Joining the already-excellent slate of TV shows on Apple Plus is this look at a therapist (Jimmy, Jason Segel) whose life takes a hard turn upon the death of his wife and the rebellion of his teenage daughter.
The stated gimmick of the show is that Jimmy's depression forces him to become brutally honest with his patients, but that's not entirely true (minus a pollyannish woman in a bad marriage played by Heidi Gardner). It's more that Jimmy starts putting more of himself into his work and his friend circle as he gradually recovers from his wife's loss.
In particular, he allows a patient with PTSD (Sean, Luke Tennile to stay at his home. He also opens up to his neighbor (Liz, played by Bill Lawrence mainstay Christa Miller); reconnects with his former best friend who faded out of his life (Brian, Michael Urie); and relies more on his work colleagues (Gaby, Jessica Williams; and Paul, Harrison Ford) for emotional support. In short, it's about a man gradually recovering from a massive hole in his life by creating a newfound family.
Whereas other dramedies like Kidding or Louie might cross over to dreariness, Shrinking maintains a steady upbeat tone. Part of the appeal, in my opinion, is the sense of togetherness among the characters. It's not a sad co-dependence either. Rather, it's an emphatic plea among these characters to trust, to open up, and to be there for each other.
In the opening episode, Jimmy's former friend Brian bursts through the door during a therapy session, and asks him why he isn't there for him. While Brian offers to pay for the startled patient's therapy session, it's clearly inappropriate. Very few of the interactions between Jimmy's fellow therapists and Sean or Jimmy's daughter feel entirely appropriate either. But it's all endearing anyway. In fact, it's refreshing when viewed from America's largely individualistic suburban society where people prefer to stay out of their neighbors' business.
The stated gimmick of the show is that Jimmy's depression forces him to become brutally honest with his patients, but that's not entirely true (minus a pollyannish woman in a bad marriage played by Heidi Gardner). It's more that Jimmy starts putting more of himself into his work and his friend circle as he gradually recovers from his wife's loss.
In particular, he allows a patient with PTSD (Sean, Luke Tennile to stay at his home. He also opens up to his neighbor (Liz, played by Bill Lawrence mainstay Christa Miller); reconnects with his former best friend who faded out of his life (Brian, Michael Urie); and relies more on his work colleagues (Gaby, Jessica Williams; and Paul, Harrison Ford) for emotional support. In short, it's about a man gradually recovering from a massive hole in his life by creating a newfound family.
Whereas other dramedies like Kidding or Louie might cross over to dreariness, Shrinking maintains a steady upbeat tone. Part of the appeal, in my opinion, is the sense of togetherness among the characters. It's not a sad co-dependence either. Rather, it's an emphatic plea among these characters to trust, to open up, and to be there for each other.
In the opening episode, Jimmy's former friend Brian bursts through the door during a therapy session, and asks him why he isn't there for him. While Brian offers to pay for the startled patient's therapy session, it's clearly inappropriate. Very few of the interactions between Jimmy's fellow therapists and Sean or Jimmy's daughter feel entirely appropriate either. But it's all endearing anyway. In fact, it's refreshing when viewed from America's largely individualistic suburban society where people prefer to stay out of their neighbors' business.