The Apple TV+ series Shrinking centers around Jimmy Laird (Segel), a grieving therapist who lost his wife a year prior to when we first meet him. His immense grief has led to a strained relationship with his 17-year-old daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell), his peppy but overbearing next-door neighbor Liz (Christa Miller), his fellow therapists Gaby (Jessica Williams) and Paul (Harrison Ford), his best friend Brian (Michael Urie), and even his own patients. This all drives Jimmy to a breaking point; instead of just nodding while his patients continue to make unhealthy decisions, he decides to be upfront and tell them exactly how he feels, even if they don’t want to hear it. This also leads Jimmy to form an unusual relationship with a new client, Sean (Luke Tennie), a 22-year-old military veteran dealing with severe PTSD that has caused his relationship with his family to fall into shambles.
Arguably, the selling point of the new series though isn’t Segel, nor is it the Ted Lasso team — it’s the inclusion of Hollywood legend Ford, who has finally entered the world of television with his role here and in Taylor Sheridan’s 1923. Ford’s performance as Paul, an aging therapist struggling with Parkinson’s disease, is one of his best roles in years. Ford gets to bring that grumpy energy that he has brought to so many other roles, but he also brings a lot of vulnerability. He is also responsible for some of the series’ biggest laughs, particularly from his interactions with Williams and Maxwell. While this kind of character isn’t anything new, there’s something so endearing about Ford in the role, and shall the series continue, one would hope Ford would return.
It is hard to say whether this show will catch on in the way that other Apple comedy series like Mythic Quest and The Afterparty have, and plenty of viewers will find a lot they can relate to, but it also may hit too close to home for others. Regardless, Shrinking knows exactly the kind of show that it is, and it may end up being one of the most authentic new comedies of the year.