Shrinking – Season 2 Episode 9 Recap & Review

Full Grown Dude Face

Episode 9 of Shrinking Season 2 begins with Gaby “kidnapping” Paul to give a guest lecture in her university class. Although he’s reluctant at first, Paul ends up enjoying the experience quite a lot. Meanwhile, Brian and Charlie are set to adopt a mixed-race baby. Brian excitedly shares the news with the group, with Liz being overly enthusiastic about the “mixed-race” aspect.

In the meantime, Alice goes on a pizza date with Dylan, who apparently has a “full-grown dude face” after he saves Jimmy from choking on a grape. Jimmy feels Alice slipping away from him, and when he shares his concerns with Paul, Paul suggests that he give Alice her space so that when she really needs him, she’ll ask for his support.

At the office, Gaby finds out that her sister is joining the army, and it’s Sean who encouraged her to take this step. Although Gaby is initially worried about their mother moving in with her, she decides to support her sister’s decision. Elsewhere, Brian and Charlie discover that they’re competing for the baby with a heterosexual couple. Nervous about meeting the birth mother, Brian seeks advice from Liz, who gives him extensive tips on how to win her over.

While this is happening, Alice is invited by Dylan to attend a school dance. Gaby accompanies Alice for dress shopping, while Jimmy tries to follow Paul’s advice and give Alice her space.

Meanwhile, Brian and Charlie meet the birth mother and manage to make her feel at home. However, they later find out that they weren’t chosen to adopt the baby. Charlie, surprisingly, feels happy about Brian’s disappointment since he was initially against having kids.

Elsewhere, despite bringing Paul along to help set boundaries with her mother, Gaby ends up agreeing to let her mother move in with her.

The episode ends with Alice asking Jimmy to come talk to her near Dylan’s house, where she’s attending a party. She confides in him about how her background had been leaked. Jimmy advises her to use humor to take control of the situation. Alice follows his advice, and it works, as she waves to Jimmy when he leaves.

The Episode Review

The penultimate episode of Shrinking delivers everything fans love about the show: warmth, sensitivity, and deep friendships. As we near the end of Season 2, many tensions in the plot and between characters are being resolved, except for the lingering strain between Louis and Jimmy, which is why Louis continues to distance himself in this episode.

The episode also beautifully explores different parent-child dynamics: Liz and Derek, who have gone through all the stages of their children gaining independence; Jimmy, who is navigating this process with Alice right now; and Brian and Charlie, who, despite their setback, remain hopeful and eager to become parents.