Ted McGinley and Christa Miller in ‘Shrinking’ Season 3, premiering January 28, 2026 on Apple TV.
In keeping with other shows co-created by Bill Lawrence (‘Spin City’), ‘Shrinking’ has long since evolved from a focus on Jason Segel and Harrison Ford’s therapist characters to embrace a wider circle of friends and relations.
The third season keeps that idea and feeling intact, and also maintains the entertainingly loose comedy atmosphere while also delivering the occasional emotional gut punch.
Script and Direction
Devin Kawaoka and Michael Urie in ‘Shrinking’ Season 3, premiering January 28, 2026 on Apple TV.
Lawrence, Segel and co-creator Brett Goldstein (‘Ted Lasso’) lead the writing team down some familiar paths here, but that doesn’t stop the show from still being a successful, warm, easy watch.
There’s rarely much that is truly challenging here (though some topics, such as Parkinson’s and grief are still explored), but the vibe really is a group of characters you’re happy to spend time with.
Jessica Williams and Damon Wayans Jr. in ‘Shrinking’ Season 3, premiering January 28, 2026 on Apple TV.
The core ensemble remains excellent, funny and heartfelt as they follow their various paths.
But it’s in the new additions that we find some real fun –– Michael J. Fox shines as a Parkinson’s patient who interacts with Ford, while Sherry Cola is great as one of Gabby’s new therapy clients who is reticent to open up.
Final Thoughts
Jason Segel and Lukita Maxwell in ‘Shrinking’ Season 3, premiering January 28, 2026 on Apple TV.
The new season doesn’t exactly break massive new ground, but with a show like ‘Shrinking,’ you neither expect or want that.
What it does do is offer more chances for the characters to interact in fun, warm ways.
‘Shrinking’ Season 3 receives 76 out of 100.
Ted McGinley and Luke Tennie in ‘Shrinking’ Season 3, premiering January 28, 2026 on Apple TV.
What’s the plot of ‘Shrinking’ Season 3?
‘Shrinking’ follows a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives… including his own.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots about their work on ‘All of You’, how Goldstein developed the screenplay with William Bridges, what it was like for him to be directed by his friend, Poots’ approach to her character and working with Goldstein, and if a “True Love Test” existed, would Poots take it?
(L to R) Imogen Poots and Brett Goldstein star in ‘All of You’.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Goldstein, Poots, and director William Bridges.
Brett Goldstein in ‘All of You,’ premiering in select theaters and on Apple TV+ September 26, 2025.
Moviefone: To begin with, Brett, I understand that you’ve been working on this idea with William Bridges for over 10 years. Can you talk about the process of writing this screenplay and why you were so passionate about telling this story?
Brett Goldstein: It was just an idea that stayed with us for so long. I think ultimately the thing I really liked is this is about two best friends and this connection that they have that I think is very relatable. Where they’re not partners, they’re not husband and wife, but they’re very close and what is that? Is that just friendship? What is love in that area? Making this film, me and Will just kept talking about it and seeing them over the years. Does that bond break or get stronger? That just all seemed interesting to me.
Imogen Poots in ‘All of You,’ premiering in select theaters and on Apple TV+ September 26, 2025.
MF: Imogen, can you talk about your approach to playing Laura, her friendship with Simon, and creating that relationship on screen with Brett?
Imogen Poots: The approach was very collaborative on this film, and it’s the best feeling, really, with independent cinema because all you have is each other and you all want the best thing for the project. So, it just brings an amazing energy often to films like this, and of this nature. So, working with Brett was a dream and I think Laura is Laura because of Simon in the context of the story, and Simon is who he is because of her. So, I think it’s a beautiful, reactive relationship. All we had to do was be there for one another and everything else happened naturally. But in a way they’re like orbiting planets and it was cool to do this together.
William Bridges behind the scenes of ‘All of You,’ premiering in select theaters and on Apple TV+ September 26, 2025.
MF: Brett, I know you are close friends with William. What is it like having your friend direct you? Can you talk about your onset working relationship with him?
BG: Well, he was brilliant because he had such a clear vision. I was really impressed because we’d written it together, so I had it in my head how I saw it and what he did is not how I imagined it and it was so much better the way he had a clear style for it and a real visual eye, which is, I guess you would need for it to be visual. But he was great. I think he was very uncomfortable directing these scenes of a steamy nature. I think that was the only time where he thought, “I wish we weren’t friends today.”
