Ted Lasso recap: Episode 9, ‘All Apologies’

In Ted Lasso episode 9, Rebecca finally tells Ted the truth about her scheming, and Ted must decide whether or not to bench Roy Kent.

Ted Lasso episode 9 starts with Roy sitting in a garbage can full of ice water. He’s having one of those days. According to the news broadcast, he’s torturing himself with, Roy has lost his touch during the last few games. Ted finds him stewing and tells him to stop being so hard on himself.

“You look like a brunette Oscar the Grouch.”

Rebecca is finishing up modeling for a spread in Football Financial Quarterly when Ted visits her with another batch of biscuits. He tells her he’s probably a role model for some little girls out there. Obviously, Rebecca still hasn’t told Ted the truth. She asks him how the team’s morale is doing heading into the final weekend — not great — just as Keeley enters and casts doubt on her sympathetic response.

Taking Rebecca aside into the cleats room (is that a real thing, just a room full of dirty cleats? yuck.), Keeley demands she tell Ted sooner than later. To Rebecca’s credit, she does recognize that Ted didn’t deserve anything she’s put him through, but she wonders what would be the point of telling him now, this late in the game. It wouldn’t change anything.

More from Apple TV Plus

• Show Snob’s Premiere Review: Watch, Pass, Wait and See (December 4, 2023)
• Show Snob’s Premiere Review: Watch, Pass, Wait and See (November 20, 2023)
• Show Snob’s Premiere Review: Watch, Pass, Wait and See (November 13, 2023)
• 5 best new shows premiering in November 2023 on Showtime, Netflix and more
• Apple TV+’s Invasion season 2, episode 8 recap: “Cosmic Ocean”

“It would change how I feel about you,” Keeley responds. Zing.

During the latest round of press, Trent Crimm returns to ask Ted what he thinks of Roy’s recent bad games, especially as they head into their final match against Manchester City (meaning they’ll be playing against the one and only Jamie Tartt). Ted defends Roy and calls him the backbone of the team.

Coach Beard and Nate disagree. They think Ted needs to bench Roy for the final game because he’s showing his age. Ted refuses to do so, although he does value their opinions, even when they’re wrong.

Ted Lasso episode 9 recap: Rebecca comes clean with Ted.

Rebecca summons Ted to her office during their discussion and tries to tell him what she’s done, but she can’t quite bring herself to do it, so she asks Ted if they can try again later. Then Rupert comes by and is at his absolute most terrible as he tells Rebecca he and Bex are having a baby. The news shatters Rebecca, as, throughout their marriage, Rupert always told her he didn’t want children. Now, he does, because he’s “found the right person.”

And he came all the way down to her office to tell her in person so she wouldn’t have to find out from the press. It’s cruelty at its finest, and it finally motivates Rebecca to tell Ted the truth. She makes her tearful admission to him in his office and, surprisingly, or maybe not surprisingly, because Ted is the kindest man alive, he forgives her!

He understands how difficult divorce is and how it can make you do crazy things. Plus, the job has changed his life. It gave him the distance to see what was really going on with his family. Overwhelmed with emotion, Rebecca hugs him, and for now, it seems, they’re okay.

At practice, Ted gives the team a drill to practice starting and stopping — as being able to run and quickly change directions is vital to the game. Roy struggles to keep up, and both Beard and Nate give Ted the silent treatment until he realizes that. Ted meets with Roy later to discuss the possibility of benching him for the game against Man City, and Roy does not take it well. He calls Ted a liar who can’t keep true to his word since he previously promised he had Roy’s back.

Rebecca continues her apology tour by visiting Higgins, who has grown an ugly “Van Dyke” beard, as he calls it, and taken to practicing the cello. Rebecca apologizes to him for treating him so poorly during her childish scheming and promises she’s on her way back to her old self, which Higgins recognizes.

Ted Lasso episode 9 recap: Roy worries about his reputation.

Elsewhere, Roy brings his niece Phoebe to Keeley’s house to hang out and tells her why he’s feeling so distressed about the game and potentially being benched. All he’s ever been is Roy Kent, the footballer. He’s worried that he’ll become a washed-up has-been and doesn’t want people to think of him that way.

Keeley has Phoebe list everything she thinks about her Uncle Roy: He’s funny, he swears a lot, he has a scratchy beard, and she loves him a lot. Not once does she mention his football career. Keeley says that proves that he doesn’t know what people think, and more importantly, all that matters is what Roy believes about himself.

Ted Lasso episode 9 recap: Roy comes through for his team.

Over beers at the local pub, Ted tells Beard he’s not going to bench Roy after all and gives him his reasoning about winning not mattering. That makes Beard snap for the first time all season. He tells Ted that winning does matter because they’re working with professional athletes, and there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a win.

Plus, if they lose, they’ll get relegated, resulting in everything they built having been for nothing. Beyond that, Beard thinks if Ted is willing to let the team suffer because of one player’s feelings, then he doesn’t want to drink with a guy that selfish.

So, Ted gets drunk on all the pints left in front of him and nearly walks in front of a bus when Roy steps out and stops him. Ted invites Roy back to his place, where he apologizes for yelling at the coach earlier. Roy is getting benched, but Ted offers to tell people he’s injured and can’t play. It’s believable since he had an injury earlier in the season. Still, it won’t help Roy’s stock if he plans to move clubs. He wonders if he’ll wind up in America next season, God forbid.

Ultimately, Ted wants Roy to attend the next practice and game, but it’ll be up to him to decide. Thankfully, the next day at work is a happy one. Higgins is back, and Roy shows up to practice to support his team as a good captain should.

Odds & Ends from Ted Lasso episode 9

• “You paid someone to bite you?” “No, of course not…Been paid.”
• “You’re nearly 70, and you’re having a f**king baby? What are you, a character from the Bible!?”
• Ted is a Fresh Prince fan and even performs the Carlton in front of Roy. “I don’t know how to react when a grown man does the Carlton in front of me.”
• Ted’s opinion on tea is that it’s a joke, and they all laugh and call it disgusting when tourists aren’t around. “It’s pigeon sweat.”
• Keeley’s fears of Phoebe finding her vibrator appear to come true, and Roy says he had to take her to get her ears pierced, hoping she’ll forget the memory.

The first nine episodes of Ted Lasso season 1 are now streaming on Apple TV Plus. The season finale will premiere next Friday, Oct. 2.