Shrinking Season 2, Episode 4, “Made You Look” Spoilers Ahead
Written by Sofi Selig and directed by Zach Braff, Shrinking’s “Made You Look” highlights all the intricate ways people claim to be okay right before a tumultuous disaster hits. We’re four episodes into a twelve-episode season, and the development continues to turn over puzzle pieces that we’re meant to carefully assemble.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 4, “Made You Look,” is both deeply unserious and seriously terrifying at the same time. Sure, we don’t have to worry about Paul’s Parkinson’s diagnosis at this very second, but it’s still there, making its presence known and giving us that little fear that he doesn’t have it all together. No human being who’s decided they don’t want kids suddenly has a change of heart just because their partner wants it, so there’s another huge change to unpack. Alice’s mistakes will continue to unravel, and new beginnings for Gaby might either be the best thing or the worst.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 4 Hints at Paul’s Quiet Unraveling
Harrison Ford continues to bring some of the best performances to our screen in Shrinking and come award season, I need the powers that be to acknowledge that. “Made You Look” is a riveting episode in more ways than one and how it shows Paul’s humanity is at the top of the list. Yes, he has an ego. No, he doesn’t take his own advice. Yes, he has fears. No, he doesn’t have everything together. When Sean opens up to Jimmy about working with his father instead of to Paul during a therapy session, Paul takes that to heart because he’s scared of what’ll come from all the bottled-up pain.
In more ways than one, he’s right, but how the show gives him and Jimmy a chance to be on the same page for once does an impeccable job of showcasing why the two of them working together works. Sure, this conversation happens with his daughter, Meg, first, but it’s refreshing to then see him go talk to Jimmy because it segues into exploring the more complex dynamics between fathers and their kids. At the moment, they’re all largely avoiding something with their kids, even while they’re actively trying their hardest to make a difference. Still, putting aside pride and allowing oneself to feel vulnerable enough to admit that their colleague is right is no small feat, and this is something that I can’t wait to see Paul continue to work on.
Further, while we had the chance to meet Julie’s former husband, it’s easy to wonder if the show will have her also meet Paul’s ex-wife. Meg continues to be a fascinating character I’d love to see more of, so if her mom visits, we could get something really compelling on our screens.
Are They Okay?
The last two minutes of Shrinking Season 2, Episode 4, “Made You Look,” is something I need to speak to my own therapist about. Dropping The National’s “Your Mind Is Not Your Friend” featuring Phoebe Bridgers in a moment like this made me straight up HOWL. (Caps, absolutely necessary for emphasis.) Louis returns to the Laird household to return Alice’s wallet, but he sees Brian instead and chooses to somberly ask if Alice and Jimmy are okay. It’s such an innocent and heartbreaking question because how could they be okay? Only, to a degree, they are, but it’s far more complicated than that. There are moments while we grieve where we’re okay, and then there are moments where we’re in absolute shambles.
Perhaps what’s even more compelling about this scene is that Brian asks if Louis is okay, then reads the truth behind his “I’m fine.” Guilt follows Louis like a shadow and makes its way into everything he does, so it’s easy to appreciate that Brian sees this because, in an episode where Jimmy reminds him that he’s one of the most empathetic people he knows, this detail shows that fact clear as day.
Additionally, this idea of being okay—of truly finding a place to settle amid all the chaos—requires people to accept and understand the uncertainties of everything. People are never the same after loss. People are never the same after anything traumatic, but okay is such a fascinating umbrella term that it ultimately feels right, if nothing else.
And even more than the simple question is the complexities we’re diving further into by forcing characters to ultimately confront the things that aren’t making them okay. Alice is so preoccupied with denying what happened with Connor that it’s easy to see she’s far from okay. She’s dodging all the demons that have resurfaced, and this slow unraveling makes Shrinking so impressive.
It’s also fascinating that I imagine we’ll now get a confrontation between Louis and every character who loved Tia before we see him and Jimmy come face to face again. Still, Brian’s role at this moment speaks to a much larger theme about compromise because, here, we have a man fighting everything inside because he doesn’t think he can be a good father, yet his compassion is limitless. It’s lovely that we’re getting the chance to know his husband, Charlie, more closely, and I hope that the two of them taking this new path shows how massive these changes could be. It’s not a one-and-done conversation, it’s one step after another until they reach a point where they’re both fully ready.
Similarly, the progress we get with Sean in Shrinking Season 2, Episode 4, “Made You Look,” continues to be so impressive because all the improvements he’s made would undoubtedly make him feel bad about how he reacted to Liz while simultaneously allowing fear of working with his father to take control. How we see his flashes of anger come and go further reminds us that progress isn’t linear, and the fact that he’s actively trying is where the strength in his character journey lies. Sean cares about the new friends he’s made, and he cares about how far he’s come. This journey also leads to an exciting place with Liz because she also feels bad, but more on her end, there isn’t much she can do right now.
On the other side of the pathway, Gaby meets her own Derrik (guest starring Damon Wayans Jr.), and this could be a good thing. It’s still hard to predict whether she and Jimmy would make a good match, and I, for one, wouldn’t mind them remaining friends. It could go both ways, but it’s got to be more serious and honest than it has been before. Conversely, what we get with Gaby and Derrik results in a hilarious new development that works well in an episode that’s all about unpacking whether people are okay or not. Gaby still carries so much on her own, and we need to address the fact that she could use someone in her corner who’s actively rooting for her. Yes, Liz has quickly become her other half in this area, but she deserves great love, too.
Shrinking Season 2, Episode 4, “Made You Look,” marries fear and the bravery required to take significant steps toward healing through yet another hilarious half-hour that packs a punch. Full of incredible performances once more, it continues to be thoroughly impressive how much the show gathers into its short runtime. We’ve still got a long road, and every step toward it is the best kind of development.
Stray Thoughts
- The thing about Damon Wayans Jr. is that no matter what show he makes an appearance in, my first thought is always, “It’s Coach!”
- Jimmy saying, “Don’t blame me, you wouldn’t let our friendship die,” took me out.
- I sometimes can’t handle how embarrassing Derek is.
- I also still cannot believe Connor and Alice slept together. WHY!?
- The dog’s name being Nick Furry!? Iconic.
- I really need to see more of Brian and Charlie. Please and thank you.
- Paul really is still the best at this, and GIVE HARRISON FORD HIS EMMY NOW.
Now streaming on Apple TV+: What are your thoughts on Shrinking Season 2, Episode 4, “Made You Look?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Apple TV+