(L to R) Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots in ‘All of You,’ premiering in select theaters and on Apple TV+ September 26, 2025.
MF: Finally, can you talk about the “test” that Laura takes in the movie, how it changes her life, and if the test really existed, is that something you would take in real life?
IP: Right, there’s this idea we float in the movie that you could take a test and it would determine who you’re meant to be with, your soul mate. I think I would not take the test. I think it speaks to the insidious nature of technology trying to fix people. Like there’s a panic in conjunction with your emotions and with love and all these wonderful things that should really be found naturally. I’m a big believer that if we just pay more attention and we are more perceptive, more present, then I’m sure all things would happen in a different way rather than forcing it through these algorithms.
(L to R) Imogen Poots and Brett Goldstein in ‘All of You,’ premiering in select theaters and on Apple TV+ September 26, 2025.
What is the plot of ‘All of You’?
Laura (Imogen Poots) and Simon (Brett Goldstein) have been best friends since college. Over the years, they’ve realized their bond is more than platonic. Can they—and should they—risk everything to explore a love that has existed all along?
Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
Preview:
Apple TV+ is officially bringing ‘Ted Lasso’ back.
Jason Sudeikis returns to star and produce.
Juno Temple is also making a deal to come back.
It’s time to believe again.
Last August, we got the surprise news that despite the third season seemingly wrapping the story up, Apple TV+ and Warner Bros. TV were exploring opportunities for a new season of hit soccer comedy drama series ‘Ted Lasso.’
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At that time, the only people likely to return were Hannah Waddingham (team owner Rebecca Walton), Brett Goldstein (growling veteran player-turned-assistant-coach Roy Kent) and Jeremy Swift (Director of Football Operations Leslie Higgins) –– who are all British actors contracted via the U.K’.s Equity representation organization.
But for the new season to have any real hope of success, the streaming service needed to lock in Jason Sudeikis, who both played the titular soccer coach and had a hand in the writers’ room.
Now, via an official announcement from Apple TV+ comes news that Sudeikis is indeed back,
Here’s Sudeikis’ comment on his return:
“As we all continue to live in a world where so many factors have conditioned us to ‘look before we leap. In season four, the folks at AFC Richmond learn to LEAP BEFORE THEY LOOK, discovering that wherever they land, it’s exactly where they’re meant to be.”
Matt Cherniss head of programming for Apple TV+ seems happy to have the show back:
‘Ted Lasso’ has been nothing short of a juggernaut, inspiring a passionate fanbase all over the world, and delivering endless joy and laughter, all while spreading kindness, compassion and unwavering belief, Everyone at Apple is thrilled to be continuing our collaboration with Jason and the brilliant creative minds behind this show.”
And according to Deadline’s sources, Juno Temple, who played Keeley Jones, who evolved from a player’s girlfriend to the girl boss of her own PR agency, is in negotiations to also return, though she’s believed to have a scheduling conflict that is being worked out as the show plans a July shoot in Kansas and the U.K.
(L to R) Brett Goldstein, Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt in ‘Ted Lasso,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
‘Ted Lasso’ was originally created by Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt (who played Coach Beard), Joe Kelly and Bill Lawrence, and were based on based on a series of NBC Sports commercials about Lasso, an NFL coach drafted into manage a failing British soccer team.
Sudeikis, Kelly and Hunt, along with a writing team, expanded the story out to show Ted being drafted in to coach the lackluster AFC Richmond, though he was originally hired by Rebecca in the hopes that the idea would fail, dooming the team she inherited from arrogant ex-husband Rupert Mannion (Anthony Head).
Yet Ted’s homespun wisdom and cheery demeanor wins over more than just the management –– he starts to inspire more confidence in the players. And if Richmond’s fortunes don’t massively change, they do shift.
The show was a slow-burn hit that, in its first season at least, was a much-needed burst of positivity, since it launched at the height of the pandemic in August 2020. The comedy became an instant global hit and Apple’s signature and — until recently — most-watched original series ever.
In addition to its immense popularity and marquee pop culture status, ‘Ted Lasso’ earned 13 Emmy Awards during its original three-season run, including two back-to-back Outstanding Comedy Series trophies and acting wins for Sudeikis, Goldstein and Waddingham.
What will happen in Season 4?
Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
In the Season 3 finale, Keeley and Rebecca impulsively, partnered on a potential new venture, AFC Richmond women’s team. That was seen as possibly kicking off the next chapter in the Ted Lasso franchise, and it would certainly qualify as a leap of faith.
The last time we saw Ted at the end of the Season 3 finale, he was coaching his son on a soccer field in Kansas. The handful of Kansas-set scenes in the first three seasons were actually filmed in California, so this would be the first time Kansas native Sudeikis would be heading to the Sunflower State for the show.
With the majority of the returning cast part of the management/office coaching team as portrayed on the show, it seems certain that the focus will move to a new group of players (though we can imagine the series’ producers will look to include cameos from audience favorites from past seasons).
Who is making the new season?
(L to R) Jason Sudeikis and Hannah Waddingham in “Ted Lasso,” now streaming on Apple TV+.
For Season 4, veteran comedy showrunner and Emmy Award winner Jack Burditt (who has worked on the likes of ‘Nobody Wants This,’ ‘Modern Family’ and ‘30 Rock’) is joining the show as executive producer under his new overall deal with Apple TV+.
Sudeikis will once again be an executive producer alongside Hunt (who has no acting deal yet but seems sure to also return in front of the camera as Coach Beard), Joe Kelly, Jane Becker, Jamie Lee and Bill Wrubel.
Goldstein, in addition to playing swear-happy player-turned-coach Roy Kent will again pull double duty as writer and executive producer alongside Leanne Bowen. Sara Walker and Phoebe Walsh, who are writers and producers for season four, while Julia Lindon and Dylan Marron are new additions to the writing room.
And finally, though he already has several projects in the works (including the filming third season of ‘Shrinking,’ a second run of ‘Bad Monkey,’ an untitled new show with Steve Carell and a potential reboot of his hit network medical sitcom ‘Scrubs’, Lawrence executive produces via his Doozer Productions, in association with Warner Bros.
When will ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 4 be on screens?
Apple TV+’s big announcement about the return of Ted and co. doesn’t mention a release date yet, but given that potential July shoot, we’d be surprised if it didn’t head to screens next year.
(L to R) Brendan Hunt, Jason Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein in ‘Ted Lasso,’ now streaming on Apple TV+.
Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso’ season 2, now streaming on Apple TV+.
Preview:
Apple TV+’s ‘Ted Lasso’ may return for a fourth season.
The production company behind the show has picked up options on several actors.
Negotiations will be needed with the likes of creator/star Jason Sudeikis to return.
After a slow start in August of 2020, the (initially) sweet-natured ‘Ted Lasso’ took pop culture by storm as it became reliable pandemic viewing for those in need of a shot of kindness and uplift.
It ran for two further seasons, with the most recent wrapping up last year, seemingly ending the show for the foreseeable future.
Turns out, the foreseeable future might not be as long as we all thought. According to Deadline, there is chatter about a potential fourth season.
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What’s happening with ‘Ted Lasso’?
(L to R) Brendan Hunt, Jason Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein in ‘Ted Lasso’ season 2, now streaming on Apple TV+.
Nothing is concrete as yet, but there are some encouraging signs.
Warner Bros. TV, which financed and produced the series created by Jason Sudeikis (who also starred), Brendan Hunt (who played Coach Beard), Joe Kelly and Bill Lawrence, based on a series of NBC Sports commercials about Lasso, an NFL coach drafted into manage a failing British soccer team, has picked up three actors’ options.
The three –– Hannah Waddingham (team owner Rebecca Walton), Brett Goldstein (growling veteran player-turned-assistant-coach Roy Kent) and Jeremy Swift (Director of Football Operations Leslie Higgins) –– are all British actors who were contracted via the U.K’.s Equity.
And lest you think this is leading the one of the proposed spin-off shows, Deadline also mentions that WBTV is exploring negotiations with SAG-AFTRA members Sudeikis, Hunt and Juno Temple (who played Keeley Jones).
And that’s not all –– though an official greenlight is still far away at this point, there are hints that a writers’ room for a potential new batch of episodes that, if things work out, could be shooting next year.
Who might not return for a fourth season of ‘Ted Lasso’?
(L to R) Nick Mohammed, Brendan Hunt, Jason Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein in ‘Ted Lasso’ season two, now streaming on Apple TV+.
So far, the likes of Phil Dunster (cocky star player Jamie Tart) seems unlikely to come back, since he’s already got a couple of shows on the go: Prime Video’s ‘The Devil’s Hour’ and Apple’s own ‘Surface’.
