This article contains spoilers for Shrinking Season 3 Episode 10
Wendie Malick, Harrison Ford and Christa Miller in Shrinking. © Apple TV
Shrinking delivers its penultimate episode of Season 3 with “The Bodyguard of Sadness,” continuing its theme of running mantas. From “Fuck Parkinson’s” and “Dereks Don’t Die,” the show has consistently returned to the same idea that life is short. This week, it states it outright, delivering an emotional instalment that will prove divisive.
The episode thrives on upheaval. Alice (Lukita Maxwell) prepares to leave for college as Paul (Harrison Ford) and Julie (Wendie Malick) near their move to Connecticut, though the disruption does not stop there. Brian (Michael Urie) learns that Charlie (Devin Kawaoka) is going away for three months, leaving him a single dad. Given Brian’s flair for the dramatic, it’s not as simple as him being left behind to raise Sutton. Charlie has secured housing in Tennessee, yet Brian refuses to go with him, hiding behind work despite being able to do it remotely. The conflict reflects a wider hesitation that runs through the ensemble, revealing a fear of change even when it is necessary.
Nowhere is that more apparent than with Jimmy (Jason Segel). “The Bodyguard of Sadness” pushes him further back into patterns rooted in his father’s abandonment, undermining the progress he has spent the season trying to make. Randy’s (Jeff Daniels) unreliability clashes with Jimmy’s need for something more substantial, particularly as Alice’s graduation nears.
Shrinking mirrors that regress across other storylines. Sean (Luke Tennie), who appeared to have reached a stable place, finds himself pulled back into conflict with Jorge (Trey Santiago-Hudson). The tension, rooted in Sean leaving the food truck behind, escalates from passive aggression in group therapy to a physical fight in the ring. It’s messy and entirely in line with the show’s refusal to offer easy growth, though there is still humour to be found when Sean knocks out one of Jorge’s teeth.
Jessica Williams as Gaby, Ted McGinley as Derek, Luke Tennie as Sean, and Michael Urie as Brian in Shrinking. © Apple TV
Relief comes, as it often does, through Derek (Ted McGinley). Following his health scare, he reassesses what he wants from life and who he wants to be. He decides to be someone who supports and is there for the people he loves. His offer to Sean, a place to live rent-free in exchange for overseeing repairs, provides a lesson Jimmy could do with: progress often comes through connection rather than isolation. The storyline resolves as Sean takes Jorge to the house, with the pair set to move in together, even as their paths begin to diverge elsewhere.
The series continues to make excellent use of Christa Miller and Ted McGinley, who have quietly become one of television’s most reliable pairings. Derek and Liz have their children, including Alice and Summer (Rachel Stubington), under one roof. Conversation flows from Matthew’s (Markus Silbiger) shoe business to the girls’ upcoming graduation, until Connor (Gavin Lewis) reveals that Will’s (Matt Mitchell) girlfriend is pregnant. He and Peyton are keeping the baby, though Derek is more concerned that they have not had her over for “coffee and toilet”, as they did with Marisol (Isabella Gomez) earlier in the season.
Liz and Derek accept that the situation is not ideal, but the pair will manage. Liz leans into it, excited by the idea of a baby, while Derek hesitates. He later admits he does not want to raise Will’s child. He wants to be a normal grandfather who sees his grandchildren on weekends and holidays, then sends them home full of sugar. Life is short, and he does not want to spend it wishing he had done more. He wants to travel, to go to Vietnam, and to fill the rest of his days with adventure. Liz, in turn, refuses to stand in the way of that, even if it does not align with what she wants.
Jimmy’s unresolved habits bleed further into his relationships. This time, Paul bears the brunt of it as the episode builds towards its most devastating turn. Alice introduces Randy and Paul as her “happy grandpa” and “grumpy grandpa”, with Paul well aware of which is which. Randy thanks Paul for being there after Tia’s (Lilan Bowden) death, adding that he would have liked to be around more, a line that rings hollow.
