‘Shrinking’s Connections to ‘Ted Lasso’ Go Beyond Brett Goldstein’s Involvement
On the surface, the Apple TV+ series Shrinking starring Jason Segel and Harrison Ford doesn’t seem to have any correlation to the streamer’s Ted Lasso, which is slated to return with season 3 in Spring 2023. But behind the scenes, Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence, a co-creator on Ted Lasso, are involved in the new series. Plus, there’s another connection between Ted Lasso and Shrinking — find out what.
‘Shrinking’ is about a therapist and ‘Ted Lasso’s subplot deals with therapy
Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) is a football-turned-soccer coach who keeps his panic attacks a secret. In Ted Lasso Season 1, fans saw one of Ted’s full-fledged panic attacks after he received divorce papers from his then-wife. By episode 11, the Apple TV+ series provided a better understanding of why Ted Lasso is as anxious as he is.
Despite his initial apprehension about talking to a therapist, Ted eventually explained to Dr. Sharon Fieldstone (Sarah Niles) that his father died by suicide when he was 16 years old. That trauma comes to a head in season 1 when Ted has another panic attack before Rebecca’s (Hannah Waddingham) father’s funeral.
Ted’s mental health isn’t the focus of the Apple TV+ series. However, his mental health is at the foreground of the storytelling in Ted Lasso and something fans don’t take lightly.
Similarly, Shrinking is in the same vein as Ted Lasso but touches on therapy more subjectively. Co-creator and star Segel plays James “Jimmy” Laird, a therapist grieving his wife’s death. While struggling to find himself again, Jimmy beings telling his patients precisely what he thinks. His new tactic doesn’t go by the book, but Jimmy ultimately changes people’s lives because of it.
Ford stars alongside Segel as Jimmy’s mentor, Dr. Paul Rhodes. Lukita Maxwell plays Jimmy’s daughter, Alice, and the Shrinking cast also includes Christa Miller, Jessica Williams, Luke Tennie, and Michael Urie.
‘Ted Lasso’s Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence are involved with ‘Shrinking’
Shrinking and Ted Lasso share something else in common aside from touching on mental health. Ted Lasso‘s co-creator Lawrence is involved in the Apple TV+ project, as is Roy Kent actor Goldstein. As Lawrence explained during a Television Critics Association panel: “It is a bit sad but it’s mostly funny” (via Deadline). Lawrence continued:
“We wanted to write a show about grief because the world is a bit of a dumpster fire right now. You can’t meet anybody right now that isn’t at least two or three degrees separated from some sad s*** going on in their lives. My family approaches that through comedy. It’s good actors and writers that can make that authentic.”
Bill Lawrence, TCA
Goldstein is another one of the creators behind Shrinking. Like Ted Lasso, Shrinking has a tone that’s both happy and sad at the same time. As Goldstein said: “People keep asking us about the tone. How can you make something that’s so funny but also sad? But I believe, isn’t that life? That’s our daily existence. It’s always about finding balance.”
When and how to watch Apple TV+’s ‘Shrinking’
The first two episodes of Shrinking premiere on AppleTV+ on Friday, Jan. 27 at 12 a.m. PT/3 a.m. ET. The first season of Shrinking is 10 episodes and will follow the release schedule below:
- Episodes 1 and 2: Jan. 27
- Episode 3: Feb. 3
- Episode 4: Feb. 10
- Episode 5: Feb. 17
- Episode 6: Feb. 24
- Episode 7: Mar. 3
- Episode 8: Mar. 10
- Episode 9: Mar. 17
- Episode 10: Mar. 24
Watch episodes of Shrinking exclusively on AppleTV+. A subscription is needed, but AppleTV+ has a seven-day free trial available to new subscribers. Then it costs $6.99 per month. If you sign up for Apple One, there is a month-long subscription of Apple TV+ available.
