Shrinking Season 3, Episode 10 Recap: Jimmy Finally Hits His Breaking Point

Previously on Shrinking, Jimmy learned that his dad, Randy (Jeff Daniels), had no intention of actually staying for Alice's graduation. Instead, he would be heading on a fishing trip and only planned on telling Alice on his way out the door on graduation day. Still, it wasn't until Randy told Jimmy that he thought Sofi (Cobie Smulders) was a better fit for him than Tia had been that Jimmy began to crack. He sabotaged the relationship and broke things off with Sofi.

Also, in Shrinking season 3, episode 9, Paul finished his last week of work before officially beginning his retirement. He ultimately decided to leave his practice to Gaby (Jessica Williams) so she could turn it into a trauma center. It was quite a journey to get these two to this point, especially given Gaby's experience losing a patient in Shrinking season 3. Now, with all that settled, Paul is all set to make his big move to Connecticut. Of course, first things first in Shrinking season 3, episode 10—Alice's graduation.

Alice Has Officially Graduated From High School

Alice's graduation day finally arrives in Shrinking season 3, episode 10, and, just as Randy promised, he leaves town that morning before all the festivities. There's no question that this breaks Jimmy's heart, but he temporarily puts it all aside to be there for Alice's big moment. There's a bittersweet quality to the event, since both Jimmy and Alice are painfully aware of Tia's absence. They both accept this fact, acknowledge that it really sucks, and do their best to soak up the day.

Jimmy won't have long to cope with the idea of Alice being officially done with high school before he has to adjust to her moving away. It was previously established in Shrinking that Alice would attend Wesleyan University in Connecticut. Soccer practices begin in June, so Alice won't have the final summer with her father she had initially planned. To make matters worse for Jimmy, his daughter isn't the only one headed to the East Coast.

Paul Finally Makes His Big Move To Connecticut

Earlier in Shrinking season 3, Meg (Lily Rabe) told Jimmy that Paul had agreed to move to Connecticut to be closer to her and her family. Episode 10 sees this big change finally play out. Paul has finished up his work in the office, packed everything away, and worked out the rent agreement with Gaby (she'll pay $1 a month, but only if Paul gets a Venmo account). Alice's graduation ends up doubling as a goodbye party, and in the final moments of the episode, Paul heads for the airport.

The problem here is that Paul did a pretty terrible job at keeping Jimmy in the loop. He never bothered to tell him that he had given the building to Gaby, or even, really, that he was moving in the first place. Jimmy had to find everything out second-hand. While this is fairly typical behavior on Paul's part, the fact that Jimmy has been dealing with all these issues with his dad means that he has very little patience to cope with Paul's behavior as well.

Jimmy's Dad Refuses To Make Any Changes To His Behavior

Shrinking season 3 has revolved significantly around Jimmy's daddy issues. Randy was never around consistently, and it's clear that this isn't a man who is particularly open about his feelings and doesn't invite confidences. Since Jimmy is on the more emotional and expressive side, they have always butted heads. What really seems to bother Jimmy in Shrinking is that no one else sees the sort of man Randy is. Everyone adores him, especially Alice. Yet he doesn't plan to stay for the graduation or even be honest about it.

Paul encourages Jimmy to tell Randy how he feels. The goal wouldn't be to change the man's behavior. Rather, telling his dad the truth about his experiences can set Jimmy free. To Jimmy's credit, he gives it his best shot. However, when Randy makes it clear that there is absolutely no chance that he will stay for Alice's graduation and that Jimmy is just being overly emotional about the whole thing, Jimmy shuts down. He doesn't say everything he needs to say. The fact that Alice easily accepts that her grandfather isn't staying only adds insult to injury.

Why Jimmy Is So Angry At Paul In Shrinking Season 3, Episode 10 Explained

We never see Jimmy lose it on his dad in Shrinking season 3, episode 10. Instead, he unbottles all his rage on Paul. Jimmy's angry that, after all he's done for him, Paul hasn't properly thanked him. Additionally, he resents that the man never bothered to talk to him about the practice's future, instead giving it outright to Gaby without considering Jimmy's feelings. Finally, Jimmy can't stand that he had to find out about the move to Connecticut from Meg, rather than Paul himself. He ultimately concludes that Paul means more to him than he does to Paul.

This sentiment is the same as the conclusion Jimmy reached about his dad. Though he only passively expressed the idea to Randy, he managed to lay it out perfectly clear to Paul. It's evident during this conversation that Jimmy is taking out his anger at his dad on his mentor, but that isn't to say he doesn't have a legitimate reason to be angry with him. Paul has been a more present and supportive figure than Randy, but he still exhibits many of the same faults. Just as Jimmy said, his angry words apply to both father figures.

How Episode 10 Sets Up The Shrinking Season 3 Finale

Shrinking season 3, episode 10, ends without any resolution between Jimmy and Paul. In the final moments of their fight, Paul tells Jimmy to come talk to him the next day when his head is in a more level place. However, when the time comes for Paul to leave, Jimmy hasn't reached out. Paul texts that his car has arrived, but he makes no real effort to patch things up. So, Paul moves across the country while a massive rift still exists between them.

To make matters worse, Shrinking season 3, episode 10 sets up the departure of just about everyone Jimmy cares about. Alice is about to head off to college, and Paul is officially on the way to Connecticut. Sean is moving out of the pool house and into Derek's apartment. Brian and Charlie are moving to Tennessee for three months for work, and Derek and Liz are planning a big trip ahead of their next adventure as grandparents. Gaby will still be around, but she's sure to be pretty occupied turning Paul's practice into a trauma center, and she won't be working with Jimmy anymore.

Overall, things look pretty rough for Jimmy going into Shrinking season 3's finale and the upcoming Shrinking season 4. He's come such a long way from the self-destructive path he started on back in season 1, but without all his loved ones and with so much unresolved tension with his father and Paul, a backslide is beginning to feel inevitable. We can only hope that, as Shrinking continues its recent theme of "moving forward​​​​​," Jimmy will manage to take some new steps in the right direction.