The penultimate episode of Shrinking's first season has too much going on, leading to rushed and unsatisfying conclusions for arcs that should have been more important. Brian is allowing Jimmy to be his officiant, Gaby is reconciling with Nico, and Jimmy and Alice are finally connecting. None of these developments had time to breathe. Grief is an important part of Jimmy's and Alice's story, and the moving journey of their grief grounds the drama series and balances out the show's shallower moments. Jason Segel, Lukita Maxwell, Harrison Ford, Jessica Williams, and Gaby all get their own episodes to focus on their respective characters. This is a smart strategy for a brand-new comedy. Gaby was able to get closure with Nico after the art gallery debacle, but when the screen cuts to black, she is post-coital with Jimmy again. Williams is the glue of this series, as she and Harrison Ford's Paul interact outside of the office. Her facial expressions are captivating when she finds out Paul is seeing his doctor, and it helps bring out the humor in Ford. Paul has been curmudgeonly all of Shrinking Season 1, but when he's around Gaby, they bring out the fun in each other. I called it from the beginning that Paul had a thing for his doctor, so I'm happy to see I was connecting the right dots. The Shrinking Season 1 Episode 9 storylines are building to a natural resting point for the season finale. Ford has added a new angle to Paul's character, and Jimmy is trying to officiate a wedding. I'm wondering if a new patient will fill the role of Sean or take the role of the main "patient" in the season. I'm beginning to worry that it might be Brian. The end of Shrinking Season 1 Episode 9 is one of the most gut-wrenching scenes of the season. Jason and Lukita play it brilliantly, and it leaves the story in an interesting spot to pick up in Season 2. Alice is upset that her mom forgot her birthday, and signs are pointing to a major conversation between the father/daughter duo. Jimmy takes a client to spread his mother's ashes to help him move forward, while processing his own complicated feelings. At home, he and Alice reminisce about the music "listening parties" they used to have with Tia. Brian reinstates Jimmy as his wedding officiant and tries not to regret it when Jimmy cries during the practice run. Paul prepares to receive a career achievement award in Las Vegas, but he doesn't think he deserves to be celebrated. Jimmy urges him to invite Meg and her family to the awards ceremony, but when he does, it angers Meg that he's putting work first again and she'll be busy attending her son's play. Gaby reconciles with Nico, and when Nico tries to rekindle their relationship, she nearly falls for him again. However, she can't fall back into Nico's orbit, so she decides to apply for a professorship. Sean's dad gets his son a job in accounting, but Sean hates it. Alice and Liz invest in his business, and Jimmy gives Paul some difficult advice: if Meg won't go to Vegas, he should ask Julie.
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