Shrinking

Shrinking is a brand new comedy series from Ted Lasso creators Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, alongside a co-collaboration with Jason Segel, who also takes the lead role in this ten-episode show released on Apple TV+.

The story circles around a grieving therapist called Jimmy (Segel) who, after losing his wife, is left to navigate this wounded journey of mourning whilst bringing up his teenage daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell). The fragile balance of emotions from them both through the series is beautifully brought to screen. Maxwell channels just the right amount of angst as a teen who feels abandoned after losing her mother and is trying to work out how to communicate with her father now the family is fractured, while Segel sways between anger, humour and silent melancholy. 

With everything centring around Segel’s character, it’s interesting to see the strands of narrative that weave their way around him: the delicate path trodden by the neighbours looking out for him, particularly the quiet way in which Liz (Christa Miller) takes on the role of a mother figure to his daughter, and how Jimmy barely notices this or even his performance sliding at work consumed in the fog of his grief.

Harrison Ford makes an unexpected star appearance as Dr Phil Rhodes, the owner of the therapy centre Jimmy works for. His character serves as a peacemaker between father and daughter and gives viewers a chance to see Ford in a new and slower light. There are plenty of bittersweet moments for his character to shine, as well as the added slant that Rhodes is also dealing with a Parkinson’s diagnosis himself, whilst trying to hold things together for his employee.

There’s no escaping that the storylines are depressing, not helped by the bland backdrop of a suburban neighbourhood setting or the sporadic apparitions Jimmy sees of his late wife. However, despite this, there are some genuinely funny moments of dry humour and uplifting friendships that just about rally around the grief and bring it back from the edge.

Ezelle Alblas

Shrinking is released on Apple TV+ on 27^th January 2023.

Watch the trailer for Shrinking here: