‘Shrinking’ Season 2 Review: It’s More Of The Same The Second Time Around, And That’s Not Necessarily A Good Thing

Four years ago, as a global pandemic brought society both indoors and desperate for any means of suitable distraction, television veteran Bill Lawrence, having once breathed life into cultural touchstones “Spin City” and “Scrubs,” made the leap to the streaming landscape of Apple TV+ with “Ted Lasso.” Though “Lasso” presumably ended its run after three near-legendary seasons, Lawrence’s newest series, “Shrinking,” was only just emerging from the gates, a show now gifted with a second excursion into a world of therapists, stabs at personal growth and the sort of interpersonal dilemmas standard for any half-hour sitcom. The overwhelming smell of plot setups and tried-and-true formula couldn’t be any more pungent.

Season one introduced us to widower, Jimmy (Jason Segel), a therapist alongside Paul (Harrison Ford) and Gaby (Jessica Williams), as he attempts to recover from the trauma of losing his wife, Tia (Lilan Bowden), while making strides to launch forward in his profession and take drastic moves some might see as unorthodox in the treatment of his patients.  As the trio navigates their way through life, with those same patients acting as a storytelling conduit of sorts, we expand outside the microcosm of their office through characters like Jimmy’s daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell), best friend Brian (Michael Urie), neighbors Liz and Derek (Christa Miller and Ted McGinley), Jimmy’s patient Sean (Luke Tennie), and Julie (Wendie Malick), a nurse who begins a relationship with Paul soon after Paul’s treatment for Parkinson’s kicks off.  Oh, was that not mentioned? There’s a tremendous amount of show packed into the pilot season, as a litany of plotlines interweave throughout.

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Much ado was made about Ford’s performance as the grumpy Paul, who does indeed take the same sort of character he’s portrayed for the past decade and use it to great effect; far from the dour persona he brought to Indiana Jones or Han Solo, Paul seems to be an ideal fit for what Ford’s doing now, though in comparison to the excellent Jessica Williams, Segel or Lukita Maxwell, he can’t help but play second fiddle.  Even the perpetual smirk of Wendie Malick finds a home on “Shrinking,” and as insufferable as Liz can be, it’s a testament to Christa Miller, as is the aloof Derek, handled to a lesser degree by Ted McGinley. 

Might it be easy to compare this streaming jaunt to “Lasso?”  Bill Lawrence certainly does have a signature style, and by bringing in Roy Kent himself, Bret Goldstein, as co-creator, that comparison reaches a fever pitch, though the sitcom structure check boxes of every single episode inhabiting season one do hamper the show’s individuality somewhat.  There’s plenty of hard-to-follow, potentially brilliant dialogue as characters fight for screen time, lessening some of the presumably witty impacts, but whether intentional or not does this cause the show to fly along, never allowing for boredom even if some confusion creeps in.  Unfortunately, it’s rinse-and-repeat for season two.  The adage “If it ain’t broke” has never rung more accurately than it does here.

Unsurprisingly, Grace’s new home is behind bars, as she awaits the next proceeding following her criminal act; equally unsurprising is the blame she places on Jimmy, as his apparent motivation pushed her (or, rather, Donny) over the edge.  The seesaw of Jimmy’s grief, mixed with his attempts to strengthen his relationship with Alice as well as determine exactly what he and Gaby are, tend to blur whenever Liz and Derek enter the scene; though the dialogue finds itself more rapid-fire than before, it has the disappointing consequence of ever-so-slightly stifling character development, peppered frequently by the slang word of the cultural moment.  The rapport between Paul and Julie has only grown tenfold, with Malick doing much of the heavy lifting and Ford playing off as best he can; similarly, Segel and Williams are a perfect match, able to dance between comedic banter and Gaby’s middle finger with ease.  We can’t forget Brian, who’s continuing to rebuild his friendship with Paul after the latter took some time away from the former and Brian now acts in a legal capacity as Grace’s attorney; Urie inhabits the role as flawlessly as he did one season prior.  All of this is a shame, though, as the fervent speed of a typical episode barely allows the show room to breathe and, as a result, the audience to care.

Will Jimmy and Alice move on from the horrific event that’s been casting a tremendous shadow over the lives of both?  Coping with loss is but one of several themes present here, but as if they were the human cast, none stand out in a meaningful way.  Is it easy to forget the beginning of Sean’s arc, as he works behind the grill of Liz’s food truck, one that his father will eventually visit as he reacts in surprise to his son’s new career?  Possibly. No amount of charming interactions between Paul and Julie support the shaky foundation of “Shrinking,” and when Paul’s ex-wife appears midway through the season in what should presumably be interpreted as heartfelt with the two former spouses musing on the success of their daughter Meg (Lily Rabe) does it lack the impact it certainly desired.  That said, Paul isn’t left completely out to dry, especially as the camera takes note of his deteriorating handwriting, and another mid-season arc follows Brian as he explores fatherhood with his partner, something that shows up to the party that is “Shrinking” unexpectedly, but welcome nonetheless.  It’s scenes like this that the show is able to execute well.  If only there were more.

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It’s not all bad.  Damon Wayans Jr. has joined the chat as a love interest of Gaby, teetering between his usual persona and an avalanche of dad jokes.  The humor overall sees noticeable improvement with each episode, providing most notably Segel and even McGinley some undeniably hilarious moments (a sequence in a tattoo parlor remains a highlight), but waiting around the corner sits another outburst from the likes of Liz, Gaby or Sean’s dad, with the latter particularly disappointing when it hits just as the focus on Sean was beginning to look up.  Every shortcoming present in season two serves as an overwhelming letdown, as there’s far too much potential for greatness radiating from an incredible cast of characters that should be acting in service of the show rather than against the grain, as seen here.  To see such talent be so misused should serve as a call to action; the writer’s room needs a generous amount of focus if a third season is to be considered. 

Nevertheless, it’s worth a try, if there’s curiosity as to the questions raised previously and a desire to see a group of actors wrestling scripts that should never have needed to be treated in such a way.  A common phrase therapists tend to ask is, “How does that make you feel?”  When it comes to season two, it’s not a great feeling, but if one probes deeper, there’s something there.  Something good.  We just have to find it. [C]

“Shrinking” Season 2 debuts on Apple TV+ on October 16.