For a multitude of reasons, my dream guest star for Shrinking has always been Michael J. Fox. So, when it was announced that Fox would be joining Shrinking in Season 3, I properly freaked out. Now, I’m overwhelmed with anticipation and hope that new episodes might premiere on the 2025 TV schedule. So, as we wait for those and to see who he plays, I’ve been thinking a lot about the possibilities, and these are three of the ideas I’ve come up with.
Michael J. Fox Could Be A Mentor For Harrison Ford’s Character, Paul
This feels like the most obvious way to include Michael J. Fox in the show. Paul, Harrison Ford’s character, is learning to live with his Parkinson’s, and it’s been implied that it’s going to get harder for him. So, it would be meaningful to see the Family Ties actor play a mentor to him.
It’s no secret that Fox’s own journey with Parkinson’s has impacted how the disease has been represented on Shrinking. The show’s co-creator, Bill Lawrence, worked closely with the Back to the Future actor on Spin City and cast him as a guest star on Scrubs. During a conversation with People, he noted that Fox was his “first mentor,” and that relationship helped them depict living with Parkinson’s in an “inspiring” way.
Knowing that and knowing how much positive light Fox has helped shine on Parkinson’s, it’d make a lot of sense if he played Paul's mentor. Maybe he leads a support group. Maybe he’s a friend of a friend whom Paul befriends to learn more about living with the disease.
I feel like this would be a super meaningful and direct way to incorporate Fox into Season 3 of Shrinking. Plus, it’d mean we would see him and Ford sharing scenes, and that’d just be a dream come true.
Maybe Michael J. Fox Will Play A Therapist
The last time we saw Fox act on screen was on The Good Fight in 2020, as he reprised his role of Louis Canning. He first played the lawyer while guest-starring on The Good Wife, and seeing him go toe-to-toe with the other attorneys on the show was always really fun. So, with that in mind, it could be entertaining to see him in the same occupation as many of the characters on Shrinking.
This would open a door for him to work with Ford, Jason Segel and Jessica Williams at the very least, seeing as they’re the three therapists on the show. Then, hopefully, it could open the door for him to potentially therapize and interact with the other members of the iconic Shrinking cast.
I Wonder If Michael J. Fox’s Character Could Be Related To Jimmy Or Liz
My final guess, and this feels like a stretch, is that the Family Ties star could be introduced onto this show as a relative of Jimmy or Liz. We know Jeff Daniels has been cast in Season 3 to play Jimmy’s dad, and it’d be nice to meet other members of these characters’ families.
I’d love to see Christa Miller -- who plays Liz, is married to Bill Lawrence, and was on Scrubs -- share some scenes with Fox. I also think their quick wit would complement each other quite well.
It’d be entertaining to see how Jimmy interacts with Fox’s character, too, especially if they’re related somehow.
Obviously, all of these are just guesses, and we’ll find out who the actor is playing when we’re finally able to watch Season 3 of Shrinking with that handy Apple TV+ subscription. Considering how shocking Brett Goldstein’s role was in Season 2, I’m sure they’ve created a meaningful and surprising character for Michael J. Fox. So, I truly cannot wait to see him return to the screen in this beloved comedy.
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