REVIEW: ‘Shrinking’ Season 3 Episode 1 Returns to Apple TV Better Than Ever with a New Philosophy
- Emma Fisher
- 13 minutes ago
- 5 min read
This article contains spoilers for Shrinking S3E1.
Shrinking returns to Apple TV on January 28 with an hour-long premiere that picks up from where we left off in Season 2’s Thanksgiving-set finale. Season 3 focuses on the idea of moving forward, and what that looks like for its ensemble, throwing you into the deep end from the off. It’s a confident, emotionally assured return that wastes no time re-establishing what makes the series so effective.
One of Shrinking’s greatest strengths is its ability to use humour within heavy subject matter, particularly grief and Parkinson’s disease. The season opens with Paul (Harrison Ford) leading a therapy session while his hand shakes uncontrollably. He explains that his medication no longer kicks in as reliably as it once did and offers to place his hand in his lap, covered with a blanket. He jokes that it might otherwise look like he is pleasuring himself while listening to his patient’s financial troubles. He apologises for the distraction, marking the first moment in a very heartfelt season that lands like a gut punch. Ford continues to be exceptional, balancing comedy and vulnerability to turn in a performance that will go down as his finest.
Paul later visits the Sierra Mode Neurology Specialists, where he meets Gerry, played by Michael J Fox in a recurring guest role. The two discuss symptoms, with Gerry asking whether Paul has experienced hallucinations, something neither realised could accompany Parkinson's. “Fuck Parkinson’s” is his response, which is adopted as the show’s new philosophy.
From there, the episode opens out into the wider ensemble. Much-needed light-heartedness comes from Gaby (Jessica Williams), who informs Derrick (Damon Wayans Jr.) that he screamed “like a little bitch” in his sleep the night before. Derrick reveals that when he was 10 years old, he threw a pine cone at a crow in his yard, which retaliated by dive-bombing him every time he went to the bus stop. He now has recurring nightmares that the crow will one day find him. Gaby helpfully suggests it would take one eye so Derrick could watch it eat the other. If that wasn’t oddly sweet enough, when Derrick tells Gaby he loves her, she points out that he sounds uncannily like Morpheus, something she loves. Williams and Wayans Jr. remain one of the show’s most reliably delightful pairings.
Brian (Michael Urie), meanwhile, is focused on building a cot for the baby he and Charlie (Devin Kawaoka) are expecting. Liz (Christa Miller) has taken over nursery design duties, proudly unveiling wallpaper she has made herself featuring blue skies and clouds. She is far more interested in Gaby’s opinion than Brian’s, despite the baby being his, which is a funny but accurate read on Liz’s character. When surrogate Ava (Claudia Sulewski) admits that she is not so sure about the wallpaper (suggesting Winnie the Pooh instead), the show plants the seeds for a more complicated conversation about boundaries and attachment.
Jimmy (Jason Segel) is still meeting with Louis (Brett Goldstein), helping the Briton move forward after the car accident he caused that claimed the life of Tia (Lilan Bowden), Jimmy’s wife. Jimmy admits that everyone around him lately seems full of joy, while the smallest things still knock him down. Paul’s words have stuck with him: we all have agency, and maybe happiness is not impossible, but you must choose it. Louis pushes back, reminding Jimmy that he doesn’t need to be inspired every time they talk. Louis’ discomfort is clear, with guilt holding him back from restarting his life.
That discomfort feeds directly into Jimmy’s relationship with Alice (Lukita Maxwell). Now a high school senior, Alice is heading to college soon, a development Jimmy is struggling with. He jokes that he wants her to live with him until he dies peacefully, at which point she can then go off and make whatever mistakes a young woman in her 70s might make. Alice doesn’t share that sentiment and is excited about a Wesleyan football coach coming to watch her play, which sends Jimmy into overcompensating dad mode. He practices shouting “Goal” in advance, insists there is no pressure for Alice to score, then inadvertently creates more.
Alice is eventually offered a place at Wesleyan but initially turns it down, lying to Jimmy that she wasn’t the right fit. Sean, who knows she is lying, calls this out, asking what kind of coach flies across the country to reject a potential student. Alice admits she is not ready to go or leave Jimmy. He reassures her that it's okay not to be. She can live at home and go to school locally. However, Sean points out what we're all thinking: Jimmy knows Alice can do this; he doesn't want her to leave. They’re both afraid to move forward, even though they know they should.
As Paul’s illness progresses, he and Julie (Wendie Malick) begin switching their powers of attorney. Brian recommends updating their 401(k)s and adding Julie to the condo's deed, which is a tricky process. Jimmy suggests marriage to simplify things, and they agree to marry at the Justice of the Peace that weekend. It soon becomes clear, however, that Julie wants a ceremony. When Paul later admits that he and Julie are worth celebrating, it’s not only a sweet moment, but also one of many decisions the therapist must face this season about his future.
Not every storyline resolves cleanly. Brian and Charlie initially decide they do not want Ava involved in the baby’s life beyond an annual update, worried that an open relationship will make separation for them all, particularly Ava, harder later. Liz calls Brian weak for backing down when Ava admits how alone she is, then admits she would have done the same thing. It’s an interesting storyline, one that will undoubtedly lead to conversation about what the right choice is and is not settled here.
The episode builds towards Paul and Julie’s impromptu wedding, held outside Liz and Derek’s (Ted McGinley) house and officiated by Jimmy. After the ceremony, a montage shows the couples dancing together while Jimmy sits alone on the sidelines. Paul tells Jimmy he could still have what their friends have. Jimmy says he was lucky to have had it for 20 years and does not think he will top that. Paul shuts down the dead wife card, having already told Alice to stop using the dead mom card, and urges Jimmy not to wait as long as he did. With Cobie Smulders returning as Sofi this season, there’s no reason he should.
About Shrinking
Premiere Date: January 28, 2026
Episode Count: 11
Executive Producers: Bill Lawrence, Jeff Ingold, Liza Katzer, Jason Segel, Neil Goldman, Brett Goldstein, James Ponsoldt, Randall Winston, Annie Mebane, Rachna Fruchbom, Brian Gallivan, Ashley Nicole Black, and Bill Posley
Writers: Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein, Brian Gallivan, Rachna Fruchbom, Bill Posley, Annie Mebane, Wally Baram, Sofi Selig, and Neil Goldman
Directors: James Ponsoldt, Ry Russo-Young, Randall Winston, and Zach Braff
Cast: Harrison Ford, Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, Christa Miller, Lukita Maxwell, and Ted McGinley
Synopsis: “Shrinking” follows a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives … including his own.
