Shrinking Season 3, Episode 11, “And That’s Our Time” Spoilers Ahead
In every way that matters, the Shrinking Season 3 finale gently ushers us into a new chapter, accompanied by hope and appreciation delivered in spades. Brilliantly penned by Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein, and Neil Goldman, with stunning directing as always from Randall Keenan Winston, the final few moments of “And That’s Our Time” leave a prominent mark. A scar, if you will—something that’ll linger and continue to make us feel.
The first time I watched this episode months ago in preparation for the junket, I wondered if it symbolized the end of Shrinking. It could’ve been a series finale, but rewatching it now, I’m grateful it isn’t. The biggest concern many of us ultimately had was whether Harrison Ford and Paul would return, considering the move to Connecticut, but Lawrence’s tweets this past weekend indicate he will, reigniting hope for this new chapter and whatever stories the creators want to tell.
Grab the Drinks! Gaby and Derrick Get Engaged in Shrinking Season 3, Episode 11
It’s often a sign of great writing when we circle back to planted seeds in a meaningful way, which makes everything pertaining to Gaby and Derrick’s engagement precious. In typical TV show fashion, Gaby finds the ring and tries it on before it unsurprisingly gets stuck. (I’m such a sucker for this trope, by the way. It’s like the ring is its own entity—fitting given Gaby’s love for Lord of the Rings—and it knows she’s meant to have it, so it refuses to slide off. Delicious. Absolutely delicious.)
Understandably, though, Gaby first bolts out of the house and runs straight to Liz’s before they summon another circle like the one in “Hold Your Horsies.” Paul joins via FaceTime and boldly tells Gaby that once again, her hesitations are a result of the fact that Derrick isn’t someone she needs to take care of. He finishes things off with the question if Derrick even deserves her, to which Gaby then recognizes as the truth, and Jessica Williams delivers another stunning performance as Gaby thinks ahead and throws Derrick a surprise proposal.
As all romances should be, theirs is layered with warmth, adoration, loyalty, and unwavering acceptance of one another as they are. Derrick has never once tried to change Gaby, but all he’s ever wanted is to be beside her. He’s wanted to hold her hand through every milestone and to be her partner in the circle they accompany. Surprise proposals like this always hit so different, and comedies are always the best ones to do it, so the writing and chemistry here are exceptional.
And as she says: “Life started to feel a lot scarier this year, but I just think that if I can have the honor and privilege of having you by my side… I won’t be afraid of anything. Not even this.” And isn’t that what Shrinking has been this entire time? A reminder that while life always has a way of breaking your heart, the people beside us can make those scary moments a little more bearable. Gaby has had the toughest year of everyone this season, but how she comes out of it with the understanding that she also deserves to be taken care of is a reminder that so many people need.
It’s a vital, deeply necessary reminder that our strength isn’t measured by how much we can shoulder, but through the moments where we recognize that we shouldn’t have to do any of it alone. It’s never easy to ask for help, and Shrinking doesn’t pretend it is, but these seemingly small reminders are significant in all that they accomplish through repetition. Because really, even if a single person watches an episode and understands that it isn’t a weakness to ask for help, then that’s one step closer to a world where we recognize that vulnerability is a strength. Pair all of this with romance, and it’s an absolute winner in my book.
It’s a vital, genuinely necessary reminder that our strength isn’t measured by how much we can shoulder, but through the moments where we recognize that we shouldn’t have to do any of it alone. It’s never easy to ask for help, and Shrinking doesn’t pretend it is, but these small reminders are meaningful in all that they accomplish through repetition. Because really, even if a single person watches an episode and it clicks for them that it isn’t a weakness to ask for help, then that’s one step closer to a world where we recognize that vulnerability is a strength. Whether it’s through therapy, a romantic relationship, or even friendship, opening up matters. Pair all of this with romance, and it’s an absolute winner in my book.
Alice and Jimmy’s Last Scenes in the Shrinking Season 3 Finale Wrecked Me – Again
Just as their simple “I know” in last week’s “The Bodyguard of Sadness” reduced me to a blubbering mess, Jimmy taking Alice out for ice cream, then helping her mend things with Summer, wrecked me. The fact that their goodbye was interrupted also conveys something fascinating from a storytelling perspective because this isn’t exactly a goodbye. Yes, Jimmy is way more emotional than most parents would be, but it’s fitting that life would throw him another curveball, even if it’s as minute as Summer interrupting his final speech.
Because really, sometimes an “I love you” is substantial enough to encompass a thousand emotions all at once. I’ll miss you. I’ll take care of myself. I’ll call often. Take care of yourself. The list goes on and on, and Shrinking’s Season 3 finale accomplishes this through a moment that sticks the landing beautifully. I’ve sobbed at airports, and I’ve smiled at them, so the depth in this scene is so human and so lovely that it ensures that it’s honest. Jason Segel and Lukita Maxwell also deliver the type of rewarding performances that guarantee the moment will be evocative, even if viewers can’t exactly relate to their arc.
