Shrinking – Season 2 – Advance Review: “This show is a delight”

Season two of “Shrinking” premieres on Apple TV+ with two episodes on Wednesday 16 October, and one episode weekly thereafter.

The deeper into the second season of “Shrinking” you get, the more that one thing becomes clear: everyone is fragile. It’s a word that Jimmy (Jason Segel) rejects when put to him by Paul (Harrison Ford) – “I’m spinning and obsessing,” he retorts – but it’s a stone-cold fact of his psyche.

Look around the show and we see similar stories. Paul’s dealt with Parkinson’s for years, but the most stoic and put-together of any character in this world remains human and it’s only natural that vulnerabilities begin to show, especially alongside neurologist girlfriend Julie (Wendie Malick). The patched-up relationship between Jimmy and Alice (Lukita Maxwell) is still that of a father and daughter who lost their entire world, dealing with their own day-to-day problems with the proverbial elephant always in the room.

When we pick up season two, we’re thrust immediately into the situation which rounded off season one. Namely, Jimmy’s patient Grace (Heidi Gardner) pushing her abusive husband off a cliff. It was the most brutal and misguided application of Jimmy’s hands-on therapy, and an application which causes more problems than it solves. Grace awaits trial and, given what we know about Jimmy’s desire to help his patients, it’s to no one’s surprise that he’s determined to help Grace in a more productive way.

Life is certainly better for Jimmy. It’s something others recognise, but something he also knows about himself. But while the “This is just face. I have resting ‘dead wife’ face” bit isn’t carried across to season two, Segel’s mannerisms betray a deep-set anxiety and sadness. Others recognise this too. As the show’s centrepiece, Segel carries the energy and the tone. He’s sensational, the raw emotion shining even when there is simply no light.

Part of what makes the show so watchable – and, frankly, so brilliant – is that balancing of tone. Scenes tinged with desperation and sadness can be followed by comic gold, but it never feels like whiplash. “Shrinking” manages to blend poignancy and hilarity with precision, in large part because of the depth of these characters. We see their worlds and everything in it.

The casting of co-creator Brett Goldstein, in a role which will remain secret until the season begins airing, creates a fascinating dynamic, especially given how different it stands to his role in “Ted Lasso,” from which many will know him. Goldstein’s performance is as compelling as his character’s existence in and of itself.

His appearances play into the wider themes of the season. “We said the first year was about grief and the second year was about forgiveness,” co-creator Bill Lawrence told Entertainment Weekly last month. It’s a suggestion that rings true and so much of this season feels bleaker than ever. How does the balance sit between putting on a brave face and truly being happy? What happens when those around you don’t notice the difference?

That’s for Jimmy grappling with his methods and his need to heal – and to be healed. It’s for Alice’s desire to live a normal life while anxious about her dad. For Paul, it’s his life-eating disease and the loss that comes with it. For Gaby (Jessica Williams, whose charisma lights up the screen, whether in a heart-to-heart or talking about her “cooch whistle”), it’s her connection with Jimmy and her struggles with her family.

For Liz (the dryly- and emotionally-excellent Christa Miller), it’s her sense of purpose, particularly alongside husband Derek (Ted McGinley, whose promotion from recurring star to main cast is a joy). For Sean (Luke Tennie, wonderfully embodying bottled-up distress), it’s dealing with those people who remind him of the darkest times. For Brian (Michael Urie, who remains the most flamboyantly funny of the cast), it’s about unexpected hurdles in his marriage.

So many of these characters have learned what being “okay” looks like. But “Shrinking” explores how challenging it is to stay that way, and how the only way to cope with the present is to reconcile with the past. Season two’s lighter moments make the darker ones hit harder but whether laughing or crying, watching this show is a delight.

Season two of “Shrinking” premieres on Apple TV+ with two episodes on Wednesday 16 October, and one episode weekly thereafter. I’ve seen eight of the 12 episodes.