As the season’s strongest outing, Ted Lasso Season 4, Episode 8, “Follow the Anger,” embraces articulating feelings and slowing down when an injury rocks the team. This episode, written by Jamie Lee & Brett Goldstein and directed by Erica Dunton, finally releases an emotional valve for the show – with two episodes left in the season. It’s cohesive, emotionally rewarding, and exactly what Ted Lasso has been missing this season.
In turn, “Follow the Anger” is almost frustratingly good because it’s a reminder of what this season could have been all along. This episode is one of the longest episodes in Season 4, and it earns every second and, more importantly, uses it. For once, there’s a better balance between the “legacy” and new characters. Doing so works wonders for the narrative that Ted Lasso has been trying to weave for the last seven episodes. The pacing is also noticeably better in “Follow the Anger.” There’s not much time lost between episodes or during this one. In fact, Ted Lasso slows down to everyone’s benefit. Hopefully, “Follow the Anger” is a positive sign of what’s to come in the rest of the season.
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The Team Is Acting Like a Team
After Season 3 skips time and tells more than it shows, it’s a little nerve-racking to start “Follow the Anger” with a football montage. It’s especially concerning since this season has gotten to know the women’s team so little that losing any time feels like a detriment. Relatedly, this episode doesn’t break any new ground with Boots, Lizzie, or the twins. (By the way, it’s deeply hilarious and a little wild that Ted doesn’t know how his players’ first names are spelled.)
Regardless, it’s a joy to watch the team play and practice football – with and without Gemma. Of course, Ted Lasso isn’t really about football, but it still matters. Seeing the women as a literal team recontextualizes the wins and losses. It makes the moments come together beyond football, like when the team shows up for Gemma’s MRI. It’s genuinely surprising – in the best way – to see Rebecca show up then and be part of that moment. Something as quick and simple as that emphasizes how rare it’s been to see Rebecca interact with the players. Ideally, “Follow the Anger” is the start of many more scenes like this.
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Will the Anger Lead to Rupert…or Zelda?
Zelda remains such a suspicious character, which Ted Lasso is having more fun with in “Follow the Anger.” It certainly nudges those feelings forward with the element of shareholder intimidation. Higgins has taken a background role for most of the season. So, it’s exciting to see him get this story that defends the club and its fans. That investigative journalism angle plays with genres while raising the season’s stakes. That story naturally folds Mae into it. She importantly delivers: “Enemies keep us vigilant, and everybody has them, even if they don’t know it.” Rupert doesn’t feel like a big reveal in response.
He is the most obvious answer to this question – with three seasons of supporting evidence. Ted Lasso may be delaying the Zelda reveal, playing it differently so as not to throw her off, or it’s a secret third option. However, there is a recognizable symmetry in Mae’s “Follow the anger” and Zelda’s “Never underestimate the power of anger as fuel.” It’s also quite transparent that Zelda, in the wake of Gemma’s injury, is only concerned with the bottom line.
Zelda also says that she and Rebecca must “get real” without “the sensitive souls.” Meanwhile, those souls – Higgins, Keeley, even Ted – are the ones who really give Rebecca a different perspective. So, Zelda continuing her efforts to pull Rebecca away from them in the name of reality is a bright red flag.
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Alice and Ted Learn with Each Other
I appreciate that Rebecca’s involvement with the team comes from a push from Alice. It feels a lot like when Sam came to Rebecca in Season 1 and encouraged her to be more involved. Likewise, “Follow the Anger” earns the parallel with Alice in Rebecca’s office – it feels necessary at this point in the season. It’s impactful for Alice to articulate what she feels and understands about Gemma (and, by extension, herself): “She needs to know she isn’t disappearing in real time.” That connection, obviously triggered by the injury, gives Ted Lasso a much-needed streamlined effect. It’s most effective with Alice, who feels guilty for not forcing Gemma to sub off before her injury.
That physically weighs on her (and the team), which Ted (and Beard) are acutely aware of throughout the episode. Beard’s “It’s not even a question of effort, you know? They’re giving everything they got. They just ain’t got a lot today” overlapping with Ted watching Alice is excellent editing. It leads right into that scene with Alice and Ted – one of the season’s best moments. It reminds me a lot of Ted finding Rebecca outside during “For the Children” in Season 1. Again, he is completely present (“I can do whatever you need”) when he sees a whole new side of this other character. Rebecca, then. Alice, now.
After six years of watching and loving the titular character, it is deeply rewarding to watch Ted simply sit next to Alice and use his tools. His steady hands and deep breaths ground Alice in a way that really moved me. The gravity of that moment between Ted and Alice lends itself to Ted’s speech about not suppressing emotions. I love that the speech finds its roots in how emotional men are in the game. It doesn’t become a bit at the expense of men expressing their emotions – that would fly in the face of Ted Lasso’s last three seasons. Instead, “Follow the Anger” encourages everyone to feel their feelings. It’s deceptively simple, but that’s part of what makes this show so impactful.
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Alice Helps Gemma Lean Into Fear
After the season that barely scratches the surface of the players’ personal lives, I assumed that the show wouldn’t follow Gemma to her parents’ house when Ted mentions she’s there. Thankfully, “Follow the Anger” proves me wrong. Then again, her injury encourages Ted Lasso to slow down and literally sit with her. Once there, the episode immediately reveals so much about Gemma, from her socioeconomic upbringing to her dad being a footballer. Also, Gemma’s mom is a total legend. I love meeting her this early because it took me three seasons of begging and waiting to meet Georgie, Jamie’s wonderful mom. I digress….
