Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Shrinking Season 2 Episode 10.
ShrinkingSeason 2 is nearing its end, and a small moment from this week's episode may be a massive tell of what’s to come for TV’s most lovable and depressed widow, Jimmy (Jason Segel). Episode 10, “Changing Patterns,” has a fun little cameo for How I Met Your Mother fans while leaving a pretty massive breadcrumb for the future of the series. Jimmy is on the hunt for a car to surprise Alice (Lukita Maxwell) for her 18th birthday — a yellow Mini Cooper just like her mother Tia (Lilan Bowden) owned. He finds one for sale nearby by a woman named Sofi, played by Cobie Smulders — aka Robin Scherbatsky, Segel’s former sitcom co-star.
'Shrinking' Season 2 Has an Unexpected 'How I Met Your Mother' Reunion
Image via Apple TV+
While the cameo could be seen as a simple transactional scene that serves as a wink and nod to fans, what's said during this interaction could be the key to Jimmy taking one of the biggest steps in his journey of grief. Sofi is a divorced mom with a child, so she's a single parent just like Jimmy. Both are dealing with their own type of loss. For once, instead of an awkward interaction that avoids the topic altogether, Sofi has a conversation with Jimmy about Tia. It's something he's really not used to, something that could possibly light a spark that's been out since the tragic accident that took Tia's life.
Another parallel to How I Met Your Mother is having a yellow symbolic object surrounding the main characters' journey of love. Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) spent seasons chasing a yellow umbrella that ultimately belonged to the show's titular mother. Now Jimmy is in possession of a yellow Mini Cooper, a vehicle his late wife owned and a vehicle his possible future love interest sold to him. Is it a coincidence or an extra Easter egg to add to this How I Met Your Mother reunion?
With Jimmy’s fling with Gaby (Jessica Williams) ending for the sake of their friendship, finding a partner with a common past might be the key to a path forward. They both lost their partners in very different ways, but, for the first time in years, Jimmy had someone to relate to. At the very least, the possibility is there. The two even joke about which situation is worse: having your spouse die or having a spouse leave you for your former best friend. While the timing of when these two will meet again is uncertain, it's a bona fide fact the two characters' chemistry is off the charts.
Some of the best characters on TV right now are played by actors in their late 60s or older.
Sofi Could Be Jimmy's Endgame in 'Shrinking' Season 3
Shrinking has sent Jimmy on a major journey of growth. He has rebuilt trust with Alice and dug himself out of a hole filled with drugs, sex, and anything else that could distract him from his grief. Even so, Jimmy still doubts he can get past what he calls impossible. He expresses that to Sofi, who replies with, "Well don't say impossible," leaving an emotional exclamation point on this hopeful meet-cute. Later, as Jimmy is confiding with the Season 2 MVP Derek (Ted McGinley) and Derrick #2 (Damon Wayans Jr.), they speak about how tricky relationships can be. Whether it is moving on, starting a new relationship, or navigating a long-term marriage, things can change. Even when certain people seem set in their ways by putting up their own roadblocks, change is always possible.
Bill Lawrence originally approached Apple with a three-season plan for Shrinking, but when Lawrence spoke with Collider's Steve Weintraub in a recent interview, he stated he would be happy to pursue stories beyond what he had originally planned. The endgame for Jimmy in the upcoming third season could very well be a second chance at love with Sofi, completing the arc of moving on that Lawrence and company intended on telling from the beginning. When Sofi sends Jimmy a text to see how Alice liked her present, another issue arises that postpones their possible relationship for now. But that's life — an endless string of decisions that cause unexpected moments. Shrinking expertly portrays the complexity of the consequences of the decisions you make, both good and bad, on this crazy journey called life.
Shrinking is available to stream on Apple TV+ in the U.S. New episodes drop every Wednesday.
CastJason Segel , Luke Tennie , Michael Urie , Lukita Maxwell , Harrison Ford , Jessica Williams , Christa Miller , Ted McGinley , Heidi Gardner , Devin Kawaoka , Lilan Bowden , Kimberly Condict , Lily Rabe , Tilky Jones , Rachel Stubington , Wendie Malick , Sawyer Jones , Mike C. Nelson , Matt Knudsen , Kenajuan Bentley , Adam Foster Ballard
Image by Zanda Rice
Image via Apple TV+ 
English (US) ·