Season 3 of Shrinking picks up several months after Season 2's emotional finale. Jimmy is more stable, Paul is managing his health, and the practice is thriving. Of course, this being Shrinking, that stability is about to be tested in the most human ways possible.
Let's dive into the premiere.
Jimmy's New Normal
The premiere opens with Jimmy in session, and immediately we see he's different. More measured, more thoughtful—but still unmistakably Jimmy. When a patient asks for his honest opinion, he pauses. Season 1 Jimmy would have given it instantly. Season 3 Jimmy considers what the patient actually needs.
"You want my honest opinion, or you want the opinion that helps?" he asks. The patient is surprised by the question. So are we.
This evolution anchors the season's central tension: can Jimmy maintain his growth when new pressures emerge? The premiere wastes no time introducing those pressures.
Paul's Health Update
Paul's Parkinson's progression has been the show's most delicate thread, and Season 3 handles it with characteristic grace. The experimental treatment from Season 2 has helped, but it's not a miracle. Paul's tremors are less frequent but still present. His fatigue is managed but real.
The premiere's strongest scene is Paul alone in his office, hands shaking, unable to write a simple note. Harrison Ford plays the frustration and acceptance simultaneously—a master class in understated acting.
Later, Paul admits to Jimmy that he's considering reducing his patient load. "I'm not the therapist I was," he says. Jimmy's response—"You're the therapist they need"—is touching but Paul isn't convinced.
Alice's Senior Year
Alice is preparing for college applications, and the show uses this to explore Jimmy's growth as a father. He's supportive without being smothering, present without being controlling. The contrast with Season 1—when he could barely function—is stark.
A subplot about Alice considering staying local for college to help Jimmy raises interesting questions. Is she making choices based on her own desires, or on guilt? Jimmy, in a moment of real parenting, tells her to apply wherever she wants. "Your job isn't to take care of me," he says. "That was never your job."
It's the kind of scene that shows how far both characters have come.
The Season's Conflicts Emerge
The premiere establishes several season-long threads:
Professional challenge: A new therapy practice is opening nearby, and their aggressive marketing is stealing clients. How the team responds will test their values.
Personal challenge: Jimmy learns that his late wife's family wants to visit. Navigating that relationship while maintaining his mental health is complicated.
Health challenge: Paul's mention of succession planning suggests the season will explore what happens to the practice long-term.
Relationship challenge: Gaby's career success is creating tension with her personal life. Something has to give.
Rating: 4/5 stars - A strong premiere that honors what came before while promising new depth ahead.