be Curious And Not Judgemental

One of the best scenes in Ted Lasso is when Rupert and Ted are playing darts in a bar, and Rupert underestimates Ted, who easily beats him at the game. Ted says to "be curious, not judgemental" because if Rupert hadn't judged him initially and acted like Ted was just some idiot, he would have realized that Ted had been playing darts his entire life.

To Never Let People Get Under Your Skin

Hannah Waddingham in Ted Lasso has delivered some excellent moments, and the best life lesson I have learned from her character, Rebecca, is never to let anyone get under your skin. From the beginning of the series, Rebecca fights for what she believes in and never allows anyone to tear her down, even when she's at her lowest. You have to respect that.

To Stand Up For What You Believe In

There are plenty of examples throughout Ted Lasso that exemplify this life lesson, but the one I always think of is Higgins leaving Rebecca. He was always kind of a pushover at the beginning of the show, but once he learns to like Ted and has had enough of Rebecca's scheme to destroy the club, he quits. Eventually, he returns, but it's the principle that counts.

Believe In The Goodness Of Others

I think Ted Lasso shows this life lesson so many times, but the best character I can think of that represents this is Rebecca. We see her begin the series as a jaded club manager who wants to take it down because she's hurt by what her ex-husband does. But, over time, we see her grow and adapt and even apologize to Ted, showing that there is goodness deep within and not focus on how she felt when they first met.

To Never Judge Someone When They're At Their Lowest

There have been so many moments in Ted Lasso where the characters are at their lowest, but one of the best moments where this life lesson is applied is Beard. Ted actually says that he gave Beard a second chance years ago because of a dark time, and how now, they can't judge other people based on what they did when they were depressed or going through a tough time or whatever the case.

You Can't Have Growth Without Failure

The best character who demonstrates this life lesson is Nate. I know that throughout Ted Lasso, Nate was an up-and-down character, and we loved him and hated him, but honestly, that's all a part of the process. We see Nate grow and change – and fail several times again and again—before the end of Season 3, and that's really just life in general.

To Always Be Transparent

Okay, so one of my favorite characters on Ted Lasso is Trent Crimm, the journalist. His scenes with Ted are adored because they are the perfect example of this lesson—to always be transparent. Ted holds literally nothing back from the press, including Trent, and reveals his feelings about everything, which can be a vice and a virtue. But at least he's honest.

To Support Your Friend's Growth

Rebecca and Keeley were some of the best characters in the Ted Lasso cast because their friendship was everything, but when Keeley goes off to begin her PR firm, Rebecca is understandably sad. But she is there to support her best friend 100% of the way, and that's just beautiful. Even if it's not what we all wanted, she's still there for her.

That No One Is Truly Lost

Something else that I thought of when composing this list is the lesson "no one is truly lost." Truthfully, this could be applied to so many different characters, whether it's Jamie's character development, Roy Kent's learning to be more accepting and open, or Nate's growing and changing. Everyone changes with the ebbs and flows, showing no one is genuinely lost within their mind not to change.

Always Do What Is Right For You, Not Others

The best character I could put in this category is Sam. Throughout Ted Lasso, Sam has been hailed as one of the best players on the Richmond team. When he finally decides to stay instead of going somewhere else (where he'd make a substantial amount more money), he says he did it for himself, not for the sake of others.

To Put Personal Feelings Aside For The Greater Good

One of the biggest things that I loved about Season 3 of Ted Lasso was Roy and Jamie, where these two actually work together. Roy offers to help train Jamie because he can see the potential in the player. This is a massive moment for Roy, considering their past, showing that even he can put his personal feelings aside.

That We Should Care, A Lot

I never expected Ted Lasso to offer a valuable lesson about the acceptance of others regarding LGBTQ+, but it gives a great example of that. Colin reveals to his team that he is gay, and most say that they don't care and still love him the same. But Ted goes against that, saying that they should care a lot about what Colin was going through, and now they're here for him.

Don't Get Caught Up In What People Say About You

There are plenty of characters I could relate this life lesson to, but the biggest examples are both Ted and Zava (you remember Zava, correct?). Both of them seem not to care what others think half the time. Both have two very different ways of showing it, but it's that ability to work while people speak against you that makes them better than the rest.

