As drawn out and at times shaky Ted Lasso season 3 was, Apple TV+’s feel-good sports comedy managed to stick the landing with last night’s closing episode (emphasis on the “feel”). But are we on track to receive Ted Lasso season 4?
Let’s do a quick recap of everything that went down first.
[Ted Lasso season 3 finale spoiler warning]
After deciding his time at both AFC Richmond and London has come to an end in the penultimate episode, college football coach turned Premier League sensation Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) returns to Wichita, Kansas, where he intends to be there full-time for his son Henry (Gus Turner) and ostensibly repair his broken marriage with ex-wife Michelle (Andrea Anders).
Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) tearfully parts ways with his longtime compadre to continue the good work they’ve been accomplishing with the Greyhounds, which placed second in the standings after Manchester City, serving as assistant coach to the newly-promoted head honcho Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein).
It’s unclear whether the recently returned Nate Shelley (Nick Mohammed) remains a kit man or reprises his former role as assistant coach, but either way, he’s back in everybody’s good books.
Team owner Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), on the other hand, has officially bested her cretin of an ex-husband Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head) – in the business of football and otherwise.
While she initially entertained the notion of selling AFC Richmond for a staggering $2 billion, instead, the boss lady opts to sell 49% of the club to the fans. And just as a bonus, Rebecca is reunited with her mysterious Dutch lover who turns out to be an airline pilot.
As for everyone else, it’s happy endings all round. Keeley Jones’ (Juno Temple) PR company appears to be flourishing, and she proposes the establishment of the AFC Richmond women’s team; Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster) reconciles with his estranged father in rehab; Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh) eventually gets tapped to represent the Nigerian national team.
Trent Crimm (James Lance) has a best-selling hit on his hands with The Richmond Way (formerly The Lasso Way); Colin Hughes (Billy Harris) finally gets to kiss his fella on the pitch; and having returned as Richmond’s Head of Mental Health, Dr Sharon M. Fieldstone (Sarah Niles) begins treating – get this – Roy Kent.
All in all, while everything has been tied up in a neat little bow, there’s certainly room for further exploration. The real question is… will there be any further exploration?
Ted Lasso season 4? Not according to Jason Sudeikis…
Our first clue aside from all the chatter in the lead-up to Ted Lasso season 3 should’ve been the finale’s very title: ‘So Long, Farewell.’
But for those of you who still aren’t quite convinced that this is indeed the end, perhaps the following comments made by Jason Sudeikis might persuade you otherwise:
“This is the end of this story that we wanted to tell, that we were hoping to tell, that we loved to tell,” the series creator and leading man told Deadline.
“The fact that folks will want more and are curious beyond more than what they don’t even know yet – that being season three – it’s flattering. Maybe once all episodes of the season [have been released], they’re like, ‘Man, you know what, we get it, we’re fine. We don’t need anymore, we got it.’”
“But until that time comes, I will appreciate the curiosity beyond what we’ve come up with so far.”
… or everyone else involved
“This story is going to be over [in season three], regardless, even if the show finds another story to tell and goes on,” co-creator Bill Lawrence previously told The Hollywood Reporter after the sophomore season concluded back in October 2021.
Fellow co-creator Brendan Hunt (AKA Coach Beard) echoed a similar sentiment during his own interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“We are writing an ending for this three-chunk portion that we’ve always seen, but it’s not like Thanos is in it and half of us die,” he joked.
“Most of us, anyway, will probably still be alive, so I don’t think leaving an out is anything to worry about. It’s just a matter of whether or not we pick this up in some other way, and when.”
“It was planned as three. Spoiler alert: everyone dies.”
Brett Goldstein, The Sunday Times
Ted Lasso Spin-Offs?
While there’s been no official word on any Ted Lasso related spin-off properties, as we outlined in the season 3 finale recap above, there’s room to explore.
Stay tuned for any updates.
