Apple TV’s 3-Part Comedy Has Quietly Become One Of The Best Shows On Streaming

Published Mar 14, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT

Apple TV's Shrinking Is Only Getting Better With Each Season

Season 1 of Shrinking set up a unique premise. Main character Jimmy (Jason Segel) is a therapist and a widower who let his life fall apart following the death of his wife in a tragic car accident, in which a drunk driver struck and killed her. However, Season 1 picks up just as Jimmy is beginning to turn his life around.

Unconventionally, Jimmy's plans to fix his life actually revolve around his therapy clients. That is, he decides he is going to completely change his approach as a therapist by directly telling clients what he thinks they should do and getting unprecedentedly involved in their personal lives. What ensues is, unsurprisingly, completely chaotic, particularly since Jimmy is still a mess himself, at least early on.

There is a reality in which this premise only worked in the short term, perhaps as a limited series, or at the very least became less compelling over time. However, Shrinking has defied the streaming show odds by becoming better with each season. Adapting season to season is an all-too-difficult ask for many shows, yet Shrinking has more than risen to the occasion.

In fact, Season 2 of the show took a major leap by introducing the man who had driven drunk, Louis (Brett Goldstein), and even he has proven to be a touching part of the show. With the most recent Season 3 cliffhanger, it also seems as though a brand-new heartbreak, with a character who had only just recently been introduced, is in store.

Despite Being A Comedy, Shrinking Is Unlike Anything Else On Streaming

Given the show's premise alone, it was always clear that Shrinking is labeled a comedy (and, in many ways, it is a comedy), but it is also an emotionally complex, at times very heavy show. Throughout its three seasons, Shrinking has grappled with topics like grief, resentment, forgiveness, self-harm, and even neglectful parenting.

In that sense, Shrinking is so much more than a comedy. However, the show also exceeds audience expectations of a comedy because of its depth, even outside of heavier topics. As just one example, the friendships on the show—some of which develop completely independently of the main character, Jimmy—all feel nuanced and profound.

The show also explores some unexpected themes, such as with Harrison Ford's character, Paul, who is grappling with his Parkinson's disease diagnosis and what it means for how long he can continue in his line of work (also as a therapist). With so many components all executed so well, Shrinking really is like nothing else currently on streaming.

Shrinking's Cast & Cameo List Makes It A Must-Watch

Perhaps the biggest sell for Shrinking is its stellar cast. In addition to Segel's role as Jimmy, the show has an incredible ensemble cast of characters, including actors like Jessica Williams, Christa Miller​​​​​​​, Luke Tennie, and Lukita Maxwell. Shrinking has also had some brilliant cameos, such as Segel's How I Met Your Mother co-star Cobie Smulders, who has now returned to the show in Season 3.

Shrinking has likewise proven to be some of Harrison Ford's best work in recent memory, which is truly saying something for an actor with such a storied career. While Apple TV's Shrinking may not be the most loudly celebrated show at present, it is absolutely one of the best shows currently streaming, and it arguably deserves considerably more flowers than it's getting.