That You Never Know What Someone Is Going Through

There are so many characters I could relate this to because everyone was going through something at some point. But the main lesson is always to be mindful of who you're talking to because you never really know what someone has experienced. Such examples could be Jamie and his father or Colin struggling to come out.

Nothing In Life Has To Be Perfect

The epitome of Ted Lasso is that this time isn't perfect, but somehow, it works very well for them because Ted leads them to victory several times. And the characters show this too – especially Beard, who often says that perfection is overrated in several ways. As long as it's what you want, then it's okay.

That We Have To Be Accountable

One of the best characters who shows this is Keeley. There have been plenty of moments throughout the show where she's gotten herself into messy situations, but because she's accountable for her actions, she doesn't let it get to her. A big example is probably when that private video of her was released, but she didn't hold back, taking accountability for it.

Don't Hold Resentment, It Will Just Hold You Back

Rebecca is a great example of someone who decided to let resentment go. At the beginning of the series, she brought in Ted specifically to take down the club, but now, she doesn't want to just win against her ex anymore—she wants to win for the team and for the people she's come to care about. Talk about character development.

That Revenge Is Never The Answer

A great example of Rebecca's character development is that her entire goal for keeping Ted at Richmond changes drastically throughout the series. This is mainly because her life lesson becomes "revenge is never the answer." She lets go of her anger against her ex and tries to focus on herself rather than sticking to what she originally wanted.

To Share Your Gifts With Others

The Christmas episode of Ted Lasso is one of my favorites, mainly because it's legit all about sharing the lives of others around the holidays. Rebecca meets up with Ted to give him some holiday cheer. Even Higgins shares his home with the players and so much more. There's just a lot to love.

Life Isn't Just About Winning

We've seen the Richmond team rise and fall several times in Ted Lasso, but if there was one thing Ted taught them – whether organically or verbally – it's that life isn't always about winning. The growth we see in this team, even when they lose, is truly what makes them stand out.

To Feel Like You've Been Struck By Lightening

One of the best lines that Roy ever says to Keeley sticks with me even now, saying to her that she deserves to meet someone who makes her feel like she's been "struck by lightning." Okay, Roy, I didn't know you were a poet there!

Tell The People You Love That You Care For Them

The Ted Lasso Season 3 finale had its fair share of moments that made us all cry, but one of the biggest was the heartfelt goodbye between Rebecca and Ted. It's there that we really see just how much she cares for him, and they share a heartfelt embrace. I will always love it, and I'm grateful she told him about it.

That Sometimes, People Need Space

One of the biggest lessons Ted ever taught me was about his divorce. He took the job in the United Kingdom legally to give her space because that's what she wanted. And while it wasn't necessarily the best choice, it certainly taught me that sometimes, people just need the space to make a proper decision.

Uncomfortable Situations Can Give Us The Best Outcomes

I can name so many characters to whom this applies. There were so many uncomfortable moments in this show that led to some great situations. Roy, who became the manager of the club later on, is a great example. Ted going to Richmond overall is another awesome one, but it was a hugely uncomfortable situation that yielded something amazing. It is such a great life lesson to step out of your comfort zone.

That Therapy Helps Literally Everyone

Ted was anti-therapy for a time, but in Season 2, we finally see him take therapy lessons to help with his anxiety and his mental health. Ted Lasso once again teaches us that therapy is great for literally everyone, and anyone can get the help they need.

Always Support Your Mental Health

Aside from Ted working with his therapist, there are many moments in this show where the players and everyone else are there to help each other evolve and deal with their mental health. An example I like to use is Roy helping Jamie get his edge back towards the end of Season 3 when Jamie was honest with how he was feeling about his skills.

We're More Like Our Parents Than You Think

When we finally meet Ted's mother, so many things start to fall into place. And it's there that we learn this important life lesson—we are so much more like our parents than we think we are, both the good and the bad. And that's not necessarily a horrible thing.

That Kindness Is So Powerful

This is the obvious one, but Ted's kindness literally spreads through the Richmond team like wildfire once it starts to catch on. While he is just a regular guy, there is no denying the power of his kindness and what he does to help others, which is fantastic.

