Shrinking Season 1 Episode 2 – Fortress of Solitude
To get Sean out of legal trouble, Jimmy reconnects with his estranged best friend-while trying to hide it all from Paul.
Paul describes Jimmy’s new direction as becoming a “psychological vigilante,” which sounds appropriately unnerving. Instead of a superhero suit, he sticks to sensible yet relatable jackets. Segel’s puppy-dog enthusiasm regarding this excessively honest approach, coupled with the sadness he can’t shake, isn’t the easiest to nail, but it is a reminder of the awkward, down-on-his-luck charm he has been working toward perfecting since Freaks and Geeks in 1999. When we first meet him, Jimmy has been numb and checked out for a year, so it is hardly surprising that 17-year-old Alice has given up on having a day-to-day relationship with her father, and Shrinking doesn’t let Jimmy forget his mistakes quickly.
Forging connections is an underlying theme explored throughout the nine episodes (of a total of 10 in the season) made available to critics in advance. It is during these moments of rebuilding neglected relationships that Shrinking is most appealing. Work and home overlap despite the curmudgeonly Paul’s best attempts to maintain a “fortress of solitude,” and fellow therapist Gabby (Jessica Williams) is part of Jimmy’s circle of concerned friends. Some dynamics are underbaked at first, with Goldstein and Lawrence focusing on Jimmy before casting a wider net to the ensemble. Williams lights up the screen, whether promoting the benefits of drinking water (shout out to some excellent oversized water bottle prop work), talking candidly, or showing vulnerability.
Shrinking
Season Number: 1
Episode Number: 2
Episode Title: Fortress of Solitude
Air Date: Jan 27, 2023
Language: English
Subtitle Language: English
Source: Shrinking.S01E02.1080p.WEB.h264-TRUFFLE.