Their conversation further establishes the disconnect between Jimmy and Randy. Randy dismisses emotional connection entirely, reducing it to something trivial and something he did not realise you could make good money from. He assumes Jimmy gets it from his mother, describing her as an “emotional yapper type”. Ford is excellent here, making no effort to hide Paul’s disdain as he counters that Jimmy is an excellent therapist.
Harrison Ford as Paul and Jeff Daniels as Randy in Shrinking © Apple TV
When Jimmy later admits he cannot remember ever connecting with his father on an emotional level, Paul pushes him to confront it. He argues Jimmy cannot be angry at someone for failing to change if he has not dared to tell them how he feels. It may not change Randy, but it might free Jimmy from it. It is sound advice and entirely in line with Paul’s approach, yet it underestimates how deeply ingrained Jimmy’s need for validation remains, something Paul is forced to acknowledge later.
The confrontation plays out exactly as expected. Randy refuses to cancel his fishing trip to attend Alice’s graduation. He isn’t that person, and he has no interest in pretending otherwise. When he leaves, and Alice proves understanding about his absence, Randy tells Jimmy he knew she would be fine; not everyone is as sensitive as he is. The comment feeds directly into Jimmy’s insecurities.
Outside the graduation, Jimmy and Alice sit together, both visibly nervous. Their brief exchange about Tia is simple, but anyone who has reached a milestone without someone they love will feel the weight of it. It’s where Shrinking continues to excel, allowing its characters to sit in their grief while moving them forward. Segel and Maxwell are at their best here, and Maxwell’s understated delivery of “what can you do?” is enough to create goosebumps.
Jason Segel as Jimmy in Shrinking. © Apple TV
At the graduation party, Alice tells Paul he cannot hug her if he is going to cry. Jimmy has been crying every time he goes near her, though Paul suggests that not everyone is as sensitive as he is. It’s enough to tip Jimmy over the edge. What follows is a confrontation that has been building all episode, one that blurs the distinction between Jimmy’s relationship with his father and his relationship with Paul.
Jimmy reveals that Gaby (Jessica Williams) warned him he would never receive thanks from Paul, no matter what he did. He demands to know what he did wrong, going so far as to let slip that he slept with Meg (Lily Rabe) and admits he is upset Paul gave the practice to Gaby. Even if he had said no, he resents not being consulted. He is supposed to be Paul’s guy, yet he learns that Paul is leaving through Meg.
Paul recognises what is happening instantly. He understands Jimmy is projecting feelings meant for Randy, but that clarity evidently does not lessen the impact of their argument. Jimmy insists the feelings are for both. He does not believe he means as much to Paul as Paul means to him, and he feels foolish for not realising it sooner.
By the time Paul tells Jimmy he will be leaving at 10 AM the following day, the damage is already done. He asks Jimmy to come and say goodbye, not wanting him to carry regret. Jimmy, defensive and hurt, insists he’s not that sensitive and he’ll survive. Segel and Ford are exceptional here, delivering performances that should place them at the centre of Apple TV’s FYC campaign.
Elsewhere, the episode brings its central idea full circle. Sean gives up the space he had claimed for an office, gym, and bird room in favour of strengthening his friendship with Jorge. Brian points out he is now bird-less, and his girlfriend cannot walk around naked, but Sean believes it’s still worth it. Sometimes you must make sacrifices for the people you love. It serves as a wake-up call for Brian and Liz. Brian decides to go with Charlie, recognising what matters most. Liz, aware of Derek’s restlessness, books them a future that allows both to move forward, starting with a trip to Barcelona.
“The Bodyguard of Sadness” closes on an emotional note. Paul messages Jimmy to say his car is here, but Jimmy does not show up. As a penultimate chapter, Shrinking leaves Jimmy and Paul in uncomfortable and unresolved places, forcing them to sit with the consequences of their choices. Regardless of whose side you fall on, if any, the series trusts its characters to find their way forward, even if they are not there yet. Healing is never linear, but the finale delivers.
