When we hear the word “therapist”, we immediately think of some qualified professional who clearly has their life together. But what if you’re seeking guidance from someone who’s still looking for the answers?
Apple TV+’s upcoming dramedy Shrinking takes a comedic, and endearingly bittersweet spin on the classic, and played-out, therapist trope. The show follows Jimmy Laird, a grieving therapist who’s struggling to get over the passing of his wife. Jimmy’s overwhelming sorrow, unfortunately, brings out the worse in him, making it hard for him to reconnect with his distant daughter, get along with people, and most importantly, stay professional in his line of work.
All of his pent-up anguish and distress eventually come to a head. Jimmy, who is usually the one who listens to his clients and asks questions during therapy sessions, decides on a completely new counseling approach - one that is brash, and brutal, but honest. Ethics are bent and broken, and let's not get started on his dubious methods. But what he doesn’t realize is that he’s about to make grand changes to the lives of his clients, the people around him, and even his own.
Shrinking is created by lead cast member Jason Segel, as well as Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, otherwise known as the great minds behind the Primetime Emmy Award-winning show Ted Lasso. The show is set to release on January 27, 2023, on Apple TV+, with the first two episodes premiering immediately and the rest debuting weekly.
Check out the cast and character guide for Shrinking.
Jason Segel as Jimmy Laird
Jason Segel plays Jimmy Laird, a therapist whose gone off the rails since his wife’s death. Enshrouded by a looming cloud of grief, Jimmy can’t seem to find the light in his life anymore and has become estranged from his friends and even his own daughter. It doesn’t help that he has to adopt the right headspace to listen to his clients. But when Jimmy decides to turn the tables and start giving unfiltered guidance to his clients, he’s in for a change he won’t forget. Although he appears indifferent and erratic at the beginning of the series, we slowly get to see a caring side of him as new people enter his life.
Segel has garnered worldwide recognition for playing Marshall Eriksen in the long-running CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. Before his time in the show, Segel is also best known for his work on TV with director and producer Judd Apatow including Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. He has also had a successful film career writing and starring in acclaimed comedies such as Forgetting Sarah Marshall, The Muppets, and The Five-Year Engagement, and he showed his more dramatic acting chops in films such as The End of the Tour, Our Friend, and Windfall.
Harrison Ford as Dr. Paul Rhodes
Harrison Ford plays Dr. Paul Rhodes, an aging therapist and Jimmy’s mentor who’s coping with Parkinson’s disease. Much like your everyday senior therapist, Dr. Paul brings a slightly grumpier energy to the office. Still, his vulnerability shines through, and you can see him have what resembles father-and-son-like moments with Jimmy in the show.
Ford rose to international prominence as Han Solo in the epic space opera film Star Wars, a role he would reprise in four sequels over the following 42 years. He gained massive popularity for playing Indiana Jones in the ever-popular film franchise, as well as for playing other characters in other franchises, most notably Rick Deckard in the dystopian science fiction film Blade Runner and its sequel Blade Runner 2049, and Tom Clancy's character Jack Ryan in the spy thriller films Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger. He is next set to crack the whip and don the fedora one last time in this summer's Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and will be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Thunderbolt Ross in both Captain America: New World Order and Thunderbolts. He is also currently starring in the Yellowstone prequel series 1923.
Jessica Williams as Gabby
Jessica Williams plays Gabby, Jimmy’s colleague, and fellow therapist. Gabby has been friends with Jimmy since college and also had a close friendship with his late wife. She's extremely eager in her work life but is dealing with some of her personal struggles.
Jessica Renee Williams is a comedian and actress who was featured on The Daily Show as a senior reporter. She is also the co-host of the podcast 2 Dope Queens and played Lally Hicks in the Fantastic Beasts film series. Williams also has appeared in films and shows such as Booksmart, Love Life, Entergalactic, and The Incredible Jessica James.
Christa Miller as Liz
Christa Miller plays Liz, Jimmy’s next-door neighbor whose high energy and peppiness overbear the poor therapist from time to time. An empty-nester parent, she took in Jimmy's daughter Alice when Jimmy began to isolate himself from his friends and family after the death of his wife.
Miller is an American model and actress who has found success in television comedies. Some of her iconic roles include Kate O'Brien on The Drew Carey Show and Jordan Sullivan on Scrubs. She’s played a couple of roles in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and CSI: Miami. She appeared in the TBS (previously ABC) comedy Cougar Town from 2009 until 2015. She is also married to the series' co-creator Bill Lawrence.
Michael Urie as Brian
Michael Urie plays Brian, Jimmy’s best friend and an attorney. Full of energy Brian longs for his best friend Jimmy to break out of his shell and wants him to initiate his wedding to his husband Charlie, just like he did for him and his late wife.
Urie is best recognized for his role as Marc St. James on the ABC dramedy series Ugly Betty. You can listen to him as Bobby Kerns in As the Curtain Rises, a Broadway Audio Network original podcast soap drama. He also starred in the Netflix Christmas comedy Single All the Way and had a recurring role on the comedy series Younger as Redmond.
Luke Tennie as Sean
Luke Tennis plays Sean, a new client whom Jimmy forms a new relationship with. Sean is a 22-year-old military veteran who’s trying to overcome his severe PTSD, which has been the root of so many problems in his relationship with his family.
Tennie gained recognition for portraying Willie Lewis in Deadly Class, revolving around an elite private school for teen assassins. He also starred in the Paramount+ mockumentary series Players, and had a recurring role as Bryan in CSI: Vegas. He also played Solomon in the Disney+ sports film Safety.
Lukita Maxwell as Alice
Lukita Maxwell plays Alice, the 17-year-old emotionally estranged daughter of Jimmy. As Jimmy finds himself drowning in his pool of guilt, his relationship with his daughter isn’t getting any better. An excellent student, Maxwell finds support in the form of Liz.
Before Shrinking, Maxwell starred as Delilah in HBO Max’s Generation and the film An Autumn Summer.
Lilan Bowden as Tia
Llian Bowden plays Tia, the late wife of Jimmy. While her death takes place a year before the events of the series, she makes several appearances through flashbacks.
You might have seen Bowden recently in the Will Arnett comedic-mystery Netflix show Murderville. She’s also played in the Disney Channel series Andi Mack as Rebecca “Bex” Mack.
Heidi Gardner as Grace
Heidi Gardner plays Grace in the show. She's one of Jimmy's patients who seeks Jimmy's help in order to deal with her emotionally abusive husband and takes his advice when he bluntly tells her to move out and go live with her sister in Colorado.
The American actress is best known for being a cast member of Saturday Night Live beginning in Season 43 in 2017. Besides SNL, Gardner took on a supporting role in the movie Life of the Party, as well as made a stage debut in the Noises Off production at The Cape Playhouse.
Ted McGinley as Derek
Ted McGinley plays Derek, the happy-go-lucky husband of Liz. On the verge of retirement, Derek typically keeps a positive outlook on life despite the chaos impacting his friends and family. He is also a favorite among the neighbors, much to the annoyance of Liz. McGinley is most known for his role as Jefferson D'Arcy on the hit sitcom Married... with Children. On the film side of things McGinley has had roles in films like Revenge of the Nerds, Wayne's World 2, and Do You Believe.