For “an emotion so useless it should be embarrassed of itself,” as Ted Lasso puts it, we all face it. As humans, we all get humiliated by mistakes, learn from them and move on. Or we simmer in the discomfort because it’s easier than dealing with the issue at hand. Or, as is the case with Alice Chilton in season four’s fifth episode, the embarrassment is internal, stemming from her feelings and not from someone’s actions. Alice gets chagrined at how close Ted has gotten to players she’s known longer than him. They’re interested in his life because he’s expressed interest in learning about theirs. He’s an open book, and she remains quite the mystery.
Unable to address this situation rationally—something she otherwise seems good at—Alice lashes out at them instead of taking stock of her own attitude. It presents an interesting dilemma for her and Ted, and is the saving grace of an otherwise distressing Ted Lasso hour. Am I being harsh by using that word? Maybe, but it’s warranted. Season four goes back to testing our patience when it comes to everything outside of the Lady Greyhounds. It’s worth repeating that the show isn’t interested in spending proper time with the players, so we don’t learn about their inner lives. Instead, we witness something far worse: the torture of Jane’s one-woman play. Seriously, have we done something to Ted Lasso‘s creative team? Is this revenge for all the discourse that spilled out of season three?
I sympathize with what Jane put Beard through, but does it add anything of value to Ted Lasso itself? Before anyone says that not all things in a comedy are meant to do that, I know. Sometimes, a joke is just a joke, which is fine. But Ted Lasso ain’t a comedy anymore, considering the episode lengths alone, along with, you know, the lack of laughs. And neither is the Jane and Beard stuff funny if the punchline is that she tricked everyone into thinking she’s pregnant. Sure, it explains Beard’s debilitated state of mind, but it’s such a forced way to give him a deeper arc like the ones Ted, Jamie, Roy, and Nate have had. It’s maddening to see a show that once felt properly mapped out play fast and loose with all of the screentime it’s given itself. And for some reason, they’ve chosen to waste it on relationship drama that just doesn’t land.
What’s happening to Keeley, in particular, is excruciating, because Juno Temple is still giving a stellar performance. She’s the only reason Keeley remains a star. But the writing now constantly portrays her as a bumbling damsel in distress, which is the opposite of who she was. So now, both Keeley and Roy are crumbling under the pressure of the poor choices they’ve made. He admits to a doe-eyed Keeley, who’s openly flirting with him, that he’s completed the task of going on 10 dates. Except the last few have been with the same woman. She’s heartbroken, even though she’s the one who told him to do it. Obviously Roy loves Keeley and isn’t going to end up with someone new. So, my question is, are you also pulling out your hair yet? This whole thing feels manufactured to drive them apart, only for an emotional season finale (or hopefully sooner) reunion. If it has any impact at all, it’s only because at least Temple and Brett Goldstein are acing their parts.
Meanwhile, Rebecca goes through romantic issues as well. She realizes that she isn’t happy about Matthijs moving from Amsterdam to London, whether or not he’s doing it to be closer to his young daughter, whose mom got a job in the city. Rebecca thinks not being long-distance will burst their bubble—for her, it’s been nice to “microdose” this relationship. I’m not fully buying into them as a couple yet, mainly because the show hasn’t made an effort to sell me on it, but Rebecca’s behavior is more wishy-washy than ever. Her arc in this episode made me think of Flo Collins’ Sassy, because I hope Sassy drops in on Rebecca and Keeley to give them the push they so badly need.
Circling back to Alice, the assistant coach lands in hot water with Ted by the end of “Riches Of Embarrassment.” His roundabout way to impart wisdom is to share his own experience of learning how to barbecue, and the concept of rushing to learn something instead of taking the time to actually learn and understand it. It’s nice and all, but doesn’t connect with Alice. Later, when the Lady Greyhounds are getting pummeled by Chelsea, Ted’s go-to for a motivational speech during halftime is—shocker!—talking about himself some more.
I understand his urge, but naturally, it ticks Alice off further. She vents her frustration (at the players, her coach, or herself?) on the field, storming off by the game’s end. On the plus side, Ted opening up about his life somehow inspires the team to play better for a half-empty stadium (still more people than they’ve played in front of). They do well enough to give Chelsea tough competition, and to make a drunk Rebecca and Zelda feel like their investment in the team is worth it.
The most curious bit of “Riches Of Embarrassment” arrives at the end, when Ted talks to Alice, suspending her for the next match. And since the Christmas holidays are coming up right after, it means Alice won’t be back until the new year. It’s a surprising move, but Ted has his reasons. He points out how, in the past, he didn’t do enough to help another assistant coach who was slowly losing control. We might not know where Nate is in season four, but he’s still at the top of Ted’s mind. Ted doesn’t want to embarrass himself by repeating his mistake, and he’s protecting Alice from humiliation, in a way. Tanya Reynolds’ character remains a highlight of season four, so what Ted Lasso has going for it is how she progresses in the remaining installments, considering Alice is the female protagonist this show hasn’t entirely messed up yet. In the meantime, I presume we should dig out our Santa hats early for next week, huh?
Stray observations:
- •The Lady Greyhounds’ resident couple, Margy and Madi, tend to break up and get together again, as seen during the episode’s opener. That’s about all we know of their relationship.
- •So, is Roy dating the bartender whom he hooked up with in the previous episode, or the doctor who treated his injured knee right after?
- •Speaking of dating, Ted shares mild sparks with the stage manager of Jane’s play. Even if nothing comes of it, this interaction makes Ted realize he’s ready to date again.
- •I like knowing that, to bury their feelings, Rebecca and Keeley’s go-to movie is Bridesmaids.
- •Katy Wix’s Barbara pops up again to remind us that she’s not only in charge of running KJPR, but she loves being the boss.
- •Parts of this episode that felt familiar, so it made me revisit previous episodes that Phoebe Walsh (a.k.a. the actor who plays Jane) wrote. They include season two’s “Headspace,” in which Nate lashes out in the locker room for the very first time, and season three’s “The Strings That Bind Us,” when Jamie’s half-time speech pushes AFC Richmond to win a match they were losing against Arsenal F.C. in the first half.
- •”Have a little more fun with your perspective” is a great line. I wish Ted Lasso would pay heed to its own advice.
Saloni Gajjar is The A.V. Club‘s TV critic.
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