Richmond finally gets the win it needed, Keeley gets the surprise of her life, and Zelda’s big secret comes out. But it’s the final minute of Ted Lasso Season 4 Episode 9, “Mae Rides the Bus,” that will stay with you long after the credits. Here’s the full recap of the Apple TV episode, followed by my honest take on what worked, what didn’t, and the score I’m giving it.
Spoiler warning: everything below, including the ending, is fully revealed.
Recap: How Richmond Won Promotion and Lost Its Peace of Mind
A Losing Streak, a Fainting Spell and a Very Positive Test
The episode opens on a defeat. The commentators blame the slump on the loss of Gemma, who’s now watching from the bench. In the press room, Ted learns that the following weekend’s match will decide whether Richmond earns promotion, so there’s no more room for error.
Keeley’s story kicks off in the doctor’s office. After she fainted during the previous game, the Richmond physician checks her over, flags her high blood pressure, and floats a possibility she hadn’t considered: she might be pregnant. When Keeley works out that she’s gone eight weeks without a period, she promptly faints again. Later she takes several pregnancy tests while Roy talks about how they both need to slow down and take a holiday. Every test comes back positive.
Zelda Walks In and Ted Tries Telepathy
Meanwhile, Ted heads to the pub, where Mae has been keeping an eye on Henry. Over at the club, Zelda strolls into Rebecca’s office without an appointment. Leslie delivers an update: Rupert’s lawyers deny any part in the reselling of Richmond shares. The practical upshot is that as long as the Milk sisters hold on to their shares, Rebecca keeps control of the club.
On the training ground, Niamh and Siobhan tell Ted about their weekend in one unbroken stream, finishing each other’s sentences the whole way. Ted wonders aloud whether the coaches can put that bond to work on the pitch, and they land on a diamond formation, with Niamh up front and Siobhan at the back. Gemma then bursts into the coaches’ office begging to be let back in. Alice shuts it down. Gemma isn’t coming back until her doctor clears her.
Dinner, Dancing Advice and a Question for Siri
Rebecca takes Keeley out for a meal and works out the pregnancy almost immediately. Keeley admits that she and Roy have only just gotten back together, but says she’s happy. On the field, the diamond formation pays off, with Siobhan and Niamh sending the ball up the pitch. Alice tells Shannon that she overthinks everything and should simply feel the game instead. She compares it to dancing, and she even does a wave to prove her point.
Back at the office, Keeley tells Roy she may skip the Bristol game to keep her blood pressure down. Alone later, she asks Siri whether she’ll be a good mom. That evening, Alice spots Shannon practicing alone on the field, and she smiles.
A Seat on the Team Bus
At the pub, Ted and Coach Beard offer Mae a spot on the team bus so she can watch the Bristol match in person. The next morning brings good news: Gemma’s doctor has cleared her to play. Mae climbs aboard with the team, while Zelda, Rebecca and Leslie fly to Bristol on a private plane.
Back in Richmond, Roy turns up at Keeley’s house on Rebecca’s orders, with one job: make sure she doesn’t watch the game and spike her blood pressure. In Bristol, Mae gives the team a pep talk before kickoff.
Two Goals Down in Bristol
As the match wears on, Keeley pleads with Roy to let her watch, and he finally gives in with one condition: he’ll re-enact the game for her using her beauty products. On the pitch, Richmond falls two goals behind, and Boots realizes she may have a broken finger. The coaches send on Gemma, who wins a penalty and buries it. Alice notices a limp afterward, though.
At halftime, Gemma agrees to step back. Beard persuades Boots to play in gloves, and Ted gives Shannon the news she’s been waiting for: she’s going in.
The Comeback, Zelda’s Call and the Final Whistle
The second half belongs to Richmond. Niamh and Siobhan combine for a goal, and Lizzie adds another right behind it. Then Zelda steps away to take a call, and we find out she’s the person who’s been quietly buying up Richmond’s shares. Her colleague Hugo has now tracked down the home of the Milk sisters as well.
Shannon scores a fourth goal and wins the match, and Richmond is officially promoted. At home, Keeley finally tells Roy she’s pregnant, and he’s thrilled.
The celebration doesn’t last. Rebecca learns that something happened to Mae while she was in the stands. The episode closes on Rebecca pulling Ted aside to give him the bad news.
Review: The Season’s Best Hour, and Its Most Divisive One
I’ll say it straight: this is the strongest episode of Season 4. Putting nearly every character on one event, the Bristol match, gives the hour a focus the season has often lacked. Most episodes this year scatter people across separate storylines, and here everything pulls in one direction. The stakes are real, the game is fun to watch, and I was actually leaning forward during the second half.
What Works
The match as a shared spine. Tying the Richmond players, the coaches, Rebecca, Zelda and even Keeley (watching in spirit, via beauty products) to one afternoon makes every subplot feel connected instead of parked.
The Harrigan sisters. The finish-each-other’s-sentences routine is funny on its own. Turning it into a diamond formation that works on the pitch is the kind of silly-meets-smart idea this show does best.
Alice. She’s one of the few new characters who has gotten the full Ted Lasso treatment, meaning depth, flaws and growth. Watching her go from uptight coach to someone demonstrating a body roll to loosen up Shannon was a delight, and the quiet smile when she sees Shannon practicing alone says everything.
Shannon’s payoff. Telling her to feel instead of think, then letting her score the winning goal, closes that thread in a way that feels earned.
The Roy re-enactment. Roy replaying a football match with Keeley’s beauty products is easily the funniest scene of the hour, and it’s sweet, too.
What Doesn’t
The Zelda reveal. I’ll be blunt: I saw this coming a mile away, and it landed with a thud. “Rich person buying a club” isn’t much of a twist, and with just one episode left, the show now has to explain why she’s doing it and, more importantly, why we should care. Right now, I don’t.
Roy and Keeley’s pregnancy. The actors sell the emotion, and the milestone is lovely on its face. But their on-and-off journey this season has been uneven, so the moment doesn’t carry the full weight it could have. It works best when it’s tied to the match, which is where the story finds some energy.
Mae’s ending. This is the part that will split viewers. The episode doesn’t state outright what happened to her, but the way Rebecca pulls Ted aside to deliver bad news points somewhere dark. If Mae really is gone, that’s a heavy move for a show known for warmth, even one that has handled serious topics before. She’s a beloved character, and her loss will have to mean something. If it’s used as a plot lever, it will feel cheap. I’m reserving judgment, but I’m nervous.
My Score: 7.5/10
A thrilling match, a delightful Alice and a fun Shannon arc carry this episode, but a predictable villain reveal and a cliffhanger that risks feeling manipulative keep it from a higher mark. Still, it’s the best of the season so far, and it leaves me anxious for the finale.
FAQ
Does Mae die in Ted Lasso Season 4 Episode 9? The episode never says so outright. It ends with Rebecca learning that something happened to Mae in the stands and pulling Ted aside to tell him the bad news.
Who is buying Richmond’s shares? Zelda. We learn it when she steps away for a call during the Bristol match, and her colleague Hugo has also found the Milk sisters’ home.
Does Richmond get promoted? Yes. Shannon scores a fourth goal to win the match in Bristol and secure promotion.
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