Pratik Handore
AppleTV+’s ‘Shrinking‘ is a comedy-drama series created by Brett Goldstein, Bill Lawrence, and Jason Segel. It revolves around therapist Jimmy Laird (Segel), who, while dealing with his wife’s death, becomes overly involved in his patients’ lives. Meanwhile, Jimmy must also mend his personal relationships and confront his grief.
In the third episode, titled ‘Fifteen Minutes,’ Jimmy makes a breakthrough in his grief after some help from Paul. However, he must also deal with Gaby’s secret while continuing to help his patients. However, Jimmy’s actions lead to a disagreement between him and Paul. If you wish to catch up on the episode’s events, here is everything you need to know about the ending of ‘Shrinking’ episode 3! SPOILERS AHEAD!
Shrinking Episode 3 Recap
The third episode, titled ‘Fifteen Minutes,’ opens with Jimmy accompanying his patient Alan to help him on a date. At Jimmy’s house, Sean and Alice do not get along. However, Sean does his best to help around the house and takes up several chores. Liz intervenes when a neighbor raises concerns over Sean’s presence in the Laird household. However, Liz’s overinvolvement in his life starts bothering Jimmy. Jimmy spends more time with Brian as they regularly go on hikes in the morning.
Brian asks Jimmy to hang out with Gaby. Jimmy realizes that he hasn’t been there for Gaby since Tia passed away. Meanwhile, Paul grapples with his Parkinson’s and undergoes treatment with Dr. Julie. While most of his motor senses are good, Paul is aware that he will have to confront the reality of his situation soon. Jimmy and Gaby discuss Paul’s situation at work as his driving skills are deteriorating. However, when Gaby offers to drive him to work, Paul outright refuses.
Alice meets Paul, and they discuss Sean’s presence in the house. Alice is upset about Sean throwing away one of her mother’s plants. Later, while at a gas station, Jimmy sees Gaby kissing another man. Jimmy is shocked to learn that Gaby is cheating on her husband. After returning home, Liz tries to talk to Jimmy, but the latter dares her to stay out of his business. Jimmy, Brian, and Gaby hang out together, giving Jimmy a chance to confront Gaby.
Jimmy asks Gaby about her husband, Nico, implying she is cheating on him. However, Gaby explains that she is getting divorced. Gaby is not unhappy about the divorce, as it is amicable. Jimmy returns home and has dinner with Alice, slowly mending their relationship. Jimmy helps Sean with getting into VA housing, but they fail, forcing Sean to continue living with Jimmy and Alice. Gaby reveals that her divorce papers are signed, and she is throwing a party to celebrate.
At home, Alice hangs out with her friend but feels guilty as she starts moving past her mother’s death. Jimmy talks to Paul about Gaby’s divorce, as he feels Gaby is acting pretentious. Paul reminds Jimmy that people grieve in different ways and Jimmy should confront his own grief. Alice and Sean start bonding, but Liz gets concerned. Jimmy has an emotional outburst on his way to Gaby’s party. However, there is no party, and he finds Gaby sulking after her divorce.
Shrinking Episode 3 Ending: Why Does Paul Stop Talking to Jimmy?
At Gaby’s house, Jimmy comforts her following her divorce. Gaby explains that she has had difficulty dealing with her emotions since Tia’s death. Tia was Gaby’s best friend, and the two shared everything. However, without Tia, she is unable to process her divorce and confront her emotions. Jimmy does his best to comfort Gaby, understanding he will have to fill in for Tia in the lives of both their loved ones. Meanwhile, Liz runs into Paul at a sandwich shop. She expresses concern over Sean’s conversation with Alice, implying that the former was being flirty. However, since Liz promised not to intervene in Jimmy’s life, she wants Paul to do something about it.
After Paul learns that Jimmy is still being actively involved in his patient’s life, he is enraged. It leads to a dramatic phone call between Paul and Jimmy, where the former reprimands the latter’s vigilante therapist-like actions. However, Jimmy believes that he is making tangible changes in his patients’ lives. Nonetheless, Paul is upset that Jimmy is prioritizing his patients over his relationship with Alice. Therefore, Paul refuses to speak with Jimmy until he ceases vigilant therapist behavior.
In the episode’s final moments, Jimmy leaves Paul a message explaining his stance. However, he spots his patient Grace secretly meeting her abusive husband. As a result, it is evident that Grace has been lying to him all along and never moved away. The ending is certain to leave Jimmy questioning his actions. As a result, Jimmy is likely to be forced to introspect and rest his moral compass. However, the revelation also proves that Paul has been right about Jimmy’s actions all along. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how Paul navigates the emotional mess he has created for himself.
Read More: Shrinking Episode 1 and 2 Recap and Ending, Explained
