Entertainment
‘Shrinking’ Season 2 Just Dropped a Bombshell Twist That Changes Everything for Liz and Derek
[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for Season 3 of Shrinking.]
Summary
In Season 3 of the Apple TV series Shrinking, Liz (Christa Miller) and Derek (Ted McGinley) have had a few things to work out, between their sons’ life decisions, Derek’s health scare, a visit from Liz’s cranky mother-in-law (Candice Bergen), being part of the support system to get Alice (Lukita Maxwell) off to college, and a desire to help with Brian’s (Michael Urie) newborn. Through it all, the love Liz and Derek have for each other always shines through, even more so after realizing how precious life truly is. And while they might see their next chapter becoming grandparents a little differently, they also know that they can find their way through together.
During this interview with Collider, co-stars Miller and McGinley discussed how Derek’s health scare changed things, the honor of working with Bergen, whether Derek’s mother might be let into the house again sometime, Liz’s loyalty to her friends, the fun of finding the comedic beats with this cast, Derek’s awkward balcony behavior, their reactions to becoming grandparents, and what Derek and Liz’s trip could entail.
Collider: I love Derek, and I want Derek to be my neighbor and friend.
TED McGINLEY: Thank you so much. By the way, I want Derek to be my neighbor too. He would be a great neighbor. But he would peek, so you’d better keep your windows closed. He does have that issue.
Liz and Derek Love Each Other Through All Their Imperfections in ‘Shrinking’ Season 3
“She comes around to making some compromises in their marriage.”
Derek has a little bit of a health scare this season. What is that like for him to deal with, and how is that for Liz to handle?
McGINLEY: What was really beautiful this season, when Derek has the health scare, is that Liz is very tough. She has a really tough, fast-moving exterior. But in that moment, you saw how much she needed Derek, and you saw what Derek really means to her. Derek understands that underneath that tough exterior is this loving, beautiful, kind, sweet little girl who doesn’t want to get hurt and who is capable of real love. I thought it was beautiful to see that this season. You see why they need each other, and then you see how their boys fit into their world. I just thought it was so cool and layered and sweet and real. They’re so fallible and so imperfect, like all these characters. I think that’s why so many people respond to this show. There’s not a single perfect character.
CHRISTA MILLER: When I was working on it, I thought, “This is a blessing in disguise for Liz.” She’s been searching and trying to figure out what she’s going to do. She’s an empty-nester and she’s lonely. And then, in front of her, she has this handsome, sexy husband, and I think they have a fantastic sex life, who she laughs with and who she loves. I think it’s a realization for her that that relationship is so important to her. I think she comes around to making some compromises in their marriage and realizing that it really was a blessing in disguise.
Ted, because of Derek’s health scare, we get to see Candice Bergen as Derek’s mother in episode seven. What was that like to navigate?
McGINLEY: I thought it was funny that they went there with the writing because we’ve set up what that relationship is with Liz and Derek’s mom. The genius of these writers is that nothing happens by accident on this show. They are so smart. When Candice Bergen was cast as my mom, that’s TV royalty. That’s Hollywood royalty. She’s a master class, and she is the embodiment of class. It was pretty exciting to have her come on, and it was really fun. Christa [Miller] and Candice knew each other a little beforehand, I think, so they’ve had some history. It was fun to watch. And they went right into it. It was like watching a jousting match from two feet away. I loved it. It was brilliant.
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Will this be the last we see of Jimmy and his found family?
Christa, how does it feel to be called Elizabitch by Candice Bergen? Is it just an honor to have her call you any name?
MILLER: Oh, my God. When I found out that she was going to come play Ted’s mother, there had been a buildup to it. We referenced it in the first two seasons that I loathe her and I don’t let her stay in my house. I don’t let her within a hundred feet of my house. And because of this situation, she has to come and stay in the house. It was the most fun. You feel so alive. Sometimes in acting, you feel like you don’t even remember what’s happening because you can’t even describe it. You’re so in the flow. And that happened with Candice. I remember the first scene I had with her, all the writers came in, and they were all looking at the scenes, and I could hear them laughing. I went, “They’re not going to be able to use it if you just keep laughing off set.”
