Shrinking Season 3 Episode 2 “Happiness Mission” Review

In the heartfelt follow up to the Season 3 opener of Apple TV’s wonder hit, “Shrinking,” the ensemble comedy-drama series’ writers continue to artfully weave themes of loss, healing, and relationships into a mosaic of irreverent humor and emotional warmth. Set against the backdrop of the quirky dynamics and charming chaos of a decidedly diverse friend group brought together by death, the story brilliantly showcases each week how this band of perfectly imperfect neighbors, friends, and family redefine what it means to show up for each other.

Such is the premise of “Happiness Mission,” Episode 2 of this third season of the series,  starring Jason Segel, Harrison Ford, and Jessica Williams. As Jimmy Laird (Segel) and friends confront each other’s issues each week (and there are many for people whose lives are mired in mental health), we see the characters wrestling with the sense of being "stuck" in their lives. The portrayal of this struggle resonates, especially through Jimmy, whose made incredible strides to move through the loss of his beloved wife, Tia, but admittedly, not ready to take that next step to open himself to someone new, which comes in the form of his quirky neighbor, Sofi, played by Colbie Smolders. 

Best known for her portrayal of high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Smolders plays the self-doubting Sofi, with her own anxiety lurking beneath her bubbly exterior, reminding us that our middle school selves are not often left that far in the past. While we find ourselves rooting for these two, there could be some co-dependency in this potential situationship. 

The episode opens with the characters planning how they will help Dr. Paul Rhoades (Ford), senior therapist and everyone’s mentor, adjust his life schedule as his Parkinson’s disease progresses. With little direct input, himself, Paul stands by as his friends and fiancé coordinate the comings and goings of his daily life. Each member of his self-appointed entourage  – from the overly enthusiastic fellow therapist, Dr. Gabi (Williams), to the no-nonsense neighbor, Liz, played by Christa Miller, and her goofy, but lovable husband, Derek (Ted McGinley) — step in to help Paul face his ever-growing challenges. 

Once only limited by his physical capacity, the disease has since graduated to his mental proficiency, most notably through hallucinations. Through clever writing and well-timed comedic beats, the narrative cleverly balances the heavy themes with lighthearted moments, ensuring a fast-paced 35 minutes that remains engaging and even uplifting.

Much of the episode centers around the supportive friends and compadres’ concerted efforts to help Paul navigate his daily life. Made all the more complicated when Liz is tasked with being the keeper of Paul’s calendar — a role she relishes in — less for the pomp and circumstance and more for the infinite power to tell the often controlled Yoda-like Paul what to do next. Yeah, I went there. 

The tables are turned when Paul counsels Liz and Derek on coddling their adult son — to the point said son has boomeranged back home, yet again, after another job loss. As the quintessential lawn mower parents, plowing down every problem Matthew has had well into his young adult life, Liz and Derek’s well-intentioned efforts to help their son has kept him forever tethered to them (and their couch). When Paul later helps Derek understand how his actions in the present might actually have their roots in his own parental past, Derek pulls on his big boy pants to find the courage to take a tough love step with his son. Paul is not without his own win here, as he finds the fire remains for the work he does. Parkinson’s has not yet extinguished that desire. 

One of the standout plot-lines of the episode revolves around the theme of forgiveness. Williams’ Dr. Gabi, who often preaches the “let them” philosophy so readily to her friends and patients, appears to be the one who has the most difficult time moving passed the loss of her best friend, Tia. The feeling comes to a head when she repeatedly sees Jimmy (Segel) and his daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell) allowing Louis to find a comfortable room in their lives — the very man who was behind the wheel of the car that took her BFF’s life. To see Jimmy and Alice consciously help Louis work through his own feelings of loss surrounding his former girlfriend, finding a measure of peace and acceptance, and even forgiveness, in the face of the man who upended all of their lives, gives the episode, dare I say, the series, its most powerful scene, to date.

Through a tear-stained monologue, Gabi confronts Louis in the home that once carried Tia’s light, laying out in painful detail why his presence in her life and that her family of friends has further been insulted by his wallow in self-pity and refusal to accept his second chance at living his life. With a face and demeanor anchored by the weight of that fateful night, Brett Goldstein’s portrayal of the reserved and reflective Louis is quite the departure from his character of the brash, intense, and intimidating Roy Kent of Ted Lasso fame. And, like that previous Apple streaming series, Goldstein also serves a co-executive producer for Shrinking.

The show’s backdrop—a community of friends who embrace each other's quirks—acts as a character in its own right, accentuating the importance of support systems in the healing journey. The ensemble cast vividly plays off each other’s strengths, providing comic relief while also prompting deeper reflections on their struggles. Underlying this humor is a gentle reminder that mental health is a collective issue that requires understanding, patience, and love."Happiness Mission” is a beautifully crafted episode that resonates with anyone who has ever felt lost or bogged down by life's curveballs. While healing can be a messy, winding road, moving forward is always possible, especially with a supportive tribe at your side — those no-judgement people who show up at any hour just as they are, even if its in barely-there gym shorts. Yeah, we see you Brian!

Also starring Luke Tennie, Michael Urie, and Wendy Malik, Shrinking drops new episodes each Wednesday on Apple TV+ through April 8.

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