‘Ted Lasso’ Is Doing a Lot of Nothing

I’ve talked before about how Ted Lasso works best when it sticks to its sports show roots, and this week’s episode, “Follow the Anger,” only confirms it. The season is still falling short of “good” but it’s north of “bad,” so it’s exceeding quite a few expectations. To whit, adding Tanya Reynolds to the cast is objectively the best thing the show’s got going for it, as her Coach Chilton brings just the right amount of determination, quiet humor, inner conflict, and sensitivity to Richmond’s considerable quirkiness. At this juncture, she’s the beating heart of the show and what (limited) success Ted Lasso currently enjoys hinges primarily on her. As for the rest of it? Eh.

Where this becomes a real problem is that there’s just so much “eh”: Ted’s ongoing efforts to connect to the women’s team on their terms? Eh. Rebecca’s attempts to keep both of her teams afloat? Eh. Any gold that could be mined in those storylines are buried beneath inert comedy bits, such as almost anything Beard’s been doing this season; the subject of Beard’s devolution from an eccentric but sage-like figure in previous seasons to his current iteration as a ball of wackiness should be studied. But if this is the sacrifice that must be made to the comedy gods to never sit through another Jane scene again, so be it.

It’s indicative of this season’s overarching flaw: the handling of all the series’ veterans. If the episodes had maintained their original 30-ish minute run time, I’d probably be more lenient when it comes to their fairly shallow treatment, but the overly-generous 50 minutes requires padding, something that’s always been the show’s achilles heel. Worse than padding, however, is the distinct sense that the characters we know are being mishandled (see: Beard). Why has the previously savvy Rebecca spent most of the time having to be shown how to conduct business? It took the end of this week’s episode, with Rebecca bringing in a gift basket that’s more attuned to Gemma’s taste, to put her competence on display once again.

I also remember Higgins being more capable as well; why were we subjected to a pseudo-mystery and a lax investigation that went on for what felt like seven business days? What makes it all the more exasperating is that Tracey Ullman’s Zelda Southport (a character who, despite Ullman’s status as a comedy legend, couldn’t be less funny) is so clearly set up as the season’s secret villain that when the reveal finally does happen, it will be devastatingly underwhelming, if such a thing is possible.

Even Keeley and Roy, a couple so clearly formulated to be endgame that the length of their separation has only proved frustrating, are subjected to a plotline involving a tech-laden vehicle and a dull misadventure through London before the romantic relaunch finally happens. Although I’ve been ready to be done with the flimsy ‘will they/won’t they’ dynamic since episode two, and that was before that misbegotten ten date pact—Erin continuing to date Roy despite the declaration of love intended for Keeley was appalling. Stand up, girl!—impatience prevented me from feeling especially moved by The Big Speech despite a few lovely words. They kissed, yay, let’s get on with it.

Ted Lasso season four is dragging too many things out that don’t need to be dragged. For instance, we still don’t know why Rebecca had her misgivings about Zelda (which will be borne out, mark my words; if I’m wrong, I’ll do some sort of writerly penance for everyone’s enjoyment). Even the specifics of Coach Chilton and Gemma’s past is still subject to speculation. Were they just teammates gone wrong (and if so, what was the inciting incident?) or was there a romantic element to it? There’s no way to know and, even worse, it’s entirely unclear on if it’s going to matter or be yet another development to shrug at, and considering that next week is the penultimate episode of the season, all of this should have been long established. Ted Lasso can’t reasonably ask us to “believe” if it won’t give us something that matters.

The first eight episodes of Ted Lasso season four can be streamed on Apple TV.

Kaleena Rivera is the TV Editor for Pajiba.