Apple TV+ Should Ditch Ted Lasso for Severance to Boost Growth!

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Summary

  • Apple TV+ loses 1B euros/year despite successful shows like Severance.
  • Ted Lasso‘s renewal for Season 4 may lead to a quality drop like Community Season 4.
  • Severance surpasses Ted Lasso as Apple TV+’s most viewed show, promising a profitable future.

As a devoted viewer, I must say that Apple TV+ has been a game-changer in television entertainment over the past few years. From laughing my heart out with the delightful sitcom Ted Lasso, to being intrigued by Harrison Ford’s thought-provoking therapy series Shrinking, and even getting swept away in the gripping dystopian sci-fi drama of Silo, Apple TV+ has consistently delivered captivating and impactful seasons.

Their current crown jewel, Severance, left me utterly astounded with its mind-bending, tension-filled Season 2 finale, leaving me yearning for more!

Even though Apple TV+ has managed to achieve success on small screens, it’s still incurring more expenses than revenue, according to Euro News. This is due to the significant annual investments of around one billion euros they make in popular TV shows and exclusive projects. Since its launch in 2019, Apple TV+ has invested close to five billion euros into the platform and its projects. Unfortunately, despite this massive investment, it only boasts around ten million fewer viewers than its closest competitor, Hulu, which currently has forty-eight million subscribers. This means that, compared to Hulu, Apple TV+ is a relatively unprofitable streaming service.

To thrive, Apple TV+ should enhance its promotional efforts and invest more in its niche series such as “Severance” and “Shrinking”, rather than pushing for another season of “Ted Lasso” even though it concluded satisfactorily with Season 3. This renewal might seem like a desperate attempt to boost viewership, suggesting that they doubt the success of their slowly growing but critically applauded shows. Allowing these ongoing series, along with new projects, a chance to shine would be more beneficial in the long run.

Ted Lasso‘s Renewal Could Lead to Quality Drop

Ted Lasso, featuring Jason Sudeikis, is a sports comedy-drama centered around Ted Lasso, an optimistic and encouraging football coach who is unexpectedly hired to manage AFC Richmond, an English soccer team. The owner of the team, Rebecca Welton, hired Lasso with the intention that he would lead the team to failure, as a means to hurt her ex-husband, who is an avid soccer fan. Despite her expectations, she believed Lasso’s inexperience and overly optimistic attitude would ultimately cause the team to falter.

Rather than him, it’s his caring yet assertive and watchful demeanor that propels the soccer team forward in their journey to succeed, resulting in three fantastic seasons full of joy for everyone involved. Ted Lasso navigates fresh challenges with the team and addresses the adolescent issues of his trainees, maintaining a cheerful atmosphere throughout the series. Ted Lasso has touched hearts globally and is frequently recognized for elevating Apple TV+’s streaming platform’s reputation.

It turned out during Season 3’s creation and debut that Ted Lasso was intended to be the final season. This was evident from the storyline’s progression and statements made by the production team. On the podcast Fake Doctors, Real Friends With Zack and Donald, showrunner Bill Lawrence disclosed that the show was originally conceived as a three-season agreement, with Sudeikis having already planned out three seasons of the series before deciding to bring it to an end.

The storyline in your ongoing TV series needs some variation, with both highs and lows. However, I believe ours is unique because, as Jason has planned, it’s designed for three seasons.

In the same 2020 podcast, Lawrence confessed that following the third season, he would make every effort to persuade Mr. Sudeikis to continue with it. At the same time, he expressed that he had no idea what the future of Ted Lasso might look like beyond Season 3. Interestingly, Apple TV+ decided to renew the series for a fourth season despite initially planning only three seasons.

There’s a possibility that the fourth season of Ted Lasso could face a similar fate as Dan Harmon’s sitcom, Community’s fourth season, infamously known as the “Gas Leak Year.” Just like how Community Season 4 was the only one not overseen by Harmon, Season 4 of Ted Lasso might disappoint fans and potentially harm Apple TV+ if they don’t pay close attention to the storyline. This could lead to issues such as repetitive jokes, uninspired plotlines, character missteps, and unexpected directions that could even cause an actor to depart mid-season.

Ben Stiller’s Severance Saves the Day (and Can Continue Doing So)

As the executive producer and primary director of Ben Stiller’s hit series “Severance,” I am incredibly proud of the two outstanding seasons we’ve produced so far. Although there was a three-year gap between them due to industry disputes and creative hurdles, Season 2 did not disappoint, offering an epic resolution that brilliantly addressed the cliffhanger from Season 1 with more labyrinths than escape routes. To add to the excitement, “Severance” surpassed “Ted Lasso” to become Apple TV+’s most-watched TV show in Season 2. This achievement not only helped reduce Apple TV+’s financial losses but also significantly shifted the tone of their marketing strategy from the cheerful positivity of “Lasso” to a more ominous, eerie atmosphere. With updates pointing towards another fantastic season, fans are eagerly anticipating Season 3, and if it lives up to expectations, it will undoubtedly bode well for Apple TV+’s future.

Supporters of the series “Severance” are at odds regarding its potential future. Some desire it to persist for many seasons, while others advocate that Season 3 should conclude the series. The duration that the show will stay on the air remains undecided, despite reports suggesting an ending. However, as long as the story continues to provide thought-provoking entertainment, “Severance” could potentially carry on. The planned end of the series does not automatically mean a mandatory stopping point. Some of the innovative concepts introduced in Season 2 of “Severance” may be left unfulfilled if the show ends with Season 3, unlike the case with “Ted Lasso.

It’s likely that Apple TV+ will continue to expand by continuing to back shows like “Severance” and investing in others such as “Shrinking” and “Slow Horses.” These series have plenty of story left to explore, possibly even more than “Ted Lasso,” which some viewers felt lost its charm during the latest season. Here’s hoping that “Severance” keeps delivering unexpected twists and turns, and “Ted Lasso” proves the doubters wrong with a powerful fourth season. However, it seems Apple still needs to learn that one of these shows is more dependable than the other.

Sources: CBR, Euro News and iHeart

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2025-03-28 20:58