Apple TV+ is positioning "Shrinking" as premium prestige comedy through savvy cross-promotional moves. The Sesame Street collaboration showcases the cast's chemistry while reinforcing the show's themes of mental health, friendship and emotional growth — all wrapped in adorable Muppet packaging.
Sources say this was a carefully orchestrated Emmy FYC play. Filming happened between events in New York, giving the entire ensemble time to bond on set. One insider notes it was "the first time" Sesame Street shot with an entire TV cast — typically they do one-off celebrity cameos.
Six original segments filmed May 2026 at Sesame Street studios in New York: "The Friendship Bench" (May 19), "Uphill Affirmations" (May 21), "Deck Wisdom" (May 29), "Rock Gift" (June 3), "Cookie Forgiveness" (June 6), "A Grumpy Conversation" (June 10). Cast present: Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein, Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell, Ted McGinley.
Look, I'm not crying — it's allergies. But let's be real: this wholesome crossover is also calculated Emmy campaigning dressed up in Big Bird feathers. And honestly? It works.
Well, this is unexpected. Apple TV+'s "Shrinking" — the comedy-drama about therapy gone wrong and emotional baggage that's basically a feelings masterclass — has apparently decided that if you're going to explore themes of forgiveness and friendship, you might as well do it with a giant yellow bird. According to Variety, earlier this month the "Shrinking" ensemble descended upon Sesame Street's studios in New York City between Emmy FYC events, where they filmed six original segments with Elmo, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Grover, Abby Cadabby and Oscar the Grouch.
The cast — Jason Segel, Brett Goldstein, Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, Christa Miller, Michael Urie, Lukita Maxwell and Ted McGinley — also posed for group photos alongside Muppet royalty, with Sherry Cola joining for the portrait session. Here's where it gets interesting: this wasn't just another celebrity cameo. Variety reports this marked "the first time" Sesame Street shot with an entire ensemble cast from a television series.
The iconic children's show has previously collaborated with Andrew Garfield, Cynthia Erivo, Sterling K. Brown and Michael B. Jordan — but always for individual segments or appearances, never bringing the full squad.
The topics covered in these six clips align perfectly with "Shrinking's" own themes: asking for forgiveness, being brave, and what it means to be a good friend. "The Friendship Bench," premiering Tuesday at noon ET/9am PT, features Segel, Ford, Maxwell and McGinley alongside the Muppets with this tagline: "There is always room for new friends on 'Sesame Street.' We just might need a bigger bench!" Later segments include "Cookie Forgiveness" (Segel and Goldstein, June 6) and "A Grumpy Conversation" featuring Williams and Ford (June 10).
For Segel and Goldstein — both self-proclaimed Muppet obsessives who pushed for this collaboration with their colleagues — the visit clearly hit different. "'Sesame Street' and The Muppets were really my first introduction to comedy, and puppetry is where I learned how to play other characters who felt different than myself," Segel told Variety. "I've always felt that puppetry is a gateway to empathy because, if we can see ourselves in a big yellow bird, or a green frog, then maybe we can see ourselves in one another." All six original clips will drop across Sesame Street's social media handles — Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X and TikTok — through mid-June.
So yes, Harrison Ford is about to explain emotional vulnerability to Grover, and honestly? I need to see this for my own mental health.
