Apple TV Plus is still on a roll with one of its new shows consistently hitting the top 10 list of overall streaming shows as of February 17.
According to Reelgood (opens in new tab), Shrinking (opens in new tab), starring Harrison Ford and Jason Segel, is at number 5 in the list, beating other shows such as Netflix’s returning You (a former megahit for the streaming service) and Peacock’s Yellowstone. HBO’s The Last of Us is still reigning supreme at number 1.
After months of Apple TV shows not even breaking into the top 10, it’s a welcome surprise to see Ford’s debut on the streaming service arrive as a home run, and it’s already a strong contender to feature on our best Apple TV Plus shows list for 2023.
This doesn’t belong in a museum
For those not aware, Shrinking involves a grieving therapist, played by Segel, who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. While ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge changes to people’s lives, including his own.
With its fifth episode already airing, the series is halfway through its run, with the finale scheduled to air on Apple’s service on Friday, March 24.
The reviews for it have been mostly positive, with outlets like The Guardian (opens in new tab) singling Ford out for “his dry delivery of Paul’s acerbic one-liners and verdicts on his younger colleagues’ antics” which “provide a much-needed counterpoint to the schmaltz that often threatens to overwhelm. [His] gravitas grounds a show whose fluffy pieces could otherwise easily float away.”
With this in mind, it’s no surprise that the quality of Shrinking, combined with Ford’s star presence, has been mostly responsible for its high ranking in Reelgood’sd (opens in new tab) list. Don’t be surprised if we hear confirmation of a second series being in development soon.