Critic Reviews

Shrinking knows exactly the kind of show that it is, and it may end up being one of the most authentic new comedies of the year.

With no sense of exaggeration intended, this show consistently hits it out of park, offering up characters who admit their flaws, embrace their foibles, and ultimately improve as a result. This might all sound a little bit safe for some, but have faith, because very soon Shrinking will be picking up Emmy awards – remember where you heard it first.

The best part about this season of "Shrinking," even beyond the greatness of the cast and their work together, is the show's courage to be about more than joy.

Season 2 is wonderfully expansive, fleshing out the larger world of Jimmy’s circle and their relationships with one another in rich and exciting news way throughout the eight episodes that were available to screen for critics (out of a total of twelve).

If this indeed is Shrinking's final bow, Season 3 really does leave it all out there in humorous and poignant fashion.

From witty one-liners and endearingly exaggerated personalities to physical comedy, musical numbers, and more it bears repeating that Shrinking is very funny and never maudlin. The series excels at giving viewers emotional whiplash (complimentary), but the team hasn’t just mastered the art of flicking from poignant to playful scenes on a dime.

While Shrinking does sail a bit close to the wind at times, it mostly does a good job of keeping its whimsical side sufficiently anchored in reality.

Every character in “Shrinking” is worth getting to know. The biggest surprise is how great Ford is at just letting loose in a comedy. (Trust me, he’s hilarious). “Shrinking” deserves to become a huge hit.

The writers do an amazing job of pinging back and forth between various characters and their relationships on a level rarely seen in a TV comedy. ... You never know what goes on behind the scenes, but one gets the feeling Ford is having one hell of a great time on this show. We’re sure having a hell of a great time watching it.

Judging by the first six episodes sent out to critics for review, Apple TV+’s first 2023 comedy kicks off the year with a helluva bang. The well-balanced dose of sarcastic and contagious humor (rooted in pain and heartache) is the kind of prescribed laughter we need to heal our souls after a long and hard day.