If you ask me how successful Apple TV+'s melancholic comedy is Shrink It starts, I would say it starts with a Billy Joel song. But if you ask me on a deeper level, I'd say it all starts with Derek.
Instead of opening with a shot of Jimmy (Jason Segel) belting out the King's music and playing his air piano by his pool at 3:00 in the morning, Shrink'S' story begins with him checking in on his exhausted neighbors Liz (Christa Miller) and Derek (Ted McGinley). As Liz whispers her husband's name twice, the camera cuts to McGinley's character, who is feigning deep sleep in the hopes that his wife will head next door and solve the noise problem again, which she does. The introduction creatively puts Jimmy in crisis before viewers even meet him. But in hindsight, I like to think that Derek's dual character also coincidentally foreshadows the development of McGinley's once-minor, but always likable, character.
In the first season of Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein and Jason Segel's critically acclaimed series, McGinley's role was so small that he chose not to tell people about it for fear they would be disappointed by his limited screen time. Although ShrinkDerek's initial lack, through his amusing one-liners, scene-stealing delivery, and infectious energy, McGinley not only hooked viewers, he left them begging for more. As a result, he was welcomed back as a series regular in Season 2, and since then, the love for him and Derek has only grown.
“When they said they were going to make me a regular, I couldn't believe it. It was the coolest thing that ever happened,” McGinley told Decider via Zoom. “I was an everyday player last season. There was no guarantee. I was just coming and going. But I think they're starting to see something. Because the writing is so smart and so good, they created this character and found this place in the chaos where people could land. And this is Derek.
Throughout his four decades on screen, McGinley has starred in everything from… Revenge of the nerds and Happy days to Love boat, Married…with children, Hope and faithAnd more. The 66-year-old actor has nearly 100 credits to his name, but if we look at him today, he's considered… Shrink Highlight.
“I learned to economize on words, as Derek didn't have much to do, but that didn't mean he couldn't score,” McGinley mused. “I've been on shows where the character resonates a little bit. Jefferson is on Married…with children It hit with a lot of people, however Shrink It was very exciting for me. In fact, I have never encountered anything like this in my career. It was so much fun.
Much to the delight of Derek's loyal fans, McGinley's character has been retired Shrink Season 2, which means he has plenty of time to hang out with the house, his wife, and their group of friends. Whether he's screaming from the balcony, naming a new dog, or setting off on a daring hunt for the scissors, Derek has still mastered the art of taking potentially inane one-liners to the next level, but this time, he's given more storylines that make McGinley shine even brighter.
Season 2 not only offers McGinley richer dialogue, expands his scene partners (he fulfills his dream of sharing a one-on-one scene with Harrison Ford), but challenges Derek and Liz's marriage in a way that allows the actor to step away from his character. Distinctive sense of humor and explore his emotional depths.
“It's interesting, because I didn't have a lot to talk about when we started the show. I had to come up with my own inner life for Derek — who I thought he was and what he did. I created my own thing, just so I would have something to hold on to, but I knew That there was a reason he didn't tell me. So I just went with it. “I didn't try to open any doors. As the first season progressed and he started learning more about Derek, he felt like he was on the right track in terms of the backstory, but there was nothing,” McGinley said. Prepare for the twist of Season 2, when… A lost Liz kissed her ex-husband Mac (Josh Hopkins), then revealed her infidelity to Derek.
For fans who are overcome with suspense Cougar City Reunited and I screamed “NOOO!!!” On TV When Liz and Mac lock their lips, McGinley wants to reassure you that you're not alone in your disappointment. “I opened the script one day and there was a story about Liz talking to someone. I couldn't believe it. I was so hurt personally. I was like, 'Oh my God!' Shrink The star remembers. “When I went to work the next day after they shot that, the crew — every single one, man and woman — pulled me aside and said, ‘I can barely hold the boom!’ and ‘I wanted to knock it out of focus!’ Because they were all angry. And this It made me feel so good. Everyone loves Krista, of course. The only reason this story works is because she's adorable, and incredibly generous, and it's brave, in my opinion, of them writing this for her to play, because it's like kicking a puppy.
