While Apple TV’s Shrinking isn’t the streaming service’s most famous comedy show, the series is one of the best and most underrated dramedies on TV right now. With so many shows across so many streaming services, it is inevitable that some great titles are missed by audiences.
For example, plenty of Apple TV subscribers have seen Ted Lasso, arguably the streaming service’s most famous comedy show, but not as many have seen the dark Irish comedy series Bad Sisters. This is arguably unsurprising since, while Bad Sisters was well-regarded critically, the Irish series has less A-list star power than Ted Lasso.
Shrinking Season 3 Has Been Great So Far
However, this doesn’t explain why the three-season dramedy Shrinking struggles to gain exposure. Debuting in 2023 to critical acclaim, Shrinking stars Jason Segel as Jimmy Laird, a therapist who reacts to the death of his wife by starting to get far more involved in the lives of his patients than protocol would ordinarily dictate.
Harrison Ford co-stars as Dr. Paul Rhodes, Jimmy’s colleague, who is navigating a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. Shrinking’s impressive supporting cast also includes Jessica Williams and Michael Urie, and the series has a whole host of guest stars, including Jeff Daniels, Kelly Bishop, Wendie Malick, Neil Flynn, and Lily Rabe.
What Makes Shrinking So Compelling
Although it is always fun to guess which celebrity guest star will appear in the next episode of this dramedy, this isn’t the only reason that viewers should tune into Shrinking. Shrinking’s story refuses to reduce Jimmy’s grief to a mere backstory, and the show actively engages with the hardships he is going through between moments of character comedy.
Similarly, although Ford’s Rhodes could be a predictably grouchy but ultimately good-hearted mentor figure in a more predictable, less interesting version of this show, the screen veteran imbues him with more depth and humanity than that. His struggles with his prognosis feel real and lived-in, which makes the show’s comedy feel more earned than sentimental.
More People Should Be Watching Shrinking
It is only in the era of streaming that a superstar like Ford and a Hollywood mainstay like Segel could star in a show for three critically acclaimed seasons without it reaching the mainstream. Sadly, that is exactly the fate that seems to have befallen Shrinking, and this is a shame since more people should be watching the series.
As series co-creator Bill Lawrence’s classic sitcom Scrubs prepares to return for a revival, there is no better time for viewers to seek out this underrated series. Newcomers have three seasons to catch up on, although it would be wise not to take any of the psychiatric advice from Shrinking too seriously.
- Release Date
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January 27, 2023
- Network
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Apple TV
- Showrunner
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Bill Lawrence
