In the words of Hannah Waddingham, “the most beautiful, beloved dog that was buried” has now been “exhumed.” Hopefully, season four of Ted Lasso won’t feel like the Pet Sematary version of the series that Waddingham’s awkward metaphor implied.
After a year of speculation that Ted Lasso might return, and another year of writing and pre-production, filming on the fourth season began this week. We have our first look at season four.
If I had to guess what’s going on in that image, Ted Lasso has brought the gang back together to pitch them on buying a women’s soccer team. We already know he’ll be coaching one next year. That still was taken in Kansas City, although production will soon move to London, where the Jason Sudeikis character will coach a second-division women’s football team in Richmond.
Not pictured is Phil Dunster, who played Jamie Tartt. Several outlets are making a big deal out of the fact that he won’t be in season four. According to Deadline, it’s due to a scheduling conflict — he’s shooting a new comedy with Steve Carell. According to me, however, it’s because he’s not really needed. This season centers on a women’s soccer team, so I suspect most, if not all, of the AFC Richmond players will either not return or appear only in minor roles.
Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Jeremy Swift, and Brendan Hunt will all return. Nick Mohammed, who played Nate, won’t be a series regular, nor will any of the other AFC Richmond players (Toheeb Jimoh, Kola Bokinni, Billy Harris, Cristo Fernández, etc.). However, they may pop in for cameos.
Season four introduces several new cast members, likely members of the women’s team, including Tanya Reynolds (Sex Education), Jude Mack (Back in Action), Faye Marsay (Andor), Rex Hayes (This Is Going to Hurt), Aisling Sharkey (Jurassic World: Dominion), Abbie Hern (My Lady Jane), and Grant Feely (Obi-Wan Kenobi), who replaces Gus Turner as Ted’s son, Henry.
