Ted McGinley steals the show in his portrayal of Derek in the second season of Apple TV+’s hit comedy series, Shrinking. Prior to the second season, McGinley got a much-deserved promotion as a series regular.
Shrinking started as a comedy series where a grieving therapist, Jimmy (Jason Segel) breaks the rules and tells the blunt truth to his clients. In ignoring his own training and ethics, Jimmy starts changing people’s lives as well as his own. The series has certainly grown into a true ensemble comedy series where the writers have found the right balance between work and home life. One character benefiting from the show’s evolution is McGinley’s character Derek. Audiences get to spend more time with Derek during the second season. The scene-stealing McGinley is as much of an Emmy contender as castmate Harrison Ford.
McGinley tells Awards Focus about how being a part of the show as a series regular has been a dream come true. It’s the rare series where he’s part of the show from the beginning rather than joining during the final years, when a series typically jumps-the-shark in material. McGinley not only discusses what he brings to his performance as Derek but also praises the writing. One of his lines from the first season–“Eat a dick, Pam.”–is one that people always repeat to him in public, even if he’s eating with his family. He also discusses his appreciation for Harrison Ford and what’s stayed with him from working on Happy Days.
Shrinking premiered its second season on October 16, 2024. New episodes will premiere weekly on Apple TV+ through December 25, 2024.
Awards Focus: It’s so nice to meet you today. How are you doing?
Ted McGinley: I’m doing very well. Nice to meet you as well. Thank you.
AF: I’ve been enjoying Shrinking during the past two seasons and was absolutely thrilled when I saw that you were promoted to being a series regular for Season 2
Ted McGinley: Thank you. So was I, just for the record. Yeah, it was a shock. I was so excited to be a part of this cast and now to get to travel with them if they go and be a part of the conversation is a dream come true, to be honest with you, honestly, at this point in my career.
AF: Yeah. Does it feel nice to be involved from the very start, as opposed to joining a series towards the end of its run, which has come up a lot in your history?
Ted McGinley: Yes. I’ve sort of given up on the idea that that would happen. I did a show called Hope and Faith with Kelly Ripa and Faith Ford in New York. I was involved—we did three seasons and that was fun to have real input in the character and how I felt about things. This one came along and it was very exciting to get to be a part of this show, this cast, and this amazing writing. I mean, the writing is the star of the show. I’m literally just along for the ride.
AF: They’ve given you so many scene-stealing one-liners. I just love it!
Ted McGinley: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, everywhere I go, “Eat a Dick, Pam,” almost on a daily basis. I’m sitting with my kids at the restaurant, “Eat a Dick, Pam.” Okay. That’s just the way it goes. That’s just brilliant writing. It’s not “Eat a Dick, Pam.” It’s why it worked when they decided to put it in. That’s the brilliance. That’s the part that is—because I could have said “Eat a Dick, Pam” on Married… with Children, but it would have been a different scenario. When they put it in this particular place, when it really was deserved, it was brilliant and they’re just so deep.
AF: What’s your typical reaction like every single time you either do a table read or you read the script for the first time?
Ted McGinley: It’s like dessert. When you get that script—I’m pacing in front of the door waiting for the script to show up. In the old days, they had a guy who would drive by your house and drop your script off and literally, I’d be pacing, waiting, waiting, waiting. Now, it comes through the computer. But the second it drops, it’s like, get on it, see it. Yes! It’s very exciting. You cannot wait to see what they thought up for you. In some cases, I would say probably with Jessica and many of the characters and Brett, they’ve talked with them and worked along different storylines, does this work? With me, I’m not a part of that. I’m sort of on the outside, which is okay, because it’s really fun to see what’s coming and I find that exciting.
AF: What do you bring to the role of Derek that isn’t on the page?
Ted McGinley: Derek is energy and he is aware of where the light is. His job is to show up and be sunshine. That’s the thing that I relate to personally with Derek and that is something that I feel is super important, which separates Derek from the rest of the cast members at this point, is that he represents light. He represents warmth in a place where you can rest. You see what we’re all dealing with there. It’s important to have that place.
AF: What’s it been like having an opportunity to work with the iconic legend that is Harrison Ford?
Ted McGinley: Pretty amazing. I spent my entire career watching him in films wondering, could I ever do anything? Would I be able to stand toe-to-toe with him in anything? What would it take? What would that be like? What’s he like? And then, now doing it. Now, I’m sitting here, just watch him—I’m like a strange person in the corner who just can’t stop watching. I really enjoy and respect how he goes about his work. It’s fun to watch. He treats people with absolute kindness and respect from the PAs when you show up, people meet you in the parking lot, all the way up the line. He is just sets a great example of how to how to be on a set. So does Jason Segel, by the way. They’re two of the nicest big shots I’ve ever met.
AF: Yeah. Shrinking as easily my favorite comedy series right now.
Ted McGinley: Well, good. Thank you. You have good taste. It’s mine, too.
AF: Yeah. They actually had the bench here during the weekend that the second season premiered.
Ted McGinley: Oh, really? Did you go sit on it or no?
AF: Oh, yeah.
Ted McGinley: Yeah. I think that’s a brilliant concept and the fact that it’s the truth bench. It’s another brilliant concept in this show, but people do love to sit on it.
AF: Given that you got your start on Happy Days, is there something that you learned while working on that show that you’ve taken with you throughout your career?
Ted McGinley: Yeah, I think what I started learning, which I always say is preparation. Being prepared equals freedom on a set. If you can be overly prepared or prepared to a point where you’re okay, and where you’re safe, you can take bigger chances. I think when I started on Happy Days, I was just trying not to get fired all the time. I felt like I spent a lot of my career just trying not to get fired and now, I’m at a point where if they fire me, it’s okay. I’m okay. I guess I take more chances now. I learned that that started in Happy Days, where I learned to relax a little more. The more prepared I was, the better I was going to be. I think that’s something I carry through to this day.
AF: Thank you so much. It’s been a pleasure getting an opportunity to talk with you.
Ted McGinley: Thank you so much. It’s been a pleasure. Have a great day.