‘Shrinking’ Needs To Give Gaby a Win Already

Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for 'Shrinking' Season 2, Episode 11, "The Drugs Don't Work."With just one episode left of Season 2, Shrinking has a lot of ground to cover in its upcoming season finale. Jimmy (Jason Segel) has finally turned to Paul (Harrison Ford) for help after seemingly hitting rock bottom due to Alice (Lukita Maxwell) getting angry with him and choosing to stay at Gaby's (Jessica Williams) house for a while. Paul is experiencing tolerance withdrawal from his Parkinson's medication and has to figure out the next steps in his treatment. Brian (Michael Urie) and Charlie (Devin Kawaoka) are finally adopting a baby.

Gaby, meanwhile, kind of gets treated like a punching bag in the show's most recent episode, "The Drugs Don't Work." First, her mom (Vernée Watson) is still angry with her for not letting her move in. This is made even worse when Gaby's mom's nurse, Nikki (Ashley Nicole Black), chews her out for not letting her mom move in. Then, after Gaby makes a throwaway comment when trying to help Alice out, Derrick #2 (Damon Wayans Jr.) takes it too personally and says some cruel things to her. Season 2 has been really hard for Gaby, and with the season finale coming up, it's time for Shrinking to finally give Gaby a win.

Derrick Is Being Unfair to Gaby in 'Shrinking' Season 2, Episode 11

After starting the season hurt by her unrequited feelings for Jimmy, Gaby enters "The Drugs Don't Work" in a happy relationship with Derrick. The two have a lot of fun together, she seems comfortable with him, and she says that he makes her laugh. Gaby is reluctant to invite him to Thanksgiving, though, because she has a lot of fears related to committing to someone again. This makes a lot of sense for her character, particularly considering the difficult endings to her last two major relationships: that with Jimmy (which ended before it really started), and that with her ex-husband, Nico (Adam Foster Ballard).

Gaby is indecisive about inviting Derrick to Thanksgiving, but conflict arises after she makes a helpful comment to Alice. Alice wants to break up with Dylan (Tanner Zagarino), but she doesn't know how to do so without hurting him. When trying to help Alice, Gaby reflects on her own life, saying, "I try to be direct, but at worst, I get noncommittal and distant, until they get the hint and end it for me." It is an honest moment that is taken out of context when Derrick later gets angry with her for this and accuses her of trying to push him away, especially after learning that he's not invited to the large Thanksgiving dinner that she's hosting.

Gaby then gets vulnerable with Derrick, telling him that when she thinks about letting him in, she shuts down and panics. This should have brought them closer, but instead of supporting her in that moment, Derrick lashes out at Gaby and tells her that she is messed up. Based on past patterns of the show, it is likely that Shrinking is building up to Gaby apologizing to Derrick and trying to win him over in the season finale. This would be a mistake, though, because Gaby's not the one who's in the wrong.

After a Rough Season, 'Shrinking' Needs To Show Gaby Some Love

As Paul told Gaby just last episode, she needs to learn how to stand up for herself, how to say no, and how to set clear boundaries. Gaby isn't simply afraid of commitment, as exhibited by the fact that she was ready for something more with Jimmy earlier this season. She has spent the entire season putting other people first, from her mom to Liz (Christa Miller) and Derek (Ted McGinley), to her student, Keisha (Aleah Quiñones), and now to Derrick. Her fears about committing to Derrick come from a place of having been burned so often, especially throughout Season 2.

With the Season 2 finale coming up, Shrinking needs to give Gaby a win. It would be nice to see Derrick or her mom apologize, or to see another person or opportunity come Gaby's way. When Gaby gets snapped at multiple times in this week's episode, she just takes it instead of standing up for herself. It is absolutely heartbreaking to see, and things need to change for Gaby, now more than ever. In the Season finale, hopefully Shrinking will show Gaby standing up for herself, and her luck finally turning around.

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