‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Is Already Fixing One of Ted’s Biggest Mistakes

After retreading familiar ground, the latest episode of Ted Lasso proved its titular character is learning from his mistakes. For its fourth season, Ted (Jason Sudeikis) returned to AFC Richmond to help launch its women’s program according to the “Richmond Way.” A new team means a slew of new characters joined the Apple TV hit, including Tanya Reynolds as the newest assistant coach, Alice Chilton. Despite her stoic demeanor earning early comparisons to Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), this latest episode revealed she is actually following in the footsteps of Nathan “Nate” Shelley (Nick Mohammed).

In its initial 3-season arc, Nate started as a lovable kit manager who eventually became an assistant coach. But he grew resentful amid mounting feelings of being overlooked. Throughout “Riches of Embarrassment,” Ted noticed Coach Chilton was becoming increasingly harsh with the players. Despite Ted delivering one of his classic parables urging her to curb the behavior, she only became more derisive during the game. “You know, Alice, I had the privilege of working with another coach who had your fire. Unfortunately, I didn’t notice what was going on with him before, well, before he’d been burned to a crisp,” Ted told her at the end of the episode. “So in the hopes of learning from my mistakes, I’m going to try a different approach with you. I’m gonna suspend you for a match.” The suspension would be an extended break, with only one game left before their holiday break.

Ted Lasso Uncharacteristically Addresses Coach Chilton’s Harsh Behavior

Ted Lasso fans first met Coach Chilton in the second episode of the season, when she resigned after being passed over for manager of the women’s team. In convincing her to stay on as an assistant coach, Ted revealed her career as a player was cut short after a succession of injuries. She has built a rapport with Ted and Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) and shown moments of empathy when a player is injured. But she also has a tendency to be hard on the players, exemplified by her tense dynamic with the team’s striker Gemma (Abbie Hern). The duo were former teammates, with Gemma temporarily quitting the sport because of Coach Chilton’s intense criticism.

Coach Chilton has struggled to adapt to the “Richmond Way,” creating an inclusive and positive environment to foster players’ abilities to perform their best. This was no more evident than in the fifth episode. She was taken aback when the women’s team took an interest in Ted’s personal life. She revealed she didn’t garner the same attention and became increasingly agitated throughout the week. An escalating incident during practice resulted in the whole team doing 15 laps after Gemma stood up for a struggling player.

Her story is starting to mimic Nate’s — feeling professionally overlooked, not forming deep personal relationships and being unable to express her more difficult emotions. So, despite Ted equating people to barbecue, getting tougher if overcooked, she continued calling the players “pathetic” and “embarrassing” throughout the game. In a move uncharacteristic of his often overwhelming optimism and kindness, he sidelined Coach Chilton so she has time to “make some adjustments.”

Coach Chilton’s Story Mimics Nate Shelley’s Arc

Longtime Ted Lasso fans remember what happens when Ted’s proclivity toward kindness prevents him from addressing an increasingly difficult personality. Nate started as a kit manager, often taking the brunt of disgruntled players. But Ted, who was new to soccer, noticed Nate’s aptitude for creating successful plays. When Ted appointed him as an assistant coach and bought him a suit, Nate started displaying an increasing confidence.

But confidence soon gives way to an inflated ego. One of the first cracks appeared when Roy took Ted up on his standing offer to join the coaching staff. He started taking his frustration out on the lowest member of the team, a position he used to hold, the kit manager. His tendency to roast the players was initially received as funny, but with his increased position of power, was instead becoming a degrading habit. He refused to acknowledge his flub, saying “wonder kid” when he intended “wunderkind.”

Not able to impress his parents, or to reserve his desired table at a restaurant, he turns to Keeley to help him gain fame and mistakes her kindness as attraction. The combination of growing agitation and embarrassment comes to a head at the end of Season 2, when Ted finally asks what is making him so mad. “You made me feel like I was the most important person in the whole world. And then you abandoned me,” Nate said, explaining he continued to try to get Ted’s attention, to no avail. His outburst continued, calling Ted “a joke” and after AFC Richmond’s men’s team earned their promotion to the premiere league, he ripped Ted’s “Believe” sign that hung in the locker room.

‘Ted Lasso’ Rushes Nate Shelley’s Redemption Arc

Despite spending two seasons establishing Nate’s turn as an antagonist, Ted Lasso spends very little time wrapping up his arc. When Ted Lasso returned for Season 3, a new Nate had taken over. Now sporting gray hair and dark clothes, he has gone to coach for the rival team owned by AFC Richmond’s former owner, Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head).

Nate may seem more confident, but he still seeks external validation, looking at online opinions of himself and seeking Rupert’s praise by emulating his ruthless tactics. He seeks attention from women he wouldn’t normally approach. But he still experiences anxiety when dealing with the press and is instinctually disgusted by Rupert’s womanizing ways. It all comes to a head, and he quits in the season’s final quarter.

Ted Lasso tried to force his redemption arc before the Season 3 finale, which was originally believed to be the series finale. In the penultimate episode, Beard explains Ted’s transformative influence on his life and extends that same forgiveness to Nate. Criticized for rushing the storyline, many fans haven’t fully embraced the character again.

While Alice Chilton is not a carbon copy of Nate Shelley, she fits a similar archetype — someone struggling to find their footing in life who turns that internal conflict into external aggressiveness. This time, Ted finally recognized the warning signs and took decisive action. It is a move to protect the players, but also hopefully, the fans from enduring another unsatisfying redemption arc.