Shrinking – Season 2 Episode 12 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

The Last Thanksgiving

Episode 12 of Shrinking begins with Jimmy talking to Paul during a therapy session. Elsewhere, Liz and Derek encourage Brian and Charlie to start looking for a nanny early, as they’re both going to be working parents. Meanwhile, the strained relationships between Gaby and her mother, as well as Alice and Jimmy, continue to persist.

At the office, Jimmy receives a call and learns that Summer has been caught shoplifting. He helps her by paying for the stolen items.

On the day Liz is supposed to help Brian and Charlie interview potential nannies, Gaby confesses that she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about Derek. She admits she liked feeling needed, but because Derek genuinely wants to be with her without depending on her, she sabotaged their relationship. Meanwhile, thanks to Liz, Brian and Charlie successfully find a nanny.

Elsewhere, Jimmy joins Paul and Ray during one of their meetups. Paul encourages Jimmy to open up to Alice about his feelings regarding Louis. Gaby later calls Derek and invites him to her Thanksgiving dinner, but he declines.

With Connor and his brothers returning to their lives, Liz begins to feel empty again. When Derek learns that Brian and Charlie’s nanny won’t be available on Mondays and Fridays, he suggests they ask Liz. She happily agrees when they approach her with the idea.

Meanwhile, Alice returns home to reconcile. During their conversation, Jimmy confesses that seeing Louis reminds him of the times he was an absent parent when Alice needed him most. They work through their issues and mend their relationship for good.

Finally, at Thanksgiving, Julie unexpectedly brings Paul to Gaby’s house despite his reluctance. While there, Paul expresses how lucky he feels to be surrounded by people he cares about. “Other Derek” surprises Gaby by attending and even brings her mother along, despite her earlier refusal to join. As the group shares what they’re thankful for, Louis receives devastating news: his friend from the café disinvites him from their Thanksgiving gathering upon learning he’d killed someone in the past. Heartbroken, Louis heads to the train station and texts Alice, saying he’s not in a good place. When Alice doesn’t show up, he decides to jump in front of an oncoming train. Just before he can, Jimmy arrives, sits with him, and keeps him company as the episode ends.

The Episode Review

Season 2 of Shrinking concludes with another heartwarming and wholesome ending. Unlike the chaos of the first season, this one explores the characters’ personal challenges and healing journeys. While the latter half of the season saw a dip in its characteristic humor, it made up for it with the sensitivity and care with which the subject matter was handled. Along the way, our love for these well-written, charming characters only deepened.

This episode attempts to normalize several things—for instance, how Liz’s desire to feel like a mother doesn’t diminish her qualities as a woman or a person. However, it leaves some threads unresolved, such as Gaby’s relationship with her mother or the exact nature of Jimmy and Louis’s bond. While these moments may feel under-explained, the silences in the finale seem to convey emotions that words cannot, portraying empathy in their quietest form.

Overall, while the second season may not surpass the first and faced its share of bumps along the way, Shrinking remains a show with an abundance of heart.