Warning: This article contains spoilers from Shrinking season 2, episodes 1-10.The Shrinkingseason 2 soundtrack contains a wide range of songs that tie into the themes and plot twists of the Apple TV+ comedy series. Shrinking season 2's story sees therapist Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel) continuing an unorthodox approach to how he helps his patients while also continuing to grieve the death of his wife, Tia (Lilan Bowden). Jimmy's approach is challenged by his mentor, Dr. Paul Rhoades (Harrison Ford), who insists on establishing boundaries between therapists and their patients.
After the Shrinking season 1 ending, which saw Jimmy's patient, Grace (Heidi Gardner) push her emotionally abusive boyfriend off a cliff, both she and Jimmy must grapple with the fallout of her actions. Meanwhile, Jimmy and Paul's colleague, Gaby (Jessica Williams), has to balance being a therapist alongside her new teaching job, along with deciding what to do about her relationship with Jimmy. The songs in each of Shrinking's episodes elevate the various storylines and challenges that the characters face in season 2.
Song Title
Artist
"Born Under A Sun"
Albert King
"Your Love"
The Outfield
"Hollow Heart"
C. James
"Looking Too Closely"
Fink
"Never Been Better"
Ben Abraham
"Cope"
AKA lisa
"Seasons"
Bebe Rexha and Dolly Parton
"Letting Go"
Angie McMahon
"Bad Decisions"
The Strokes
"Age of Anxiety I"
Arcade Fire
“Give Us The Precious (Lord Of The Rings Trap)”
2Padre$
"Iris"
Goo Goo Dolls
"Your Mind Is Not Your Friend"
The National
"Bittersweet"
Marc Scibilia
"One (Remix)"
Alexis Ffrench
"Escape (John Summit Remix)"
Kx5, deadmau5, & Kaskade
"Somebody Else"
The 1975
"Into the Ether"
Leif Vollebekk
"Just Like North"
Angie McMahon
"i am not who i was"
Chance Peña
"Waiting"
Alice Boman
"Real Good Love"
Pete Yorn
"We Are One"
Tom Hillock
"Tailspin"
Leona Naess
"Confetti"
Charlotte Cardin
Shrinking Season 1, Episode 1 Songs
"Jimmying"
"Born Under A Sun" by Albert King: Shrinking season 2, episode 1's first song can be heard when Paul and his girlfriend, Dr. Julie Baram (Wendie Malick) are seen dancing to it. They are interrupted by Gaby, who picks up Paul every morning to drive him to work. She is ecstatic to see the private and gruff Paul enjoying an intimate dance with his girlfriend, leading Gaby to take pictures of the dance so she can forever immortalize this memory.
"Your Love" by The Outfield: "Your Love" can briefly be heard when Gaby is driving Paul to work. As she asks him increasingly personal questions about his relationship with Julie, including whether they are going to get married, Paul tries to distract from the conversation by turning on the radio and singing along to "Your Love." While Gaby usually enjoys singing along with Paul during their morning car rides, she quickly turns the radio off this time, as she is more interested in discussing his relationship with Julie.
From why Grace is in jail to the status of Jimmy and Gaby's relationship, these 8 questions are important to have answered before Shrinking season 2.
"Hollow Heart" by C. James: Toward the end of the episode, the song "Hollow Heart" plays when Paul goes to Julie's house and admits that he loves her, a difficult thing to admit for a man who usually does not allow himself to be emotionally vulnerable around others, even around his loved ones. The song continues when Jimmy comes home and discusses with Sean (Luke Tennie) how Paul will be his therapist now, with Paul helping Jimmy realize that this is what is best for Sean.
"Looking Too Closely" by Fink: The final song that plays into the credits of Shrinking season 2's first episode is "Looking Too Closely". The song begins as Sean begins his first session with Paul, which is a significant, but important change in his therapy. The music continues as Jimmy walks into the waiting room and is both shocked and angered to see Louis (Brett Goldstein), who was the drunk driver involved in the accident that killed Tia.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 2 Songs
"I Love Pain"
"Never Been Better" by Ben Abraham: "Never Been Better" begins to play when Jimmy throws his car keys toward his daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxwell), and films it so he can turn the moment into a sentimental father-daughter video. The song continues to be heard when Paul goes to meet a former patient, Raymond (Neil Flynn) at a bar, a surprising and momentous sign of Paul blurring some of the boundaries he insists on maintaining between his personal and professional lives. "Never Been Better" continues to reflect the characters' attitudes as Sean returns home in a good mood after working through his feelings with Paul.
"Cope" by AKA lisa: "Cope" helps reveal where Alice took the car and that she is struggling more with news of Louis' visit than she let on to Jimmy. Alice sits on top of her father's car after parking it outside of Louis' house. She peers into the window at the man involved in the death of her mother, a man she holds responsible for the devastating loss she has endured, and whose presence now troubles her – a potentially significant moment of foreshadowing for the rest of Shrinking season 2.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 3 Songs
"Psychological Something-ism"
"Seasons" by Bebe Rexha and Dolly Parton: "Seasons" plays on the radio in Jimmy's car when Alice drops off her best friend, Summer, (Rachel Stubington) at home. Alice's mind is elsewhere as she dwells on a memory shown via flashback of her mother dropping her off at soccer practice and proudly yelling about how much she loves her daughter. The song revolves around struggling with change and the passing of time, both of which Alice is struggling with in the aftermath of her mother's death. These challenges are further heightened as she tries to figure out what she is going to do about Louis.
