Why does Shrinking always just … find me? This week I’m just late with this recap because I couldn’t stomach it earlier. This episode, written by Sasha Garron, and directed by James Ponsoldt, packs a punch. It works with one of my favorite narrative devices in TV writing: flashbacks that rip your heart out and do a little dance on it. We learn more about Louis’ fiancé Sarah (Meredith Hagner, who was recently also on Bad Monkey). She, of course, was perfect, and they were adorable together, waiting for the train in the morning, making up backstories about strangers. We also see Jimmy and Tia, frisky and in love (and a cockblocking Alice, who doesn’t look 3 years younger at all, but that’s always part of the charm). There’s Brian, self-involved as always, who of course hated Charlie after their first date, until he thought he couldn’t have him. Gaby doesn’t officially know about Paul’s Parkinson’s yet, but wants to be his hydration guru. They run into Liz, before anyone was friends with her. Need I go on?
Even the Miss Congeniality poster I pointed out the other week is part of the backstory. The tropes are troping, and I mean this as a compliment. They want us to hurt, and so we do. Ah, TV. A warm bath, but it’s a Bill Lawrence-created dramedy, so at some point they’ll throw the hair dryer in with you. (I know you’re big on forgiveness this season, but I have not forgiven y’all for Brendan Fraser on Scrubs).
Louis and his fiancé have a wonderful night out with their friends, and drink that last drink, and he still drives. And suddenly, everyone’s lives are ruined. She doesn’t get hurt in the accident, but when she wants to stick around, he pushes her away – he says looking at her will always remind her of the accident, just like Jimmy couldn’t look at Alice, because all he could see was Tia. But really, Louis no longer thinks he deserves her, and that’s that. Jimmy starts his new habit of getting high and inviting sex workers over, ruining his relationship with Alice, because he, too, is fighting his demons. Alice seeks shelter with Liz and Derek on Taco Tuesday, and that’s us all caught up with what we learned way back in the pilot.
In the now, everyone needs to deal with the fallout of Jimmy finding out about Brian and Alice’s covert hangouts with Louis. They liked Michael Urie doing that crazy several page monologue so much, they had him do it again (“Brian’s one-man show”), so now Jimmy is also caught up with the things we already knew. Jimmy’s reaction shows how much he has grown, even if he may not realize it, because all he does is tell Alice he still loves her, she is his daughter. If only all parents could muster that. (He sends Brian away, which is fair).
Liz is struggling, thinking Derek will never forgive her, but Derek is just taking time to process. He talks to Gaby, fighting his own guilt that he didn’t realize his wife was drowning. It leads to him seeking Mac out – but instead of punching him, he just has one of his craft beers and almost tries to cheer him up. Derek’s gonna Derek. Seeing Liz’s dog photos on the wall of his pub, he realizes again how he really didn’t see her, and ultimately that matters more – this was never about Mac, after all. He ends up inviting their sons over to dinner, and silently takes Liz’s hand.
Jimmy finally sees Louis, telling him he forgives him, but he wants him out of his life. I don’t buy one word – if he just removes him, he’s trying to push him out of mind, out of sight again, and it will fester. Or at least that’s my impression, I may just be wanting more of Brett Goldstein on my screen, I mean his beard was just growing back, you guys. And Shrinking is apparently going to torture us until Christmas Day, so there could be a lot more to come for this plotline.
Paul meanwhile has to go see his new neurologist and is freaking out about it, and finally ropes Sean into accompanying him, thanks to some nudging from Gaby. He promptly hits on her, as she’s young, hot, and former military. Hope we get to see more of this, it would piss Paul off so much. Just like he’s pissed off that he can no longer drink if he wants to slow down his Parkinson’s.
And so he has the titular one last drink, with a sullen Jimmy. Who wonders if he will ever forgive himself because that is what it’s been about all along. Breaking his last promise to Tia, being a bad father to Alice. But if he doesn’t forgive himself, how could he ever truly move on? In my experience, it’s impossible. You need to learn to love yourself first, it’s like with the oxygen masks on planes. Whoever said this show wasn’t about therapy anymore?
Funniest line: Does Harrison Ford flipping open that water bottle count? Or dropping the imaginary mic? Can we finally get that (still unbelievably hot) old man his Emmy please. Also the bear clap. It was just funniest physical comedy this week, really.
Biggest woof: “Sometimes the idea of forgiving someone feels, like, impossible. Then you realize the villain in your story is just a person who made a big mistake.”
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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.
