Spoilers for Ted Lasso Season 4, Episode 2 are ahead! Read with caution, stream the show with an Apple TV subscription, and make sure to catch new episodes as they drop on Wednesdays.
Yes, I’m thrilled Ted Lasso is back on the 2026 TV schedule, and yes, I’m delighted that Ted Lasso is back in AFC Richmond. However, we cannot overlook the fact that a man was hired over a woman to coach AFC Richmond’s women’s team. While I know Ted is a great pick for the job, it’s hard not to overthink why a woman wasn’t even really considered. Thankfully, the show addresses this conundrum head-on and in ways that I really appreciate.
I Love How Rebecca's Choice To Hire Ted Over Alice Is Addressed
Immediately after Ted returned to England to lead AFC Richmond’s women’s team, his hiring was questioned. Specifically, Coach Alice Chilton asked Rebecca about the choice. After noting that she was passed over as head coach but agreed to stay on as assistant manager, she told the owner she’d decided to leave the team altogether. And then, right before Alice left Rebecca's office, this back-and-forth happened:
- Alice: Did you ever consider me for head coach?
- Rebecca: No.
- Alice: Hm. Did you consider any woman?
- Rebecca: No.
This sent Rebecca into a spiral about feminism and her own potential internalized misogyny, as she reckoned with the challenge of supporting the women’s team as well as backing her choice to bring Ted back. And at the press conference for the women’s team, she was working overtime to prove her support for the team (despite hiring a man), as she said:
I believe women are just as capable and compelling as men, not just in sport, but in every way, including coaching.
By the end of the episode, Rebecca thanked Alice for calling her out, while also making it clear that she would not be talked down to. Overall, I thought it was a direct and nuanced way to address an issue with Ted’s hiring that 100% could not be ignored. And not only did they address it, but this also served as a major learning moment for everyone.
I Loved How Ted’s Cluelessness And Willingness To Learn Was Highlighted
First of all, I love that Ted knows that a woman should be on the coaching staff. I also love that the show doesn’t make him out to know what he’s doing when it comes to leading a group of women.
He didn’t realize he couldn’t just waltz into the locker room until Alice told him. He also seemingly had no idea how undervalued and underappreciated these players were at first. However, he dove into the job with an open heart and mind, ready and willing to learn and address his own biases and blind spots.
Overall, I’m so appreciative of how Ted Lasso has handled Ted’s rehiring in a nuanced way that does address the issue with it. While he’s very fit for the job and Rebecca made a good choice, it’s also worth questioning whether a woman should have been considered for the gig as well. It’s worth exploring how his job changes as he leads a group of women instead of a men’s team, too, because he can’t work the same way he did for the first three seasons.
Now, I’m looking forward to seeing how this plot point continues to impact Season 4 of this great Apple TV show.