Gemma’s injury is so scary that, of course, it makes her reconsider the safer option of her law internship. She needs someone to believe in her, and it’s perfect for that person to be Alice – with Gemma’s mom in the room to witness it all. This scene excels because Ted Lasso put in the work. From showing Gemma’s celebration in the episode’s opener to Alice verbalizing her own relationship with the sport, it means something when Alice sees that similar spark in Gemma and tells her, “You light up out there. You look free.” Even the legendary Jill Scott recognizes it when she says that Gemma “is making something that will endure” – the football counts.
The scene is also about leaning into the fear and doing things scared. Alice sharing her truth isn’t easy; it’s taken Ted Lasso eight episodes to get here. Nothing frames all of that better than Alice saying, “Because I think on the other side of your being scared is you being free.” The ripples exist in all of the characters, making “Follow the Anger” a wonderful watch. At multiple points, this episode also shows what it means to show up for others when they’re scared. Alice and the team (and Rebecca) do that for Gemma before her scan. I really love how “Follow the Anger” keeps Erin in the show’s universe. Her expertise is relevant to the team, who now need another doctor.
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Roy Kent and Keeley Jones Come as a Set
Not to mention, it’s perfect that Keeley is the one who makes that call. Even so, few things are better than “Follow the Anger” ending the great RoyKeeley war (break-up) that has lasted too long. Like Alice and Rebecca pushing each other, it’s exciting to watch Ted support Roy, especially by sharing some of his dad’s wise words. (It’s become so rare to see Ted and Roy share the screen, so it’s just a joy to watch Jason Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein work together again.)
Thankfully, Roy realizes that he must take Ted’s advice because there’s never a right moment. If Roy had waited, Ted Lasso could’ve kicked this relationship down the line three more years, and oof…. The alternative is Roy and Keeley having a rom-com plot where everything gets weirder and worse every time the episode checks back in with them. Everything with Roy’s tricked-out car is absurdly hilarious and so very entertaining. As for the romance side of this rom-com, well, “Follow the Anger” just doesn’t miss. Roy’s reaction when Keeley walks down the stairs is only bested by the tension when Roy’s “I just did” cues “When I Get My Hands On You.” Even the people getting off and on the tube can’t interrupt Roy and Keeley. Goldstein and Juno Temple’s chemistry is not only palpable, but it’s also electric enough to create butterflies.
This episode is such a change of pace after a rather frustrating season for this couple. Also, as someone who is obsessed with Roy’s history at Chelsea (and Sunderland), I love that Ted Lasso takes the time to catch the emotions in Roy’s expression as he stands before that dedication to him. Brett Goldstein, you are one talented human! It’s actually thrilling to watch Roy accept that legend status, vocalize his fears, and express his feelings. I actually cheered when Roy told Keeley, “You told me not to put you on a pedestal. But that’s where you belong. And I’m never, ever going to pull you down. What I had to do was raise myself up and realize I am worthy of you.” It’s also beneficial for Keeley to admit her fear and still choose Roy. This is the growth this season needs to highlight more often. Thankfully, with “Follow the Anger,” it feels like Ted Lasso Season 4 is finally closing one very long chapter and moving forward to a new one.
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Other Winning Moments:
- The team adding the different Post-Its to the BELIEVE sign
- Lizzie being the captain
- Everyone — Mae, Henry, Michelle, etc. — being at the women’s games
- “And why can’t Strudwick see Gemma tomorrow? I mean, if she was the star player on the men’s team, obviously he would.” – Keeley
- Ted and Higgins immediately bursting into an Elvis Presley song
- “I’m not rich. My parents are. I don’t care about any of this stuff.” – Gemma
- Alice not being what meets the eye, even in what she drinks
- Roy trying to write his speech in his Notes app, but it’s mostly angry emojis
- Chelsea rearranging the event to fit Roy’s schedule
- The score playing during Higgins’s investigation has Twin Peaks energy, which feels right, given Brett Goldstein co-wrote the episode
- Beard and Ted talking about the spelling of Saoirse Ronan
- Caroline flirting with Roy and Keeley
- “It’s like Mattel made Barbie and Ken sex dolls or something.” – Caroline
- Brett Goldstein’s delivery about Darren embezzling from an insurance company has the same energy as “I don’t need a phone and a watch” from Season 1
- Ted being a visual learner
- There being a new Ussie fan for this season
- The callback to Roy’s press conference
- “So around here, if any of y’all are feeling something, know that you don’t have to hide it. You don’t have to apologize for it. And you sure as heck don’t have to be ashamed of it. Because this team is strong enough to help any one of us handle whatever we’re feeling.” – Ted
- COLIN HUGHES IS AT WREXHAM?! This feels so personally significant to me…
- Mae and her watermelon-flavored vape that she actually hates
- The Frank Lampard mention
- “No, a mother who is more comfortable with solutions, rather than support.” – Alice
- Rebecca bringing Alice chocolate truffles after learning that she’s allergic to tree nuts
- Rebecca teasing that she’s going to go through all the players’ socials
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