'Ted Lasso' Season 4 Officially Rewrites the Show's Most Controversial Storyline

Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for Ted Lasso Season 4 Episode 6.

Ted Lasso Season 4 is taking the beloved Apple TV series in a different direction with a focus on the journey of AFC Richmond’s women’s team. While some storylines have carried over from previous seasons, like Keeley (Juno Temple) and Roy’s (Brett Goldstein) on-again, off-again romance, Season 4’s latest episode, “Don’t Jump Around Much Anymore,” shines a spotlight on a different character with a personal connection to the show’s titular character, Jason Sudeikis.

Ted’s ex-wife, Michelle (Andrea Anders), initially becomes an antagonist of sorts, given that her and Ted’s separation and eventual divorce impact Ted’s storyline — but that is never more true than in Season 3, when Michelle’s new boyfriend and former therapist, Dr. Jacob (Mike O’Gorman), is introduced. The unethical nature of their relationship bothered many fans, but Season 4 offers a new perspective on these events, revealing them as more complex than Ted, or the audience, realized.

‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Introduces a New Perspective on Michelle’s Relationship

Ted Lasso has long encouraged characters to see things from someone else’s point of view, but Season 3 only explored one perspective on Michelle and Jacob’s relationship. Ted is convinced Jacob used his position as their couples’ therapist to flirt with Michelle, which ultimately impacted his own view of therapy and created challenges in his dynamic with AFC Richmond’s psychologist, Dr. Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles). Initially, Jacob is painted as the villain, and Michelle doesn’t exactly come off looking great either. However, Ted’s perspective is inherently biased, and Season 4 moves away from his reading of the situation.

In Season 4, Episode 6, Michelle finally tells her side of the story, explaining that she was depressed following their divorce and ran into Jacob after a year of not seeing him. Michelle even admits to Ted that she was the one who initiated a personal relationship between them. This version of the story doesn’t truly rewrite the previous season, but it does show that Ted never had all the facts before rushing to judgment. Ultimately, the episode reveals a more nuanced version of Michelle’s character that the show hadn’t explored until this point, forcing the audience to see her differently and reiterating the importance of second chances and redemption.

‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 Makes Michelle a More Complex Character

Though Ted often argues in favor of forgiveness and compassion, it’s clear that he still carries some resentment about Michelle and Dr. Jacob’s relationship. Ultimately, Season 4’s latest episode gives Michelle a chance to explain her side of the story while showing Ted still has room to grow. For years, he never considered that there was more than what he already knew, but Michelle’s admission forces him to relearn his own lesson about showing others understanding and grace. It’s a quietly important development for Ted’s character, but it also puts Michelle in a better place to grow into a larger role in Season 4, especially now that she and Henry (Grant Feely) have moved to London with Ted.

Ted Lasso is no stranger to showing two sides of the same story, though in Michelle’s case it comes a bit after the fact. The series thrives in complex situations and has developed some of its best characters through similar nuance. In fact, the twist gives her the same treatment as Season 1 afforded Jamie (Phil Dunster) by exploring his relationship with his father — not excusing the situation, but explaining it. Dr. Jacob dating a former patient is still a messy situation, but it isn’t as clear-cut as Season 3 initially made it out to be, and this explanation gives Michelle the potential to become the next character to grow on fans.

Ted Lasso is streaming on Apple TV with new Season 4 episodes releasing on Wednesdays.