‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Is Already Crushing Season 3 in One Major Way

Image via Apple TV+ Published Aug 16, 2026, 7:43 AM EDT Rotten Tomatoes | Letterboxd | Metacritic Carolyn Jenkins is a voracious consumer of film and television. She graduated from Long Island University with an MFA in Screenwriting and Producing where she learned the art of character, plot, and structure. The best teacher is absorbing media and she spends her time reading about different worlds from teen angst to the universe of Stephen King. Sign in to your Collider account Upon the conclusion of Season 3, Ted Lasso appeared to adhere to the age-old adage: Leave them wanting more. The Apple TV series was the optimistic answer to the streaming wars with the Midwestern football coach’s odyssey into the world of English sports. Jason Sudeikis charmed audiences with his well-intentioned character in a classic fish-out-of-water story. Also a creative behind the scenes, the former SNL cast member affirmed that the show had an arc and that once that arc concluded, the series would end. Regrettably, many fans felt as though the supposed series finale ended abruptly, leading to Ted Lasso returning by popular demand. Sudeikis was true to his word that Season 4 would be a new chapter, but it stands out for more than that reason. Ted’s new adventure premiered in August 2026 in a move that was somewhat of a creative risk. The popular show has a new cast of characters as Ted has committed himself to coaching Richmond’s women’s team. This return has gone on to prove that it wasn’t just nostalgia powering Ted’s return. Season 4 was well worth the wait. ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Beats Season 3’s Rotten Tomatoes Score Sometimes there can be too much of a good thing, but Ted Lasso hasn’t hit that point yet. Swapping out the beloved characters of AFC Richmond for a new squad was risky, but it seems to have paid off. Already, the Apple TV series has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 89%, a triumph over Season 3’s score of 81%. Fans let out a sigh of relief that Ted’s new quest is a decided improvement from the rocky ending of the previous season. Season 3 had some controversial moments and, in many ways, didn’t end on a satisfying note. The break-up between Roy (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley (Juno Temple) was left unresolved. While Ted may have had a full character arc, Roy’s seemed to be just beginning. Season 4 allows the series to right previous wrongs, and it seems to be up to the challenge. The increased Rotten Tomatoes score indicates that a creative reset is exactly what the series needed. The legacy of the show was somewhat sullied by the unpopular finale, and Season 4 can redeem it. This new version of AFC Richmond is the creative reset that is breathing new life into the series. This isn’t extending a series long past its shelf-life like many shows are guilty of. Ted Lasso has justified its renewal and set the characters on a new path. The new season isn’t just about the nostalgia that has ruled pop culture in recent years. Instead, Ted Lasso has found a new angle that makes the series seem fresh. By enlisting Ted to coach a women’s team, the series can tackle new themes and issues that were missing from the early seasons that were almost entirely male-dominated. Concerns of misogyny in sports are front and center of the new season and a fascinating re-envisioning of the series. Ted Lasso is back better than ever, and the Rotten Tomatoes score has demonstrated that without a doubt.