Season 2 of Shrinking has introduced some fresh faces, including a new love interest for Jessica Williams’ character, Gaby. Damon Wayans Jr. made his debut in the Apple TV+ comedy during episode 4, titled “Made You Look.”
In the episode, Gaby reacts with excitement when Ted McGinley’s character, Derek, offers words of encouragement to Michael Urie’s Brian, alongside Christa Miller’s Liz. “Aww, I want a Derek,” Gaby says. Moments later, Derek’s new version, “Derek 2.0,” enters the scene, prompting Brian to introduce him as an old friend from a previous job.
Williams, 35, humorously commented on the character’s name, calling it “really stupid.” She laughed, “That’s stupid. It’s really stupid! I love it. Yeah, it’s great. It’s really great. He’s the best. This season is a delight. He’s also really funny and he’s just like, ‘What do you want to do? Let’s do it. Let’s go.’”
Gaby’s new romantic storyline was introduced after she ended a complicated friends-with-benefits relationship with Jimmy (Jason Segel).
Reflecting on her time working with Segel, Williams shared, “I love working with Jason. He’s like my favorite person to work with. He’s a very giving actor, very thoughtful, and just down to play.” She also discussed the joy of collaborating with other cast members like Michael Urie, saying, “My love language is spending time with people and giving a joke, then listening and responding. I like that with all the actors. Michael Urie is really good at it, and Jason’s really great about that. It’s my favorite thing.”
Shrinking was renewed for a third season in October, and creator Bill Lawrence has hinted that the series may continue beyond that. Lawrence, who has always planned for the show to have three chapters, noted that Season 2 explores themes of forgiveness. While he envisions a natural ending after Season 3, he’s open to a possible fourth season if the opportunity arises.
Season 2 also brought on Brett Goldstein as Louis, a new character who plays a pivotal role in the show’s emotional storyline. It is revealed that Louis was the drunk driver involved in the accident that killed Jimmy’s wife, Tia (Lilan Bowden). This revelation deepens the ongoing exploration of grief and forgiveness, central to the season’s theme.
Lawrence shared that the idea of forgiveness was inspired by personal experiences, saying, “If you’ve gone through some kind of catastrophic event with your family or friends… there’s no moving forward until you kind of get over that forgiveness hurdle.” He added, “Sometimes that means forgiving yourself, not just someone else.”
As Jimmy and his daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell) continue to process Tia’s death, their relationship with Louis evolves, leading to tensions when Jimmy secretly warns Louis to stay away from Alice.
The ensemble cast of Shrinking includes Harrison Ford, Luke Tennie, Devin Kawaoka, Rachel Stubington, and Wendie Malick.
For Williams, working with the cast continues to be a rewarding experience. She told the Post, “It just feels like playing. Even when our characters are arguing, it’s really fun. There are no boundaries.” She added, “I like the joy of working. I like when it feels like I’m having fun because that’s Gaby. Now that we understand the dynamics from season one, we get to do it even more. It’s really sweet.”
