On January 23, Shrinking came out on Apple TV+. Initially, I was excited because Brett Goldstein (one of the creators of Ted Lasso) is involved with the project and created it alongside Bill Lawrence and Jason Segal. Yet, as I continue watching, I found that the show was not what I expected. This is my non-spoiler review of the first three episodes.
Jimmy Laird (played by Jason Segal) is a shrink who has his life turned upside down after his wife dies in a sudden car accident, and as a result, he must learn to manage his grief while also maintaining and building on his relationships. In his journey to become a better person, he goes beyond his responsibilities to his clients, seeking advice and taking them out of their comfort zone.
There are currently only 3 episodes out right now, but the show is set to have 10 released this season. Although the show is entertaining, it is a lot more mellow compared to what I was expecting. The show begins a little slow, especially since the first two episodes are still introducing characters and their conflicts, but it is something you can watch after a long day to just relax, which is a nice change of pace from the other shows I have been consuming lately. There is no excessive drama (at least so far). Yet, I do admit that episode one made me tear up a bit.
As far as I can tell, the storyline is mostly character driven. I like that there is an assortment of characters (including some of the minor characters): from the grieving therapist who struggles to connect to his daughter, to the maternal neighbor, to the client that has anger management issues. It seems like each character has their own individual story and problems apart from the rest of the cast. Even though everyone is connected, everyone must work independently to solve their issues. However, there is also already some palpable tension between a few of the characters.
So, Shrinking expectations?
Despite the show not being what I anticipated, I will continue to watch it as new episodes come out. The show has captured my interest, but at the same time, I am not enraptured to the point where I cannot wait a week for a new episode. Shrinking has done a good job so far of setting up potential conflicts and character flaws, so I want to see how everything resolves itself. It is a great watch for winding down, but I hope more things happen as the season progresses. I want Jimmy to have a catharsis with his daughter about their grief. I want Paul, another shrink, played by Harrison Ford to open up more and talk about his Parkinson’s (not a spoiler) along with Gaby, also a shrink, played by Jessica Williams to develop stronger relationships with the people around her. I want Jimmy’s clients to heal and become the best versions of themselves. The aspect of people doing their best to be the best they can be is always a great trope.