Shrinks. They're a gift to screenwriters. Alone in a room with their client, both characters have free rein to be completely honest. A uniquely perfect plot device, it’s just one of the reasons behind the success of Apple TV Plus's Shrinking, which is already confirmed for a third season. At its core are three therapists, played by Jason Segel, Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams. And, for more of Williams' customary sparkle in her breakthrough movie, The Incredible Jessica James, just slide on over to Netflix where it's quietly tucked away.
Warmly received at Sundance in 2017, the film was soon snapped up by Netflix and is ready and waiting to be enjoyed all over again. The movie sees Williams in the title role, as a writer in New York desperately trying to get over her overly laid-back boyfriend, Damon (LaKeith Stanfield) but having little success. While he’s constantly on her mind, she’s also obsessing about her ambitions and things become even more complicated when she meets the affable Boone (Chris O’Dowd). The two have a lot in common, but show all the signs of being stuck in the friend zone. She, after all, has a lot on her mind. Perhaps she needs a shrink.
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There’s a pleasantly safe feel to the storyline, but it’s lifted to another level entirely by Williams: she bursts off the screen with enormous energy, coupled with a generous helping of humor and more than a touch of street smarts. It was a captivating, star-making performance and she’s been climbing the ladder ever since, with roles in Olivia Wilde’s hit teenage comedy Booksmart (2019), which is also on Netflix, the Fantastic Beasts franchise and, more recently, Road House, alongside Jake Gyllenhaal. It’s only a matter of time until she swaps those nominations for actual hardware. We can't wait to see it happen — or for that matter season three of Shrinking.
In just two series, Shrinking has introduced us to a collection of off-beat characters, all with their individual issues or eccentricities and mixed with just the right amount of heartbreak. Segel’s Jimmy is still recovering from the sudden death of his wife, so any attempts at new relationships are muddled and messy. His decision to speak his mind to his patients doesn’t help and constantly frustrates the senior therapist, the grumpy but perceptive Paul, who is also trying to cope with the onset of Parkinson’s. It’s a gem of a role for Harrison Ford and he gives a performance to match. Who knew he could do comedy so brilliantly? As played by Williams, Gaby brings plenty of energy and a more modern attitude to therapy, while doing her best to work out where her personal life is heading. A recent fling with Jimmy doesn’t simplify things.
And they’re surrounded by a clutch of equally engaging friends, from over-protective neighbor Liz (Christa Miller) to gay couple Brian (Michael Urie, who scooped the show’s first Critics Choice Award last week for his performance) and Charlie (Devin Kawaoka), who are desperate to be fathers. The show upped its game in season two with the arrival of one of its creators and Ted Lasso alumnus Brett Goldstein as Louis, who was responsible for irrevocably changing Jimmy’s life. His pivotal role in the season finale left us wanting more and that scene with Jimmy, plus a few hints from Lawrence himself, points towards that wish coming true.
While fans of the show can’t wait for season three, they may also have question marks in their mind. Lawrence confirmed last year that he and co-creators Segel and Goldstein already knew how the show would end and that they’d always planned for a three season run, but added he was open to a fourth outing if there was still a story to tell. But the show’s renewal announcement made no mention of it ending with season three, which could be a positive sign. Fingers crossed all round.
By all accounts, season three filming is about to start, which points towards a late autumn release. In the meantime, the show has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 94% and multiple SAG, Critics Choice, Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy nominations, plus Michael Urie’s recent win. It’s a sizeable achievement for a comedy after just two seasons. Two nods — Critics Choice last year and Primetime Emmy in 2023 — were for Jessica Williams herself, a sign she’s fulfilling the promise of her early 20s, when she was the youngest correspondent ever on The Early Show. Just a handful of years later, she appeared in The Incredible Jessica James.
The Incredible Jessica James is available on Netflix in the US and UK. Seasons one and two of Shrinking are currently on Apple TV Plus in both the US and UK.
Booksmart is on Netflix in the US and on Prime Video in the UK.
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