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Hollywood & Entertainment Ted Lasso Season 4 Episode 2 Recap And Review: We’re Getting Warmer By Hannah Abraham ,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Hannah Abraham covers entertainment, culture and business. Follow Author Aug 12, 2026, 06:16pm EDT Summary Hannah Abraham is back reviewing the second episode of the revived Ted Lasso season 4. Ted Lasso is properly back at AFC Richmond, now coaching the under-resourced women's team. Ted's optimism shines as he recruits sharp assistant Alice Chilton, who had resigned over lack of promotion. Chilton, a former player with a history of ACL injuries, is convinced by Ted's belief in her. The team receives a much-needed new locker room, a small victory against a report deeming women's football non-viable. Roy and Keeley navigate their relationship, while Beard eventually joins Ted, highlighting the systemic challenges and gender disparities in sports. Abraham says the episode is slightly better than before, but repeatedly spells out simple beats much to her frustration.
Alrighty folks. Another week, another episode of Ted Lasso season 4. Who would’ve thunk we’d be back here.
If you’re here from my review of the season’s opening episode, you would know I wasn’t the most impressed with how we returned to Lassoland. That said, I left off saying that I must make like Ted and believe, so here I am again. If Ted could persevere through an unlikable men’s team, then…
We’re only one episode in, but like I said already, that could’ve been an email, so here’s a quick catch-up: Ted was in Kansas for three years, hated the monotony but never said it, Rebecca (still long-distance Dutch guy), Keeley (in an unlabeled situationship with Roy) and Higgins (getting new flooring) finally realized Rebecca had a private jet and flew over with an offer to coach the AFC Richmond women’s team, and now Ted, Michelle and Henry are all in the UK.
There, that was 40 minutes of your time.
We open on a groggy Ted in bed. He is clearly back in the UK, as evidenced by the glories of British morning telly (featuring Momo the cooking chimp) and the chunks of Weetabix. Turns out he’s living above Mae! She’s happy to have him (and sick of coke fiends and yapping-dog owners leaving behind shit everywhere). She’s also only slightly affronted when Ted turns down her offer for a breakfast Guinness.
He walks outside, all nostalgic for the present. Oop, there’s some construction on this alley. “I guess nothing stays the same,” Ted shakes his head. Right on schedule, the wanker guy runs into him.
“Too bad you’re coaching a bunch of girls, you wanker,” says wanker guy. “I guess some things do stay the same,” smiles Ted.
If the excruciating minutiae of this play by play is getting to you somewhat, that’s because the scene was spelt out exactly this way. I would never presume to be the smartest TV watcher in the world, but I would’ve understood the same/not the same juxtaposition even if both of Ted’s lines were entirely cut out. I would actually have appreciated it more.
I guess the curse of the Netflix phone-watching-assumption has spread to Ted Lasso too. A real shame, and not even true for everyone.
Sure, I am texting myself notes about this episode, but I’m doing it by pausing every three seconds and flitting back and forth. Like a real cinephile.
Meanwhile, Higgins continues to be in his woke era by commissioning a report on the viability of women’s football (KSSASLVPWFLTPLRHBAR for short). There’s two copies, but the episode sows more seeds of future discord between Rebecca and Keeley; Rebecca would rather Keeley doesn’t read it right now.
Hey, Tanya Reynolds is here! She’s playing assistant manager Alice Chilton, who’s been waiting at Rebecca’s door this whole time, and I mean RIGHT at the door. I will 110% be reviewing a season 2, but Reynolds was a similarly sour-faced standout in the very very delightful The Other Bennett Sister.
Coach Chilton strides in, strikingly different from the coach Rebecca’s used to having stride into her office. “Good morning,” says Rebecca. “Based on what?” comes the reply. Must admit I let out a guffaw at that one.
Apparently she’s doing great, not to mention all under budget, unlike the men’s team who are struggling under the weight of Roy Kent’s alternative milk budget. Coach Chilton, however, is here to resign, upset that she wasn’t promoted from assistant manager to actual manager. As she stalks away (to no fight from Rebecca), Coach Chilton lets a brilliant second of emotion spasm across her face before she exits. “Did you ever consider me as head coach?” she asks. Any woman at all? Rebecca is unflinching as she says no.
Ah, Coach Chilton, you don’t realize the oversight had nothing to do with women, just everything to do with Ted. You’re in the trailer, I know you’ll stick around and find out.
Keeley and Rebecca, on the other hand, are fuming at the IMPLIED declaration that Rebecca is some sort of woman hating monster. Keeley knows for sure that's not true because isn't Rebecca going to spend whatever it takes to make sure their badass women's team is a success?
Plus, continues Keeley, she rehired Ted effing Lasso! A Ted-shaped voice pipes up to say it’s actually pronounced fricking.
There he is! Back in the old digs again officially. To Rebecca’s delight, Kansas’ smoked meat is apparently the new biscuits.
We’re only a little ways into the episode, but something about the way they’re trotting out callback after callback feels like they’re checking off boxes to make sure all their bases are covered, albeit with not enough effort to have it flow organically.
“Where are Michelle and Henry?” someone asks. “They’re getting in next week,” Ted replies. “Why can’t Coach Beard be assistant manager?” someone asks. “He’s under contract with the men’s team,” expounds Higgins. Very ‘here, damn’.
Each of these explanations could have been folded into other lines of dialogue or phone calls or literally ...
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