The things I like about the new series Shrinking are the same things that drew me so close to After Life, the Ricky Gervais series: the dark humor, the flagrant irreverence, and the tricky-to-pull-off prospect of working mental health themes into a gentle comedy.
Jimmy (Segel) is recently widowed (just like Gervais in his series) who also happens to be a therapist and the dad of a teenage daughter. Neither has finished grieving, much less grieving, but there is deep love there.
Jimmy’s two colleagues at the office, Paul (Harrison Ford) and Gaby (Jessica Williams) complete a comedic triumvirate that is some kind of perfect version of three actors, perfectly cast, and deftly woven together. The craggy, cantankerous Ford serves as Segel’s father figure, as well as the show’s John Mahoney role in Frasier (the older guy who drops comedy nuggets from the side of his mouth without breaking a sweat…or a smile.
The initial 10-episode run of Season One is still partially under embargo, so I won’t point to specific storylines so much as I’ll say that the there’s a potentially unlimited supply of situations upon which to build a comedy. It’s not roll on the floor stuff, but it’s both sweet and full of F-bombs and frank talk about every subject under the sun.
Segel’s hang-dog vibe is perfectly suited to the character – he’s one of those guys who doesn’t take on as many roles as his peers, but he always nails the ones he signs up for.
A new episode debuts every Friday on Apple TV+ with about half the season already up and airing as of this writing.
