Ted Lasso Coaching A Women's Team Can Revitalize Apple TV Series

As it joined the streaming game, Apple TV has been quick to find its identity even if some of its shows aren't necessarily hitting the mark. While the streamer came to the game a bit late, finding its footing well after Netflix and Hulu began establishing their original programming, Apple TV was quick to find its niche as it moved into the streaming space.

A noticeable through line within Apple TV's shows has been the way they provide some level of insider knowledge, even if they're not directly going in-depth into an industry or subject. Shows like The Morning Show, Shrinking, and The Studio have all been able to take deep dives into their given worlds, while others like For All Mankind and Severance have provided in-depth looks at different worlds.

The insider-style has worked especially well for Apple TV's crown jewel, Ted Lasso. Framed as an outsider's entry point into English football, the series has turned locker rooms, press conferences, and club politics into a well-oiled machine for comedy and heartfelt storytelling. As football becomes increasingly chaotic, however, it's clear that Ted Lasso faces the unique challenge of keeping up with an industry that is endlessly upping the ante.

Although Ted Lasso, which stars Jason Sudeikis as the titular coach Ted Lasso, is built from an optimistic place, it's often undercutting just how strange and, at times, dark the world of football can be. Originally, a simplified look at the world of football seemed to work for Ted Lasso, especially as Ted was first learning about the team and the sport as a coach.

As the series has progressed and the world of actual football has gotten stranger, however, a sense of dissonance between the sport and the show has developed. From strange moments between opponents on the pitch to behind-the-scenes scandals, reality is often stranger than fiction. Thankfully, with Ted Lasso's comedic tone, the series is able to take the stranger side of football into consideration as it moves forward.

Ted Lasso Coaching A Women's Team Will Revitalize The Show

Ted Lasso's upcoming fourth season will present an entirely new challenge for the series, as the show pivots from Ted coaching AFC Richmond to leading a women's team after taking some time away. Ted coaching a women's team will allow the show to re-establish a baseline, offering a fresh story with familiar tones that play into the series' overall strengths.

A women's team will also help Ted Lasso to feel more timely, again. Rather than competing with the bizarre, sometimes surreal reality of men's professional football, Ted Lasso should be able to re-focus itself with the idea of growth, change, and possibility in women's football as the sport continues to grow in real time.

How Ted Lasso Season 4 Will Change The Apple TV Series' Legacy

Whether Ted Lasso is able to evolve with its upcoming season or if its decision to move into women's football is a one-off remains to be seen, but the legacy of the series will be reshaped as the show moves into new territory.

Ted Lasso is taking a risk by deciding to move away from the team viewers have grown to love over its first three seasons, but taking on a new challenge is exciting from both sides of the table. Ted Lasso viewers are getting the chance to watch one of Apple TV's best shows take a risk while, hopefully, remaining a cultural touchstone.