It's almost time for Apple TV's next session with Jimmy Laird and Dr. Paul Rhoades. The first images from Season 3 of the acclaimed comedy-drama Shrinking have been released, reuniting many of the show's favorite pairs, from Jason Segel and Harrison Ford's complicated therapists to husbands Brian (Michael Urie) and Charlie (Devin Kawaoka), Gaby (Jessica Williams) and her new beau Derek (Damon Wayans Jr.), and more. Alongside the delightful new shots came confirmation that the Emmy-nominated series will be back on the small screen with a one-hour episode early next year, on January 28. Compared to prior runs, Season 3 will fall in the middle with eleven episodes, releasing every Wednesday until April 8.
Created once again by the trio of Segel, Bill Lawrence, and Brett Goldstein, Shrinking Season 3 will continue the story of grieving therapist Jimmy, who has gone on quite the emotional journey since throwing away his ethics and telling his patients exactly what he thinks. "Jimmying" in the wake of his wife's tragic death got him in plenty of trouble in Season 1, but by the end of Season 2, he's learned to forgive himself and Louis (Goldstein), the man who killed Tia, and finally opened up to his daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell) about the grief and feelings of failure he felt during his depressive spiral. Both end up back on the same page and ready to move forward in the healing process. Lawrence planned a three-season arc for this story, with this year in Jimmy's life likely seeing him healing and preparing to move on at last after coming to terms with a life-changing loss.
Much of the cast from the previous two seasons will be back for Season 3, including Ted McGinley and Christa Miller, who are seen slow-dancing together in one of the other images, and Luke Tennie, who's laughing along with McGinley. In addition to Wayans Jr., pictured in a similarly romantic shot with Williams, Goldstein, Wendie Malick, and Cobie Smulders are all reprising their guest-starring roles as well. Joining them will be two massive new stars in two-time Emmy winner Jeff Daniels and the multi-award-winning Back to the Future star Michael J. Fox. Danies brings his comedic and dramatic chops to the table as Jimmy's father, while Fox comes out of retirement to play an as-yet-unknown character who may be tied to Paul and his Parkinson's diagnosis.
Will 'Shrinking' Get a Season 4?
Finer details of what to expect for Jimmy and his colleagues in Season 3 are currently unknown. The introduction of the therapist's father does, however, hint at a bit of deeper exploration into the family history of Segel's character, and, with Louis returning, Paul continuing his battle with Parkinson's, and more storylines, there's plenty for everyone to unpack when the show returns. Despite this season being the end of Jimmy's storyline, though, Lawrence may not be done with Shrinking. He previously told Collider that he's open to it if there's a good idea for a new emotional arc and recently teased a few "Easter Eggs" in Season 3 that hint at the potential next story.
Lawrence still has a lot on his plate beyond Shrinking. The therapy series is just one of three partnerships he has with Apple TV, including Ted Lasso, which is officially returning for Season 4 and potentially more, and Bad Monkey, which began production on Season 2 in September. He's also scrubbing back into Sacred Heart soon with the long-awaited Scrubs reboot, set to premiere in midseason next year on ABC. The series will reunite him with most of the old crew from the medical workplace comedy, including Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Sarah Chalke, Judy Reyes, and John C. McGinley, to tackle a new age of health care.
Shrinking Season 3 premieres on Wednesday, January 28, and will debut one new episode every week on Apple TV until April 8. Check out the first images in the gallery above.
