In the last six years, the fragile state of humanity has been a constant on my mind. The way that we’re tried and tested, and still try to make the best of the cards we’re dealt. Ongoing political wars, a global pandemic, and natural disasters keep devastating the world, but alongside them, we each have our own distinct crosses we carry. And because of this fragility that leaves us on edge, there’s something extra comforting about the fiction we consume. The moments where we get to hear a character like Harrison Ford’s Paul tell Jason Segel’s Jimmy that he loves him in the Shrinking Season 3 finale, “And That’s Our Time.”
Since its release three years ago, Shrinking has been a unique and deeply realistic escape as a TV show. When there are often frustrating takes about shows online, I rarely see anything but wholesome content about how Shrinking moves people, and that alone tells me that we need things to make us feel a little less alone. We need shows to meet us halfway in our grief and help us heal. We need shows to remind us that everyone has days where everything’s a little hard, and pulling our friends out of the waves is the bare minimum of how we can show up. It leaves me at a loss for words, honestly.
Whether people are in the same boat as the Shrinking characters or not, the show’s ability to reach into us and crack something wide open is no small feat. We get this brilliantly throughout most episodes, but the final few moments of “And That’s Our Time” bring everything full circle beautifully. They gently nudge us to make a choice, and they remind us that our scars aren’t a sign of a weakness, but proof of everything we’ve endured. The life we’ve lived.
The execution of this scene works so well because of how it begins. It’s unexpected for Paul to return, and it’s unexpected for him to drop these words in front of a restaurant as opposed to their office. Yet, that’s a part of the reason why it hits because sometimes the words that stick aren’t the ones we hear at work or the ones that come at home. They’re the words we hear on a day we’re supposed to be having brunch or something completely random. Interestingly, it makes it feel more universal, too.
And then there’s how casually the topic of scars comes up as Paul mentions that moving forward from his past isn’t forgetting. It feels like an even bigger gut-punch, largely because of Harrison Ford’s brilliantly raw delivery.
“What a shame to be 42 years of age and not completely covered in scars.”
The words hit because they come to us at a time when we need them most, and, more importantly, from the right actor. Ford’s performance is rightfully and ceaselessly praised in this industry because there’s no other working actor like him. He’s unparalleled and paramount to so many of us for so many reasons, even as fans. Because of this, no one could bring to life kindness mixed in gravel the way he could. No one could make the reminder serve its purpose as evocatively. Coming from him, it’s like looking down at concrete and seeing flowers that’ve bloomed despite being pressed down and crushed. It’s proof of endurance in every way, and it serves as the gentle, distinct puncture we all need because of Ford’s legacy—his mastery.
Jimmy and Paul have gone in circles throughout the show’s three seasons, and here we have the endpoint that serves as a perfect beginning. The nuances the show explores remind us to extend grace. To tell people we love them. Sit in the silence when they need us. Hold them through their aches. Celebrate their milestones.
Paul’s words hit us bone-deep because we’re conditioned to view our scars as losses as opposed to the proof of life they are. We associate pain with weakness, but feeling the aches is where our strength lies. They’re the reminder that we made it, even if the journey was heart-wrenching. Brutal. Unimaginable. In the same way that Shrinking shows us that no two people grieve the same person in similar ways, it encourages us to recognize that no human being is ever a burden because of their pain or trauma. (Easier said than done when you’re the one feeling like a burden, but still significant, nevertheless.)
And then, after all of this, with the words, “You’re more of a son to me,” Paul reminds Jimmy (and all of us) that love is the greatest form of comfort we can give someone. When life screws people over, and they succumb to the demons haunting them, they come out on the other side thinking that they have to earn love back again. Trust, maybe, but love should never be transactional. Love isn’t earned—it’s given freely. And Paul’s always loved Jimmy. He’ll always love him. The reassurance of that is exactly what Jimmy needs to know that he’ll be okay. He’s been okay. He’s never had to try to earn Paul’s love.
This scene also hits so hard because of Jason Segel’s performance during their argument in “The Bodyguard of Sadness.” There’s something about the way he punctuates the word me, when he says, “you’re leaving me.” It’s in that moment where he’s most vulnerable, saying the words that he hasn’t said in a long time. It’s in that moment where he fully vocalizes just how scared he is because if Paul’s not here and Alice isn’t either, then the losses feel enormous again. But now, he recognizes that Paul would hop on a plane any time if he needed him because Jimmy is his son. He’s always been.
The scene feels wholly earned as it wraps up this three-season arc beautifully in a way that honors both characters, their respective actors, and the show’s overarching message about endurance. It honors the strength in humanity despite the dark period we’re in, and it proves that the steps forward always matter, even if we fumble through them.
What are your thoughts on Paul and Jimmy’s scene in the Shrinking Season 3 finale? Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Apple TV
Loved it. Also really enjoyed the final little Indy acknowledgement “choose wisely”.