Ted Lasso Season 4, Episode 5, “Riches of Embarrassment,” doubles down on improving things on the football pitch and muddying them off it. This episode, written by Phoebe Walsh and directed by Ellie Heydon, has compelling peaks that make the season’s strange valleys all the more noticeable. For example, Ted Lasso Season 4 continues to do really well with Alice and the women’s team. Alice’s arc has good pacing. The team continues to build a foundation with so few football scenes. The luxury of just introducing these characters in Season 4 is that Ted Lasso can take its time in getting to know them.
Alternatively, the three years lost in the time jump keep mostly working against the returning characters. So, halfway through the season, Ted Lasso is still trying to find its footing again. There are sparks in some great scenes with excellent performances. Once again, Hannah Waddingham taps into the “real Rebecca,” as Sassy once said, and is silly. Waddingham’s grasp on physical comedy should never go underappreciated. However, like Rebecca after drinking with Zelda at the game, “Riches of Embarrassment” can’t quite strike a winning balance.
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Rebecca’s Relationship Status Is Complicated
The emotional whiplash of Rebecca and Matthijs’s relationship in this episode is wild. For all intents and purposes, the show is still establishing this relationship that has lasted for three years, which it never showed. So, there’s a bit of a disconnect when “Riches of Embarrassment” jumps through a few milestones with them. The last time they are on screen, Rebecca and Matthijs could barely make a date work. So Matthijs moving to London isn’t the vote of confidence that it could be – or needs to be – for this relationship to work.
It doesn’t help that this couple never has any solid ground before Ted Lasso folds in more drama. Conflict is necessary for character and story to develop, but this level of it undermines the couple. Ted Lasso wants to believe in this pairing, but it repeatedly shows the opposite. Instead of showing any communication skills they share after three years, “Riches of Embarrassment” snowballs their argument into Matthijs asking for a break. Not only that, his decision mostly stems from Rebecca’s harmless conversation with Jelka.
Sadly, for the argument’s sake, Ted Lasso hasn’t gotten to know Matthijs or his relationship with his daughter well enough for that reaction. Alternatively, it’s only natural that Rebecca’s fears about her relationship falling apart arise around the move. It even tracks that she discusses that with Ted. The scene’s strength – for both of them – proves why Ted Lasso shouldn’t go episodes without Ted and Rebecca interacting. Ultimately, “Riches of Embarrassment” is frustrating for Rebecca. She wants reassurance about being chosen and deserves to feel like lightning. This episode doesn’t begin to satisfy either.
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Really, What’s Next for Keeley and Roy?
Ted Lasso has never presented that there is any other match for Keeley and Roy but each other – three years ago and now. Therefore, it’s mind-boggling that the show takes such a strange route to their reunion. It’s not ideal that one has to read between the lines – and appreciate the nuances of Brett Goldstein’s performance – to understand Roy. After all, his actions are (at the very least) confusing. Roy clearly wants to be with Keeley, but he’s actively dating (assumedly) Erin.
Ted Lasso Season 4 (so far) only shows the former, which doesn’t make Roy look good. There’s no evidence of how he really feels about Erin because the show skips their dates. Therefore, it’s difficult to know if or why Roy has become torn between these two women. In a more supporting role this season, Roy’s life doesn’t really exist beyond his scenes with Keeley. He’s not talking it out with Diamond Dogs, the men’s team, the yoga moms, or, most importantly, his therapist. Alternatively, Ted Lasso confidently explores Keeley’s perspective.
Juno Temple’s performance in this episode! She makes it so that one can not only see but feel the weight of the world on Keeley’s shoulders. It’s refreshing that “Riches of Embarrassment” has Barbara (Katy Wix is phenomenal!) break through to Keeley. Their dynamic has been missed after Ted Lasso bumped KBPR to the back burner. Barbara can’t be more right by saying, “Well, there’s a big difference between tapping a screen and showing up, isn’t there?” (Please show up for your women’s teams!) Also, it’s a joy to see Keeley and the women’s team interact more – Lizzie and Boots cheering her up is everything.
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Ted Lasso Has a Personal Life!
Whether it’s this season or the last three, it can feel like Ted Lasso doesn’t explore its titular character’s personal life enough. So, “Riches of Embarrassment” is promising. However, Ted saying that he’s not lonely because of everyone at Richmond falls a bit flat in the context of this season. He hasn’t interacted with anyone all that much. “Riches of Embarrassment” just delivered the first substantial Ted and Rebecca scene since his move back to London.
Regardless, it’s entirely in-character for Ted to go to Jane’s one-woman show with Beard – no questions asked. (Admittedly, this play is a very Jane way to hand-wave the baby from the Season 3 finale.) That said, Ted Lasso could do without the Beard/Jane dynamic at this point. Hasn’t it run its course? It would be more exciting to see Beard in a different storyline with different characters. For instance, Beard visiting Nate is one of the highlights of Season 3.
Like the other characters, this show has endeared Beard to the audience, so it’s exhausting and honestly saddening to watch him back in this cycle. Meanwhile, the play seems to work better in Ted’s favor when he meets a woman who is a stage manager. It’s unclear if Ted Lasso will ever revisit this character, but she helps Ted realize that he’s ready to date again. Ideally, this means that the show will get to explore him as a person and not only as a coach this season.
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Big Changes for AFC Richmond Women’s
As the last few episodes prove, the best and strongest part of this season remains the women’s team, who sell out Nelson Road for their match against Chelsea. They get their first Ted Lasso locker room speech in “Riches of Embarrassment,” and it’s a good one. There’s a defined, overarching intention to have everyone bust out of their embarrassment. Beyond that, though, there are glimpses of the characters and world-building around the team.
Seeing a bit of Margy and Mady’s relationship in the episode’s opener is exciting. Knowing that Rebecca Lowe and Jill Scott are the women’s commentators, like Arlo White and Chris Powell were for the men’s team, is also fun. “Riches of Embarrassment” also delivers so much content in that training scene with Alice, Gemma, and Shannon. Heydon’s direction in the lead-up and during this sequence is fantastic. In the previous scene, the camera pushes in on Alice as the sound warps, putting the viewer right into that feeling with her.
The next shot makes the transition smooth, so the shaky-cam (when Alice approaches Shannon) can disrupt it. The camera becomes another way to learn about this character who has so many walls up. The episode then refers to Ted’s embarrassment about his mistakes with Nate when he finally talks to Alice. He makes the choice for the players, the team as a whole, and Alice, who clearly has something to work through. Hopefully, the pacing of Alice’s arc doesn’t derail like Nate’s. Only time will tell.
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Other Winning Moments:
- Keeley’s video set to Sia’s “Invincible”
- Beard trying to figure out Ted’s riddle, and his answer being “dumps”
- Beard and Ted taking off their glasses at the same time
- Roy calling hte men’s team “secondary” for all those who don’t get it
- “I just think they want to know more about you” – Beard
- The team buying Ted a pair of jeans
- Lizzie pulling Gemma away
- Rebecca recognizing Ted’s whistle before she sees him
- Rebecca pretending to puke on an acid trip
- Roy’s face when Keeley walks away “for her keys”
- Jane’s Ted impression, and Ted’s reaction to it
- Seeing the team play football for an extended time
- Rebecca’s whole bit when giving away the check
- Richmond’s “transformed” second half
- Keeley and Rebecca watching Bridesmaids and being messes
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