Harrison Ford’s Hit Series Roars Back: Season 3 Premieres With a Sky-High Rotten Tomatoes Score

Harrison Ford is back on Apple TV+, and critics are into it. Season 3 of Shrinking just dropped on January 28, and the early word is basically: still funny, surprisingly tender, and maybe even the best the show has been.

Where Season 3 picks up

This year leans hard into the characters growing up and dealing with the real stuff:

Jason Segel’s Jimmy is bracing for his daughter Alice to head off to college. Harrison Ford’s Paul is still navigating life with Parkinson’s. Jessica Williams’ Gaby and their increasingly tight-knit circle are each hit with new personal curveballs. The show keeps widening its focus without losing sight of why these people work together, on screen and in therapy.

The early reviews

Critics are broadly on the same page: the season threads the needle between gut-punch and belly laugh. A few highlights:

• Decider’s Nicole Gallucci says the season’s emotional swings land without tipping into sap, and the jokes are sharp across the board — from one-liners to physical comedy to the occasional musical flourish. She also thinks the finale gives the group a real sense of closure and already wants a Season 4.
• RogerEbert.com’s Brian Tallerico argues the show keeps improving because it invests in the whole ensemble, not just the leads — calling out full-season arcs for Sean (Luke Tennie), Brian (Michael Urie), Liz (Christa Miller), and even Derek (Ted McGinley).
• FandomWire’s Sean Boelman frames Season 3 as warmer and more sentimental than the earlier run, in a good way.
• Collider’s Meredith Loftus thinks the season could function as a proper ending if it had to, praising it for honoring the characters’ journeys and landing in a satisfying place.

'Shrinking is very funny and never maudlin.'

So how’s it doing on Rotten Tomatoes?

Strong out of the gate: Season 3 currently sits at 93% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 reviews. Audience scores on the Popcorn meter aren’t up yet, and since the season just launched, expect some movement as more people catch up.

Bottom line

If you liked Shrinking for the balance it strikes — messy feelings, big laughs, and characters who feel lived-in — the new season doubles down on all of that. And if Apple TV+ decided to stick the landing here, several critics think it would still feel complete. Not a bad place to be three seasons in.