How ‘Shrinking’ is Changing Mental Health Portrayals on TV

In recent years, the topic of mental health has been increasingly important, and for good reason. Especially after the pandemic, more and more people have been struggling each year with their mental health. 

Television has always reflected current conversations in society. Slowly but surely, a growing number of shows have begun to integrate discussions of mental health into their plotlines. 

Most of these shows have been dramas, which is why comedies like Shrinking are breaking the mold by making mental health and therapy an accessible subject for everyone. 

The History of Mental Health in TV Shows

Mental health matters, like depression and anxiety, were never really discussed on TV before the 2010s. One of the first shows to really bring this subject into the television world was 13 Reasons Why. 

Since its release, this show has stirred up plenty of controversy, including claims that it sensationalized teen suicide and had harmful messaging about mental illnesses. However, it’s undeniable that this show sparked conversations about mental illnesses and indicated that television shows have the ability to tell stories about mental health. 

Another notable show is In Treatment, a series that follows a therapist working with a series of clients. This series was one of the first shows to provide more visibility into what mental health treatments can look like. 

These dramas have done important work in bringing mental health into conversations on television. Other show genres, namely comedies, are beginning to talk about this subject as well in their own unique ways.

What’s to Laugh About? 

Sitcoms are often viewed as light-hearted shows that can give a good laugh. In reality, they also function as a way of providing social commentary.

Take The Good Place, a hilarious sitcom that also manages to delve into deep philosophies about death. Or Superstore, which addresses retail workers’ rights, and Abbott Elementary, which discusses the important role teachers play in underfunded schools.

Sitcoms are able to discuss all these social issues without being too heavy-handed and keeping viewers engaged. With this in mind, the topic of mental health being addressed in sitcoms has helped start conversations about well-being. 

Many credit Ted Lasso as a comedy-drama that does a great job of discussing how it can be difficult to come to terms with having anxiety and depression. The way the show has highlighted mental health at large, as well as in sports in particular, demonstrates that sitcoms have the potential to help destigmatize talk about mental health.

Comedies about mental health don’t mock those struggling but instead present the topic in an approachable way. Their unique relatability makes the social issues they address seem less intimidating. 

Shrinking’s Revolution

Speaking of Ted Lasso, Brett Goldstein (who plays Roy Kent in the show) is a co-creator, alongside Jason Segel and Bill Lawrence, of the comedy series Shrinking. The show follows grieving therapist Jimmy and his friends as he navigates recovering from the death of his wife. 

While the show’s premise sounds somber, Shrinking has all the laughs of classic comedies while also maintaining space for moments of reflection. The balance between humor and emotional depth is the show’s specialty, making it accessible to a wide audience while addressing difficult topics.

This tonal duality allows the show to resonate with viewers who might feel overwhelmed by stories solely centered around grief or mental health struggles. It also ensures that discussions about mental health feel less intimidating and encourages viewers to engage with the topic openly.

What’s most notable about Shrinking is the show’s approach to therapy. The series also normalizes therapy as a part of everyday life rather than something that’s a last resort.

It emphasizes that seeking help is not a sign of weakness but a courageous step towards personal well-being. 

Therapy is an integral part of the show, as every episode usually shows someone in a therapy session, and also a tool that the characters use to work out their problems. For example, Sean actively works on his anger issues and troubles with his family through his therapy sessions with Jimmy and, later on, Paul. 

By integrating therapy into these characters’ lives, the show cleverly advocates for removing the stigma around seeking help. It frames therapy as a regular and proactive aspect of self-care, much like exercising. 

Furthermore, the show’s depiction of therapy sessions is incredibly nuanced. Rather than presenting quick fixes or overly dramatic breakthroughs and breakdowns, Shrinking highlights the ongoing and sometimes messy nature of mental health work.

This authenticity mirrors the real-life complexities of healing and learning. 

Seeing characters who are therapists and characters in therapy portrayed with nuance and humor is a fresh departure from the serious way mental health is depicted in popular media and dramas. Shrinking humanizes therapy by showing that therapists themselves navigate their own challenges while also helping others.

This layered portrayal of therapists as both professionals and flawed individuals breaks down the misconception that therapists are infallible or detached from the struggles they aim to help their clients overcome. 

Additionally, Shrinking illustrates mental health struggles without judgment. While the main characters, especially Jimmy, go through rough mental health patches and make bad decisions, the show portrays them in an empathetic light.

An example is when Alice begins seeing Connor, even though her best friend Summer is dating him. She engages in this relationship as a way to cope with running into Louis, the man who had been responsible for the car accident that killed her mother.

Later on, she realizes how she’s made a big mistake and actively works to repair her friendship with Summer. She also confronts Louis and, with the help of Jimmy’s friend Brian, finds a way to forgive him instead of holding onto all the anger she used to have toward him. 

Instead of framing these mistakes as failures, the show uses them as opportunities them as opportunities for growth and understanding, emphasizing the nonlinear and deeply personal nature of mental health journeys.

Shrinking emphasizes that mental health isn’t something that is shameful but rather a part of the human experience.  

By using humor and heartfelt storytelling, sitcoms like Shrinking have the unique ability to remind us that addressing mental health openly is not only necessary but also deeply humanizing.

Hopefully, more shows in the future, especially comedies, will continue to explore these themes.

New episodes of Shrinking stream Wednesdays on Apple TV+. 

Follow us on X and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!