Shrinkage – Episode 2.03 – Psychological Objectivism

In “psycho-thingism” there is a shared vulnerability and a willingness to try and face it.

Let’s start with Alice. She had been wracked by her father’s explosive remarks about Mr. Winston, her mother’s drunk-driving killer, and this explosive letter only slightly eased her mood. Paul’s advice about never seeing him again is helpful, but at no point is she able to convince anyone—not the audience, and certainly not Paul—that her promise is sincere.

Paul said he had a strange sense of déjà vu, but hers was less strange. We’ve already seen examples of Alice’s slightly reserved display of emotion: Just look at the quick hug at the end of her heartfelt conversation with Jimmy in the season premiere. But the flashback of Tia teasing her when she didn’t reply “I love you” perfectly reflects Summer’s much less investment in the same exchange. Is this the fear of attachment that arises after experiencing the most severe trauma? Or just lack any closure?

Alice chooses to tackle the latter. She told Summer last episode that she wanted Winston to show up at her house so she could say what she wanted to say to him. This letter is very helpful. But it’s not enough, and it’s not quite right. Just as Winston’s apology in the café wasn’t enough, or right.

It’s no surprise that Paul’s advice turned out to be correct: How could that meeting have gone the way Alice wanted? What could she say to this man – what could he say to her? – Will this ease the pain she has felt for years? Brett Goldstein gives a very sympathetic, soft-spoken performance here, playing a man who, from our character’s perspective, has been reduced to a one-dimensional figure: a reckless criminal. What we see of him here is a completely different man, a vulnerable, remorseful man eager to reconcile with the people whose lives he has ruined.

Alice didn’t give him that, and she didn’t give that to herself. Lukita Maxwell excels at both aspects of this conversation: first, the state of calm, listening; Then enter full berserk mode. To Alice, these screams were the last thing he deserved. Winston knew this too, and everyone nodded in acceptance as she stormed out.

We know from her father’s past that people in distress can do reckless things, like kissing neighbor Connor

The person who just fell in love with Summer must be like this. Angie McMahon’s “Letting Go” may be an accompaniment to a scene that’s very sweet in context, but it’s yet another reminder of one of the show’s main messages: that emotions are difficult, and Find ways to express emotions.

Paul needed surprising help finding a long-term strategy for his own health. Going with Julie to visit her husband Elliot, who has dementia and lives in a care facility, was eye-opening. There seemed to be two sides: as he watched the two of them sitting together, he seemed afraid of becoming like Elliot. But he expressed to Julie a more pressing fear – that their situation would become the same and that she would have to endure the pain of caring for him as his health declined.

This is a legitimate fear. As she makes sure he takes his medication, reminds him to exercise, and keeps him away from unhealthy ice cream, she is both his doctor and his lover. This can cause a lot of stress. It’s a bit painful to see Harrison Ford display this kind of fear, considering how often we see his rough-and-tumble, outspoken, balanced side in therapy. The solution ended up being a halfway house, and he has Derek to thank for that. Although Ted McGinley plays Derek as a source of dry humor, he offers sage advice here. Any situation he and Liz couldn’t handle, they would get out of. “So I’ll get rid of Parkinson’s” was Paul’s glib reply, but in a sense, it was something he could do. So by the end of the episode, he has a new doctor and frees Julie from the medical burden of the relationship.

Elsewhere, the relationship is less loving. Charges against Grace for pushing Downey off the hill were dropped due to Downey’s history of abuse, but she insists she should be punished for what she did. Back to Downey – we think physical therapy is needlessly cruel; kudos to Tirkey Jones for making him look so scary – it’s her way of doing it.

So it’s heartwarming to see how Jimmy and Brian help her out. The witness statements Brian collected were a reminder of how loved and valuable Grace was. It’s beautifully shot, with friends sitting in Brian’s place, and it’s the reassurance she needs as she and her sister move out.

This was also the catalyst for Jimmy to take steps to rekindle his friendship with Brian. When we started the series, they were already estranged. It’s clear from this episode that the distance between both sides is growing. But it’s also clear that their distance is superficial – deep down, neither wants to stay where they are, and both want to be better friends with each other. It was heartbreaking to see the two of them fall out midway through the episode, but their Wednesday night dinner was the healthy reunion they — and we — needed.

Sean’s reunion with his dad doesn’t seem very healthy, but it still makes a lot of sense. Sean and Liz meet him by chance at their food truck business, and she goes astray and sells her share of the business to him in an effort to do a good deed. From what we know about Sean so far, his reaction is predictable and will bring a whole new dynamic and whole new questions to his road to recovery.