Ted Lasso Season 4 Episode 9 Review: We Come Full Circle With A Surprise Pregnancy, Villain, and Tragedy

September 30, 2026

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Warning: major spoilers ahead for those who haven’t seen this week’s episode.

I can’t decide if I’m feeling excited, vindicated, or heartbroken after Ted Lasso Season 4’s penultimate episode.

Ted Lasso Season 4 Episode 9 was an hour intensely focused on parallels and circularity. Major arcs came to their natural close, echoing moments from the season’s beginning.

But as the episode teased new beginnings and followed our team through their celebrations, one unexpected tragedy lay in wait.

Before blindsiding characters and viewers alike, the episode first cements that Alice’s transformation and growth are officially realized. After a season of gradual change, seeing her actions (and her smile!) in this episode felt earned and joyful.

I especially enjoyed the small, blink-and-you-miss-it moment when Alice, while strategizing a new formation, factors in the twins’ birth order.

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It was a great callback to her comments about them in Ted Lasso Season 4 Episode 2, and it shows how much she’s come to value knowing her players personally and psychologically.

Alice’s growth is also cemented through Shannon’s underdog story, as Shannon finally gets a chance to prove herself on the pitch. Her arc ties in nicely with Alice’s, further reflecting the changes in Alice’s coaching style.

Alice doesn’t go easy on Shannon, but she does swap beration for a tough-love approach that encourages Shannon to let loose and embrace her abilities and intuition.

We see it in how she interacts with Gemma, too. The banter is still there, but so is trust.

She supports her, even when she’s scared for her, and is rewarded when Gemma learns to embrace her own limits — made possible by knowing her autonomy is recognized.

Now, of course, we must talk about the (growing baby) elephant in the room: Keeley’s surprise pregnancy.

I’ll be honest. Typically, I do not love a surprise pregnancy plotline, often because it reads as a contrived device to stir up drama or revive a stagnating plotline.

However, I’m the number one fan of this surprise pregnancy. It feels like a natural progression of Keeley and Roy’s story; unexpected, sure, but isn’t that how starting a family can go?

Finally, there’s no more will they won’t they. Instead, it’s time to watch Roy and Keeley embark on a new journey as they build a life together.

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The scene where Keeley confesses her pregnancy to Rebecca has undoubtedly become one of my favorites of the whole series.

I do admit, I am perhaps a bit biased, as someone who is currently reveling in the baby announcements of some of her closest friends.

Keeley’s desire to tell Rebecca first was such a beautiful testament to the incredible friendship these two share.

It was a lovely, funny, and realistic encapsulation of that special joy of starting that next phase of life with your favorite friend by your side: the one that will support you through anything.

I’m tightly crossing my fingers for a Ted Lasso Season 5 so we can see the evolution of Keeley’s journey as a mother, and Rebecca’s role in the child’s life.

In a show focused on creating an environment where talented women can succeed in their craft, I know the writers will offer thoughtful commentary on the intersection of career and motherhood as we follow one of our leads into this new phase of her life.

Roy’s actions (and reaction to Keeley’s announcement) in this episode also remind us all of the essence of his character that we love so much.

It’s so rewarding to see those moments when his gruffness falls away, revealing his deeply nurturant and caring core.

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Watching him mirror the Lady Greyhounds match via Keeley’s beauty products was sweet, clever, and creative, but the way he embraced that moment underscores just how ready he is to be a dad.

My money is on them having a girl.

May I remind us all that I am good at predicting things! I called Zelda as the season’s mysterious villain, didn’t I?

As this installment revealed, Zelda’s crazy quirks are not benign. It was a fun reveal, because the season has laid out foreshadowing throughout, though there was always enough doubt to make the viewer question her true motives.

But for an episode all about closing loops and answering open questions, the joy of Keeley’s pregnancy, the elation of the team’s win, and the solved mystery of the secret share-snatcher were weighed down by a surprising tragedy.

As the end of the episode reveals, Mae died in the stands while attending the Bristol match, and I know this will be a gut punch to every character and every viewer.

I’ve absolutely loved how much more time we’ve gotten to spend with this character, and I’ve adored the way she’s been elevated to a more central figure in the story.

Mae is unique, endearing, loving, and a caring matriarch who always has an incredible one-liner on hand. But her role has been crucial to the narrative.

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Through Mae, we, as viewers, are reminded of what the women’s team fights for and stands for. We are reminded of the impact AFC Richmond is having on real lives by investing in the power of women’s sports.

Through Mae, we can reflect on the sacrifices of the women who fought for, and dreamed of, the opportunities available for athletes today. Opportunities they didn’t get to experience themselves.

Mae has been an anchor, reminding everyone of the stakes: what it means for athletes and fans, for generations young and old, to see a team like the Lady Greyhounds fight for success against the odds.

She will be dearly missed.

This is the first time our characters have dealt with a loss like this on the show, and I’m sure we’ll see how each of them explores their grief in the finale.

While I’m sure her legacy will be honored in a way befitting Mae’s character, the show will certainly not be the same without her.

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The post Ted Lasso Season 4 Episode 9 Review: We Come Full Circle With A Surprise Pregnancy, Villain, and Tragedy appeared first on TV Fanatic.

Ted Lasso Season 4 Episode 9 Review: We Come Full Circle With A Surprise Pregnancy, Villain, and Tragedy

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