And while the cast have generally said they’d be thrilled to return to the roles, they’re all very popular in the wake of the series’ ending, so schedules may have to be juggled.
Plus, it’ll all depend on whether Sudeikis, who has always been the lynchpin for this one, actually has a good idea for a new run of episodes. Whether the show continues without him or not is something we’ll have to wait and find out.
Should ‘Ted Lasso’ return?
(L to R) Nick Mohammed and Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso,’ season 3 coming soon to Apple TV+.
That’s a much bigger question. Even by Season 2, there were concerns that the dial was being shifted from the cuddly comedy side to weightier dramatic demands, and opinions were further mixed on Season 3.
Still, it ended on a relative high, so any future season will be judged against it, and that’s not something anyone should go into blindly. Do we want more ‘Ted Lasso’? Yes, but not if it turns into ‘Led Tasso’ (the “evil” alter ego Ted has sometimes used in coaching).
Brett Goldstein in ‘Ted Lasso’ season 2, now streaming on Apple TV+.
It has been a little over a month since the teaser arrived for ‘Ted Lasso’ Season 3. And with the season due to debut in less than a month, it’s time for the full trailer to land.
And while not a whole lot of plot is given away here, we do see some of the soccer action at AFC Richmond and plenty of bonding between the main team. And there are glimpses of Nate (Nick Mohammed), Ted’s prodigy-turned-rival settling into life as manager of opposing team West Ham. See more of the story below…
(L to R) Nick Mohammed and Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso,’ season 3 coming soon to Apple TV+.
What’s the story of Ted Lasso?
‘Ted Lasso’, which stars Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham, follows Sudeikis’ title character, an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team—despite having no experience. But what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for with optimism, underdog determination… and biscuits (by which they mean cookies).
The show has demonstrated an admirable commitment to balancing comedy and drama; despite Ted’s perennially sunny disposition, he’s also dealing with anxiety issues and faces problems from within and without the team. From the looks of the official synopsis, that’s set to continue in the new season.
In the 12-episode third season of ‘Ted Lasso’, the newly promoted AFC Richmond faces ridicule as media predictions widely peg them as last in the Premier League and Nate now hailed as the “wonder kid,” has gone to work for Rupert (Anthony Head) at West Ham United. In the wake of Nate’s contentious departure from Richmond, Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein) steps up as assistant coach, alongside Coach Beard (Hunt).
Meanwhile, while Ted deals with pressures at work, he continues to wrestle with his own personal issues back home, Rebecca (Waddingham) is focused on defeating Rupert and Keeley (Juno Temple) navigates being the boss of her own PR agency. Things seem to be falling apart both on and off the pitch, but Team Lasso is set to give it their best shot anyway.
Brett Goldstein in ‘Ted Lasso’ season 2, now streaming on Apple TV+.
Who else is involved in ‘Ted Lasso’?
Ted Lasso was co-created by Sudeikis, Joe Kelly, Hunt and TV sitcom veteran Bill Lawrence (who brought the world shows such as ‘Spin City’ and ‘Scrubs’). Goldstein, in addition to starring as Roy, is also among the writing staff alongside Phoebe Walsh, Jane Becker, Bill Wrubel and Sasha Garron.
(L to R) Nick Mohammed, Brendan Hunt, Jason Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein in ‘Ted Lasso’ season two, now streaming on Apple TV+.
Will Ted Lasso end with Season 3?
There has been much speculation as to when ‘Ted Lasso’ will come to an end. Sudeikis has said that he always envisioned a definite three-act structure and end to the show and while no-one has stated specifically that Season 3 will wrap up the story, it’s looking increasingly likely as though this will be it for the series.
Brett Goldstein had this to say about the end of the series to The Sunday Times:
“I love all of these characters and want it to end well, but Jason has a very clear vision and always has. No one is phoning it.”
We know that fans will want it to continue, and Apple TV+ is certainly not hoping that one of its most popular shows is going away any time soon. But there’s also value in not stretching the show out beyond its popular period.
‘Ted Lasso’ Season 3 kicks off on Apple TV+ with the first episode on Wednesday March 15th. New episodes will debut weekly.
Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso’ season 2, now streaming on Apple TV+.
An early hit of the pandemic era, Apple TV+ comedy ‘Ted Lasso’ has since gone on to become an awards-grabbing sensation, including history-making back-to-back Best Comedy Emmys for its first season.
