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Attention, fans of Shrinking! Today marks a significant occasion: it’s Delivery Day for Brian (Michael Urie) and Charlie (Devin Kawaoka), and it’s also Dad Day for Jimmy (Jason Segel).
The third season of Shrinking continues to impress with its remarkable lineup of guest stars, now in its third week. The season premiere featured the acclaimed actor, author, and Parkinson’s advocate Michael J. Fox, who took on the role of Gerry, a Parkinson’s patient who forms a bond with Harrison Ford’s character, Paul. In the second episode, audiences were introduced to Gaby’s new patient, Maya, played by Sherry Cola, and Sean’s former flame, Marisol, portrayed by Isabella Gomez. Episode 3, fittingly titled “D-Day,” finally unveils Jimmy’s father, Randy, brought to life by Emmy winner Jeff Daniels.
The introduction to Randy occurs over a dinner with Jimmy, Alice, and Summer. Alice reveals that it has been ages since she last saw her grandfather, while Jimmy candidly expresses that Randy’s visit was a surprise. Instead of preparing, he humorously admits he would have opted for beer over serving one of Summer’s Black Cherry White Claws had he been forewarned. Randy’s presence is explained by a nearby car show, leaving Jimmy feeling somewhat overlooked. Matters are further complicated when Randy criticizes the baby blue shade on Jimmy’s ’72 vintage Bronco, calls him “Jimbo” despite his dislike for the nickname, and shares with Alice that Jimmy has always struggled with asking girls out.
As the evening progresses, Jimmy visibly retreats into himself, quieter and subdued as old wounds resurface. In stark contrast to Jimmy’s emotional openness, Randy embodies a more traditional, stoic masculinity. Their father-son dynamic, as Brian might describe, is as strained as “Cats: The Musical The Movie” — a comparison that suggests it’s notably tense and uncomfortable. When Alice contemplates inviting Randy to her graduation, Jimmy intervenes, ushering her into the kitchen for a private conversation.
“Hey, you know how I love it when you give me grief, right?” Jimmy begins, acknowledging the complexity of their interactions. “I hate it, but my heart sings when you include me. But with him? I’m glad you guys have a good relationship. I really am. For me, it’s a bit more complicated.”
Alice understands and gives her dad grace. When Randy asks what her question was before he leaves, she puts Jimmy’s feelings first and doesn’t invite her grandpa to graduation. As Jimmy vents about his dad never remembering his birthday on a hike with Paul (Harrison Ford) and Gaby (Jessica Williams) the next day, it’s clear that he and his dad have serious unresolved issues and he’s terrified of getting hurt again.
Despite Randy and Jimmy’s complex relationship, there’s no doubt that Daniels’ has the got the dramatic chops, charm, and humor needed to shine on Shrinking. With nearly 100 IMDb credits to his name and starring roles in everything from films like Dumb and Dumber to series like The Newsroom and A Man in Full, Daniels brings even more star power to the Apple TV comedy. His scenes with Summer were perfect, he believably resembles Jason Segel, and Lukita Maxwell had nothing but praise for her on-screen grandpa in an interview with DECIDER.
“He’s just incredible. He’s a cool guy on set. He walks around with a guitar and then he’ll just be doing a little ditty, and then we go for a take and he’ll crush a scene.”
Lukita Maxwell, Shrinking
“He’s iconic. I remember Jeff Daniels from the first movie I ever saw him in. I was homeschooled and wasn’t allowed to watch a lot of movies, but one of the DVDs on my family DVD shelf was Because of Winn-Dixie. So Jeff Daniels was like one of the first actors that I feel like I knew was like an actor,” Maxwell shared. “He’s just incredible. He’s a cool guy on set. He walks around with a guitar and then he’ll just be doing a little ditty, and then we go for a take and he’ll crush a scene.”
Without spoiling anything, this thankfully isn’t the last time we see Daniels in Shrinking Season 3. So Maxwell left us with the following tease: “Oh my god, watching him and Jason work together? Amazing.”
New episodes of Shrinking Season 3 premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV.