It’s hard to say goodbye, but nothing is meant to last forever. Since its premiere three years ago, Shrinking has boasted an exceptional ensemble cast and rich storytelling that blends laugh-out-loud comedy with devastating drama, a more than fitting follow-up to co-creator Bill Lawrence’s wildly popular crowd-pleaser Ted Lasso. While that show ended as planned after three seasons only to be revived later on with a fourth season on the way, Shrinking was always supposed to end after three seasons too. This potential swan song could easily work as a sendoff, but its continued quality suggests that these characters and their lives are well worth revisiting for as long as the creative people involved want to keep doing so.
There’s plenty going on in season three: the decision Jimmy (Jason Segel) made to stop Louis (Brett Goldstein) from taking his own life and instead welcome him in as a friend isn’t a guiding force of this season, but it does pave the way for some minor conflicts within this dysfunctional friend group. While Jimmy is contemplating new relationships, Alice (Lukita Maxwell) is thinking ahead to college. Sean (Luke Tennie) sees new work opportunities on the horizon, while Paul (Harrison Ford) is forced to confront his debilitating condition and consider his next move. Gaby (Jessica Williams) reconsiders her approach to her work, while Liz (Christa Miller) finds a new purpose as a major participant in the newfound parenthood Brian (Michael Urie) is experiencing.
This show is established enough that its characters could do almost nothing and it would still be interesting and entertaining. What’s most rewarding is to see the power dynamics shift, with Jimmy given an occasional win at work when Gaby and Paul aren’t teaming up to make fun of him and Derek (Ted McGinley) ever so rarely getting the upper hand in his marriage as he’s able to convince Liz something he thinks is right. This is a show that loves shuffling around its characters and letting them talk to each other even if they have no reason to do so other than happening to be on a hike together, and that’s a very welcome trait which provides great scenes that reveal even more about these fun, flawed people.
Joining an already impressive cast are a few noteworthy guest stars, beginning with Michael J. Fox as a fellow Parkinson’s patient who meets Paul in a waiting room. Fox continues to find excellent parts that speak to the actor’s condition at the time, and this is no exception. Jeff Daniels is another standout as Jimmy’s father, who everyone loves except for the son who never felt his father cared about him for any reason other than to take credit for what he’s accomplished. Sherry Cola, a recurring player from Nobody Wants This who also happens to be very funny, takes on a more serious role here that adds great depth to her shared scenes with Williams and reveals an impressive dramatic undercurrent to her talent.
It would be nearly impossible for someone who has never seen Shrinking to come in without any preexisting knowledge at the start of season three, so this review is meant for those who have been with the show all along. It’s rewarding to see these characters grow and make mistakes and talk through them to death, and it’s also nice to see more of Liz and Derek’s family and dive a little deeper into each of the character’s lives outside of just this small network. The unsuspecting balance of comedy and drama is as solid as ever, and the most impressive tightrope the show pulls off is delivering a finale that wraps up just enough in a satisfying way while leaving the door very much open for further storytelling. Shrinking still makes you laugh, think, and occasionally cry, and closing it out with season three wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. But given that it’s still one of the best shows on television today, there’s no reason to get rid of a great thing.
Season rating: 8/10
