Throughout Shrinking’s two seasons, we’ve seen Harrison Ford’s therapist Paul learn to live with his Parkinson’s, which is an ongoing and increasing challenge. It’s a big part of the show too, and it’s handled with great care. Now, the show’s co-creator, Bill Lawrence, has opened up about how they depict the disease on the comedy and how his relationship with Michael J. Fox has impacted how they depict Parkinson’s on the incredible Apple TV+ series.
After Shrinking Season 2 wrapped up on the 2024 TV schedule, Bill Lawrence spoke about how his friendship with Fox has influenced how they show Parkinson’s on the Apple TV+ project with People. The creator explained that both he and his fellow co-creator Brett Goldstein have personal connections to their disease, because both their fathers had it. Lawrence is close to Michael J. Fox too, which also impacted the show, as he explained:
It's cool to get to write about things you care about now. And Michael J. Fox is my first mentor. So we wanted to represent it in hopefully an inspiring and not sad or tragic way.
In Shrinking, Paul is a working therapist who is in the earlier days of his Parkinson’s diagnosis. In Season 1, he realizes he shouldn’t drive anymore and in Season 2 his shakes get worse and there’s a lot of talk about his medication and when he should take it. While what he’s going through is hard, it’s never sad or tragic. As Lawrence said, like the way Fox has handled Parkinson’s, Harrison Ford’s character’s strength and resilience as he works to figure out his new normal is "inspiring."
For a bit of context on why Lawrence has such a deep connection to Fox, the two collaborated on one of the best sitcoms, Spin City. As the actor revealed in his great documentary Still, he tried to hide his Parkinson’s while filming the first few seasons of that show. However, in 1998, the Back to the Future star publicly disclosed his diagnosis and continued to work on the comedy until it ended in 2002.
After that, Fox guest starred in Lawrence’s comedy Scrubs, and as the producer said, he’s always been inspired by his collaborator’s work. To that point, the Ted Lasso co-creator said:
I found the first mentor in my life and career, Michael J. Fox, to be so inspiring with the way he took it in stride and continues to work harder than anybody I know. And we want to kind of carry that spirit if we can into the show.
You can feel that spirit in the show. Paul works so hard and he’s so emotionally vulnerable about what he’s going through – as proven in dividends by the tearjerking Season 2 speech Ford gave during the finale.
Lawrence went on to say that he takes inspiration from the people in his life all the time, and he credited the Family Ties star as the first collaborator he did that with.
As you likely know, Fox has become a leading voice in the fight against Parkinson’s, and his advocacy for it and research is more than admirable. Plus, his general optimism and drive to keep going, despite the challenges he’s faced, is extremely uplifting. Like Paul, people are inspired by him, and I 100% understand why Bill Lawrence is too.
If you are looking to watch Shrinking and Michael J. Fox’s documentary Still, which candidly addresses how his life has changed as he’s lived with Parkinson’s, you can stream both with an Apple TV+ subscription.
