Marshall and Robin are sharing the screen again — just not in MacLaren’s Pub this time. During the inaugural Newport Beach TV Festival, Jason Segel confirmed that “How I Met Your Mother” co-star Cobie Smulders will officially return in Season 3 of “Shrinking“.
Cobie Smulders Returns In “Shrinking”
Smulders made a surprise guest appearance in Season 2 as a woman Jimmy (Segel) buys a car from as a gift for his daughter. There were some early sparks between the two, but nothing romantic took shape… yet.
“I don’t want to give too much away, but she pops back around,” Segel teased at the event, where he was honored with Variety’s Creative Impact in Television Award. “The magic trick of that casting is we’ve known each other for 20 years, through thick and thin. But the characters have only just met, so when we’re interacting, I think you subconsciously feel like they’ve known each other forever.”
As for whether Jimmy is ready for a new relationship, Segel didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, I do,” he said. “I think that this funny thing happens where when you’re doing a lot of personal work that’s solo, you get to a point where you’re like, I am ready to date. And then you try, and you’re like, I was wrong. That’s been my experience. So I think he’ll probably deal with that a bit.”
Jason Segel Teases More “Shrinking” Stars
Jimmy’s complicated love life isn’t the only thing heating up this season. Jeff Daniels joins the cast as Jimmy’s estranged father, adding new layers to his backstory and emotional development. “Jimmy has a complicated relationship with his parents,” Segel explained. “You’ll find out this season why Jimmy projects so much onto Paul [Harrison Ford’s character], why it’s so important that Paul gives him validation.”
As for casting Daniels? Segel couldn’t be happier. “It’s not lost on me that [Jeff] is the last version of me — either Jeff Daniels or Judge Reinhold,” he joked. “We’re doing these scenes next to each other, and our mannerisms are kind of the same. Neither of us are doing a bit. We’re making the same choices, so it’s perfect casting.”
Another major guest star in Season 3: Michael J. Fox. Segel, who grew up admiring the Family Ties and Back to the Future star, called working with him “a dream.”
“[My friends and I] would talk about Michael J. Fox — he was doing his TV show and Back to the Future at the same time, and sleeping in his trailer and all that,” Segel shared. “He was a real inspiration. I got to tell him that on set: ‘There were times when I told myself, “The only way I’m going to make it through tonight is because I know you did it.”’ That was really special.”
Season 3 is currently in production. With the return of familiar faces, new emotional territory to explore, and some seriously nostalgic casting, “Shrinking” is shaping up to be its most personal—and most fun—season yet.
