Laugh-out-loud Fun: Shrinking Season 2 Delivers with Therapy and Harrison Ford

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Bill Lawrence’s feel-good therapy sitcom Shrinking comes roaring back for Season 2 and, luckily, doesn’t miss a beat. While Season 1 ended on a surprisingly dark cliffhanger regarding the criminal actions of one of Jimmy’s (Jason Segel) patients, Grace (Heidi Gardner), the series’ follow-up jumps back in with the immediate repercussions of the first season, as Jimmy tries to reconcile with his self-righteous actions and ropes people like his friend Brian (Michael Urie) and boss Paul (Harrison Ford) into his journey of reparation.

Of course, Jimmy might be in a (slightly) better spot, but the same can’t be said for Alice (Lukita Maxwell), Sean (Luke Tennie), Liz (Christa Miller), or Gaby (Jessica Williams), who each have notable hurdles they spend different amounts of time overcoming throughout the season.

Shrinking Season 2 still has the noteworthy heartfelt moments and sharp comedy that made the first such an underrated hit, but also finds creative ways to put these fun characters through the wringer.

‘Shrinking’ Season 2 Flips the Script on Season 1

A notable difference between seasons of the Apple TV+ comedy is which characters face adversity. Those who were more focused on pulling their friends out of ruts find themselves down their own beaten paths this time around, further underscoring the importance of therapy in our society — or at least discussing our problems in more healthy, vulnerable avenues.

It doesn’t matter if the issue is as simple as reconnecting with a parent (most of us can relate to back-and-forths here and there) or something most people hopefully never have to confront (like reckoning with the tragic death of a loved one), Shrinking has a knack for exploring human issues in a relatable and more importantly palatable way.

Speaking of Derek (Ted McGinley) — one of the show’s best characters — he finally finds himself in precarious situations he can’t breeze through. And, as is typical with Shrinking’s best characters, he reacts in unexpected, hilarious ways.

Season 2 excels when it wraps the audience in its metaphorical trauma blanket — it reminds us that humans go through similar problems and that sometimes we’re not equipped to handle those on our own. The characters in Shrinking are at their most relatable when they’re breaking down into their most ugly, vulnerable selves.

The jokes are the fleece that lines that trauma blanket to keep us warm, but the emotional depth is the stitches and seams that hold everything together. All of that comes together for one of the best series on TV — even though, like its characters, it’s not without its flaws.

Shrinking Season 2 premieres October 16 on Apple TV+ in the U.S.

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