Shrinking Season 2 Finale Recap and Ending, Explained: Does Jimmy Forgive Louis?

The second season finale of Apple TV+’s comedy-drama series ‘Shrinking,’ titled ‘The Last Thanksgiving,’ follows Jimmy Laird’s efforts to reconnect with his daughter, Alice, with the help of his boss and friend, Paul Rhoades. The psychologist learns that it is important to admit to his mistakes to repair his relationship with his beloved child. While he figures out what he should do to make things right with Alice, Gaby struggles to stop thinking about Derrick. Their relationship takes a turn when they talk to each other after the intense fight in the eleventh episode of the sophomore installment. The moving season finally concludes with a major decision Jimmy takes regarding Louis, the man who accidentally killed his wife, Tia. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Shrinking Season 2 Episode 12 Recap

‘The Last Thanksgiving’ begins with Jimmy deciding to make amends with Alice no matter what. He receives significant advice from Paul, who asks him to admit his mistakes to his daughter. As far as the senior therapist is concerned, the act of admission or revelation has a healing power that can help repair human relationships. The psychologist’s boss does not want him to wait any longer, which convinces the former to decide to have an honest discussion with his child. Surprisingly, he receives a call from Summer, who is reprimanded at a pharmacy. Since her parents are away, she calls him to help her, as she does not know anyone else to whom she can turn.

After arriving at the store, Jimmy learns that Summer tried to steal a morning-after pill and pays for the same to leave the place with her. Meanwhile, Sean prepares the food for his friends’ Thanksgiving party. Even though he is in charge of the catering, he won’t be joining his companions since his father is waiting for him and his friend, Jorge. Brian and Charlie prepare for a new chapter of their lives as parents by interviewing the candidates for the position of nanny. After talking with several individuals along with Liz, they become impressed with Kellie Brown. However, she can only work for them five days a week.

Derek realizes that Kellie’s weekly off days can be seen as a new opportunity for his wife, Liz. The latter has been struggling with finding a new purpose in her life, especially after their children left home for college. Even though she has been keeping herself busy with her passion for rocks, the same hasn’t been satisfying her. Derek convinces Brian and Charlie to consider Liz as their second nanny, only for the latter to accept the position. Even though Paul plans to celebrate a quiet Thanksgiving on his terms, Julie takes him to Gaby’s party, where he realizes that he is lucky to be around so many people who love and care for him.

Shrinking Season 2 Ending: Why Does Jimmy Meet Louis?

While Alice celebrates Thanksgiving with her family and friends, Louis is asked by his colleague not to join the latter for the celebrations because of his involvement in Tia’s death. The confrontation deeply unsettles him, only for him to immerse himself in grief and guilt. He texts Alice for company, but when she doesn’t show up, he considers killing himself. However, right before he can end his life, Jimmy appears out of nowhere to calm him down. Instead of expressing any sort of anger or rage, the psychologist talks to Louis calmly and even plays the game of analyzing the people around them.

Jimmy meets Louis to forgive and accept him. Even though he hasn’t been able to come to terms with Tia’s absence yet, he knows that it is pointless to blame the man for his wife’s death since it was an accident. As a psychologist, he has helped several individuals make sense of their grief and unsettling feelings. This experience is enough for him to understand that unforgiving Louis is not going to help him process his sadness. Still, Jimmy keeps a distance from the man because the latter reminds him of his failure as a father.

Every time Louis’ presence becomes evident in his life, Jimmy thinks of the period when Tia died. Soon after her demise, he lost his senses. He immersed himself in drugs and casual companions without caring for his daughter, Alice, or helping her deal with the absence of her mother. Tia’s death, in a way, made him selfish and reclusive, especially during a time when his child needed him the most. He recollects this condemnable period whenever he encounters Louis in any manner. Therefore, his anger towards the man is not different from his anger towards himself.

Jimmy finally forgives Louis because he comes to terms with this anger towards himself. He stops running away from it and even processes it by admitting the mistakes he committed. As the rage evaporates from him, he finds Louis tolerable. In the closing scene of the second season of the show, Jimmy does not see the man as a killer. Instead, he sees a person who is hurt. His impulse to help overcomes any trace of anger left in him to make him care for the ailing man. The psychologist’s actions once again save a valuable life, this time from death.

