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Apple TV+’s comedy-drama Shrinking is getting a major emotional upgrade. For its third season, the show is welcoming back one of the most beloved names in Hollywood: Michael J. Fox. After five years away from acting, the five-time Emmy-winning icon is returning in a special guest role that already has fans buzzing, and for good reason. His casting isn’t just exciting from a storytelling perspective; it feels personal, powerful, and perfectly timed.
Since day one, Shrinking has carved out a space for itself with its honest approach to grief, relationships, and mental health. It manages to balance laughs and heartache without tipping too far in either direction, and now, with Fox in the mix, the show looks ready to go even deeper.
A show about falling apart... and trying again
Created by Jason Segel, Bill Lawrence, and Brett Goldstein, Shrinking follows Jimmy Laird (Segel), a therapist who’s completely lost his grip after his wife’s sudden death. Tired of playing by the rules, he decides to shake up his professional life by telling his patients exactly what’s on his mind, no filters, no textbook responses.
That risky decision sends ripples through both his work and personal life, and what unfolds is a messy, funny, often heartbreaking journey of a man trying to reconnect, with others, and with himself.
The people who make it all work
The show’s strength lies in its ensemble. Each character brings something unique to the table:
Jimmy (Jason Segel) is broken, well-meaning, and still figuring things out.
Paul (Harrison Ford), Jimmy’s mentor, is battling Parkinson’s while staying stubborn, sharp, and deeply human.
Gaby (Jessica Williams) is the best friend everyone wants, full of heart and sarcasm in equal measure.
Alice (Lukita Maxwell), Jimmy’s daughter, is quietly navigating grief while watching her dad implode in real time.
Sean (Luke Tennie), one of Jimmy’s patients, is a war vet with a guarded heart and a need for connection.
Together, they form an offbeat, emotional ecosystem where no one really has it all together, and that’s exactly why it works.
Two seasons in, and still evolving
Season 1 focused on Jimmy’s spiral and his unconventional approach to healing. It was raw, relatable, and surprisingly funny. Viewers watched as he tried, and often failed, to fix things with his daughter and his clients while drowning in unresolved pain.
Season 2 pulled the lens back. It gave more time to the people around Jimmy, especially Paul, whose Parkinson’s storyline became one of the show’s most grounded and emotional arcs. The writing deepened, the relationships got messier, and the laughs hit even harder because they came from a place of truth.
Enter Michael J. Fox: A full-circle moment
Now, with Season 3 on the horizon, Shrinking is adding someone who knows a thing or two about navigating tough stuff with grace. Michael J. Fox, yes, that Michael J. Fox, is stepping in for a guest appearance. While his character is still under wraps, the impact of his casting is already clear.
Fox has been living with Parkinson’s since the early ‘90s and has become a powerful voice for awareness and research. Interestingly, Shrinking co-creator Bill Lawrence has said that Fox was part of the inspiration behind Harrison Ford’s character, Paul. So in many ways, this casting feels like things coming full circle.
It also reunites Lawrence and Fox for the first time since Spin City, the hit sitcom they worked on together in the late ‘90s and created magic. We will get to see that magic again in a very different, more layered context.
What’s coming in Season 3?
Alongside Fox, the new season is bringing in Jeff Daniels, who’s set to play Jimmy’s father, a character bound to stir up some deep-seated emotional tension. Sherry Cola and Isabella Gomez also join the cast in recurring roles, suggesting the show is expanding its world while keeping its emotional core intact.
If the past two seasons were about grief and survival, Season 3 might be about reckoning, with the past, with family, and with the parts of ourselves we’ve avoided too long. And with Fox involved, we can probably expect some of the show’s most meaningful moments yet.
Critics love it and audiences too
From the start, Shrinking has been a critical favorite. The first season scored a strong 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, while the second soared to 97%, earning even more praise for its character development and emotional intelligence. Jason Segel’s performance has been widely recognized, but Jessica Williams in particular has emerged as a standout.
The show’s fanbase is passionate, and growing. Unlike shows that try too hard to be deep, Shrinking earns its emotion honestly. It’s comforting, sharp, and never feels like it's reading from a script. That’s rare.
One last thought
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Bringing Michael J. Fox into Shrinking doesn’t just elevate the cast. It deepens the show’s soul. His presence alone carries weight, not because of fame, but because of everything he’s lived, shared, and stood for.
Shrinking was already a beautifully messy portrait of people trying their best. Now, with Fox along for the ride, it’s gearing up to hit even closer to home.
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