Plotlines

So, on Wednesday, the second episode of the fourth season of Ted Lasso aired, and the fears I had hinted at haven’t come true so far. However, I still have to say that it doesn’t quite feel like home, and the creators are aware of that, as is noted at the beginning of the episode.

Ted has arrived in Richmond, but he has to get used to things again first, because even though Mae is offering him a place to stay while his old street is under construction, things are very different at A.F.C. Richmond. A visit to the men’s locker room reveals who’s still with the club and who isn’t.

The episode then focuses on Ted, Coach Chilton, Beard’s breakdown, and whether or not Rebecca is a feminist. It also touches briefly on Keeley and Roy, and that’s pretty much it.

Some of you might still be wondering if there wasn’t something else as well?! Wasn’t something left out?

Yep, the A.F.C. Richmond women’s soccer team, the Lady Greyhounds.

Considering that the show is supposedly about a women’s soccer team, we actually see very little of it. Instead, the team serves more as a sort of glue to tie together the individual stories of the main characters: Ted’s arrival, Coach Chilton’s backstory, the romance between Roy and Keeley, and the strange behavior of Rebecca and Higgins.

And before I go any further, I realize I’m probably nitpicking at a very high level here, but there are simply some striking differences from the previous three seasons that stand out. Let’s go through them character by character:

Ted

Ted is just Ted! Except for the change, which I’ll talk about a little later. With him, it seems as though he’s matured a bit and, as a result, has lost some of his charming personality.

It’s still there, no question, you can see that in the conversation with Coach Chilton, but something has fallen by the wayside nonetheless.

This also ties into the “what might have happened between Seasons 3 and 4” topic, which we’ll hopefully learn more about.

Higgins

I really hope they can get Higgins back on track. He was an important member of the team, not just a bit player. Unfortunately, he’s been demoted to exactly that again, which I think is a real shame.

Especially after the Christmas episode, he was incredibly important, and not just to the Diamond Dogs. He also showed that friends sometimes just have to talk about things that are difficult, like when he talked to Beard about Jane.

Roy & Keeley

Oh, I don’t know, couldn’t they both have just moved on? I would have liked to see Roy with Ms. Bowen, to be honest. The two of them would have made a nice couple with an interesting contrast.

I’m not sure about Keeley, but they could have taken her in a different direction too, maybe something related to the PR agency or something like that.

But yeah, I get the fan service they’re going for here, because those two were just such a powerhouse couple, and now they’re trying to build on that somehow.

Coach Chilton

She offers a nice contrast to all the characters who had no trouble dealing with Ted’s lightheartedness and the personality that goes with it. Alice Chilton is a bit different here, because she has absolutely no interest in any of Ted’s stories, and honestly, I can understand that a little.

My gut tells me she’s going to undergo one of the biggest transformations, because you’ve already noticed that she’s always had to fight, no matter when or where. Not here anymore, she’s found her place and can finally blossom.

You really notice this toward the end, when Ted convinces her to stay after all. But she’s not ready to give herself over to all of this just yet; she’s suspicious and keeps her distance.

Coach Beard

What on earth happened? I find the whole love triangle involving Beard, Roy, and Ted incredibly gripping and interesting. It shows that even friendships between men aren’t entirely free of emotions, and that certain crises can send things spiraling out of control.

If they keep it at this level, don’t escalate things any further and let the ladies have their place, then it’ll be a well-rounded episode. But I wonder what’s going on with Jane? And will we see the Lady in Red again?

Rebecca

Where the heck did the “Boss Bitch” go? I don’t know what’s happened to Rebecca over the last few years, but that strong, independent woman who had both feet firmly on the ground has given way to an insecure and strangely unstable soccer mom.

The sad thing about this is that she was already a feminist in the first three seasons, and now she’s being reduced to a stereotypical feminist who throws around catchphrases, the kind who certainly exists in real life, but who, unfortunately, makes things much worse rather than better. It’s very sad; Rebecca doesn’t deserve this!

Lady Greyhounds

Considering how heavily it was promoted as being about the women’s soccer team, the team gets very little screen time, which I find extremely unfortunate. The team should have a stronger presence, because that’s what the show is supposed to be about, not some character named Rebecca who’s desperately and extremely embarrassingly trying to come across as a feminist.

I really hope they expand on this more and that we’ll get to see more of the individual characters on the team. What I find strange, though, is that Shannon isn’t there, the dribbling queen whom Ted often runs into on his way to the club.

All the characters who have returned from previous seasons share one thing in common, it hangs over them like the sword of Damocles, they’re a little off. I’ve already talked to a friend about this, and he thinks that hopefully it’ll all make sense once we find out what happened between seasons 3 and 4.

And it was clear from the start that our three hardcore fans are back and still need to be convinced that women’s soccer is just as good.

To me, this feels more like an acting issue, as if everyone had strayed so far from their roles, or had to stray so far, that they haven’t quite found their way back 100%.

It also seemed to me that the previous episodes were denser, more packed, in a good way, with much more character development. You really notice that when you rewatch the series, especially when you know everything that’s still to come by the end and then realize you’re already in the final episode.

It was clear from the start that feminism would be a major theme this season, and I think that’s great. I also really like that the show explores different perspectives. There’s the feisty Alice Chilton, the slightly clumsy Rebecca, who’s actually a feminist and doesn’t really need to question that, and Keeley, who’s on the front lines no matter what (where is Barbara, anyway, and what happened to KBPR?). Hopefully they don’t mess this up or get bogged down in the idea that “women’s soccer has problems,” and manage to show how it’s done, or how it can be done better. Feminism has many nuances, that was beautifully portrayed here, and I hope it continues that way!

Yes, there are a lot of points here, and some might sound like harsh criticism, but that’s certainly not the case. I still had a lot of fun with this episode, had my emotional moments, and am really looking forward to what’s yet to come.

It’s been a good, solid start to the fourth season so far, and I really hope it stays that way. It was clear from the start that they were taking on a heavy legacy, so let’s see if they can still strike that delicate balance, which is still missing a bit but which distinguished the first three seasons.