Episodes watched: 7 out of 10
Apple TV+ hit the dramedy sweet spot once again with Shrinking, a poignant and hilarious feel good show lead by a tremendous ensemble cast.
Ever wanted to see Indiana Jones rip the piss out of Marshall from How I Met Your Mother? Well want no more, as the makers of Ted Lasso bring us a show that asks what if the most radical therapy technique was simply…breaking every rule in the book?
Led by Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) we follow therapist Jimmy, who after suffering tremendous loss, begins to ignore all his training and ethics in a bid to make real change to people’s lives, a tactic he believes is garnering great success. But is the only life he’s not changing for the better his own? A question and sentiment repeated to Jimmy time and time again by his long-time mentor Paul, played in a brilliant turn by none other than the great Harrison Ford making his comedic debut on the small screen.
Ford is absolutely fantastic here; he imbues wily old therapist Paul (who is coming to terms with his own tragic news of a Parkinson’s diagnosis) with warmth, pathos and a magical deadpan humour that makes him the standout of almost every episode. His contribution can be summed up no better than by co-creator/writer (and Roy Kent himself) Brett Goldstein, who while praising Ford’s talent for comedic timing, noted “he’s just fucking funny”. An excellent summarisation for a performance that if all is well in the world, will take Ford to every television award show in 2023.
And it’s not just Ford that hits all the right notes here. While Segel gives his always energetic and heartfelt turn (watch Our Friend for a truly standout performance from the HIMYM star), he’s backed up by a terrific ensemble, led by Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, Christa Miller (Scrubs fans rejoice), and the wonderfully cast Michael Urie (Ugly Betty).
Lukita Maxwell as Segel’s emotionally distanced daughter also hits a home run, delivering what should be a star-making performance, as she goes toe to toe with big names, her scenes opposite Ford are the show at its comedic best.
Verdict
It would be easy to simply pin the show as ‘Ted Lasso, but with therapists’, which doesn’t dampen its effectiveness one bit. In fact, the connective tissue that runs through both is there to see, with each episode leaving you either uplifted, in fits of laughter, or emotionally destroyed (still not over Ted Lasso S2 Ep10), and with its razor sharp writing and pinpoint casting across the board being what allows it to excel.
However, while its tone and vibe are similar enough to make you want to keep watching (along with its tight episode lengths) its differences will be why you won’t want it to end.
Another home run for incredibly efficient AppleTV+ machine – I could watch another 3 seasons now.
