Shrinking Recap: Trending Upward

As a cinephile with a background in psychology and a penchant for character analysis, I find myself utterly captivated by the raw authenticity and emotional depth that Shrinking brings to the table week after week. The show’s ability to delve into the complexities of human emotions and relationships is nothing short of mesmerizing.

Approximately midway through this week’s episode, Paul shares a profound thought that aligns with one of the series’ main themes. He states, “Broken people are great at helping broken people.” In this case, the concept is particularly relevant to two primary characters: Sean, who finds himself essential for his military friend Jorge, and Jimmy, whose patient Dan finally opened up when Jimmy revealed his own struggles. However, it seems that this idea can be applied to most characters on “Shrinking” as they all exhibit signs of being flawed or troubled individuals. Is it not true that we all have our share of issues?

In general terms, “Get in the Sea” emphasizes that when individuals share similar experiences, it can foster greater understanding and empathy. This is because people often feel more comfortable opening up about their situations when they don’t feel isolated in their emotions. However, this concept might not always directly translate to professional treatment settings.

In this episode, it’s clear that Brian is the one who seems to require the most assistance, and unlike Liz, he isn’t shy about showing it. Today, Stuart and Charlie shared some surprising news with him – they could potentially have a baby tonight! This prospect, naturally, feels incredibly overwhelming. To be honest, just a month ago, Brian wasn’t even certain about wanting a child in the first place; he appreciates the nine-month preparation period that comes along with it.

As I find myself in the midst of my third attempt at a date with Gaby, Derrick suggests that we rally our trusted friends and dive deep into discussing this predicament. Once more, Dan offers his help by asking about how Charlie feels on the matter. At that juncture, Charlie confesses he’s just as anxious as I am, hiding behind a facade of bravado. Though I appreciate their patience in waiting until they feel truly prepared, Charlie remains somewhat of a mystery to me. It would be beneficial for Brian to work on opening up more to his partner when facing difficulties.

The gag of Dan showing up at almost every new location is a funny one, and overall the story of this man spending a day out of his comfort zone works pretty well. There’s a concrete goal to work toward this time: He really wants to attend his best buddy Stan’s wedding tomorrow but just doesn’t know how he can bear to sit alone at a table of strangers. (The day before is a little late to be deciding on this, isn’t it?) Jimmy’s exposure therapy begins with eating pancakes at a communal table, but it quickly turns into just bringing Dan around everywhere while Jimmy works on problems with his family and friends.

I’m not entirely convinced by the show’s focus on justifying Jimmy’s unusual tactics, especially considering Grace’s past events. It seems that Jimmy may be making mistakes again; he canceled another appointment to spend the day with Dan, and he made it all about himself by boasting about his success streak, causing Dan’s growth to shift more towards pleasing his therapist rather than self-improvement. However, their work together on that day surprisingly seems to have been effective. By the end of the episode, Dan appears less anxious about attending the wedding and even hesitantly accepts Jimmy’s hug.

Lately, it appears Jimmy has been thriving, particularly in his role as Alice’s parent. The dispute between Alice and Summer is intensifying, with Summer uploading a highly popular TikTok song accusing her friend of being an unfaithful partner. This escalation results in a physical altercation that lands both girls in suspension for a day. However, Jimmy skillfully guides Alice to empathize with Summer, reminding her that the person she hurt is currently in pain. It was revealed that Summer had mentioned Connor as someone special to her, but Alice slept with him nonetheless. Alice needs to confront the reality of her betrayal.

The pleasant moment when the two young ladies reconcile is satisfying, yet the episode concludes with an intriguing twist regarding Alice and Jimmy: Jimmy encounters his daughter at a restaurant with Brian and Louis, suggesting they had just met up moments after promising to inform him about their meetings. This suspenseful ending is particularly gripping since Jimmy has been quite steady recently, only becoming unhinged the first time he encountered Louis in his office. What repercussions might this have on him?

Liz appears to be gradually falling apart, though she refuses to acknowledge this reality. She’s still spending time with her ex, Mac, as he offers her the attention and compliments that she feels she’s not getting from Derek lately. When she encounters Paul during these outings, she attempts to minimize their interaction and the significance of it all. While socializing with Mac isn’t necessarily suspicious on its own, her excessive explanations certainly raise questions.

At the microbrewery, Mac aggressively pursues Liz by displaying her dog’s photos and praising her abilities, finding her cool, funny, and talented. Enchanted by his advances, she reciprocates his affection for a considerable amount of time. However, Liz quickly ends the moment before it escalates any further. From there, she heads to meet Paul as originally planned, for their park-bench therapy session that was initially intended for Alice.

In a straightforward manner, Liz doesn’t hesitate for long before revealing the secret to Derek, as Paul advises it would eat her up if she didn’t. The confrontation between Liz and Derek in the last scene is hard to watch, given that Derek has good reason to be angry, considering the betrayer is none other than Liz’s ex, Mac. It’s understandable for a spouse not to feel listened to or understood, but reacting in this manner isn’t the best response to those feelings. Liz was aware of the risks associated with associating with her former partner from the start.

Amongst a group of troubled individuals, Derek stands out as the most optimistic and least burdened by personal struggles or self-doubt. It’s not uncommon for someone with such an upbeat disposition to potentially overshadow others; this episode showcases Dan as well as other characters who demonstrate that there can be a peculiar sense of solace in realizing that everyone else is also suffering.

Progress Notes

• Cheater, cheater, cheater, cheater, cheater, biiiiitch.

Jimmy often feels uneasy about his position in Gabby’s list of attractive partners, a concern that seems rooted more in his personal ego rather than genuine jealousy towards Gabby and Derrick’s growing relationship. This self-consciousness might stem from an inflated sense of self-worth rather than any actual concern for Gabby and Derrick.

By the way, I’ve grown quite fond of Derrick! Damon Wayans Jr. seems perfectly suited for this group. And as for Paul and Ray, their camaraderie reminds me so much of the classic duo, Statler and Waldorf.

• “Not sure what your deal is, Keisha, but you should probably patch things up with your dad.”

Mike Nelson’s response was quite candid when Dan tried to chat about his breakfast: “I had pancakes, and they were mine, indeed quite extraordinary.

• “I’m sorry to interrupt what I can only assume is a camel-toe intervention.”

“I can provide you with some suggestions for other therapists. It’s not about us, personally – it’s something I do for all my patients like Jimmy.

• We don’t actually get to the Jorge hangout, so maybe we’ll see that next week.

2024-11-20 21:54

Shrinking Recap: Trending Upward

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