Home›Guides›Should Christians Watch Shrinking?

Should Christians Watch Shrinking?

Name: GodlyScore Review: Should Christians Watch Shrinking?
Item: Shrinking
Rating: 2.8
Author: GodlyScore

Shrinking became one of Apple TV+'s most beloved original series when it premiered in 2023. Starring Jason Segel as a grieving therapist who starts telling his patients the truth, and Harrison Ford as his curmudgeonly mentor, it is one of the warmest and most genuinely funny shows available on streaming. It also has specific content elements that require honest assessment.

GODLY

Shrinking

Mixed

★★★☆☆2.8/5 · GodlyScore 55/100

Exceptionally warm comedy about grief and community — moderate profanity and some sexual content, but genuine virtue in its themes of friendship and healing.

View Full Score →

What Makes Shrinking Special

Shrinking is, at its heart, a show about what happens when broken people choose to let other broken people into their lives. Jimmy (Jason Segel) is a year into grieving his wife's death, not functioning well as a father or therapist. By breaking the rules of therapy — telling a patient to leave her abusive husband, befriending another patient who becomes a surrogate older brother figure — he starts actually helping people.

The show's central thesis is that genuine community — messy, boundary-crossing, sacrificial friendship — is healing in ways that professional distance cannot be. This is deeply compatible with the biblical understanding of the body of Christ as a community that bears one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2). The show's warmth comes from genuine depictions of people choosing to show up for each other.

Harrison Ford's Dr. Paul Rhoades — a legendary therapist dealing with his own Parkinson's diagnosis — gives the show its emotional anchor. His character arc is one of television's most moving recent portrayals of late-life vulnerability and the courage to accept help.

Content Assessment

Shrinking contains regular profanity throughout — this is the primary content concern and is consistent across both seasons. Sexual content is present in the form of adult romantic relationships depicted without explicit scenes. There is no occult content, minimal violence, and no anti-Christian messaging.

The show's worldview is secular humanist rather than Christian — healing comes from community, honesty, and personal growth rather than from God. This is not hostile to Christianity but simply does not engage with it.

Comparison to Ted Lasso

Shrinking was created by the Ted Lasso team and occupies similar emotional territory — warm, character-driven, focused on growth and community. It is slightly more adult in content profile (more profanity, slightly more sexual content) than Ted Lasso. Christians who enjoyed Ted Lasso will find Shrinking comparable in tone with similar content caveats.

The Verdict

Shrinking is one of the genuinely warmer and more virtue-affirming shows in mainstream streaming. Its content concerns are primarily the regular profanity rather than more serious issues. Adult Christians who can engage with the language will find genuine warmth, excellent performances, and themes of community and healing that resonate with Christian values.

Content Breakdown for Christian Viewers

GodlyScore evaluates every show across nine signal categories grounded in Scripture: profanity (Ephesians 4:29), sexual content (1 Corinthians 6:18-20), violence (Psalm 11:5), LGBT normalization (Romans 1:24-27), spiritual darkness (Ephesians 5:11), glorification of sin (Romans 1:32), deception mechanics (Proverbs 12:22), virtue strength (Philippians 4:8), and redemption arc. The score reflects not just whether content is present but how it's framed — depicted critically, neutrally, or as aspirational. Shrinking scores see full guide.

How to Find Alternatives

See our Christian TV Reviews hub for comparisons. For episode-level content breakdowns, Plugged In and Common Sense Media complement GodlyScore's biblical framework. Age recommendation: older teenagers and adults.

Frequently Asked Questions

should-christians-watch-shrinking?

Shrinking contains regular profanity throughout and some adult romantic content. It is not appropriate for young children. Mature adults can watch with awareness of the language. The themes — grief, community, genuine friendship — are compatible with Christian values.

How does Shrinking compare to Ted Lasso?

Both were created by the same team and share emotional warmth, humor, and focus on character growth. Shrinking is slightly more adult in content profile with more consistent profanity. Both are in the Mixed/Caution range for Christian discernment purposes.

Is Shrinking Season 2 as good as Season 1?

Shrinking Season 2 (2024) maintained the warm character dynamics of Season 1 with some deepening of storylines. Harrison Ford's storyline in particular was praised for its emotional honesty. The content profile is consistent with Season 1.

What is Shrinking on Apple TV+ about?

Shrinking follows Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel), a grieving therapist who starts breaking therapeutic rules by telling his patients exactly what he thinks. The show explores grief, friendship, and the healing that comes from genuine community, anchored by Harrison Ford's performance as Jimmy's mentor Dr. Paul Rhoades.