The moment in episode seven when Derek runs away from home to get his wife and his mother to stop fighting brought Liz and his mother together to talk it out. The visual of the two of you sitting side by side, both in button-down shirts and pants and you both have hats on is hilarious, but you also share a moment of real understanding together. How did you feel about that moment? Do you think it actually changed anything between them after that?
MILLER: I don’t know. I really don’t know. I know that it was great to be able to have a sense of understanding with her. At the end, they still had a little friction, but I think that she probably would be allowed to come to the house again. I think she’d be allowed to be in the house. That rule might be thrown out the window. I don’t know. I’m not sure.
Christa Miller Is a Different Kind of Parent Than Her ‘Shrinking’ Character Liz
“No matter what you do, you’re going to make mistakes as a parent.”
Liz has raised her boys, she’s helped with Alice, and she’s helping with Brian’s newborn, but things aren’t going quite as well, now that her sons are young men. How does she feel about her sons, about where they’re at, and about how she’s handling things with them? Is it particularly frustrating for her to not be able to get through to them in the same way that she gets through to everybody else?
MILLER: She has so many plates spinning this season. It starts out that she’s the mom with Brian’s baby and knows everything about everything and raised her kids perfectly. She was the helicopter mom and did all of these things, but you just don’t know what’s going to happen with your kids. And then, she makes a terrible parenting mistake that her son won’t let her repair. For Liz, I think she feels like she’s going to die. Liz and I are so different. For me, if my kid does something bratty, and then they’re calling me, I’m like, “You can stew for a couple hours.” Liz would never do that. No matter what you do, you’re going to make mistakes as a parent. I don’t think Liz ever thought she made one mistake as a parent, ever.
Ted, how does Derek feel about how their sons are doing this season? Between Will, Matt and Connor, do you see pieces of Derek in each of them? Do you feel like he more closely identifies with one over the others?
McGINLEY: It’s funny, there’s a lot of Derek in Matthew because Matthew is a very open soul. You see him change this season, and that’s when I really saw a lot of Derek in Matthew. Will is very driven and on it. Will is a force. He’s got a lot of Liz in him. All three boys are, at the root, great people. They’re good human beings. Their foundation is great. I think they’re going to be fine. Liz has been the tough love and Derek has always been their buddy to throw the football with and talk it out. But what Derek has learned is that sometimes you’ve got to be like, “No, that’s enough. We’ve got to move forward. Derek had to man up, and he learned as well as Matthew that there are times you just have to stand up and say, “It’s time for a change.”
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Luke Tennie also talks about his roles in ‘Abbott Elementary’ and ‘The Pitt,’ and his experience working on all three series.
Christa, in episode nine, Liz barges into Paul’s office to yell at him about Gaby. What do you love most about the friendship that they have? And what is it also like to be able to just barge into Harrison Ford’s office and yell at him?
MILLER: I get the scripts, and I’m like, “What are you doing?,” which makes it so fun. She just thinks she can say and do everything. She’s so loyal to her friends and will defend them and come in and yell at them. They’re my favorite scenes to do with Paul. We laugh. And also, just playing it with Harrison, his character is looking at Liz like, “Who are you to walk into my office?” It’s the most fun. I don’t know if anyone else has that relationship with him. Everyone else is a little scared of him. Liz is not scared of him at all.
Does it work the same way with the two of you guys as actors? Are you not scared of Harrison Ford at all? Do you get in your own head when you work with him?
MILLER: Well, Harrison makes it so that he’s an actor, and he doesn’t come with all that stuff. I did know Harrison before the show. Harrison is also my neighbor. In real life, because I’m so different than Liz, I wouldn’t come [at him like that]. Although yesterday, I saw him and I did torture him a little. He tortures me endlessly.
