I'm So Confused About When Shrinking Will End Now. Will It Go On After Season 4?

Jason Segel smiling as Jimmy in Shrinking.
(Image credit: Apple TV)

The end of Shrinking Season 3 was a definitive conclusion to a big chapter. In a lot of ways, it felt like a series finale. However, it wasn’t, as the Apple TV series will continue beyond the 2026 TV schedule. So, now I'm wondering exactly how long the comedy will go on after Season 4. Well, co-creator Bill Lawrence shared his thoughts on the matter.

It’s been common knowledge for a while that the first three seasons of this great Apple TV series would tell one complete story. That’s exactly what we got, too, and Season 3 ended with an episode that felt like it could have been the end. However, Shrinking will very much continue into a Season 4 with the “exact” same cast we’ve come to know and love. So, with that in mind, is there a new multi-season plan in place? While speaking with TV Line, Bill Lawrence opened up about the show's future, saying:

We think about it a lot. I've been really lucky in that I've gotten to be involved in three or four shows that had an end-of-the-story episode. And you always want to nail that, and hopefully it's satisfying. You don't want to overstay your welcome. So right now, we know we have another story to tell, and all we've decided as a writing staff is that — for us anyways, Apple could decide something different — but in our heads, Season 4 isn't the last season, but it definitely feels like five or six will be.

Shrinking has been one of my favorite shows for years, so I’m more than willing to hang out with Jimmy, Paul, Gaby and co. for as long as they’ll have me. However, I also love a plan and never want a series to overstay its welcome. So, this update from Lawrence makes me very happy.

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It would seem that after Season 4 of Shrinking, there will be more. So, it’s likely that we’ll get a Season 5. After that, things are a little more unclear; however, the co-creator did say that the series will probably not go on past Season 6 at the most.

Now, while I have no clue what story they’ll tell in Seasons 4, 5 and potentially 6, Season 3’s end left us with some loose ends I hope they address.

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Shrinking's latest season may be over, but it is coming back. So, you'll want to make sure you have an Apple TV subscription. With it, you can also check out other great comedies like The Studio and Ted Lasso.

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*Here’s your spoiler warning if you haven’t seen the Season 3 finale of Shrinking yet. You can watch it now with an Apple TV subscription. *

For example, Jessica Williams’ Gaby got engaged, and I’d love to see her wedding on screen. I also think her being married would be a fascinating storyline to explore, as she also makes a huge career pivot.

Along with that, Christa Miller’s Liz and Ted McGinley’s Derek will be grandparents soon, and I need to see that happen. Meanwhile, Brian (Michael Urie) and Charlie (Devin Kawaoka) will be raising their little one, Sutton. Jason Segel’s Jimmy will also be entering a new phase of life (potentially with Cobie Smulders' Sofi) now that his daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell) is an adult. So, there’s lots to unpack there.

I’m also curious to see how Harrison Ford’s Paul comes back into the picture after his big move across the country. Plus, since he retired, both Gaby and Jimmy’s jobs are bound to change.

All this is to say, I can see how it’d be easy to keep Shrinking going for a few more seasons. And it sounds like that’s exactly what the plan is; after Season 4, they will likely do at least one more installment. However, it’s always possible it could go on a bit longer, too. As they say, “it’s not over until it’s over.”

Riley Utley
Weekend Editor

Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.

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