What role does Heidi Gardner play in Shrinking? Character explored

Modified Dec 26, 2024 18:38 GMT

Still of Heidi Gardner from the show (Image via Apple TV) — Still of Heidi Gardner from the show (Image via YouTube/Apple TV)

Heidi Gardner is an actor, comedian, and writer known for her numerous appearances on Saturday Night Live. Recently, she has been getting praise for her portrayal of Grace in the comedy-drama series Shrinking, created by Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, and Brett Goldstein.

The series features Jason Segel in the lead role as Jimmy Laird, a therapist who is grieving the loss of his wife, who passed away in a car accident.

Heidi Gardner's Grace is one of Jimmy's patients who was married to an abusive man but couldn't get herself to leave him. Her struggle in her toxic relationship is one of the key storylines in the show.

Shrinking season 1 premiered on Apple TV+ on January 27, 2023, with ten episodes, while the second season premiered on October 16, 2024, with twelve episodes. Furthermore, the platform has already confirmed a third season. Apart from Heidi Gardner and Segel, the show stars Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, Michael Urie, and Luke Tennie in prominent roles.

Here's how the streaming platform describes the series' plot:

"Jimmy is struggling to grieve the loss of his wife while being a dad, friend, and therapist. He decides to try a new approach with everyone in his path: unfiltered, brutal honesty. Will it make things better—or unleash uproarious chaos?"

Heidi Gardner plays Grace in Shrinking

Grace is one of Jimmy's prominently featured clients, as her resistance to leaving her abusive husband became challenging for Jimmy in many ways. He buried his grief of losing his wife by overindulging in his patients' lives, despite being cautioned by his senior and mentor Paul (Harrison Ford). In one of his sessions, Jimmy bluntly told Grace to divorce her husband and move away from him.

Grace took his advice to heart, left her husband, and went to her sister's place in Canada. However, it was later revealed that she was lying about it, simply not to disappoint Jimmy.

Why is the character of Grace important in Shrinking?

Heidi Gardner's character was important for Jimmy to realize the flaws and ethical concerns in his new approach. When Grace finally decided to assert her independence, it led to lethal implications. She pushed her husband off a cliff and was incarcerated for attempting to murder him.

Season 2 of the show began with Jimmy and his lawyer friend Brian trying to get Grace out of prison, by proving her husband's abuse and the psychological effects it had on her. During the season, she gets out of prison and finally frees herself from her husband. Grace's struggle showed Jimmy the implications of his actions and how dangerous it can be to cross the professional line.