Shrinking (TV Series) Closure (2023) User Reviews

Closure

[lassegalsgaard · 8/10 · 24 March 2023]

At the beginning, I was honestly concerned whether or not "Shrinking" was going to keep me interested throughout. It had a fun gimmick to it at the beginning and Harrison Ford was a clear standout, but how long was the show going to be able to live on that alone? Well, with its magical powers, it managed to keep me invested throughout, and now that the first season has had its finale, it actually started to sink in what the show was actually about. It was about someone getting over their pain, and this episode is a perfect representation of that simple message.

Not only did the show find it's footing, but it seems like Jason Segal also found his own footing in the show, which has resulted in a very good leading performance from him, one that explodes on the screen in this. He's very subtle in some scenes, mostly in the moments with his daughter, but then he's explosive and full of fun in others, and that's the sign of a great performer, so kudos to Segal for really selling his role. The story of the finale is mostly centered around Jimmy's realization that he can't let his wife's death keep him in the doghouse any longer, and it makes for a really moving finale ending with a very good speech that is sure to bring the tears out in most viewers. Other tears will come from laughing, mostly from Harrison Ford who continues to be this show's clear standout, and I really hope that they get him back for the second season, as he seems like someone it could be difficult to keep along for the whole run. The only thing that kept this episode from being absolutely perfect was the lack of any real conflict that sets up things for the next season. Something does happen at the very end, but it doesn't necessarily implicate the main characters in anything, so the show doesn't seem to really have a clear idea of what it's going to be going forward. However, these writers have proven that they have real talent, and they'll surely come up with something great.

"Closure" is a very good finale to a show that took a bit of convincing, but ended up actually being quite a pleasant watch. There are some things that keep it from being great television, but the unfolding storyline came to a really great conclusion and Ford never missed his mark once, reaching full Ford-peaque in this episode.

Season One Review

[southdavid · 8/10 · 7 April 2023]

Highly publicised on the app, and by Brett Goldstein, whose podcast I listen too, "Shrinking" was a new sitcom on Apple TV. A little less life affirming that it's stablemate "Ted Lasso", still the series is genuinely funny and utterly heartfelt.

Having gone off the rails since the death of his wife, psychotherapist Jimmy (Jason Segal) decides to get his life back on track and reconnect with his daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxwell). This is not an entirely welcome move as Alice has become used to useless dad and gets her parental guidance from their neighbour Liz (Christa Miller). Jimmy also decides to shake things up with his patients, and instead of coaxing them towards their own revelations decides a policy of direct interference and brutal honest is the way to go.

Interestingly, "Shrinking" is another comedy that suggested it might be one thing, when actually it was something else entirely. Much was made in the trailers of the unconventional therapy angle, though in actuality that doesn't feature in the plot much - just gives an excuse for one of his patients, Sean, played by Luke Tennie, to move in with him. From there it's quite a sweet sitcom about reconciliation, both within family members but also with the situation, as Jimmy has been drinking (and snorting) away dealing with his loss.

I enjoyed this series quite a bit, it regularly had me laughing out loud. I'll admit that a lot of the actors are playing characters similar to what we've seen from them before, so Christa Miller is a bit overbearing, Jason Segal is exasperated, and Harrison Ford is stern. The discovery (for me) is Jessica Williams, who elevates what might have been a stock supporting character into one of the highlights of the show.

Glad that a second season has been commissioned and I'm looking forward to seeing it.

How to End a Season

[happenings · 9/10 · 24 March 2023]

Shrinking is a complicated show. It's story is a bit wack, it's pacing is certainly something, and the conversations due tend to either be too forced or perfectly normal. But this episode changed that. This episode had a more down to earth dialogue. While, I must admit, the speech at the wedding sounded like Jimmy was ranting about himself, he pulled it back to Brian and Charlie. Many more of the jokes landed and were laughable. Jimmy and Gaby's relationship seems to be going higher, further, faster. And, as always, Derek was being the best part of the show. And that ending! Not the dance scene with almost all of the patients, no. The scene with Grace and Donny. Active homicide, and I love it. You go, girl! Anyways, good episode. Had some problems, but can go overlooked by the great plot and much better character development. On my best episodes ever tier list, it's up there with "Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous (No, Really)," "Journey Into Mystery," and "The Death of Eric Cartman."

Stuck the landing

[coreydaivs · 10/10 · 24 March 2023]

This whole finale was fantastic. The last 30 seconds had me in complete shock. The way they made you think everything was wrapped up nicely and then just immediately pulled the rug out. This show gets extremely dark sometimes. A+ show man I don't understand the hate it gets. As someone who lost their mom like Alice this show is extremely important to me. I grew up as a fan of Scrubs. Definitely was one of my favorite shows that had a lot of moments of both extreme hilarity and deep sadness. This show carries that same ethos while having it's own tone completely. I can't recommend this show enough to anyone with a heart. If you are the type of person that look for the negatives in shows steer clear this isn't for you. I've heard people complain about the indie rock soundtrack or whatever and they just seem real soulless. The dialogue of this show is some of the most realistic ways people talk I've heard in TV. It especially works as a capsule for how we talk in the modern day. And I am definitely using grease the peach in my everyday vocabulary now.