Do Jimmy and Alice Reconnect?

Jimmy and Alice make amends after their heated fight. While the psychologist learns how to reconnect with his daughter, the latter talks to Sean about the predicament, only for him to motivate her to accept her father. The veteran has a highly intricate relationship with his dad, Tim, which improves after he accepts the latter for who he is. This decision helps him focus on his parent’s good sides, which is what Alice does after her conversation with her friend. When she learns that Jimmy helped Summer, she turns her attention to a myriad of things her father has done, even in his worst state.

Since Tia’s death, Jimmy has committed several mistakes as a father. His selfishness and ignorance have even forced Alice to find a parent in Liz in his emotional absence. Still, irrespective of these drawbacks, the psychologist has done many things for her, even though they may appear insignificant or trivial. Looking back, Alice comes across the value of these actions, which helps her empathize with Jimmy. She realizes that her father cares, even though he is not perfect. This realization slowly sinks in her, which makes her forgive and reconnect with him.

In Jimmy, Alice has a father who constantly fights for their relationship, which is not something she can say about a lot of fathers. When she sees Summer calling the psychologist instead of her own parents, Alice must have realized how irreplaceable her dad is. Even Paul, one of her trusted companions, hadn’t been a great dad. When compared to these figures, her father is reliable. She can expect him to care for her, even if he is not in his best state. Jimmy asking for her forgiveness further makes this quality evident and paves the way for their reunion after a brief separation.

Do Gaby and Derrick Get Back Together?

Gaby and Derrick’s endearing togetherness gets threatened when the former talks about emotionally ghosting her former partners instead of being honest with her feelings. This revelation paves the way for the birth of fears and concerns in her boyfriend, who starts to wonder whether he will join the line. Considering Gaby’s past, it may not have been surprising if this fight permanently killed their relationship. However, she overcomes her insecurities and fears to make amends with Derrick and get back together with him. In other words, she confronts her true feelings and embraces them, which brings her back to her partner.

Even though Gaby is a reliable therapist who helps her clients/patients delve into their minds’ intricacies, she never does the same for herself. She has been running away from her true feelings and emotions for a long while, which explains why she had to ghost her partners until they took a hint. This unhealthy way of living finally comes to an end when Derrick makes her confront her feelings. He stands up for himself and turns her attention to her patterns so that she can understand she is stopping herself from taking the next step in their relationship.

Derrick’s actions leave Gaby no choice but to introspect, which helps her accept her mistakes. She reaches out to him to make amends right when he wonders whether he any longer exists in her thoughts. Derrick values her efforts to do the right thing, which motivates him to forgive and get back together with her. He even brings her mother, Phyllis, to Gaby’s party, showcasing how perfect he is for her.

Why Does Liz Give Jimmy a Rock?

Even though Liz and Jimmy have been neighbors and friends for a considerable while, there has been an unignorable distance between them. When the psychologist lost himself to drugs and a hedonistic lifestyle following the death of Tia, Liz had to replace him in Alice’s life. This turn of events must have caused an unceasing conflict between them. When she looked at him, for a long while, she could only see a failing father. Similarly, Jimmy could only see an intruding woman who replaced him in his child’s life when his attention turned towards her. This can be why Liz doesn’t gift him her trademark rock despite the long period they have known each other.

Liz changes the nature of her relationship with Jimmy in one of the closing scenes of the second season by gifting him a rock. His never-ending efforts to redeem himself as a father must have immensely influenced this decision. Like Alice, Liz must have realized that he is not an outright failure as a parent after seeing him try his best to reconnect with his daughter. Furthermore, despite their differences, Jimmy has always been present for her, even if it is to curse her. While she spirals without a purpose in her life, his consistent presence and support must have helped her feel grounded. Ultimately, her life wouldn’t have been the same without Jimmy.

Liz wouldn’t have gotten Alice as her baby, Gaby as a friend, Brian and Charlie as “co-parents,” Sean as a business partner, and Paul as a friend if it wasn’t for Jimmy. By giving him a rock, she must be acknowledging his valuable presence and influence in her life.