'Shrinking' Season 3 Has Arrived, and It's Still the Best Therapeutic Show, Here's Why

The third season of Shrinking has launched on Apple TV, and the first two episodes make it clear that the comedy still strikes the right balance between sharp humor and heartfelt warmth.

The story of Jimmy and Paul, played by Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, continues to show that life's most serious challenges can be overcome with friends, family, and a sense of humor.

What Is 'Shrinking' Season 3 About?

The plot picks up where the second season left off. Jimmy has forgiven Louis and is slowly but surely returning to life. However, his mentor, Paul, is having a hard time: his Parkinson's disease is progressing faster than expected.

During this challenging period, Paul meets Gerry, a man with the same diagnosis, played by Michael J. Fox.

Meanwhile, Paul decides to marry Julie to avoid bureaucratic red tape. The other characters – Louis, Brian, and Derek – face their own challenges on the path to forgiveness and personal happiness.

'Shrinking' Season 3 Focuses on Paul & Gently Explores the Topic of Parkinson's

The show's creators are finally bringing Paul to the forefront. While he previously graced the screen with his caustic one-liners, his character now takes center stage, and his struggle with illness becomes one of the season's key themes.

With characteristic sensitivity, Shrinking depicts everyday difficulties such as hallucinations, tremors, and memory problems. However, the show remains true to itself by finding reasons for optimism and human support in this difficult situation.

Here, illness is not a death sentence but rather a part of life that can be overcome with the help of others.

Season 3 of 'Shrinking' Gives Us the Best Fan Service Possible – the Appearance of Cobie Smulders

In the second episode, fans received a long-awaited gift: Sofi, played by Cobie Smulders, reappears in Jimmy's life. The reunion of the actors who played Marshall and Robin in the cult series How I Met Your Mother evokes nostalgia.

Importantly, the creators didn't simply recreate their characters – they are completely different here. However, the spark between Segel and Smulders remains the same, only now it's romantic instead of friendly.

'Shrinking' Remains the Show That Can Address the Most Challenging Topics With a Smile

Shrinking tackles difficult topics such as grief, illness, guilt, and forgiveness, but it does so with such warmth, humanity, and self-deprecation that these issues don't feel insurmountable.

Shrinking's success is thanks not only to showrunner Bill Lawrence but also to its close-knit team, which includes talents like Zach Braff, who directed an episode, and screenwriter Brett Goldstein.

Shrinking continues to be that soul-soothing medicine that reminds us that, even in the darkest times, light can be found if we stick together. Fortunately, viewers will have the opportunity to experience more of this, as Apple TV has already renewed the series for a fourth season.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Shrinking' Season 3?

• Shrinking Season 3 has 90% from critics and 84% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

Where to Watch 'Shrinking' Season 3?

Shrinking Season 3 is available to stream on Apple TV+.