Apple's best acted show, Ted Lasso can't even be compared to this

[moviesfilmsreviewsinc · 10/10 · 24 March 2023]

Apple TV+'s 'Shrinking' is a light-hearted comedy series that explores the nature of grief through its protagonist Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel). The first season revolves around Jimmy recovering from his wife's death, and in the season finale, Jimmy and Alice deal with tough emotions as Brian and Charlie's big day draws close. Liz learns Gaby's secret, and Paul comes through for Gaby unexpectedly. The season 1 finale, titled 'Closure,' opens with Sean making sandwiches to thank Liz and Derek for investing in his food truck business. Alice is enraged at Jimmy for removing her mother Tia's stuff from the house, but Jimmy explains that he is ready to move on. Meanwhile, Liz reveals to Derek that she wants to be more involved in the food truck business, but is unsure about talking with Sean and becoming more involved. Paul spends time with his grandson and daughter, Meg, before returning to California. Brian hosts a party for his friends to choose the best man, but Jimmy leaves early after receiving a text from Gaby. While Gaby and Jimmy are hooking up, Liz calls Gaby and seeks advice about talking to Sean about the food truck business. Gaby reassures Liz that talking to Sean is the right thing to do, and Liz calls Sean home and explains the situation. Sean is cool with letting Liz come on board as a partner. At Brian's bachelor's party, Jimmy convinces Brian's father to be the best man. At home, Alice feels sad about letting go of her mother's memories, but Jimmy comforts her and reminds her he is there if she needs to talk. Alice chooses to sulk by herself. The first season begins with Jimmy grieving the loss of his wife, Tia, and isolating himself from his friends and daughter. In the finale, Jimmy is finally ready to move on from the tragedy, but the episode's final act risks his progress as he prepares to officiate Brian and Charlie's wedding. In the eighth episode, the mere talk of a marriage propels Jimmy down the depression hole. The shocking cliffhanger questions Jimmy's psychiatric practice and treatment of Grace. Earlier in the episode, Grace mentions wanting to push Donnie off a cliff in a metaphorical sense. Jimmy missed some obvious psychopathic signs in Grace's behavior, especially after she lied to him about moving to Canada. The finale's ending seems to hint at serious consequences for Jimmy's complacency while treating his patients, as it remains to be seen if they all take a dark path when things do not go their way. In the episode's final moments, Paul expresses concern about Jimmy's experimental and overinvolved approach to his patients' life. Jimmy argues that the best way to help oneself is to help others, but Paul is unconvinced. The conversation is swindled by partying and music, leading to a closing montage of Jimmy's positive impact on his patients' lives. Grace pushes her abusive husband, Donnie, off the cliff.

Season 1 (5/10 stars): A "Prestige Sitcom"--And I'm Not Sure That's A Good Mix

[zkonedog · 5/10 · 27 March 2023]

I was initially attracted to "Shrinking" for two reasons: One was the casting of legendary Harrison Ford; the other was the intriguing premise of a therapist being brutally honest with his patients. While the first premise certainly paid off for me, the second did not.

For a very basic overview, "Shrinking" tells the story of Jimmy (Jason Segel), a widowed therapist living with daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell) and struggling to get back on his feet. After hitting a wall with new patient Sean (Luke Tennie), Jimmy decides to try the unconventional approach of telling the truth as he sees it rather than dancing around the point. This kicks off a series of events that propel the season from beginning to end.

As I mentioned, I was actually pretty invested in this series after the first couple of episodes. I really enjoyed the "honest therapist" notion and wanted to see how it would continue to play out. Sadly, it simply didn't play out--and that notion wouldn't be revisited until a perfunctory mention in the season's finale. Instead, the driving theme of the middle episodes is simply the way the diverse cast of characters interact with each other--which may or may not work for certain viewers.

The Jimmy-Alice relationship is strong throughout, and Ford's Paul has both a depth and the requisite charm the actor brings to everything he does. But the rest of the characters did not "work" for me in nearly the same fashion. This included Sean (largely sidelined from a plot perspective after his introduction), neighbors Derek (Ted McKinley) & Liz (Christa Miller), therapist Gaby (Jessica Williams), and Jimmy's closest friend Brian (Michael Urie).

The biggest issue I had with those characters was not actually their arcs or acting performances--I really didn''t have a quarrel with that. But rather how there is nary a single conversation in this entire show that feels like it could actually take place in the real world. "Shrinking" could almost be described as "prestige sitcom", and I'm not sure those genres are the best bedfellows. For a show that introduces some very interesting and weighty topics, having the dialogue be almost exclusively "pure sitcom" but for a few moments here and there is jarring.

Overall, I think that last sentence above is truly what beguiled me about "Shrinking" this first season. At heart it is a snappy, "deliver-the-quippy-punchline" comedy, yet it also very much wants to be taken seriously via certain subject matter plots/arcs. As someone who generally values consistency over wild swings in tone from scene to scene, it is hard for me to give this anything above a straight-down-the-middle 5/10 stars.

Loses its way at the end

[zehraraza · 5/10 · 25 March 2023]

From being a quirky and edgy kind of show, the finale feels very flat and one dimensional, syrupy sweet and lacking in what made this show unique.

Disappointing ending. And the twist at the end does nothing to save it.

What I liked initially about the show was that it focused on individuals, not groups and couples but by the end everyone has paired up and left the viewers with only the option to cheer them on.

Will I tune in for season 2? Maybe, but only because of the unexpected ending (that does nothing to save the finale but at least adds a little intrigue to an otherwise predictable and boring ending).