Grab a fedora to celebrate.
The creators behind “Shrinking” always envisioned just three seasons, but Bill Lawrence wouldn’t mind more time with Jimmy (Jason Segel) and the gang.
“Why you know something? Because if someone wants to do a Season 4, tell them I said yes. Just say it. Just put it out there,” he exclusively told The Post. “Let’s put it out there.”
The Apple TV+ comedy debuted in January 2023. The Season 2 series finale airs on Wednesday and it’s already been picked up for a third season.
Bill Lawrence speaking exclusively with the New York Post in September 2024. New York Post
Harrison Ford (left) and Jason Segel in “Shrinking” Season 2. Apple TV+
“The cool thing is I find — and this is an answer I haven’t given anybody yet — when you pitch a streaming show, the reason I pitch three seasons is that’s about as far ahead as I can see. And Brett and Jason, as we can see and we all very distinctly knew, the first season was about grief,” Lawrence, 55, explained. “The second season was about forgiveness because we knew a character that was coming in. And the third season was about moving forward. We had very specific ideas of beginning, middle and end of the story.”
Lawrence, star Segel, 44, and Brett Goldstein co-created the series, following Lawrence and Goldstein’s “Ted Lasso” success. Goldstein, 44, joined Season 2 as Louis, the drunk driver in the accident that killed Jimmy’s wife, Tia (Lilan Bowden). As viewers learn more of the tragic backstory, Jimmy also finds out that his daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxwell), has befriended Louis.
Lawrence attends the LA premiere of “Shrinking” Season 2 on Oct. 8, 2024. FilmMagic
“If you’ve gone through some kind of catastrophic event with your family or friends, and we’re all kind of just a couple of steps removed from that, there’s no moving forward until you kind of get over that forgiveness hurdle,” Lawrence told The Post.
“And I think sometimes that could be just a daughter forgiving her father for dropping the ball during the worst year of her life. But it’s not always forgiving to someone else. Sometimes that means forgiving yourself,” he went on. “The second that you know who Brett is playing on the show, I think the theme of the year becomes crystal clear. And that’s not to say everybody can do it. Some of the saddest things in my family are rifts that still exist.”
Lukita Maxwell (left) and Jessica Williams in “Shrinking,” now streaming on Apple TV+. Apple TV+
Williams (from left), Ford and Segel attend the Season 2 premiere of “Shrinking” in October 2024. REUTERS
“Shrinking” also stars Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Ted McGinley, Luke Tennie, Michael Urie and “Scrubs” alum Christa Miller, who has been married to Lawrence since 1999.
For Lawrence, not holding actors to multiple seasons has proven to be beneficial.
Christa Miller (from left), Williams, Maxwell and Damon Wayans Jr. in “Shrinking.” Apple TV+
The cast of “Shrinking” promoting Season 2 in West Hollywood in October 2024. AppleTV+ via Getty Images
“On the business side of it, it enables you as a creator to go to actors and actresses like Jessica Williams, Harrison Ford, Jason Segel, my wife, all the whole cast and go, ‘No, you’re not committing to eight years,’” he explained. “Back in the network days, you’re committing to three seasons and we’re going to tell this story.
“And if we’re having a great time, we’ll keep moving forward. But if it feels like the end in a very cool way, you feel good that you told the story you set out to,” he went on. “I’m having too much fun.”
“Shrinking” Season 2 finale airs on Apple TV+ Wednesday.
