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After a three-year hiatus, Apple's most successful comedy is back – and with it, a premise unlike anything seen before. Ted Lasso takes over a second-division women's team in Richmond. The first episode has been available since this morning, and the finale has already been scheduled.
The fourth season of Ted Lasso has been available on Apple TV since August 5th. This ends a wait that was originally not supposed to be one at all: After the third season, the series was considered finished, before Apple and lead actor Jason Sudeikis decided on a continuation with a changed approach.
The launch falls in a month packed with new releases for Apple TV – see the list of Apple TV highlights for August for other upcoming titles. Ted Lasso is the title with the highest stakes, as it's Apple's most well-known original production.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Episode 1, titled "Home", has been available since August 5th.
- The season comprises ten episodes, with a new one released every Wednesday.
- The season finale will be released in early October.
- This time Ted is coaching a women's second division team in Richmond
- Apple TV still costs €9.99 per month in Germany.
This time Ted is coaching a women's team
In terms of content, this season breaks with the structure of the first three. Although Ted returns to Richmond, he is not back on the sidelines coaching the men's team. Instead, he takes over a women's team in the second division – an idea that was already introduced in the third season when Rebecca Welton spearheaded the development of a women's team.
Apple describes the arc of the season as Ted and his team learning to jump before they look, taking risks they wouldn't have dared to take before.
Returning cast members include Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, and Jeremy Swift. Several new faces join the cast, including Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsay, and Rex Hayes. One role has been recast: Ted's son Henry will now be played by Grant Feely.
Weekly instead of all at once
Apple is releasing the ten episodes weekly. After the premiere, a new episode will be released every Wednesday until the season finale in early October. Those who want to watch the entire season will have to wait about two months.
How much it costs to get started in this country
Apple TV costs €9.99 per month in Germany, with no minimum contract period and no ads. New customers can try the service free for seven days. Anyone who has purchased a new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, or Mac receives three months free – this offer must be redeemed within 90 days of setup.
The first three seasons are available to stream in their entirety. This is relevant for newcomers because the fourth season picks up where the third season left off.
Premiere celebrations in Los Angeles and New York
The launch was preceded by two events. The world premiere took place in Los Angeles at the end of July, followed by a second celebration at the Harvey Theater of the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York the night before the official premiere. As Apple lists in its announcement of the New York premiere, those present included Sudeikis, Waddingham, Temple, Goldstein, and Hunt, as well as several of the new cast members and showrunner Jack Burditt.
Back in July, Apple had already hosted a fan event in Kansas City – the city where the character comes from and which plays a role for the first time in this season.
Why Apple brought back the series
Ted Lasso was Apple TV's breakthrough. The first season became the most nominated comedy in Emmy Award history, and the first two seasons each won the award for Best Comedy Series. Apple's decision to revive a completed series follows a simple calculation: its catalog is small compared to the competition, and titles with established audience loyalty are harder to replace than to launch anew.
The service's current strength was recently demonstrated by its record-breaking 87 Emmy nominations. This course is to be maintained: Eddy Cue promised more and better content at the beginning of the summer.
For you as a viewer, the weekly schedule means one thing above all: A subscription is more worthwhile starting in October than now, unless you want to wait two months for each episode. Those who follow the season, however, have a fixed Wednesday slot until the finale.
What happens after the final
A fifth season has not yet been confirmed. The third season was also initially considered the finale before Apple changed its mind – a pattern that doesn't rule out a continuation. A decision will likely depend on how the ten episodes running until October perform. (Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Apple TV via Getty Images)
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