Apple TV+'s smash comedy hit Shrinking is set to return for Season 2 behind its star-studded duo of Harrison Ford and Jason Segel.
Shrinking tells the story of Jimmy Laird (Segel), a therapist who is grieving after his wife's death. As a result, he inadvertently changes his patients' lives by utilizing different approaches to caring for them, such as telling them his honest thoughts about life.
The series premiered on Apple TV+ on January 23, 2023.
Shrinking Season 2 Release: When Will It Come Out?
In March 2023, Apple TV+ announced that Shrinking was renewed for Season 2.
The series, co-created by Jason Segel, Bill Lawrence, and Brett Goldstein, received widespread acclaim from fans and critics, earning a 91% critic approval rating and an 87% audience score from Rotten Tomatoes.
Apple TV+'s head of programming Matt Cherniss offered high praise for the comedy series, noting that the show "has been wonderful to watch:"
“We have loved the engaging, touching and hilarious world of ‘Shrinking’ since the beginning, and it has been wonderful to watch as audiences around the world continue to connect with these big-hearted characters. We can’t wait for viewers to experience what the cast and creative team have for season two.”
At this point, it remains to be seen when Season 2 will premiere on Apple TV+.
In an Instagram post, Shrinking actress Jessica Williams, who plays Gaby in the series, confirmed that filming for the show's sophomore run will begin "in the new year:"
"Back to work with a 'Shrinking' Panel with the best cast! Can’t wait to shoot Season 2 in the new year!"
Filming for Season 1 began in April 2022, with it wrapping up around August 2022. It then premiered on Apple TV+ in January 2023.
Assuming that filming already began in January 2024, then it could potentially finish around May 2024 if it follows a similar timeframe as the first season.
Given the five-month gap between the production wrap and Season 1's release, Shrinking Season 2 could be released around October 2024.
Shrinking Season 2 Cast: Who Will Return?
Shrinking has a star-studded cast, and most of them are expected to return.
Jason Segel and Harrison Ford are set to headline the returning cast as Jimmy Laird and Dr. Paul Rhoades, respectively. Jessica Williams will also come back as Gaby.
Considering that Jimmy is still trying to repair his relationship with his daughter, Lukita Maxwell's Alice will also return.
Other cast members expected for Season 2 are Jimmy's best friend Brian (Michael Urie), Jimmy's neighbor Liz (Christa Miller), and Paul's daughter, Meg (Lily Rabe).
Grace's (played by Heidi Gardner) shocking actions in the finale also make her a prime candidate for a Season 2 comeback.
Here is an overview of which actors are expected to return in Shrinking Season 2:
- Jason Segal - Jimmy Laird
- Harrison Ford - Paul
- Jessica Williams - Gaby
- Lukita Maxwell - Alice
- Luke Tennie - Sean
- Michael Urie - Brian
- Christa Miller - Liz
- Ted McGinley - Derek
- Lily Rabe - Meg
- Heidi Gardner - Grace
What Will Happen in Shrinking Season 2?
Shrinking Season 1's finale ended with several twists and turns that lay the groundwork for Season 2.
Season 1 ended with a major death after Grace pushed Donny off a cliff, essentially killing him. The reason why Grace snaps toward Donny is due to Jimmy's advice about standing up for herself and not putting up with her husband's abuse.
Will Jimmy be liable for Grace's actions in the finale? It remains to be seen.
Shrinking co-creator Bill Lawrence told Collider in March 2023 that the characters are not going to be inside a courtroom in Season 2 while also teasing that the overarching theme of the follow-up will be announced in Episode 1 by Harrison Ford's character:
"We knew the first year was about grief because we announced it. Harrison Ford’s character says, 'Grief is a sneaky little fucker.' We knew what the second year was about, and Harrison will announce it in the first episode of the second year. We knew, going in, that the ending of the first year would lead us into what we wanted to write about in the second season. I don’t wanna do any spoilers, but I don’t think it’s what people will imagine it’s going to be. They’re not gonna be in a courtroom."
The theme of Season 2 may be about moving on since it's the next step that makes sense after grieving.
This is on top of the ramifications of the decisions that the characters made in Season 1 (ahem, Grace!) that will be felt in the show's sophomore run.
In the same interview with Collider, Lawrence also confirmed that they have a three-season "framework" for Shrinking, acknowledging that they have a planned "beginning, middle, and end" for the series.
With Season 2 being in the middle part of the cast's journey, the show is expected to juggle some storylines when it returns, such as Jimmy and Alice's continued back and forth about mending their father-daughter relationship, Gaby's growing feelings for Jimmy, and Paul's troubled relationship with his daughter.
All episodes of Shrinking Season 1 are streaming on Apple TV+.
