Ted Lasso - Season 4, Episode 6, "Don't Jump Around Much Anymore" - Recap & Review
⚠️ Spoiler Alert: This review may contains spoilers. ⚠️
After several episodes that have pushed the story forward at a pretty steady pace, Episode 6 of Ted Lasso Season 4 feels like the show pumping the brakes. That doesn't necessarily make it a bad episode, there's plenty here to enjoy, but it definitely has the unmistakable feeling of filler.
That isn't exactly unfamiliar territory for Ted Lasso. Some of the show's most memorable detours came when Apple expanded Season 2 and the writers added episodes like the Christmas special and Beard's bizarre nighttime adventure. Those episodes stepped away from the main narrative but still managed to give us something memorable. Episode 6 feels like it's attempting something similar as it tackles New Year's in Great Britain.
The biggest highlight is easily the return of Jamie Tartt. It's great having him back, and his dance with Roy to "Jump" is exactly the kind of ridiculous, joyful moment this show does so well. Unfortunately, Roy's knee isn't nearly as enthusiastic about the reunion. It gives out, sending him back to the hospital with Keeley and Rebecca in tow.
And that's where things get interesting.
In appropriately dramatic fashion, we discover that Roy has been dating the doctor who previously helped him as a favor to his sister. The good doctor doesn't seem to realize the significance of what's happening, but Keeley and Rebecca absolutely do. Meanwhile, Roy is completely blasted on painkillers and only makes an already awkward situation considerably more confusing. It's classic Roy Kent comedy, and easily some of the funniest material in the episode.
Elsewhere, the Lady Greyhounds attend a New Year's Eve party hosted by Zelda. Leslie is as wonderfully absurd as ever, arriving equipped with specialty glasses designed to prevent vertigo in the dance-club environment. Because of course he does.
Underneath all the partying, though, we continue to see the tension building between the team and Coach Chilton. There are a few enlightening moments sprinkled throughout the episode that suggest this conflict is going somewhere important, even if the show isn't quite ready to get there yet. Coach Beard also does his usual Coach Beard stuff, somehow managing to be even more awkward than normal, which shouldn't be possible, but apparently is.
The episode also spends more time exploring Ted and Michelle's renewed relationship. and by renewed, I'm referring to how their relationship is evolving post marriage. I am not saying they are getting back together. Which to be honest, was a bit confusing at the end of last season (what we thought was the series finale and Ted arriving home) and the start of this season. I'm digging the new reality and the choice not to do the whole will they or won't they get back together. We also learn a lot about Michelle and her decisions during the early days of divorce. Ted clearly had no idea, proving a lot of his assumptions wrong.
Those scenes add some needed emotional weight and help explain where Michelle is coming from now. I'm still curious to see exactly where the show plans to take their relationship, but giving us more of her perspective makes the storyline considerably more interesting.
Ultimately, Episode 6 is fine. There are funny moments, some welcome character development, and Jamie's return alone gives the episode a nice boost. But after everything that happened in the previous episodes, this feels less like the next chapter and more like an extended intermission.
The one big moment that I was very happy to see was Matthijs returning to surprise Rebecca with a midnight New Year's kiss. They built up the tension after he left when Rebecca dug a little too deep with Matthijs's daughter on his intentions to move to London. The writers also set up a great storyline where he turned off her ability to track his phone. Ostensibly a sign that he was done with the relationship. After he shows up like a knight in shining armor, she questions him about that and he answers that he couldn't have pulled off the surprise if she knew where he was. Classic romantic move and I loved it!
Sometimes Ted Lasso needs those quieter detours. When they're great, they can become some of the show's most memorable episodes. This one doesn't quite get there.
It's enjoyable. It's funny. It's perfectly fine.
But it definitely felt like a filler.
Check out the trailer for Season 4 of Ted Lasso:
