Shrinking Season 3 is currently in production, and many of the details are being kept underwaps. What has been confirmed, however, is that the upcoming season will mark Michael J. Fox’s return to acting. Not too much information has been shared in regard to the Emmy winner’s role, though there’s been rumor for plenty of speculation on Fox’s character. Now, series co-creator Bill Lawrence is giving fans a taste of what they can expect from his former collaborator’s presence on the show, and I’m relieved for one particular reason.
For some time now, Michael J. Fox has discussed his decision to step away from regular acting due to the fact that he has Parkinson’s Disease. So it was a pleasant surprise when it was reported that he’d be getting back in the game for Shrinking. Of course, even after that confirmation there was still a question of how big his role would be. Well, as Bill Lawrence revealed to TVLine, Fox’s involvement amounts to more than a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo:
It’s not just a walk-by. He ended up being in two or three [episodes], and it’s significant. He has a real character, a real role in Harrison Ford’s character’s life, and it was really fun to do.
To say that I’m delighted to find out that the Growing Pains icon will appear on multiple episodes of the therapy-centered dramedy series would be an understatement. Surely, I assumed that Fox’s health would have to be taken into consideration upon his casting, so the possibility of his role being small was definitely significant. As someone who’s long been a fan of the Canadian actor, this is all music to my ears.
Bill Lawrence and Michael J. Fox have history, as the two worked together on the hit sitcom Spin City. Fox ultimately left the show after the fourth season to spend more time with his family amid his Parkinson’s diagnosis and inform the public on the disease. In 2024, Lawrence admitted that Fox’s experiences with the medical condition influenced how he approached its depiction on Shrinking. (Harrison Ford’s character, Paul Rhodes, has it.) Lawrence shared more details on how the disease relates to Fox’s character:
On a show that deals with Parkinson’s, and has a character that regularly sees a neurologist for treatment of his Parkinson’s, it was easy to have Mike play an actual character with the condition. He is playing someone who is 100% not him — both in how he reacts to it, and how he deals with it — but he can still play his character’s truth better than anyone else could.
Michael J. Fox isn’t the only newcomer headed to Season 3 of Shrinking. Jeff Daniels is joining the already-stellar ensemble and is playing the estranged father of Jason Segel’s Jimmy Laird. Fans will also see more of Cobie Smulders’ Sofi, who may or may not form some kind of bond with Jimmy. I’m excited for what lies ahead within the new episodes, especially now that I know Fox will show up on multiple episodes.
For now, stream the first two seasons of Shrinking using an Apple TV+ subscription. That same membership will also grant users access to the critically acclaimed documentary Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie.
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