2 weeks Ago By Subhash K Jha
Why is that maestro of movie acting Harrison Ford always playing gruff characters? In Season 2 of Shrinking, which is now streaming on Apple TV+, Harrison(whom not many producers can Ford) plays a psychiatrist Dr Paul Rhoades who never, errrr, shrinks from his duties. But he knows where to draw a line in the doctor-patient relationship, quite unlike his colleague Jaison Lard(Jason Segel) who after losing his wife in a car accident, follows his patients into the bedroom, in a manner of speaking.He crosses ethical lines by prying into their lives.
The two doctors form the core point of this uncontrollably paced but never rudderless series where the doctors and their family come together in domestic as well as professional conflicts. The plot is hot and overwrought but never short of breath. Some of the subplots, like one of the patients with a daddy issue, didn’t work for me.
But then the fall-out of failure is also a big part of the series. The writers Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence push the characters to become better versions of themselves. And when they(the characters) fail to do so, the writing lets them move to their own groove.
ALSO READ: Himesh Patel, Lily James Whip Up A Nefarious Storm In Greedy People I have not seen a better assemblage of competent actors putting their best ‘feat’ forward in any American series lately. Unlike the characters they play, every actor manages to be the best version of him or herself. Yes, this cast had a blast.
Harrison Ford of course is a chronic scenestealer. His character’s sullen response to his girlfriend(Wendie Mallick) had me in splits. Jason Segel who is one of the producers of the show, gives himself a role with bite.
Segel is just one of the many charming assets of this illimitable appealing series. Other stand-out performances are by Christa Miller and Jessica Williams. While the former, playing Jaison’s intrusive imposing neighbour is an agreeable handful, the latter playing the third shrink in this expanded narrative is a woman in charge who doesn’t mind crossing borders with the men in the series.
Michael Uri as the gay character Brian is another interesting presence. But why do gay characters always have to be so over-emotional and theatrical? Brian is almost like the comic relief , which is not what he should be. Restrain may not be the order of the day.
Somehow the series exercises a control over the characters even if they don’t over themselves. It is a constructive chaos out there, affordably high-maintenance and austerely glossy. For those of us who hadn’t seen Season 1, season 2 takes time to unravel the inter-relationships.
Without over-explaining the raison d’etre of the characters, Shrinking will have you hooked till the end. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Web Series, Entertainment News and around the world..
