The season finale follows Alice temporarily moving in with Gabby. shrink Just as Paul predicted, Jimmy hit rock bottom again. Thankfully, he ended up doing what he promised he would never do: call Paul for help. The older therapist reminds him that he already knows what he needs to do to break out of this vicious cycle—open up to Alice. Jimmy needed to bare his soul and tell her how devastated he was that he had failed her as a father after Tia’s death. However, Jimmy was hesitant, worried that his confession would make Alice blame herself.
Even though he was scared, he decided to talk to her. However, he expected to have difficulty catching her as she tried to avoid him. To his surprise, he found her waiting for him in the kitchen. Alice tells him that it’s unfair to expect him to talk to Louis and that she doesn’t need any further explanation from him. But Jimmy knew he had to explain anyway.
He admits that he screwed up in every way, admitting that Louis is a living reminder of his failures as a father. He told Alice: “You are an amazing woman… regardless of me“.
Alice admits that, yes, there was a time when he wasn’t a great father. But she also reminded him of all the good times, happy memories that still meant something. She revealed that even when he was at his lowest, she got glimpses of the father she needed – like the moment he tucked her into bed after she fell asleep on the couch. She knew the real him was still out there, buried in grief, guilt, and despair.
This beautiful scene is a defining moment in their father-daughter relationship and an equally important milestone in Jimmy’s journey to recovery.
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| “The Last Thanksgiving” – Shrink, pictured: Lukita Maxwell and Jason Segel. AppleTV+ ©2024 AppleTV+. all rights reserved |
As revealed in the previous episode, Brian and Charlie are finally officially ready to adopt a child. The expectant mother initially chose another couple to adopt her baby, but later changed her mind. In just four months, Brian and Charlie will proudly welcome the little miracle into their lives.
Liz was furious when she learned that the couple had not made any preparations for the birth of their child. There’s no time to waste! They need to start immediately! Step one: find a nanny. The search proved to be long and arduous, with Liz disapproving of nearly every candidate until they finally found someone she thought was acceptable. However, there’s a catch: nannies can only work part-time. They needed someone to fill in for the two days she was gone.
Derek has the perfect solution: Liz. He even offered to pay Brian and Charlie to convince them to give her the job. Derek knows that Liz is still struggling to find a sense of purpose, and he firmly believes that her calling is to raise children. Brian and Charlie agree to the plan, promising not to let Liz know it was Derek’s idea. Of course, Liz sees right through this and immediately realizes her husband is behind it all. Still, she accepted the offer. Derek was right – her purpose in life was to raise children. It didn’t matter whether they were her own; what satisfied her was being with them, giving them care, love, and guidance.
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| “The Last Thanksgiving” – Shrinkage, pictured: Christa Miller and Ted McKinley. AppleTV+ ©2024 AppleTV+. all rights reserved |
In the season finale, we see Gabby heartbroken as she grapples with the consequences of the past few weeks destroying two important relationships in her life. It was clearly eating away at her. She’s throwing a big Thanksgiving dinner for all her friends, but two key people won’t be there: her mother and her now-ex-boyfriend Derek II.
Meanwhile, Paul chooses to spend a quiet night at home with Julie despite being invited to the Thanksgiving celebration. Or so he thought. However, Julie has other plans. Before he knows it, Paul finds himself “kidnapped” again as Julie herself drags him to Gabby’s party. Unlike Paul, she knew exactly what was good for him.
She’s absolutely right. To everyone’s surprise (including himself), Paul found himself enjoying the party, surrounded by the people he loved, as annoying as many of them could be. In a touching and unexpected moment, Paul delivers a stirring speech to his friends. He openly admits that he has Parkinson’s disease, admitting that things may soon get more difficult and thanking them for always being there for him. He humbly admits that he will need to rely more on them in the future.
This display of vulnerability highlighted just how far Mr. Grumpy has come. As time went on, Paul pushed himself to be better: to be open, to communicate, to rely on others. Julie’s steady presence certainly helped, but there’s no denying that Paul himself carried the load in this transition.
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| “The Last Thanksgiving” – Shrink, pictured: Harrison Ford and Wendie Malick. AppleTV+ ©2024 AppleTV+. all rights reserved. |
The Thanksgiving celebrations got even sweeter when Derek II unexpectedly showed up with Gabby’s mom in tow. Gabby brightened up at the sight of her mom and boyfriend, and she felt a weight lift off her shoulders. The room fills with joy as the entire friend group comes together to share laughter and love, emphasizing the beauty of the chosen family and the connections we make along the way.
This scene is in stark contrast to the isolation Louis is grappling with. After his colleagues discover his past – his drunken driving and the tragic consequences of his reckless behavior – he is not invited to their friendship gathering. Just as Louis begins to find a semblance of stability, this rejection pulls him back into darkness, ruining the fragile progress he’s made.
I felt a deep sense of pride when Louis reached out to Alice and admitted that he needed someone to talk to. It takes incredible strength to fight against the darkness that is dragging you down, and even more so to seek help. Unfortunately, his text message didn’t reach Alice immediately because everyone at the Thanksgiving party agreed to put their phones away for the night.
Louis’ mental state deteriorated rapidly. He found himself at the train station, a place he and his ex-girlfriend frequented. Staring at the approaching train, he considered ending his suffering once and for all. Slowly, step by step, he approached the edge of the platform. Just as the moment became terrifying, a voice called to him. Louis turned around—it was Jimmy.
It turns out that Alice took a sneak peek at her phone and saw Louis’ message. However, Jimmy comes to see him in her place. He came just in time.
The two men sat down on a bench at the station, and there was a quiet heaviness between them.
Jimmy: “It’s been a bad few years, huh?”
Louis: “…Yes.”
Despite sitting next to the man responsible for his wife’s death, Jimmy remained calm and collected. It’s like he’s starting to realize that he and Louis aren’t that different after all. They were both traumatized by the same tragedy. Both have lost the women they loved; their lives are irrevocably shattered.
In an unexpectedly poignant moment, Jimmy points to someone standing nearby and asks, “What’s her story?” Together, they begin to guess the stories of those around them, just as Louis does with his before everything comes crashing down. That’s what girlfriends do.
Then, in a quiet gesture of solidarity, Jimmy placed a hand on Louis’ shoulder to keep him safe. The message was clear: No matter what happened, they were going to be okay. Jimmy will help him. This was the first time he’d actually been able to do that.
The season finale of Shrink deftly weaves together themes of personal growth, healing, forgiveness and the strength found within a chosen family. Nearly every character takes a step forward in their journey, no matter how confusing or painful. As the closing credits roll, we are filled with hope and reminded that even in the darkest of times, those around us can light the way forward.
Did the season finale live up to your expectations? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