"Letting Go" by Angie McMahon: Shrinking's cast of characters let go of the things holding them back, beginning with Grace realizing she can forgive herself as she and her sister drive away in a moving van. Paul attends an appointment with his new neurologist alongside Julie, allowing himself to be vulnerable around his girlfriend. Jimmy then goes over to Brian's (Michael Urie) for dinner, and they start a new weekly tradition as they let go of the resentment that led to their fight earlier in the Shrinking episode. The song also plays as Alice lets go for the wrong reasons and kisses Connor (Gavin Lewis).
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 4 Songs
"Made You Look"
"Bad Decisions" by The Strokes: "Bad Decisions" plays from the moment that Shrinking season 2, episode 4, "Made You Look" begins. It is a fitting song choice, as the first scene shows Alice and Connor waking after making the bad decision to have sex together the night before. Sleeping with her best friend's boyfriend, who Summer described as the best thing in her life right now, is the ultimate bad decision that Alice could have made. The song appropriately resumes as Alice tries to quietly leave Connor's house, which involves her falling off the balcony and into her backyard.
"Age of Anxiety I" by Arcade Fire: "Age of Anxiety I" begins to be heard as Paul tells his daughter, Meg (Lily Rabe), that after years of being a therapist, he has a sense of when bad things are about to happen. As he continues to explain this, Gaby ignores a call from her sister, Courtney (Courtney Taylor). It is later revealed that Courtney was calling about their mother being in a car accident. The song also includes shots of Louis looking sad and conflicted while he holds the wallet that Alice accidentally left behind at the coffee shop.
“Give Us The Precious (Lord of the Rings Trap)” by 2Padre$: When Damon Wayans Jr.'s Shrinking season 2 character, Derrick, came over to Gaby's house for a morning date, she told him that she had this remix queued up to play and that it would last 30 minutes long. Gaby did not get much of a chance to listen to it due to her sister, Courtney, calling and Gaby finding out their mother was in the hospital. She enjoyed the music temporarily before heading out, leaving Derrick to both enjoy and question who created this strange remix as he helped finish a few household matters for Gaby.
Alice has two major scenes in Shrinking season 2, episode 3 involving Brett Goldstein's new character, Louis, and her neighbor, Connor.
"Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls: "Iris" briefly plays while Jimmy watches the video he made of throwing his car keys to Alice when she asked to drive his car. Jimmy wanted to turn it into a sentimental father-daughter moment, with "Iris" being the perfect sentimental song for such a video. After not being there for Alice during the year after Tia's death, Jimmy is trying to make up for it, and that includes making a big deal out of small moments, as he treats her taking the car keys as a major milestone to be celebrated far and wide.
"Your Mind Is Not Your Friend" by The National: The final song in this Shrinking episode begins to play as Louis walks away from Jimmy and Alice's house. Despite Louis saying that he is doing okay, he is clearly in pain. Louis' mind and imagination have not been kind to him since the car accident, as he has continued to punish himself for what happened that night. Brian knows he should leave the situation alone, but he goes after Louis, because he can see how much pain Louis is in and wants to help.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 5 Songs
"Honesty Era"
"Bittersweet" by Marc Sibilia: Shrinking season 2, episode 5 is light on pre-existing music, except for "Bittersweet" kicking in when Jimmy goes to be a supportive friend to Gaby as she wrestles with family dilemmas. Seeing their friendship rekindled is sweet, as are other moments that occur as the song continues to play, including Paul reconciling with his ex-wife, Susan (Kelly Bishop) as they drink from a flask at Meg's lecture, and Alice making peace with Liz (Christa Miller) after the drama with Connor. The bitterness comes when Sean gives in to his inner demons by antagonizing the construction workers and getting beaten up.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 6 Songs
"In a Lonely Place"
"One (Remix)" by Alexis Ffrench: "One" begins to play when Sean is visited in the hospital by his father, Tim (Kenajuan Bentley). After talking with Jimmy and Paul, Tim has a better understanding of how he let Sean down, but he also better understands how to help his son. "One" is a song about rekindling unity, which works well with Tim going to Sean, admitting to the mistakes he made, and making it clear that he is now here to support Sean however he can.