He Might Be Her ‘Shrinking’ Co-Star, but Christa Miller Is Also a Fan of Harrison Ford
“I loved him in ‘Working Girl.’”
Since we all love him, what is your favorite Harrison Ford movie and why?
MILLER: I loved the Amish movie, Witness. I loved him in Working Girl. Yeah. Harrison Ford is one of those actors that, because I like to sometimes just go into my guide on my TV and see whatever movies are on, if he’s in it, I’ll watch it. He’s one of those actors to me.
He spans all genres.
MILLER: Yes. And also, I love the movie where he’s the horrible husband to Michelle Pfeiffer (What Lies Beneath). He’s still so handsome. I find Harrison Ford very handsome.
Liz learns in episode ten that her son’s girlfriend is pregnant. How does she really feel about the news, specifically as it pertains to that particular son? How different do you think being a grandparent will be for Liz to navigate?
MILLER: Oh, my God, I don’t know what they’re going to do. I hope Liz has learned something this season about being a nosy body into people’s parenting choices. I think she’s excited. Will has his life together more, so I don’t think she’s as worried as she would be if it was one of her younger sons. Will has more things going on and a job. I think that’s why she’s okay with it. I think she’s going to be crazy.
What Could Liz and Derek’s Trip Across Europe Look Like for the ‘Shrinking’ Characters?
“Derek is going to be so in the moment.”
If we were to catch up with them on this trip that they’re taking before they become grandparents, what do you think we’d see them doing? How well do you think that trip will ultimately turn out for them?
McGINLEY: That’s actually a really good question because there’s so much going on. Liz already knows everything, so she’s not going to be looking at any books on how to do anything. Derek is going to be so in the moment that he says, “Let’s just get on a scooter. I’ll get some Speedos. We’ll get some baguettes and some sausage and sit by the seaside. Off we go!” Derek could go into that very easily. And we’ll deal with being grandparents when we get there. Liz is going to have a hard time just going along for the ride. She is always going to have a hard time sitting on the back of a scooter.
I love the little throwaway jokes on this show – the ones that you sometimes miss and have to go back because you don’t realize quite what happened. One of my favorites this season is in episode 10, when Gaby and Brian are sitting at the counter at Derek and Liz’s, and Derek says, “I want to eat fruit that smells like butt,” And then, you have the whole exchange between Gaby and Brian saying, “May I suggest trying real butt?” And him saying, “It’s overrated.” What’s it like to find those comedic beats with this cast?
McGINLEY: Brilliant writing. That’s all writing. You get to watch how these amazing actors flavor the writing. When I read that, I said, “Are you kidding me?!” At rehearsal, we all go through it once. And then, when they turn it on, half the time, you can’t keep a straight face. We’ve had some great moments, along the way. And you’re right, the genius are those little bits that come and go. You never know what Jessica [Williams] is going to do, and it’s really fun to sit opposite her and try to keep a straight face.
‘Shrinking’ Star Reveals Her Favorite Season 3 Harrison Ford Moment: “It’s So Important”
Lukita Maxwell also discusses what it was like to shoot that special moment between Alice and Sean.
Personally, I cannot help but find it amusing that Derek felt so compelled to pee out on his balcony that it just becomes a thing for him. What is your favorite Derek balcony moment this season and who was it with?
McGINLEY: There’s a moment when he’s watching Sean and his new girlfriend, and he’s like, “Oh, it’s so much fun to see this young, hot, biracial couple.” Derek doesn’t know how to be cool like that. Derek is interested. He’s looking, if he can, which makes me laugh.
Derek is literally the neighborhood watch, but in a way that’s so endearing, you can’t help but be okay with it, even if it creeps you out a little bit.
McGINLEY: Derek feels like, if you leave your window open, you want to be seen. He knows that if you shut the window, of course he’s not going to look. But if you leave it open, you probably want to be seen. That’s Derek’s thought.
- Release Date
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January 27, 2023
- Network
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Apple TV
Shrinking is available to stream on Apple TV.
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