Does the World Still Need ‘Ted Lasso’?

The full trailer for the fourth season of Ted Lasso has officially been released. The trailer feels true to form in terms of the emotional tenderness that had so many fans raving, even if much of that tide shifted by the series’ end. What had once been a punchy but warm comedy set against the backdrop of British football got high on its own sugary supply and leaned too far into adorableness at the cost of an engaging story; the loss of showrunner Bill Lawrence after season two didn’t help matters either, which is saying something because overly sentimental earnestness is the man’s bread and butter.

It was clear early in season three that Ted Lasso was beginning to coast on good intentions, and even though there was a laundry list of issues left out to dry—Keeley’s entire plot line, Jamie Tartt’s regression, Nate’s absurdly truncated redemption arc—the third season finale could be described as, “good enough.” Hardcore fans held fast to the show’s ethos of “Believe,” while more critical viewers mourned the dramatic dip in quality. Although there was never official confirmation that the series was finished, in the years since the finale aired, with little but rumors to go on (and Jason Sudeikis’ notable and frankly bizarre statement on the show’s detractors), it seemed both viewers and Apple TV had moved on.

When Ted Lasso first aired in fall of 2020, the world was more than ready for some humorous comfort viewing. Even though the world needs as much goodwill as can be mustered, it’s hard to imagine the folksy goodness of Ted succeeding half as well with audiences who’ve only grown more cynical with time. Now that the return of Ted Lasso is nearly here, we’ll see whether it’s possible to once again “Believe.”

Season four of Ted Lasso will premiere on Apple TV Wednesday, August 5th.

Kaleena Rivera is the TV Editor for Pajiba.