‘Shrinking’ Gets Emmy Snub Despite Excellence

September 25th, 2025

While Apple TV+’s “Shrinking” walked away from the 2025 Emmy Awards without any hardware despite multiple nominations, one local television expert believes the show represents some of the best storytelling on television today.

Christine Burright, a graduate of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s MFA in screenwriting program and aspiring TV writer, said the dramedy starring Jason Segel deserves recognition for its nuanced portrayal of grief and healing.

“While the show didn’t take home any Emmy hardware this year, it’s still at the top of my list of recommendations any time someone asks me for one,” Burright said during her commentary for KVNO’s “Pass the Popcorn” segment.

The series follows Jimmy, a grieving therapist played by Emmy nominee Segel, who begins breaking professional rules by telling his clients exactly what he thinks. The unconventional approach initially works but eventually leads to complications in both his professional and personal life.

The show also features Emmy nominees Jessica Williams and Harrison Ford as Jimmy’s colleagues, along with Michael Urie as his best friend. Despite the star power and critical acclaim, the series was shut out during the awards ceremony.

Burright praised the show’s approach to depicting loss and recovery as non-linear processes, moving away from traditional television narratives that suggest grief follows predictable patterns.

“One of the things I think the show gets really right is allowing grief, healing and forgiveness to be shown as processes that aren’t linear,” she explained. “It does away with the idea that every day, your troubles get a little easier until eventually, they’re an afterthought.”

Instead, the series allows positive and negative emotions to coexist, creating what Burright describes as moments where viewers find themselves “laughing through tears.” This approach enables characters to display unlikable traits without losing their essential warmth and humor.

Ford’s character exemplifies this complex characterization. Initially presented as curmudgeonly and short-tempered with colleagues, the character gradually reveals deeper vulnerabilities that explain his difficult exterior. However, the show maintains realistic inconsistency in his behavior.

“He’ll suddenly snap back and do something that will make you want to shake your fists at the screen,” Burright noted.

The quality of the writing has attracted significant talent, with Ford reportedly telling show creator Brett Goldstein that the pilot script was one of the best he had ever read. The actor felt a personal connection to the characters, according to industry reports.

Goldstein’s involvement brings additional credibility to the project, as he co-created and co-wrote the Emmy-winning series “Ted Lasso,” which similarly balanced humor with deeper emotional themes.

The show’s approach to storytelling reflects broader trends in television toward more realistic portrayals of mental health and emotional processing. Rather than offering quick fixes or neat resolutions, “Shrinking” acknowledges the messy, ongoing nature of healing from trauma.

Two seasons of “Shrinking” are currently available on Apple TV+, providing viewers with what Burright describes as “warm, kind, occasionally tear-jerking episodes.” The series has already been renewed, with the third season completing filming over the summer and scheduled for release in early 2026.

The Emmy snub highlights ongoing discussions about recognition for streaming content and ensemble dramedy series that blend genres. While traditional broadcast networks once dominated major categories, streaming platforms now compete for the same awards with different storytelling approaches.

For Burright, whose background in screenwriting provides professional insight into television writing quality, “Shrinking” represents the kind of sophisticated storytelling that deserves broader recognition. Her recommendation carries particular weight given her academic background and understanding of narrative structure.

The series joins other streaming shows that have found critical acclaim and audience appreciation despite limited awards recognition. The disconnect between industry awards and viewer engagement continues to spark debate about how television excellence is measured and recognized.

UNO’s MFA in screenwriting program, from which Burright graduated, focuses on preparing students for careers in film and television writing. The program’s emphasis on character development and narrative structure provides graduates with expertise in evaluating television content quality.

As streaming platforms continue to invest in original programming, shows like “Shrinking” demonstrate how smaller-scale character studies can compete with larger-budget productions for audience attention and critical recognition.

The series’ renewal for a third season indicates strong viewer response despite the Emmy shutout, suggesting that audience appreciation and industry recognition don’t always align.

For viewers seeking thoughtful entertainment that tackles difficult subjects with both humor and honesty, Burright’s recommendation of “Shrinking” offers a starting point for exploring how contemporary television addresses mental health and grief recovery.