The best ‘Ted Lasso' alternative is getting another season on Apple TV Plus — and this news has made my day
Earlier this year, Apple TV Plus renewed its hit original 'Ted Lasso' for a surprise season 4, but I didn't join the throngs of viewers cheering for the return of the Jason Sudeikis-fronted soccer series.
Instead, I was too busy keeping my fingers crossed for news about 'Trying' season 5, and after a rather long wait, Apple has finally announced that its best comedy is coming back.
In a press release, Apple confirmed that 'Trying' has been renewed for a fifth season. This will make it the streaming service's longest-running comedy show. Series regulars Esther Smith and Rafe Spall, who play husband and wife duo Nikki and Jason, are both set to return. You may like
The announcement also includes an official logline, which we'll get into shortly, but is otherwise fairly light on new details. There's no release date or even a vague release window, though based on the announcement timing and the release date of the previous seasons, we can expect 'Trying' to return next year, most likely in May 2026.
The press release also proudly boasts about the show's 95% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes. And that's a rating I believe 'Trying' most definitely deserves. This feel-good show is even better than anything featuring Coach Lasso, and centres on lovable characters in gently comedic situations with just a pinch of drama. It's easy watching TV at its best.
If you're unaware of 'Trying,' it follows Nikki (Smith) and Jason (Spall), a couple in London who decide to adopt after learning they are unable to have children.
Across four seasons, we've followed Nikki and Jason on quite the journey, and while a part of me felt that the show's third season finale would have been the perfect end point, I was delighted to see it return for season 4 last year, and now I can't wait to be streaming season 5 hopefully soon.
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'Trying' seasons 1-4 are now streaming on Apple TV Plus, and once you press that play button, don't be surprised if you binge-watch the whole show in just a matter of days. 'Trying' is not only wonderfully warming but also a series that hooks you fast. Go stream it right now. 'Trying' season 5 — here's what we know
(Image credit: Apple TV Plus)
Okay, so if you're all caught up on 'Trying' already, let's get into the serious stuff. Here are the brief season 5 plot details that Apple has laid out for us:
''Trying' season 5 finds Nikki (Smith) and Jason (Spall) dealing with the consequences of Princess (Scarlett Rayner) and Tyler's (Cooper Turner) biological mother Kat (Charlotte Riley) turning up at their doorstep, and the whirlwind of chaos she brings into their settled family life.'
Frankly, this doesn't give us a whole lot of new information. The "Trying" season 4 finale ended up with a dramatic cliffhanger as Kat showed up at the family's Camden home, so exploring the 'consequences' of that moment was the most logical place for season 5 to go.
Still, I expect this setup will make for plenty of chuckleworthy comedy, and I'm particularly excited to see how Spall's often dry-witted Jason reacts to Kat's unexpected arrival.
The season 5 announcement post also refers to supporting characters Scott (Darren Boyd) and Karen (Siân Brooke), so we can assume that the fallout from Scott's rash decision to attempt to row across the Atlantic Ocean will be featured. I expect his bold attempt may have failed.
Overall, 'Trying' season 5 details are relatively thin on the ground right now, but that's okay with me. Merely knowing the series will return in the future is enough to have completely made my day. More from Tom's Guide
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