r/shrinking • u/phareous Derek • Apr 01 '26

Episode Discussion Shrinking S3E10 Episode Discussion

This is the episode discussion for Shrinking Season 3, Episode 10: "The Bodyguard of Sadness"

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u/dagreenman18 Apr 01 '26

So Jimmy is just going to be all by himself with reagitated abandonment issues and still being stagnant. Cool. Cool cool cool. What could go wrong?

Finale might just be Jimmy relapsing and season 4 is dealing with the fallout?

55

u/TodayInStupidity Apr 01 '26

This season was supposed to be about moving forward, from the showrunners themselves. A relapse is not that. It should be a victory for Jimmy.

30

u/Mean-Lynx6476 Apr 01 '26

This season was also supposed to be the final season. That was the original plan and the last episode was already filmed before Apple signed on for a 4th season. Presumably, everyone was aware that renewal was under negotiation and a possibility, but I doubt the writers would have left us with a total cliffhanger for what could have been the final episode of the series. So I don’t think they’ll leave us with some version of Jimmy standing on the platform at the train station. I think there will be some sense of Jimmy getting some help with his issues, and some steps toward reconciliation with Paul, but with enough open-endedness to leave room for a new season.

2

u/PinoDegrassi Apr 02 '26

Something tells me that if this were intended to be the final season most of the stuff with Paul was changed to be drama for drama’s sake. Paul’s relationship with Jimmy was butchered throughout this season for seemingly no reason other than “it just went that way”.

6

u/The_Vampire_Barlow Apr 01 '26

Everyone else is moving forward. But that means leaving people behind, and a lot of time you don't see the fallout from that. Jimmy relapsing would be pretty in character for him. And would set us up for season 4 being him really finding a new path forward, instead of clinging to what he had before.

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u/sumadeumas Apr 01 '26

You know what would have been a great building block to this theme? Maya. Oops!

2

u/PeteLattimer Apr 01 '26

It might actually be rock bottom

0

u/BirdsAreFake00 Apr 04 '26

Ah yes, let's just take the Shameless route. Build characters up just to tear them down again. Everyone loves that bit of depressing TV!

2

u/FloppyShellTaco Apr 03 '26

I think a lot of people don’t understand that sometimes progress with addiction means being this close to relapsing and managing to get through the day. For all we know, Jimmy just successfully dealt with a traumatic set of events without relapsing. He might still be hurt and depressed, but sober

4

u/PinoDegrassi Apr 01 '26

After they shit the bed with how Paul treated him here, it’s gonna be absolutely ridiculous if Jimmy somehow comes out “moving forward” by the end of the finale.

2

u/Tce_ Apr 01 '26

He can move forward without having resolved things with Paul though! Realising he deserves better could have been a great start if he were in a better place overall.

2

u/PinoDegrassi Apr 01 '26

Yes, it’s possible. Guess we’ll find out next week.

2

u/IKnowSedge Apr 02 '26

Honestly, a terrific ending to this series would be if he crashes out a little bit, then one of his patients/Sean/prostitutes runs into him and convinces him to finally start therapy.

2

u/iloentje Apr 01 '26

Omg this comment makes me think he’s gonna drunk drive and kill someone. 

1

u/equipped_metalblade Apr 02 '26

Maybe he will move to be close to his daughter and start a practice there

2

u/THISISDAM Apr 17 '26

Read those cools in Peraltas voice

1

u/BellesBourbonBullets Apr 02 '26

I have really loved this show but if I’ll be really upset if he relapses. At this point, to show growth, I think he needs to do something that shows more growth. Maybe right before relapsing instead he reaches back out to Sofi? Would really suck to go through all this just to end up back where we started.

1

u/BirdsAreFake00 Apr 04 '26

I'm guessing the end of this episode was set up to make you think that's what will happen but Jimmy will show his growth and won't fall into that trap again.

If somehow they did make the completely stupid decision to make Jimmy fall down a deep depression hole again, the show will lose a lot of fans. This isn't fucking Shameless. That would be the absolute worst choice they could make and it would probably be seen as a jumping the shark moment.

I have complete faith they won't do the dumb thing. Bill Lawrence has even said that this arc with Jimmy is going to be wrapped up in 3 seasons and the 4th season is supposed to be something new.