Directed by Zach Braff, Written by Sofi Selig
Alice and Connor wake up in his bed together, causing Alice to freak out. Surprising no one, Derek comes in without knocking but doesn’t catch her. She ends up having to jump down the balcony that everyone always uses to watch her and Jimmy – literally crossing that boundary herself. When Alice and Connor both hang out with Summer later it becomes awkward immediately, but for now she doesn’t find out. For now.
Liz ends up discussing her misstep with Sean in his therapy with Paul, which puts Christa Miller and Harrison Ford together, but not nearly for long enough, wrapping this conflict up very quickly. Yet Paul’s handwriting in the session is clearly affected by Parkinson’s and he’s worried his cognitive ability is also declining too much to continue his work; Jimmy assures him he’ll tell him once that happens. (Will it happen this season?) His daughter is in town, although plot wise that only seems to add one more element to this week’s narrative thread of what it means to be a good or bad Dad – or the fear of becoming the latter.
Sean’s now working with his Dad, and thus is constantly confronted with his traumatic past, resulting in him being triggered and experiencing the violent blackouts that got him into therapy in the first place. While Jimmy can keep him from attacking a construction worker, he is a ticking time bomb, one I am sure will go off sooner rather than later.
Derek introduces Gaby to another Derek (or officially Derrick) (because everybody wants one!), guest star Damon Wayans Jr., and they hit it off – maybe he’ll be the palate cleanser post Jimmy, even though I still want her to get with a woman. But they have chemistry. And he’s a nice departure from her exes who are all tortured men. The corny vibes of him pretending the vibrator was a phone? Here for it. And as OG Derek also makes clear: he’d take care of her, for once. She could use it.
Brian is suddenly confronted with his husband Charlie wanting a baby, going from zero to adoption agent in the span of an episode – there is absolutely no way this is going to end well. He also adopts a dog, despite perhaps not being the best pet Dad either, as he decides to after he got him into an accident. Speaking of accidents: When Brett Goldstein’s drunk driver shows up to return Alice’s wallet at the end of the episode, it becomes clear Brian knows him – and possibly for longer than the fateful night. When they first introduced the character I wondered if he was perhaps a friend, or had some other relationship to any of our protagonists, making this all extra dark and complicated. Right now, we’re assuming he drove the other car, but what if he drove Tia? What if he was dating Brian??? (I just want Brett in a queer role, not gonna lie. Or you know, explicitly queer, whatever was going on with Roy and Jamie in Ted Lasso wasn’t exactly the most heterosexual thing on television either, but I digress). Alice didn’t seem like she knows him, but that doesn’t have to mean it’s not possible; she was younger then. It would make more sense for him to come into their lives more permanently if that were the case, which he clearly will as this season continues to unfold. Made you look.
Funniest line: “Do you want me to pull my pants down and make my ass clap?” Have I mentioned Harrison Ford is hilarious? Where the fuck is his Emmy?
AND
“I’m cool. I’m L.L. Cool Cool.” – “That’s not his name.” Gavin Lewis reaches Hugh Grant levels of awkward. (That’s a compliment).
Biggest woof: Brian being worried about Double D, who is clearly not doing okay. (How would he.) Can’t wait where this is going.
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I will cover Shrinking Season 2 weekly on Wednesdays for the rest of the year. Find all my Season 1 recaps here. I also previously covered Ted Lasso Season 3, and reviewed Superbob.
