Ted Lasso’s Season 4 finale looms, and two of the show’s most important women are carrying heavy baggage into it. Tanya Reynolds, who plays Alice, and Abbie Hern, who plays Gemma, spoke with TVLine about the fallout from the penultimate episode, which saw the Lady Greyhounds beat Bristol City 4-2 but lose one of their biggest fans: Mae Green, played by Annette Badland since Season 1.
Mae died in the stands after watching the team’s comeback. The loss hit hard, especially after Mae revealed she’d once dreamed of becoming a professional footballer — a dream denied to her because women weren’t given that chance.
Alice’s Vulnerable Moment
Alice had a panic attack in Episode 8, and Ted found her crying at work. Instead of pressing her, he sat next to her and breathed with her, which Reynolds called “huge.”
“She’s not really processed it at all,” Reynolds said of Alice’s grief over her playing career ending. “Being in that coaching position and being around all these players that have so much potential… she probably wasn’t prepared for how much it would all hurt.”
Reynolds added that Alice’s anger and defensiveness this season come from unprocessed grief. If she were comfortable with her new role as coach, she’d be warmer and easier to approach. But the grief is right beneath the surface, and it shows.
Gemma’s Hard Choice
Gemma’s home life came into focus in Episode 8. She comes from a wealthy family, her mother wants her to do a law internship, and her father was a footballer. That context helps explain why Gemma was torn between law school and football, according to Hern.
“She’s not necessarily an indecisive person,” Hern said. “She’s just faced with a challenge that’s a lot deeper than not being able to pick one thing.”
The episode showed that Gemma joined the team because she missed football, but the reasons ran deeper. Alice knows that, and the trust between the two former teammates grew stronger as a result.
Penalty Kick, No Regrets
In Episode 9, Gemma took a scary fall but insisted on taking a crucial penalty kick herself. When Alice later told her she shouldn’t return for the second half, Gemma listened.
Hern explained Gemma’s determination as proof of her drive. “Taking the penalty was like, ‘I told you I could score a goal. I’m ready. I told you.'”
| Character | Actor | Episode Highlight |
|---|---|---|
| Alice | Tanya Reynolds | Panic attack, unprocessed grief |
| Gemma | Abbie Hern | Home life revealed, penalty kick |
The Team’s Loss
The team will be devastated by Mae’s death, but Hern sees a silver lining. “I think the team will be absolutely devastated — but, in a way, also so thankful that the game ended the way that it did, and they got to give her those moments,” she said.
Mae got to see the comeback, ride the bus with the team, and join them in the locker room before the match. Those moments mattered.
Alice also opened up to Gemma about how much she still misses playing, while a visit to Gemma’s home shed new light on why the footballer had struggled to choose between law school and the sport she loves.
What’s Next
The finale arrives soon, and the stakes for Alice and Gemma are high. Their grief, their pasts, and their trust in each other will all be tested.
The two actresses have done their job: they’ve unpacked the characters’ vulnerabilities and unresolved feelings, and now the show gets to play with them. The trust between Alice and Gemma is finally developing, and the penalty kick proved Gemma’s commitment to football.
The loss of Mae hangs over everything, but the team found a way to honor her memory by pulling off a miraculous comeback.
The interview is available in full at TVLine.
Source material: “Ted Lasso's Tanya Reynolds And Abbie Hern Unpack Alice And Gemma's Pasts And Newfound Trust Ahead Of Finale,” TVLine.
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