Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, and Ted McGinley share what they’ve learned from playing therapists and friends.

‘This person is a d---!: The stars of Shrinking dish out advice for their own characters’ problems

Jason Segel, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, and Ted McGinley share what they've learned from playing therapists and friends.

By Gerrad Hall

Gerrad Hall

Gerrad Hall is an editorial director at **, overseeing movie, awards, and music coverage. He is also host of The Awardist podcast, and has cohosted EW’s live Oscars, Emmys, SAG, and Grammys red carpet shows. He has appeared on Good Morning America, The Talk, Access Hollywood, Extra!, and other talk shows, delivering the latest news on pop culture and entertainment.

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May 18, 2026 11:45 a.m. ET

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Ted McGinley, Jessica Williams, Jason Segel, Michael Urie, and Christa Miller on 'Shrinking'. Credit:

- *Shrinking* stars Jason Segel and Ted McGinley pose scenarios to each other to get their advice.

- Jessica Williams and Christa Miller team up to serve thoughts on various scenarios.

- The cast don't know the scenarios are about their characters.

They might play therapists and friends on TV, but can they give advice like their characters?

*Shrinking* stars Jason Segel and Jessica Williams, who play therapists Jimmy and Gaby, and Ted McGinley and Christa Miller, who play Jimmy's neighbors, Derek and Liz, sat down with ** to see what kind of advice they'd give to people facing various personal problems.

What the cast of the Apple TV series didn't know in advance is that those problems aren't real but ones faced by their characters on the comedy.

"My best friend passed away," Miller reads to Williams. "I've gotten even closer to her husband. Would pursuing something with him be a betrayal?"

Perhaps sounding a bit familiar — such as what happened in episode 6 of season 1 — Williams has a quick response: "Somebody call a taxi because you've got to take that ride."

It's McGinley's turn.

"I'm a healthcare professional who's crossed ethical lines by forming friendships with clients," he explains to Segel. "I'm starting to wonder if it's actually okay."

"It's a really interesting thing to find out that this authority figure potentially is just as messy and complicated as we all are," Segel says, perhaps thinking about how his character Jimmy has allowed a patient, Sean (Luke Tennie), to live with him and his daughter, Alice (Lukita Maxell).

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The situation Williams reads to Miller also touches on crossing professional lines.

"I'm a man in my 80s. One of my closest friends is the teen daughter of one of my subordinates at work," she reads.

McGinley poses the same scenario to Segel, asking the question, "Should I stay friends with him?"

"Yes, of course," Segel says without hesitation, referring to his character's relationship with that of costar Harrison Ford. "He's going to grow to be your best friend and mentor."

Check out that full video below.

EW also asked the cast to advise some other people and their situations — which happen to be past characters they've played. As Segel presents a scenario to McGinley, which, unbeknownst to the *Forgetting Sarah Marshall* star, describes McGinley's jock character in *Revenge of the Nerds*, he can't help but notice, "This person is a dick!"

"I've always been cool and athletic, and if there's one thing I can't stand, it's weaklings," he says, before McGinley chimes in with his iconic *Shrinking* line, "Eat a d---, Pam." Segel continues, "My girlfriend left me for some dweeb, and I just can't understand why anyone would choose a beta male over me. How do I get even more alpha?"

Segel doesn't even let McGinley answer. "As a man who has made a life and career out of being kind of a beta male, we're doing fine, big guy. Us dweebs are doing fine."

Harrison Ford on 'Shrinking'.

***Check out more from EW's *****The Awardist*****, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights from the year's best in TV, movies, and more.***

On season 3 of *Shrinking* — SPOILERS AHEAD! — Jimmy was dealing with Alice moving away to college, and a new relationship (with season 2 guest star and *How I Met Your Mother* castmate Cobie Smulders) doesn't work out; Gaby and Derrick (Damon Wayans Jr.) get engaged; Paul (Ford) retires and decides to move across the country to Connecticut to be near his daughter (Lily Rabe); after Derek nearly suffers a fatal heart attack and has bypass surgery, he and Liz ponder moving to Spain; and Brian and Charlie have a baby and also decide that an out-of-state move is in their future.

*Shrinking* season 3 is available to stream on Apple TV.

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Comedy”