With the second season ending way back in October 2021, fans have naturally been eager to learn when it’ll return. Apple has now released a teaser for the third season, confirming that it’ll kick off on March 15th.
(L to R) Nick Mohammed, Brendan Hunt, Jason Sudeikis and Brett Goldstein in ‘Ted Lasso’ season two, now streaming on Apple TV+.
What’s the story of Ted Lasso?
‘Ted Lasso’, which stars Jason Sudeikis, Brendan Hunt, Brett Goldstein and Hannah Waddingham, follows Sudeikis’ title character, an American football coach hired to manage a British soccer team—despite having no experience. But what he lacks in knowledge, he makes up for with optimism, underdog determination… and biscuits (by which they mean cookies).
The show has demonstrated an admirable commitment to balancing comedy and drama; despite Ted’s perennially sunny disposition, he’s also dealing with anxiety issues and faces problems from within and without the team. From the looks of the official synopsis, that’s set to continue in the new season.
In the 12-episode third season of ‘Ted Lasso’, the newly promoted AFC Richmond faces ridicule as media predictions widely peg them as last in the Premier League and Nate (Nick Mohammed), now hailed as the “wonder kid,” has gone to work for Rupert (Anthony Head) at West Ham United. In the wake of Nate’s contentious departure from Richmond, Roy Kent (Goldstein) steps up as assistant coach, alongside Coach Beard (Hunt).
Meanwhile, while Ted deals with pressures at work, he continues to wrestle with his own personal issues back home, Rebecca (Waddingham) is focused on defeating Rupert and Keeley (Juno Temple) navigates being the boss of her own PR agency. Things seem to be falling apart both on and off the pitch, but Team Lasso is set to give it their best shot anyway.
Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso’ season 2, now streaming on Apple TV+.
In addition to it multiple Emmy wins, it has also snagged SAG Awards and Critics Choice Awards.
And while Sudeikis and co have remained quiet on whether it’ll continue after Season 3, all signs are pointing to the creators planning three seasons and stopping the show while it is still hugely popular.
(L to R) Nick Mohammed and Jason Sudeikis in ‘Ted Lasso’ season two, now streaming on Apple TV+.
The series stars Segel as Jimmy Laird, a therapist who is dealing with severe grief from the recent death of his wife. While raising his teenage daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell),
Jimmy begins to breach ethical barriers at work by telling his patients exactly what he thinks, resulting in massive changes to his and their lives, as well as the lives of his co-workers Gaby (Jessica Williams) and Dr. Paul Rhodes (Harrison Ford).
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jason Segel about his work on ‘Shrinking,’ creating the series with Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence, Jimmy’s new found therapy style, how it affects his colleagues, his relationship with his daughter, and working with Harrison Ford.
Jason Segel stars in Apple TV+’s ‘Shrinking.’
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Segel, Brett Goldstein and Neil Goldman, Bill Lawrence, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, and Lukita Maxwell about ‘Shrinking.’
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk creating the series with Brett Goldstein and Bill Lawrence, and having the idea to set it in the world of therapy?
Jason Segel: Well, I must admit, I got very lucky. I had Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein come pitch me a pretty fully formed idea, and it was this show. I thought it sounded brilliant, and so I signed on very early and then brought whatever my secret sauce is to the table. But these guys had a really brilliant idea, which is somebody going through a nervous breakdown continuing to practice therapy.
MF: Jimmy’s personal life is falling apart and that begins to affect his work until he discovers a new way of doing therapy, can you talk about that?
JS: I think that there is a really magical element to rock bottom, which is that you’ve got nothing left to lose. The only place to go is up, and so it seems like a really pitiful position, but in a lot of ways it’s enviable. It’s only going up from here. So, you are watching a guy scramble his way out of rock bottom and trying to bring his patients with him because he recognizes that, it seems like we’re all stuck, and let’s get out of this mess.
(L to R) Jason Segel and Jessica Williams in ‘Shrinking,’ premiering January 27, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: Jimmy and his colleagues are all therapists with their own patients, but they act as therapists for each other as well. Can you talk about the relationships between Jimmy, Gaby, and Dr. Rhodes?
JS: Isn’t that the truth of life though? As you get older and learn to communicate better, we’re all each other’s kind of defacto therapists, right? But yes, me, Jessica Williams and Harrison Ford all work in a therapy office together. How crazy is that? And we have a lot of scenes of us therapizing each other, which are really fun.
