Shrinking Season 3 Delivers a Bittersweet Finale Packed With Heart and Surprising Warmth

Apple TV's 'Shrinking' is back for season 3, and if you’re already a fan, you’ll get exactly what you expect—and probably still love every messy, sentimental minute of it. The third season doesn’t reinvent the show, but it does push its characters toward the exits, and (predictably) gets even mushier in the process.

What’s Up This Season?

Season 3 finds Jimmy (Jason Segel) and his crew dealing with some heavy transitions, and, honestly, so much emotional honesty it can feel like you’re having one long group therapy session. Here’s the rundown:

• Alice (Lukita Maxwell): Jimmy’s daughter, prepping for college—and all the anxiety and bittersweetness that brings.
• Paul (Harrison Ford): Jimmy’s boss and mentor, facing up to his Parkinson’s diagnosis for real this time. Ford takes the character deeper than ever, and it shows.

The big theme this time? Acceptance—whether it’s aging, illness, or just letting your loved ones move on to the next chapter. They’ve always leaned hard into the grief angle, but this year, the ‘letting go’ elements hit especially hard.

Does the Sappiness Work?

Look, the show’s never been shy about its feelings, but season 3 cranks up the 'hey, let’s talk about our emotions out loud for three straight minutes' energy. Sometimes it’s touching, sometimes it feels a little too self-aware—even for a bunch of therapists who process everything out loud.

Story-wise, they’re clearly rushing to close out everyone’s arc, which leads to a bit of that 'final season traffic jam' you see in a lot of shows where big moments pile on at the expense of natural pacing. It generally pays off in the end, but you’ll notice a couple subplots that get shortchanged in the home stretch.

"Although it does ultimately succeed in giving the audience the ending they’ll undoubtedly want, there are some plot points and arcs throughout the season that are sacrificed in favor of getting to the destination."

The Gang’s (Still) All Here – and Then Some

To the show’s credit, most of the original cast is as enjoyable as ever. Segel’s Jimmy still vacillates between likable mess and earnest father. Jessica Williams, Michael Urie, Christa Miller, Ted McGinley—everyone seems completely dialed in. Harrison Ford continues to steal scenes, only getting more nuanced as the series goes. And younger players Lukita Maxwell and Luke Tennie have both seriously grown into their characters.

Guest stars this year are kind of a big deal, too:

• Michael J. Fox: Turns up in a small but meaningful role that, given his real-life Parkinson’s battle, packs a punch. There’s not much screen time (probably for health reasons), but it’s memorable.
• Jeff Daniels: Pops in late season. Solid, but a little too understated for the part—I can’t help but wonder if the role was meant for someone bigger and hammier.
• Sherry Cola: The most surprising addition, taking on a meaty dramatic arc as one of Jessica Williams’ character’s new patients. She’s mostly known for comedy, but here, she dials it back and really nails her emotional moments. It’s a strong, unexpected turn.

Should You Watch?

Yeah, the show leans hard into its heart-on-sleeve style, and each new season seems to double down on both the sentimentality and the slightly-too-perfect emotional openness (Ted Lasso fans, you know the drill). But it’s hard not to get swept up when a show is as honest—and just plain sweet—as this.

Will Shrinking walk away for good after season 3, or will Apple TV pull a Ted Lasso and try to keep the hugs going? For now, plan on one last, earnest, occasionally cheesy ride with this lovable, dysfunctional crew.

Season 3 of 'Shrinking' starts streaming January 28, 2026 on Apple TV, with new episodes every Wednesday. There are 11 episodes in total, and yes, I watched them all.