After Liz tells Derek about the kiss in Episode 7's emotionally poignant scene (a series highlight for both Miller and McGinley), a teary-eyed Derek retreats to Gabi's (Jessica Williams) house to clear his head. In the brilliant Episode 8, “The Last Drink,” written by Sascha Garone and directed by James Ponsoldt, McGinley’s character confronts Mac, only to find that he is “too hospitable for a fool.” Instead of venting his feelings toward Liz's ex, Derek looks inward and suspects he's not entirely innocent, so he heads to Gabi's office for an impromptu therapy session, giving viewers another heartwarming scene between a couple. ShrinkThe most underrated duo.
“I guess [Jessica] amazing. Anytime you work in front of her, it's just magic. She is very unique and has tremendous talent. “I’m her biggest fan,” McGinley said. “To have a scene like that where he's really centered and you hit him right on the nail — I still haven't seen it, but I just remember playing it, and how it felt. And we were both surprised at where things went.”
With Gabi's help, Derek realizes that even though Liz failed, he could have been more there for her in her crucial moment of weakness. In a move that absolutely crushes Liz (and anyone with a beating heart), Derek He apologizes, and the mutual forgiveness simultaneously softens the couple, strengthens their 26-year marriage, and speaks volumes about their characters in the actor's eyes.
While four episodes remain Shrink Season 2 was so huge for Derek and McGinley that fans online are clamoring for the actor to win his first Emmy.
“This isn't even in my vernacular. I've been doing this for 44 years. I've never been to this place before.” [The Emmys]. Maybe I went once when Marion Ross or someone was nominated and I was in the cheap seats and we were asked to support. “But I never went to any of that stuff,” McGinley shared. “My wife and I are always home and watching. We don't even feel like we're part of that conversation at all. So to hear something like that… Oh my God. I can't even begin to think about what that would be like. I can't even hear what she's saying.” “
When chatting with Decider ahead of the Season 2 premiere, Lawrence acknowledged as much Shrink He “definitely turned heads” by making the “original Jump the Shark guy” a series regular, but after nearly casting McGinley in various projects over the years (he even auditioned for… Scrubs But he lost to John C. McGinley!) Lawrence felt confident in his decision.
Plus the fact that McGinley is played by Lawrence Miller's wife Shrink Wife, there's another reason why Derek holds a special place in the model's heart. “There's a lot of Bill in Derek – the best parts of Bill. I still haven't seen the bad part. It's unusual to have a guy who's done this as long as he's been at his level, and he comes into the group and, like the rest of us, can't wait to get in and start mixing things up. No. “It's like a wild mustang that wants to get in,” McGinley explained. And he couldn't have stopped if he tried.' “With Derek, it's that spark — that positive nature of Bill — and the fact that he and Krista have this shorthand and way of communicating that is so honest. It's beautiful to watch and really hard to achieve. And there are a lot of them in Liz and Derek's relationship.
While reflecting on his growth as an actor and a person over the next two seasons shrink, McGinley cried before sharing some key points.
“With the overall concept of the series, what I really had to confront was how human we are all, and that no matter what you do, no matter what you have, no matter where you go, you're always going to be fallible. And they face difficulties, they face love, fortune, and pain.” “And the agony. That's part of being alive and it makes it so much better when you have someone you can talk to,” McGinley said. “Sometimes that's enough to save your life.”ShrinkI think as much as it's funny, it's very important, because people see that…there are real moments where it's just about finding someone and getting someone, or being the other person. Contact us. Make time. “I think that's the bigger picture.”
The actor's experience on the Apple TV+ series has been so rewarding that he didn't even ask for Derek to join him Shrink Season three. He continues to trust the process and is grateful for anything that comes his way — even if it's just another thrill.
“That's the fun, to open up the script and say, 'Okay, what's going to happen?'” I find that really fun. I like to be challenged. For me, I don't want to know. I don't ask. I'll stay out of it, and one day I'll open it up and say, “No.” “They're going to throw me off a cliff,” McGinley laughed.
If there's one thing we've learned from him Season 2 is all about “Everybody Wants Derek,” so Shrink Writers, if you're reading this, don't you dare attack Ted McGinley.
New episodes of Shrink Season 2 premieres Wednesdays on Apple TV+.