The Universe Is Full Of Surprises

Rebecca once again is met with surprise after surprise towards the end of Season 3 when she randomly runs into the man she met in Amsterdam at the airport. Of course, we don't know what happens with them, but it's just a fun little way to show how the universe is full of surprises, even for her, and how she seems to plan everything. Or even Ted arriving there and turning the world upside down.

That We All Need To Believe In Ourselves

Obviously, I have to put "believe" here. That's Ted's whole schtick. We always need to believe in ourselves because as long as we have that, we can legit do anything.

Gosh, this makes me want more Ted Lasso. I need all the life lessons I can get. I need to start applying some of these to my life ASAP.

Believe… that Ted Lasso is returning! Yes, for those of you who’ve enjoyed watching three seasons of the inspirational title character coaching an English soccer team with your Apple TV+ subscription, it was announced today that Ted Lasso Season 4 has officially been ordered. As someone who started watching when Season 3 was winding down, and also usually isn’t into sports-related content, I’m definitely excited about this Emmy-winning series getting a new batch of episodes. However, I also need to talk about why Season 4’s mere existence has me concerned about Jason Sudeikis’ character coming back.

What Can We Expect From Ted Lasso Season 4?

Officially speaking, Sudeikis is the only actor who’s confirmed to return for Ted Lasso Season 4. Here’s what the Saturday Night Live alum had to say about this big news that comes nearly two years after the Season 3 finale aired:

However, there are some significance unofficial details that are worth mentioning. Last August, it was reported that Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein and Jeremy Swift had all been “approached” to respectively reprise Rebecca Welton, Roy Kent and Leslie Higgins. Now Deadline is hearing that Juno Temple is currently in negotiations to reprise Keeley Jones. So assuming all this information is correct, that means there are five Ted Lasso actors who are locked down for Season 4, and that number could grow.

The article also mentions that the Season 4 premiere will film in Kansas (“likely Kansas City”) before heading back to the United Kingdom to film the other episodes. As for what Season 4 will be about, the most common theory has been delving into Rebecca and Keeley starting an AFC Richmond women’s team, which was set up in the Season 3 finale. That would make sense given all the returning actors allegedly lined up alongside Sudeikis, as well as how Deadline mentioned that the casting of new roles is expected to begin soon ahead of production starting in July. Those new roles could largely consist of female footballers.

I’m Worried Ted Lasso Season 4 Will Diminish The Season 3 Finale

I want to make it clear again, I’m mostly feeling positive about Ted Lasso Season 4 happening. Binging the first three seasons made for great comfort watching, and I look forward to feeling the same way when viewing these new episodes. However, I do worry that Ted Lasso’s return will diminish where we left off with Jason Sudeikis’ character at the end of Season 3, where he was feeling a sense of peace he hadn’t felt in a long time.

After AFC Richmond won its match against West Ham United, placing second in the Premier League since Manchester City won its own match, Ted resigned as head coach and returned to the United States. He was last seen coaching his son Henry’s soccer game and looking content about where he was in life. When combined with the other ending beats, if Season 4 had never been ordered, I would gladly ranked “So Long, Farewell” as one of the best series finales.

By having Ted return to the United Kingdom, I worry that this will lessen the impact of how his story ended in the Season 3 finale. He came to coach AFC Richmond to get some distance from what was going on in his personal life and to try something completely unexpected after his success as an American football coach. I welcome seeing him interact more with Rebecca, Roy, Leslie, Keeley and any other returning characters, but I also fear that this could take that character development back a step.

If it were me, I would have greenlit a separate spinoff show to cover this rumored premise and have Jason Sudeikis pop in as a guest star. That way, the writers could come up with plausible reasons for Ted to visit the UK, but he wouldn’t need to stick around long-term and could return to the happy life he’s resumed stateside. But as I mentioned earlier, Ted Lasso collected multiple Emmys and other accolades during its first three seasons, so I’ll trust that the writers and executive producers can come up with something worthwhile.

Either way, I’ll be paying close attention to news concerning Ted Lasso Season 4, and you can count on CinemaBlend passing along major updates. This ranks as one of the best Apple TV+ shows, and I hope Season 4 comes together in a way that doesn’t take away from what we got in the Season 3 finale.