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‘Shrinking’ creator clears the air on Season 4 premise after that reboot confusion: ‘They’re the same…’

The Apple TV series will see a time jump in Season 4 and showcase the fan-favorite characters in a new phase of their lives.

As 'Shrinking' wraps up Season 3 on April 8, the Apple TV series is gearing up for major changes in the fourth season. The comedy drama, co-created by Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, and Brett Goldstein, premiered on the streamer on January 27, 2023. Following three successful seasons, the show was renewed for Season 4 in January of this year, ahead of the Season 3 premiere on January 28. On April 4, Lawrence took to social media to reflect on the past three seasons and inform fans that the next season will head in a new direction. He wrote, "Season finale and end of this three-season story next week. Hope you dig it. (Excited to start a completely new story next year. Feels scary/risky/fun). Thanks for watching. #Shrinking." 

However, fans came to believe that Season 4 of 'Shrinking' would see the show's cast play entirely new characters. However, Lawrence has cleared the confusion by stating that only the three-season arc of grief and forgiveness is ending, and confirmed that the characters, whom fans have come to love and care for, will continue their journey in the same Los Angeles neighborhood. On April 5, he replied to a fan question about whether the same cast will play the same characters in the upcoming season. "This all got weird. lol. My bad. Yeah. They’re the same characters," he wrote on X.  

Lawrence gave more insight while speaking to Variety on April 6, telling the outlet, "I think people will feel when they come back to this show that it’s a completely different story. We feel that the characters of this show have enough stuff going on in their life that we were interested in seeing what a new story for these characters looks like… We’re already deep into the writers room, in the fourth season, so I’m lucky enough to know what happens. And I think people will dig it." He also teased a time jump in Season 4, hinting that fans will meet the characters in a different phase in their lives. "People shouldn’t be surprised if there’s a time jump and it feels like we’re telling a completely different story," he added.

The dramedy is led by Jason Segel as the therapist Jimmy Laird and Harrison Ford as his colleague Dr. Paul Rhoades. Additionally, Christa Miller as Liz Bishop, Jessica Williams as Gaby Evans, Luke Tennie as Sean Mitchell, Michael Urie as Brian Lorenzo, Lukita Maxwell as Alice Laird, and Ted McGinley as Derek Bishop round out the show's main cast. The series puts the spotlight on the therapists and follows Laird as he navigates the loss of his wife and begins reclaiming his life while rebuilding his relationships with his daughter, friends, neighbors, and colleagues. The Season 3 finale of 'Shrinking' will release a few hours earlier than its scheduled time, and fans can watch the episode at 9 p.m. ET on April 7 on Apple TV+.