"Escape (John Summit Remix)" by Kx5, deadmau5, & Kaskade: The episode concludes with this song playing when Liz goes to see her old friend, Mac (Josh Hopkins), and continuing into the end credits. The song lyrics refer to the narrator escaping with the person they are addressing, and how they are grateful that this person does not make them feel invisible. This embodies how Liz is feeling invisible to her husband, Derek (Ted McGinley), and to everyone else, but Mac offers a potential escape from this feeling in Shrinking season 2.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 7 Songs
"Get in the Sea"
"Somebody Else" by The 1975: "Get in the Sea" follows through on the tease of Liz cheating on Derek as she goes to Mac's microbrewery and kisses him while "Somebody Else" plays in the background. The kiss is brief, and Liz immediately realizes she made a mistake and quickly leaves, but the damage has already been done. She spends the rest of the episode trying to figure out how to deal with this infidelity, as she does not want to destroy her marriage with Derek.
"Into the Ether" by Leif Vollebekk: "Into the Ether" accompanies two difficult reveals at the end of Shrinking season 2, episode 7. Liz tells Derek about kissing Mac, which deeply hurts him, as he explains that he does not ask for much in their marriage, since he always thought their relationship was solid. Meanwhile, Jimmy sees Alice, Brian, and Louis having dinner together, and realizes that they have been keeping their meetings from him, a revelation that visibly wounds him.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 8 Songs
"Last Drink"
"Just Like North" by Angie McMahon: "Last Drink" begins where the previous episode left off, with Jimmy's reaction to seeing Louis and Alice. The song title "Just Like North" plays as a heartbroken Jimmy watches Alice and Brian laughing with Louis. The "Just Like North" title is a reference to the song's lyric "And pain will be on every map, just like north is." Jimmy thinks he is in a good place and mostly free of pain now, but the pain comes surging back when he sees his daughter and his best friend with Louis.
"i am not who i was" by Chance Peña: Chance Peña's "i am not who i was" is used as commentary on the characters' development, both for better and for worse. The song is featured as Jimmy returns from "forgiving" Louis, even though all he really did was punish Louis further. On a happier note, the song continues as Derek and Liz enjoy having dinner with all three of their sons. Liz and Derek's marriage was in peril after Liz kissed Mac, and while their marriage will never be the same, the couple has found a way to move forward and learn from their mistakes.
"Waiting" by Alice Boman: After learning that drinking alcohol is making his Parkinson's disease symptoms worse, Paul decides to have his last drink ever, and chooses to do so with Jimmy. During their conversation, Jimmy discusses if he will ever be able to forgive himself for not being there for Alice in the year after Tia's death. Paul says that he hopes so, with "Waiting" by Alice Boman playing during the end of the scene and into the credits of the latest Shrinking episode.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 9 Songs
"Full Grown Dude Face"
"Real Good Love" by Pete Yorn: "Real Good Love" fittingly plays during scenes that feature Shrinking's characters being loving people. It can first be heard when Brian and Charlie (Devin Kawaoka) are meeting with a pregnant mother who is giving up her baby for adoption. Despite initially being flustered, Brian quickly proves what a loving person he is, along with Charlie, and that they would make great parents. However, the mother decides to go with a different couple by the end of the episode. The song also plays when Jimmy goes to meet Alice after she is having a hard time at a party.
"We Are One" by Tom Hillock: Alice is having a hard time at the party because she is tired of being treated with pity because of her dead mother. She takes her dad's advice and says, "I have dead mom face" to help her peers see they do not have to tread lightly and treat her differently because of her personal tragedy. "We Are One" accompanies Alice as she finds a way to navigate this situation while Jimmy proudly drives by, which ends this Shrinkingepisode on a positive note.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 10 Songs
"Changing Patterns"
"Tailspin" by Leona Naess: When Alice gets a car from Jimmy for her birthday, "Tailspin" by Leona Naess plays. It begins before Alice runs outside to see the car, which is the same color and model as the vehicle that her mother, Tia, had. Alice quickly drives away with her friends, leaving Jimmy and the rest of the adults to continue the festivities on their own. Jimmy is proud of Alice and happy to see her enjoying her birthday, a stark contrast from a year earlier.
"Confetti" by Charlotte Cardin: "Changing Patterns" ends on a tense note after Alice learns that Jimmy told Louis to stop speaking to her. Alice confronts Jimmy about this and accuses him of ruining yet another birthday for her. "Confetti" kicks in at the end of the episode as an infuriated Alice slams the door and Jimmy screams an expletive and the song plays throughout the end credits of the Shrinking episode. The lyrics include the line "I get sad on my birthday," which is unfortunately true for Alice after she learns about what Jimmy has done.
In this series, a therapist grappling with personal tragedy begins to employ a radically candid approach with his clients and in his personal life. As he navigates his roles as a father, friend, and professional, his newfound method leads to unexpected consequences and self-discovery.
CastJason Segel , Luke Tennie , Michael Urie , Lukita Maxwell , Harrison Ford , Jessica Williams , Christa Miller , Ted McGinley , Heidi Gardner , Devin Kawaoka , Lilan Bowden , Kimberly Condict , Lily Rabe , Tilky Jones , Rachel Stubington , Wendie Malick , Sawyer Jones , Mike C. Nelson , Matt Knudsen , Kenajuan Bentley , Adam Foster Ballard
Custom image by Yailin Chacon
English (US) ·