Ted Lasso returns at an important time for Apple TV

EntertainmentCloseEntertainmentPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All EntertainmentReportCloseReportPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All ReportStreamingCloseStreamingPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All StreamingTed Lasso returns at an important time for Apple TVThe streaming service is having a moment, but it needs plenty of hits to compete with the likes of Netflix and Disney.The streaming service is having a moment, but it needs plenty of hits to compete with the likes of Netflix and Disney.by Andrew WebsterCloseAndrew WebsterSenior entertainment editorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew WebsterAug 5, 2026, 7:00 AM UTCLinkShareGiftImage: AppleAndrew WebsterCloseAndrew WebsterPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Andrew Webster is an entertainment editor covering streaming, virtual worlds, and every single Pokémon video game. Andrew joined The Verge in 2012, writing over 4,000 stories.2026 is shaping up to be an excellent year for Apple TV. Apple’s streaming service has built out an impressive slate that spans returning favorites like Silo and Sugar to all-new hits including OnlyFans-inspired dramedies, terrifying comedies, and paranoid tech thrillers. But the most important release might be a feel-good sports sitcom. After what seemed like a definitive finale, Ted Lasso is back with a fourth season that doubles as a soft reboot for the show, mixing up familiar characters with a substantially new cast. And as Apple TV continues its push for a bigger piece of the streaming market, the return of its most culturally impactful series could go a long way toward solidifying its place against more established competitors.The end of season 3, which happened in 2023, promised a lot of change and what seemed like a happy ending for much of the main cast. Among many other things, Ted (Jason Sudeikis) was heading back to the US to spend time with his son, Roy (Brett Goldstein) had just been promoted to head coach of AFC Richmond, Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) got married at Stonehenge, and Richmond’s leadership group of Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham), Keeley (Juno Temple), and Higgins (Jeremy Swift) were flirting with the idea of launching a women’s team. It had the energy of a sitcom ending, and the episode was even called “So Long, Farewell.” But it’s that fledgling women’s team that spurs the show’s return.The season 4 premiere almost feels like a different show at first, and that largely comes down to location. At the outset, Ted is working part-time at a grocery store in order to have more time to parent, and Rebecca, Keeley, and Higgins have come to Kansas City in an attempt to convince him to be the inaugural coach of the new team. It’s like a reunion episode of sorts, with old friends catching up for the first time in years, which helps viewers understand what has happened in that time. It also drags out Ted’s inevitable decision to say “yes” across a full episode.Image: AppleThe premiere serves as a transitory moment for this new era of Ted Lasso, and from there the show shifts back to England and takes on a much more familiar feel — but with some significant changes. Part of what makes season 4 feel like a reboot is the players. Ted and most of the rest of the coaching staff and club leadership are back, but the actual team itself is all new. That means that favorites like Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster), Sam Obisanya (Toheeb Jimoh), and Dani Rojas (Cristo Fernández) aren’t in the show at all aside from some brief mentions (or at least they weren’t featured in any of the five episodes Apple provided press ahead of time). In their place is a scrappy squad of up-and-coming players, and