MF: Harrison Ford is very funny in this series, and he hasn’t done a lot of comedy in the past. What was it like for you working with him and did you have any idea that he would be that funny?
JS: We underestimated how funny Harrison Ford was. We thought that the way that we would write Harrison Ford is kind of what you’d expect, that he would be the gruff straight man while we did comedy around him. But Harrison Ford is funny! He’s like a comedy savant. Wait until you see as these episodes go on. It just goes to show you how we all are limited by our own imaginations, but this guy knew what he was capable of doing and wanted to show it off.
(L to R) Harrison Ford and Lukita Maxwell in ‘Shrinking,’ premiering January 27, 2023 on Apple TV+.
MF: Finally, can you talk about Jimmy’s relationship with his daughter Alice, and how he’s trying to put the pieces of that relationship back together?
JS: It’s one of the primary storylines of this series. Jimmy, my character, has lost his wife in an accident, and in his spiral downward, this parental daughter relationship has flipped to where she is taking care of me now, and it is this slow road back. That to me is one of the main elements of the show, my character becoming an adequate father again.
Jason Segel in “‘Shrinking,’ premiering January 27, 2023 on Apple TV+.
Monday evening was what the ceremony always describes as “television’s biggest night” – when the industry hands out the Emmy Awards to a select few from the hundreds of eligible shows and performers.
The ceremony itself ran relatively smoothly, with ‘Saturday Night Live’ veteran Kenan Thompson hosting, kicking off the evening with a medley of re-imagined classic TV theme tunes. There was the usual stilted banter between presenters (though a few, such as Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ elevated theirs), celebrations of TV genres such as police and medical dramas and the In Memoriam segment.
But what everyone was there for were the awards themselves. And while there were several repeat winners (‘Succession’, ‘Ted Lasso’ and ‘Hacks’ Jean Smart), there remained room for fresh faces and welcome surprises.
Quinta Brunson’s ‘Abbott Elementary’ took home Best Writing for a Comedy Series, while cast member Sheryl Lee Ralph won Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Ralph’s speech in particular, a blend of surprise, joy and encouragement for others, was a highlight of the show.
Quinta Brunson on ABC’s ‘Abbott Elementary.’ Photo Courtesy of ABC’s YouTube Channel.
Mike White’s ‘The White Lotus’ dominated the limited series category (though given that season 2 arrives next month with an almost totally new cast, it more closely fits into the anthology part of its category), winning overall show and both writing and directing for White. Actors Murray Bartlett and Jennifer Coolidge went home with well-deserved trophies.
And ‘Squid Game’ made history for Asian creators and performers, as lead Lee Jung-jae won Best Actor in the drama category, while show creator Hwang Dong-hyuk saw his decade-long effort to get it made rewarded with Best Director, drama.
Though everyone thought ‘Ted Lasso’ might sweep even more than it did given its haul of nominations, it still won plenty of awards, including Brett Goldstein becoming the first back to back winner in the Supporting Actor, comedy category since 2007.
Of those who missed out on awards, there was disappointment for the ‘Better Call Saul’ team, which has its last chance to turn its many nominations into awards next year. Will the power of a great show’s legacy make voters think kindly of it? And when a show as superbly written and performed as ‘Only Murders in the Building’, which balances comedy and mystery adeptly can’t get any love, you’ve got to wonder at the choices.
(L to R) Charles (Steve Martin), Mabel (Selena Gomez) and Oliver (Martin Short) on Hulu’s ‘Only Murders In The Building’. Photo: Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu.
‘Ted Lasso’ – Winner
‘Abbott Elementary’
‘Barry’
‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’
‘Hacks’
‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’
‘Only Murders in the Building’
‘What We Do in the Shadows’
BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jean Smart (‘Hacks’) – Winner Rachel Brosnahan (‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’)
Quinta Brunson (‘Abbott Elementary’) Kaley Cuoco (‘The Flight Attendant’) Elle Fanning (‘The Great’) Issa Rae (‘Insecure’)
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jason Sudeikis (‘Ted Lasso’) – Winner Donald Glover (‘Atlanta’) Bill Hader (‘Barry’) Nicholas Hoult (‘The Great’)
Steve Martin (‘Only Murders in the Building’)
Martin Short (‘Only Murders in the Building’)
‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’ – Winner
‘The Daily Show With Trevor Noah’
‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’
‘The Late Show With Stephen Colbert’
BEST VARIETY SKETCH SERIES
‘Saturday Night Live’ – Winner
‘A Black Lady Sketch Show’
BEST COMPETITION PROGRAM
‘Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls’ – Winner
‘The Amazing Race’
‘Nailed It!’
‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’
‘Top Chef’
‘The Voice’
BEST DIRECTING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Hwang Dong-hyuk (‘Squid Game’) – Winner
Jason Bateman (‘Ozark’) Ben Stiller (‘Severance’) Mark Mylod (‘Succession’)
Cathy Yan (‘Succession’) Lorene Scafaria (‘Succession’) Karyn Kusama (‘Yellowjackets’)
BEST DIRECTING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
MJ Delaney (‘Ted Lasso’) – Winner
Hiro Murai (‘Atlanta’)
Bill Hader (‘Barry’)
Lucia Aniello (‘Hacks’)
Mary Lou Belli (‘The Ms. Pat Show’) Jamie Babbit (‘Only Murders in the Building’) Cherien Dabis (‘Only Murders in the Building’)
BEST WRITING FOR A COMEDY SERIES
Quinta Brunson (‘Abbott Elementary’) – Winner
Duffy Boudreau (‘Barry’) Alec Berg, Bill Hader (‘Barry’)
Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, Jen Statsky (‘Hacks’)
Steve Martin, John Hoffman (‘Only Murders in the Building’) Jane Becker (‘Ted Lasso’)
Sarah Naftalis (‘What We Do in the Shadows’)
Stefani Robinson (‘What We Do in the Shadows’)
BEST WRITING FOR A DRAMA SERIES
Jesse Armstrong (‘Succession’) – Winner Thomas Schnauz (‘Better Call Saul’) Chris Mundy (‘Ozark’) Dan Erickson (‘Severance’)
Hwang Dong-hyuk (‘Squid Game’)
Jonathan Lisco, Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson (‘’Yellowjackets)
Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson (‘Yellowjackets’)
BEST WRITING FOR A LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR MOVIE
Mike White (‘The White Lotus’) – Winner
Danny Strong (‘Dopesick’) Elizabeth Meriwether (‘The Dropout’)
Sarah Burgess (‘Impeachment: American Crime Story’)
Molly Smith Metzler (‘Maid’)
Patrick Somerville (‘Station Eleven’)
Actor Harrison Ford walks onstage at the Lucasfilm panel during Comic-Con International 2015 at the San Diego Convention Center on July 10, 2015 in San Diego, California. Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images.
We’re much more used to Harrison Ford on the big screen in the likes of the ‘Indiana Jones’ and ‘Star Wars’ movies. Yet he’s now preparing to work on his first TV series regular role.
The 10-episode series will see Segel as a grieving therapist who starts to break the rules and tell his clients exactly what he thinks. Ignoring his training and ethics, he finds himself making huge, tumultuous changes to people’s lives… including his own.
As for Ford, he’ll play Dr. Phil Rhodes, a down-to earth, sharp-as-a-tack “blue-collar shrink,” blunt but with an ever-present twinkle. Phil is a pioneer in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy who has built a successful practice over the years that he shares with his two young proteges, Jimmy and Gaby. Fiercely independent, Phil has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, which forces him out of his comfort zone as he grapples with intrusive friends, his estranged family and his legacy.
This marks the latest show to come from the prodigious Bill Lawrence, who has been enjoying big success thanks to ‘Ted Lasso’, which is also produced by Apple. He has several series in production or development, but an executive producer on this one alongside ‘Lasso’ writer/actor Brett Goldstein (most recognizable as the perma-scowling Roy Kent from the soccer comedy).
‘Shrinking’ is coming together quickly and should be in production this year.
Jason Segel at the Los Angeles premiere of Netflix’s ‘Windfall.’
The storyline for this latest adventure is under strict security for now, but you just know it’ll involve Dr. Jones getting into scrapes as he tries to retrieve an object. That movie is scheduled to land in theaters on June 30th next year.
As opposed to Ford, Segel has largely found his groove on the small screen, appearing in shows such as ‘How I Met Your Mother’, ‘Dispatches from Elsewhere’ (which he also created) and, most recently, ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty,’ in which he plays Paul Westhead.
‘Ted Lasso’, meanwhile, recently kicked off shooting its third (and, according to the creators, final) season in the UK and should be on our screens later this year.
