Character Relationship Map: Shrinking

Characters

• Jimmy (played by Jason Segel) — protagonist
• Dr. Paul Rhodes (played by Harrison Ford) — protagonist
• Gaby (played by Jessica Williams) — supporting
• Sean (played by Luke Tennie) — supporting
• Brian (played by Michael Urie) — supporting
• Alice (played by Lukita Maxwell) — supporting
• Liz (played by Christa Miller) — supporting
• Derek (played by Ted McGinley) — supporting
• Charlie (played by Devin Kawaoka) — cameo
• Grace (played by Heidi Gardner) — cameo
• Ava (played by Claudia Sulewski) — cameo
• Dan (played by Mike C. Nelson) — cameo
• Tia (played by Lilan Bowden) — cameo
• Derrick #2 (played by Damon Wayans Jr.) — cameo
• Sofi (played by Cobie Smulders) — cameo
• Louis (played by Brett Goldstein) — cameo
• Meg (played by Lily Rabe) — cameo

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Liz → Derek (Long-term partners)

  Liz and Derek reach crossroads, face family crises, differ about their future, and make difficult choices together.

• Jimmy → Alice (Father and daughter)

  Jimmy is Alice's father, and multiple episodes focus on her grief, mistakes, birthday, graduation, and departure for college.

• Dr. Paul Rhodes → Jimmy (Senior colleague and mentor)

  Jimmy repeatedly seeks Paul's advice, Paul challenges Jimmy's treatment choices, and Paul encourages Jimmy to seek help.

• Alice → Tia (Mother and daughter)

  Alice and Jimmy celebrate Tia's birthday, while the series establishes Jimmy as mourning his wife.

• Brian → Charlie (Engaged partners)

  Brian's wedding approaches in Season 1, and Brian and Charlie receive support when Ava goes into labor in Season 3.

• Jimmy → Sean (Therapist and patient)

  Jimmy takes a more proactive approach with patients, reconnects with Sean to help him out of legal trouble, and later disagrees about Sean's treatment...

• Meg → Dr. Paul Rhodes (Adult daughter and father)

  Meg comes clean with Paul in Season 3, and Jimmy and Meg unite over their love for Paul.

• Jimmy → Grace (Therapist and patient)

  Season 2 opens with Jimmy grappling with guilt over Grace, and Jimmy and Brian help Grace deal with unexpected news.

• Jimmy → Sofi (First-date connection)

  Jimmy finally goes on a first date with Sofi in Season 3.

• Jimmy → Gaby (Therapist and colleague)

  Gaby is repeatedly involved in Jimmy's professional life, including workplace problems and supporting patients and friends alongside him.

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Gaby → Liz (Close friends)

  Liz supports Gaby through post-divorce difficulties, accompanies her to an event, tries to keep her from sinking, and helps her manage an overloaded l...

• Jimmy → Brian (Best friends)

  Jimmy reconnects with his estranged best friend to help Sean, while Brian later helps Jimmy and prepares for his wedding and parenthood.

• Liz → Sean (Business and support partners)

  Sean approaches Liz with a business proposal, and they support Gaby together at an event.

• Jimmy → Liz (Close friends)

  Jimmy confronts Liz for interfering in his life, while later Jimmy and Liz support Brian and Charlie during Ava's labor and Jimmy helps Liz cope with...

• Sean → Liz (Unexpected allies)

  Liz and Sean discover they have something in common, support Gaby together, and Sean approaches Liz with a business proposal.

Story Analysis

Across three seasons, Jimmy's grief-driven boundary violations gradually become a communal process of accountability, care, and imperfect emotional repair.

Plot Progression

1. Season 1: Radical Therapy
2. Season 1: Family Reckoning
3. Season 2: Guilt And Boundaries
4. Season 2: Crisis And Recovery
5. Season 3: Aging And Legacy
6. Season 3: Repair And Departure