Shrinking Season 3 Confirms Reunion For Michael J. Fox’s Underrated Sitcom That Was Canceled After 1 Season
Yet another new cast member has been announced for Shrinking season 3, and it will mean an exciting reunion for actor Michael J. Fox. The Apple TV+ series stars Jason Segel and Harrison Ford, but it has also boasted an impressive lineup of guest stars over its existing two seasons. The upcoming Shrinking season 3 is already confirmed to feature Fox in a mystery role, but he’s not the only one. Co-creator Bill Lawrence recently revealed that Candice Bergen would appear in Shrinking season 3 as well.
Just as with Fox, it’s currently unclear precisely what role Bergen will be playing in Shrinking. Lawrence sort of let it slip that the actor would be appearing in the coming episodes while discussing his excitement that Fox was on board. He stated that he didn’t expect to have highlights at this point in his career, providing the example of watching “Harrison Ford and Mike Fox, and Candice Bergen,” on set. This is a significant spoiler—a hint that Bergen and Fox’s characters will be together on screen in Shrinking season 3. Hopefully, this is true, since it would be a rather meaningful reunion.
Candice Bergen & Michael J. Fox Will Reunite In Shrinking Season 3 After Playing Mother & Son In The Michael J. Fox Show
Shrinking Has Brought On Two Actors With The Perfect History
The fact that Lawrence specifically mentioned Fox and Bergen together indicates that their Shrinking characters will share some sort of connection. Perhaps, since Ford was also mentioned, these two actors will portray characters related to Paul’s Parkinson’s diagnosis. Regardless, the idea of Ford and Bergen together on screen is exciting, since this would be a reunion after their work together on the NBC sitcom The Michael J. Fox Show.
Bergen played Beth Henry in The Michael J. Fox Show, Fox’s character’s (Mike Henry) mother. The sitcom, which ran from 2013 to 2014, marked Fox’s return to TV after he left his ABC series, Spin City, which Shrinking‘s creator, Bill Lawrence, produced. The Michael J. Fox Show‘s premise centered on Mike Henry’s decision to return to work as a news anchor after his Parkinson’s diagnosis. Unfortunately, the series was canceled after only one season.
It’s significant that Lawrence would add Fox and Bergen to the cast list, since The Michael J. Fox Show aimed to present Parkinson’s both accurately and with a comical twist, which is precisely what Lawrence has attempted to do with Ford’s character in Shrinking. With actors from The Michael J. Fox Show reunited on screen, we are surely in for a treat.
Why The Michael J. Fox Show Was Canceled After Just 1 Season
Shrinking Has A Chance To Fix Things
Fox is a massive star, and projects like Back to the Future, Spin City, and Family Ties helped get him there. Unfortunately, The Michael J. Fox Show proved itself to be a bit less impactful. This is a real shame, since the series saw Fox present himself on screen as, more or less, himself. The sitcom’s ratings were low, and its slot on NBC was ultimately handed over to the 2014 Winter Olympics after only 15 of the 22 episodes had aired. The Michael J. Fox Show was initially meant to return, but it never did. This meant there were seven whole episodes that never aired in the United States.
The Apple TV+ series has a somewhat tongue-in-cheek approach to comedy, which means Bergen and Fox’s reunion could lead to an on-screen reference to their canceled sitcom.
After The Michael J. Fox Show was canceled to accommodate the Olympics, Sam Laybourne fought to secure a new time slot for the remaining episodes to air, hoping that the viewership would be high enough to support another season. However, it simply didn’t happen. The series ended with no resolution, but Shrinking now has a chance to turn things around. The Apple TV+ series has a somewhat tongue-in-cheek approach to comedy, which means Bergen and Fox’s reunion could lead to an on-screen reference to their canceled sitcom. Regardless, it’s sure to be a lot of fun.
