We’re rapidly closing in on the end of 2024. It was a year full of big swings on the big and small screen. As the year comes to a close, I’m looking back on series that worked for me that you can now check out in full. Today, it’s my favorite show of the year.
Series: Shrinking
Where to Find It: All 12 episodes of the second season will be streaming on Apple TV+ as of Christmas Day.
What’s It About: This series is an Apple TV+ gem that started in 2023. It comes from Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein, and Jason Segel. That’s a pair of writers and actors from Ted Lasso, and like that show this is a beautiful mix of humor and heart.
The series centers on Jimmy (Segel). He’s a therapist that, as the series picked up, was in the midst of a crisis following the death of his wife. His mentor Paul (Harrison Ford) and friend Gaby (Jessica Williams) tried to keep his head on at work. His friend Brian (Michael Urie) and neighbor Liz (Christa Miller) try to keep him together at home, but Jimmy is spiraling. And it’s taking a toll on his teenage daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxwell).
Most of the first season is about Jimmy getting back on track thanks to his friends and a new client, Sean (Luke Tennie). Sean is a vet with anger issues that needs a break, and Jimmy invites him into his home to help them all start the healing process. The second season picks up with the core characters in a better place until they face an unexpected new challenge.
Why It Makes the List
This series was one of the biggest surprises for me in 2023. It came out in the first part of the year and stuck with me throughout. We had to wait more than a year for it to return, with the series coming back in October to complete its run just before the end of the year. And it returns with a huge arc concerning the driver who hit and killed Jimmy’s wife.
It’s a tough part that could easily go off track, but it’s played by Goldstein, the co-creator who is best known as Roy Kent from Ted Lasso. I was delighted to see Goldstein, who does not disappoint in the role. His back-and-forth with the rest of the cast, and his storyline, is the heart of this second season, generating some of the most beautifully emotional moments throughout the 12-episode run.
What I also love about this show is its ability to go from being incredibly funny to incredibly poignant, often in the same episode. It’s a pure delight and the perfect kind of show that you can binge. If you’ve never tried Shrinking, you’re missing out. This second season is perfect, making it my favorite show of 2024.