Ted Lasso Season 4 Draws Criticism Despite 88% Critics Score and Women’s Soccer Pivot
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 18
Ted Lasso Season 4 Draws Criticism Despite 88% Critics Score and Women’s Soccer Pivot
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 18
Summary
Season 4’s first four episodes drew complaints from progressive reviewers who said the revived Apple TV+ hit still mishandled women, even after rebuilding the story around AFC Richmond’s new women’s team.
Reviewers cited Ted’s “white male privilege” joke, Rebecca’s panic over hiring a man instead of a woman, and plotlines on pregnancy, childcare, pay gaps and sexism as evidence the season foregrounded feminist themes.
TIME, Variety and The Times of London still argued Ted’s role felt paternalistic or overly central, with some saying qualified women should have led the team and that female characters remained filtered through male perspectives.
Apple touted a record launch — 296.6 million U.S. viewing minutes over Aug. 4-5 and 866 million for the week of Aug. 3-9 — but has not released later episode retention data.
The backlash fed a broader argument in the report that Hollywood’s efforts to court progressive approval can reshape major franchises without shielding them from further ideological criticism.