“Shrinking” on Apple TV really has a very simple success formula. It’s a wonder that more series producers don’t take note and blithely follow suit.
Start with a premise that holds up, season after season. In the case of “Shrinking,” that involves roughly 5-8 story threads that can be woven together with ease. Each one of them needs to be believable and work together seamlessly. Easy start.
Then add the output of a writers’ room that is nothing short of brilliant. Corralling some of the best comedy writers in Hollywood and letting them loose on those story threads makes perfect sense. Just add water.
Then, there’s the cast. Finding facile, energetic actors with impeccable timing and endearing mannerisms, then putting them together to populate the hilarious scripts is a no-brainer. Some of them will play counter to what the audience would expect and some will reveal aspects of their craft that are true revelations. Done.
Mix all of those elements together and the third season of “Shrinking” is rolling out with a momentum that is intellectually narcotic. Waiting for the week’s announcement that another episode is now available requires self-restraint that is almost herculean.
Waiting for the next exploits of acting titan Harrison Ford (Han Solo… Indiana Jones … Dr. Paul Rhodes?) and his distaff counterpart Wendie Malick … becoming immersed in the stumbles, fumbles and recoveries of Jason Segel and his refreshingly candid daughter played by Lukita Maxwell … identifying with the individual and parental exploits of Christa Miller and Ted McGinley … holding our collective breath as Michael Urie and Devin Kawaoka wed and become literally hysterical parents … cheering Luke Tennie as he emerges from battle induced PTSD and serves as the unlikely solid rock amidst this collection of neighborly misfits … watching in awe as Michael J. Fox appears … and then Brett Goldstein. Simply Brett Goldstein. His meteoric rise to fame as Roy Kent in “Ted Lasso” was just the tip of the talent iceberg. Actor, writer, producer, director, stand-up comedian. Simply Brett Goldstein.
The writers’ room for “Shrinking” must be a jovial, tumultuous, bawdy, energizing place. When the scripts emerge from that maelstrom and get handed to a cast that meshes like the legendary Swiss watch and the director shouts “Action!” the magic becomes real.
If “Shrinking” has not been on your streaming rotation, be sure to begin with season one, proceed through to seasons two and three. And, enjoy the ride. This is simply wonderful television.