Shrinking boss reveals Harrison Ford's future in the show after season 3 finale and teases season 4

Harrison Ford’s character in Shrinking, Paul Rhoades, may have moved away in the season 3 finale of the comedy drama, but co-creator Bill Lawrence has promised fans that the beloved character "is not disappearing" and will be back for season four.

The final episode of the season featured a few changes for therapist Jimmy Laird (Jason Segel) and his friends and family. While Jimmy finally accepted his grief for his late wife and realised he was ready to pursue a relationship with Sofi (Cobie Smulders), his daughter Alice (Lukita Maxwell American) headed off to college in Connecticut.

Meanwhile, Paul and his wife Julie (Wendie Malick) moved to the same state, which Lawrence admits is not a coincidence.

"It’s not an accident that Alice goes to school at Wesleyan University and that in the end of the finale, she's going by to have dinner at Paul’s house," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "Time passage changes a lot of things — as to where people are, where they’re living and how things have progressed. So, yes, Harrison’s back on the show."

In an additional conversation with Deadline, he added: "I would be insane not to find a way for Harrison Ford to be in the show in perpetuity. He is not disappearing... We tell another story. We’re gonna jump ahead a couple years and see where everybody’s at, and we have a new story to tell. [Harrison Ford] will be part of it. He’s not leaving."

Colleagues and friends Paul and Jimmy did have a falling out in the penultimate episode of the season, and Ford’s character, who has Parkinson’s Disease, also retired, which could have worked as a conclusion for the show. However, Lawrence explained that it was always the plan to have a three season story arc and then change direction for Paul if the show returned for a fourth season.

"Part of the fun is, if this three story [arc] ends and he’s gonna go try and be with his family in Connecticut, I’m fascinated, along with the writing staff, of what does that look like a couple of years from now?” he added.

"Did it work? Is it hard? Does he miss people? Is he doing better? Is he doing worse? And the one thing I can tell you, Harrison’s such an inspiring guy as a performer, to watch him play that character. We’re going to make sure that it reads the same way."

Shrinking seasons 1-3 are available to watch on Apple TV. You can sign up to Apple TV now.

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