Shrinking is a very, very good show. Funny, surprising, warm-hearted. The only thing keeping it from being a truly great show is a tendency for that warm-heartedness to verge into earnest, almost maudlin territory. But it doesn't do that very often, thankfully. Instead we get heaping servings of Jason Segal's doughy likability, Harrison Ford's grumpy charisma, and almost just the right amount of Christa Miller's quirky appeal. Along with a cast of broken and yet undaunted supporting characters, the story of Jimmy (Segal) navigating the loss of his wife, descending into wallowing grief, parenting woes, and trying to right the ship of his professional life as a therapist is a rich tapestry explored with great relish.
And then there's Derek.
Christa Miller plays Liz, Jimmy's nosy, boundary-free neighbor, with three sons and all too often Jimmy's daughter Alice. Liz is a hoot when she's not a drag. Derek is her husband, the chill, almost louche yin to her hyper, needy yang. Derek lives a largely unruffled life, knowing his role is to be the emotional anchor for his flighty wife and their rambunctious boys, and - here's the best part - Derek is fresh out of fucks. He is genuine, authentic, loyal, and ineffably sweet. He loves his family, his friends, and his life. He simply makes no allowance for things he doesn't care about, and goes his merry way. It's inspiring to watch.
That Derek is portrayed by Ted McGinley, best known for his portrayal of lazy Bundy neighbor Jefferson D'Arcy, makes his character all the more delectable. This is an actor with range, giving us his best performance in a densely-packed ensemble piece. Eat a dick, Pam.
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