It’s a known fact that Shrinking co-creators Bill Lawrence, Jason Segel, and Brett Goldstein initially pitched a three-season dramedy that would tackle a specific theme each year: grief, forgiveness, and moving on. With that in mind, “And That’s Our Time” hits all the expected final-chapter notes. There are laughs, tears, a surprise proposal, moments of reflection, confessions, and reunions. Episode scribes Lawrence, Goldstein, and Neil Goldman give every main character’s arc a satisfying enough conclusion for us to envision how their lives might end up. But luckily for us all, we won’t have to imagine too much because season three’s finale doesn’t double as the series’ goodbye anymore.
So in a way, “And That’s Our Time” concludes the show’s original vision. It’s an assured, funny, sentimental half-hour that wisely focuses on our protagonists’ growth. I only checked in at the start and halfway through its run this year, but if you’ve kept up weekly, you know season three put these Pasadena therapists through the wringer. Paul’s (Harrison Ford) Parkinson’s symptoms worsened enough for him to decide it’s time to move closer to his daughter. Gaby’s (Jessica Williams) patient died by suicide, leading her to spiral about quitting before Paul talked sense into her. Jimmy (Segel) hit a serious rough patch when his daddy issues resurfaced, making him lash out at his father, Randy (Jeff Daniels), and his honorary one, Paul. It’s lovely, then, that “And That’s Our Time” narrows in on how these experiences have shaped the trio and their dynamics.
Gaby’s self-doubt crept in bit by bit after Maya’s (Sherry Cola) death. But by the finale, she’s moving on by turning the practice into a trauma center, managing it alone since Paul will be living in Connecticut and Jimmy is happy to meet with his clients elsewhere. Her emotional challenge in this episode comes when she finds a ring in Derrick’s drawer. After panicking about the pros and cons of marriage with her inner circle, she turns the tables and proposes to Derrick in their favorite backyard bar with friends and family members around. In classic Shrinking style, it’s all so lovely. Her speech is romantic. (“You just never make me feel self-conscious. You let me be. You see all my craziness and roll with it. You push me to move forward, past all my bullshit.”) But it’s also a display of Gaby’s ability to leave a destructive past for a hopeful future.
I’m glad that Shrinking didn’t relegate Gaby to a supportive side character or Jimmy’s hookup buddy. While the show didn’t necessarily know what to do with her at first, she’s really come into her own. And these past few episodes have given her more complexity. In turn, Williams shines as she deftly weaves between comedy and drama. Her scenes with Ford remain a true highlight. For his part, the Indiana Jones star is on a tear in Shrinking. He’s great at playing Grumpy Old Guy who is secretly a softie. It’s always a treat whenever Ford gets to dig deeper into Paul’s psyche and feelings, as seen in season two’s finale. In this episode, too, he gets another tearjerker of a monologue when he steps outside his comfort zone to give Jimmy one final push.
The two don’t meet before Paul moves away because Jimmy’s still in his rage spiral. But he calls to apologize later, admitting he was going through textbook transference by removing Randy’s anger on his pseudo-dad. Paul does the best he can over the phone, but thanks to the women in his life (including a visiting Alice, who’s making a pit stop before Wesleyan), he realizes that he needs to interfere a bit more. So the guy flies back to L.A. for a couple of hours to ensure Jimmy doesn’t give up on himself. They have a genuinely wholesome conversation, mostly with Paul finally opening up and telling Jimmy everything he’s wanted to hear, ranging from “You’re like a son to me” to the classic “I love you.” Again, more than being moving (which it definitely is), the scene emphasizes how far both of them have come as people, as menter-mentees, and as chosen family.
As a going-away present, Paul arranges a date between Jimmy and Sofi (Cobie Smulders) so the two of them can rekindle their relationship. They went out earlier in the season, but their respective baggage felt like too much. But now, Jimmy is truly all alone after a long time. Alice has gone off to Wesleyan, Sean (Luke Tennie) has moved out, Brian (Michael Urie) is headed off to Tennessee for three months with his family, and four of his closest pals are going on a vacation together. However, as Paul tells him, too, being alone doesn’t mean lonely. “And That’s Our Time” ends with Jimmy and Sofi grabbing coffee, indicating that he isn’t done just yet—and neither is Shrinking, which has become one of the better “nice-core” shows out there. And with season three done, I feel confident in saying it’s also a far more cohesive, confident, and consistently heartfelt series than Ted Lasso. So I’m excited to see what this team cooks up for their next round.
Stray observations
- • Paul: “Letting go of the past just means you don’t allow your scars to hold you back anymore.”
Jimmy: “I’m covered in them.”
Paul: “Good. What a shame to be 42 years old and not be covered in scars. The evidence of a life fully lived.”
- • Spurred by Derek’s health issues, he and Liz decide to take the next few months and go on a European tour before they become grandparents. And they invite the newly engaged Gaby and Derrick to tag along in Spain.
- • Season four better take us to their joint holiday, even if it’s via flashbacks.
- • The casting department crushed it with season three’s supporting cast, as seen with Jeff Daniels as Jimmy’s nonchalant dad and Candice Bergen as Derek’s overbearing mom. I liked seeing a little bit of Michael J. Fox. But I hope more people notice how good Sherry Cola was as Maya, too.
- • We know Gaby’s influence will forever be with Paul because that man knows what “safe dick” means and proudly tells that to his grown-up daughter. But what are the chances Paul will stay in Connecticut instead of moving back to L.A. at some point? Because Shrinking needs Harrison Ford.
- • Paul, while referring to Sofi: “He’s got that girl who’s too cute for him, but when she speaks, you get it.” I would love to see Cobie Smulders be a regular next season.
Saloni Gajjar is The A.V. Club‘s TV critic.
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