“You’re like a son to me.”
These words are a long time coming, and if Harrison Ford doesn’t win an Emmy for them this year, I will actually scream. In a beat that’s vulnerable and achingly touching, Paul flies back to California solely so he can push Jimmy toward his new beginning. Or, rather, he Jimmies him, bringing everything full circle in an matchless way. To top things off, it’s so fitting for this episode—so particularly poignant that my heart is in my throat, completely robbing me of words. It’s this exact moment that does an inexpressible job of spotlighting why Shrinking is so special as a series, and how every little moment in this three-season arc has led to this.
Grief is complicated and endless. It stays with us like a scar that never fades, with phantom aches making themselves known when we least expect them. But there’s a point where we need to move forward, and that process doesn’t equate to forgetting those we’re missing. In the same way that I never stop missing my dad, Jimmy is always going to miss Tia. Our loved ones are always with us, and birthdays and anniversaries will always be hard, but as Gaby reminds Louis in “Hold Your Horsies,” it’s insulting to them if we don’t move forward. If we don’t start new things and try to live our lives as best we can, then we aren’t celebrating them either.
The way the creators are setting up the new arcs we’ll explore when the show returns for Season 4 is especially brilliant in this scene because it’s the exact stepping stone Jimmy needs. In losing Tia and losing himself in his grief, he grew closer to the people around him. His found family became the sunlight after the storm. They each started in a dark place and found themselves coming out of the waves together, allowing the next chapter of scars to be a natural new beginning.
And beginnings are all around us, which Shrinking Season 3, Episode 11, “And That’s Our Time,” shows in an heartwarmingly, subtle tone. Gaby and Derrick have a wedding to plan; Alice has a whole new chapter ahead of her in college; Liz and Derek are about to become grandparents; Brian and Charlie are going someplace new, and Jimmy is about to give love another chance. He’s about to go on another first date. A new career is a beginning. A new meeting is a beginning. A second chance is a new beginning. One single confession is a beginning. Paul has always been the fatherly figure to Jimmy, and he’s shown it to him multiple times by showing up, but this single declaration is so earned that the gravitas of it is inexplicable. It’s bigger than how I could’ve pictured it.
Human beings need words to reassure us. Actions speak, but words do too. And for Jimmy, hearing that Paul loves him—he’s like a kid to him—helps bind the wounds and scars left by his own father. It helps him find the strength to move forward with Sofi. It helps understand that he hasn’t failed. It helps him see that the pain from the abandonment he once experienced isn’t an ache that punctures anymore, but rather a reminder that when one person leaves, another person’s love can heal. And that’s exactly what Paul’s done. It’s what Paul will continue to do because, as he promises, if Jimmy ever needs him, he’ll be there. He’ll show up because the relationship is just as important to Jimmy as it is to Paul. Harrison Ford and Jason Segel deliver the kind of performance that you could write dissertations on. It’s so earned, it’s indescribably remarkable.
“And That’s Our Time” ensures that the Shrinking Season 3 finale is full of tremendous heart, thoughtful moments, and unforgettable performances. It leaves us in a good place that continues to be rare on TV (as it is in the real world), and these days, that’s everything we can hope for. These days, the reminder that our scars are evidence of the life we’ve loved feels like everything.
Stray Thoughts
- It makes me so emotional that Brian knew Alice as long as she was a baby.
- Paul in Connecticut is a different man, and I’m cackling.
- Derek is taking me out in these scenes.
- “Oh, am I also a Derek?” 😂
- Derek crying lmaoo
- “She said her period is Jesus.”
- I love Paul being in this circle.
- Why does Brian not have a rock, again?
- Ending every moment with “F Parkinson’s” is everything.
- “How were you not kidnapped as a child?” Is sending me
- “I could never love another redhead.”
- Liz: “I let her do that” about Gaby’s originality lmao
- Are they holding up Lilies for Tia? If so, I need to go cry some more.
- Papa Pimp 😂
- “Alone doesn’t always have to mean lonely.”
- “Life threw you a curve ball. . . You have to let go of this sh!t on your own.”
- “You’ve gotta let go of the past. You’re never gonna forget Tia.” What if I never stop crying?
- “You don’t allow your scars to hold your back anymore. They’re the evidence of a life fully lived.”
- “You’re more of a son to me.” 😭😭😭
- “Go make some new scars.” I’ve had months to think about this scene, and I thought I’d have more eloquent words, but I’m not sure I ever will. Not yet. It’s just too big and too lovely and too important, and I’m so grateful for this show.
- I LOVE THIS SHOW. I might need a Shrinking tattoo someday.
Now streaming on Apple TV+: What are your thoughts on Shrinking Season 3, Episode 11, “And That’s Our Time?” Let us know in the comments below.
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