REVIEW: Ted Lasso Season 3, Episode 4 – “Big Week”

In many ways, Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 4 is the best of the season thus far. “Big Week” tackles some of the biggest hurdles the characters have faced thus far this year, from Richmond’s match against West Ham and the forced confrontation it possibly means for Ted (Jason Sudeikis) and Nathan (Nick Mohammed,) to Rebecca’s (Hannah Waddingham) continued attempts to best Rupert (Anthony Head.) The humor and the heart that’s made the show so universally popular are dispersed in equal measure and we even get screen time dedicated to some of the show’s best duos. There’s just one major element that’s keeping this from being an unquestionable success.

All of which to say, this is a formal request for the Ted Lasso writers to please, please, not force a love triangle story in what is likely the last season of the series between Roy (Brett Goldstein,) Jamie (Phil Dunster,) and Keeley (Juno Temple.) Not when they’ve already been given such great material on the merits of the characters’ own individual plights. Perhaps it’s meant to just be a throwaway comment, a what-if moment of temptation, or a fond remembrance from Keeley when she notes to Shandy (Ambreen Razia) just how much Jamie has changed. Shandy just wants to sleep with Jaimie, but Keeley’s moment of highlighting all of his shortcomings before admitting to his unquestionable, positive, changes gives the slightest whisper of an idea that maybe, just maybe, the writers are trying to tease a reunion.

Here’s hoping that this is all reading too much into it. Otherwise, Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 4 is a major win for the show, even if it’s a major, disastrous, loss for team Richmond. The big match between West Ham and Richmond is taking place, with Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) and Roy working tirelessly to find a solution to Nate’s wunderkind abilities, from potentially pulling Zava (Maximilian Oskinski) and using Nate’s own tactic before politely being told by Higgins (Jeremy Swift) that Zava would never tolerate it.

The big move, however, happens following one of the more enlightening moments of the series, which easily could’ve been played only for laughs, but Ted Lasso doesn’t operate that way. Trent Crimm (James Lance) comes to the team’s aid after they discover, in a moment of outrage, that the Believe sign has been torn in half, and finds security footage of what took place, passing it along to the coaches.

And this is where Mohammed’s tremendous talent is on full display because we, like Coach Beard and Roy, should find the footage of his desperate race around the locker room to reach the sign either despicable or hilarious. Instead, it’s twinged with such a potent level of humiliation that the desperate reads sad enough that we understand Ted’s hesitance. While it’s comical to see team Richmond absolutely lose it over the footage, hulking out and turning into players who fight dirty and get red cards for foul play, we know that it goes against everything Ted tries to achieve.

Two things can be true. The team shouldn’t have played that way, coaxed on by Beard and Roy, and none of what we see in the footage or the scenes between Nathan and Rupert absolve the former for what he did. It was lousy, petty, and cruel, and his manner of coaching still relies more on belittling opposed to Ted’s more positive approach. That said, Mohammed’s performance is so layered that we keep waiting for some miraculous way he is able to suitably apologize to Ted. Maybe it will never happen, but regardless, the show’s ability to maintain that level of humanity with the character is impressive.

Elsewhere, the aforementioned favored duos arrive in the form of Ted and Rebecca and Jamie and Roy. The former only share two real scenes and only the first is the truly notable one, but their quiet moment in the locker room where they commiserate over both being messes is a reminder that hands down, Waddingham and Sudeikis have the most electric chemistry of all the cast. The latter is a much more indulgent pick, but the series actually continuing with and showing the training Jamie is receiving from Roy is a treat.

Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 4 may lack in certain, specific areas, but those are more concerns for what might be rather than what currently is. Otherwise, “Big Week” is a strong episode from top to bottom, big on laughs while doling out the type of character development and compassion that’s become synonymous with the show.

Ted Lasso Season 3 is out now on Apple TV+.