Sumith Prasad
Paul Rhoades is a patient of Golden Oak Memorial Hospital’s Dr. Julie Baram in Apple TV+’s comedy-drama series ‘Shrinking.’ The therapist regularly visits the hospital for his checkups after he is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. These routine visits make the establishment an integral setting of the show. Golden Oak Memorial is one place where Paul expresses and accepts his vulnerabilities. The tough guy who can scare Jimmy Laird and Gaby becomes concerned about his gradually growing disease whenever he is at the hospital. The place, which cannot be found in real life, also sets the stage for his relationship with Julie, which eventually becomes sexual and romantic!
Golden Oak Memorial is a Fictional Hospital Conceived to Explore Paul’s Parkinson’s Disease
Golden Oak Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California, does not exist in real life. The fictional establishment was created to delve into the nuances of Paul Rhoades’ battle with Parkinson’s disease. There is a Golden Oaks Memorial in Ashland, Kentucky, but it is a cemetery rather than a hospital. The therapist’s fight with his illness is one of the most significant storylines in ‘Shrinking.’ The character is partially inspired by Dr. Phil Stutz, who is known as the therapist of Jonah Hill and the subject of the Netflix documentary ‘Stutz.’ Like Paul, Stutz also has Parkinson’s. Therefore, the exploration of the disease is an integral part of the show’s narrative.
In the series, Paul is a man who struggles with his vulnerabilities, limitations, and the expressions of his emotions. While following such a character, the most ideal setting to dive into his psyche is a hospital, justifying Golden Oak’s creation. The writers of the series approached the establishment as a setting where the therapist’s fears and concerns can be explored while respecting the character’s boundaries. By placing him in a room in Golden Oak Memorial, he becomes open to the viewers without compromising his characterization as a grumpy, shut-down man.
Bill Lawrence, who created the series with Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein, revealed that the second season will depict Parkinson’s disease’s progression in Paul, indicating that Golden Oak Memorial will most likely remain an integral setting. The hospital we see in the comedy-drama series was most likely set up on a soundstage in Warner Bros. Studios at 4000 Warner Boulevard in Burbank, California. “Ninety percent are stage sets, and we shoot exteriors on location maybe two or three days a month. But everything is done on stage four and stage six at Warner Bros,” Cabot McMullen, the show’s production designer, told The Credits.
The scenes set in Golden Oak Memorial open a window into what it means to be a person with Parkinson’s disease. These portions also explore what it means to be vulnerable and helpless, even when Paul presents himself as strong and independent.
Read More: Is Shrinking’s Jimmy Laird Based on an Actual Therapist?
