‘Shrinking’ Recap: ‘In a Lonely Place’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Harrison Ford and Jason Segel as Paul and Jimmy in Episode 206 of ‘Shrinking’ – ‘In a Lonely Place’. (Photo Courtesy of Apple.)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 206 of ‘Shrinking’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
​
If there must be one theme to associate with the second season of Shrinking on Apple TV+, it will have to be… the pursuit and the power of truth. Because for the past five weeks, we’ve seen everyone in Jimmy’s orbit search for truth. Truth regarding their emotions, truth regarding their desires and needs in this life, and the show is clearly not planning to deviate from that particular theme. For this week’s episode of the show, once again saw everyone search for truth regarding a particular aspect or need in their lives, and that made for another powerful story that showcased more of the bittersweet nature of healing. 

A feat that ‘In a Lonely Place’ accomplished through several key plot lines, one of which involved Sean’s father. For in the wake of Sean’s beatdown, which required hospitalization, Jimmy and Paul decided to go the extra mile to get Sean and his family to heal. Which brought them to Sean’s dad’s favorite fishing spot to dole out some truth. In that, Sean needed his father, needed to connect and communicate with him and how this wasn’t about therapy or weakness, it was about a son in desperate need of his father, of the man he looked up to and took guidance from, and he needed that guidance now more than ever. Whether or not dad had it. Because father’s have that strength, and that truth worked, and connected the two at last.

While Paul and Jimmy made that happen, Gaby finally had an honest talk with her sister, about why she stepped away and why she didn’t make helping out a priority. To properly apologize and to prepare for her own takeover of family affairs, to give her sister a break and truly, the centerpiece of this truth bomb, came forth via Alice. Who learned from Brian that Louis came to the house and wanted to talk more and finally… that brought her face to face with the man that killed her mother to have a frank and earnest talk about the pain that day caused, the memories left behind and how forgiveness is the only way forward. Which she offered to Louis in an effort to heal herself and help him, since it was obvious that Louis was not in the best place mentally or life wise. 

Yet as this series is wont to do, it always looks at the up and the downside of truth, and Liz handled the more sorrowful aspects of this. Mainly because, the truth she was facing was that she made mistakes and that her life was changing at a rapid pace and people were resisting her style and resisting her wares, something that was new to her and she felt lost and scared. Scared enough to put up walls and scared enough to seek comfort elsewhere. Because that’s what we do when we see a truth we do not like, we run, we hide, until we are ready to face it. The only question that remains is what will help her to do so before fear makes her do the funny things that we all do. Because Liz doesn’t deserve that kind of strife.

But life is fickle like that, and so we are, and all of this made, for another powerful story about healing. About how hard and emotional it can be, and how much effort goes into making it happen. Because everyone here worked overtime to get to a better place or avoid their truth as necessary and well, this was just amazing to watch play out. Because this show really is capturing the healing experience and it really is exploring it in a frank manner that we need to see on television, and it will be interesting to see what comes next from the truths presented here, as season two of this brilliant show continues along. Until next time.

---

Watch ‘Shrinking’

Powered by JustWatch