I'm not normally one to pat myself on the back but Jimmy and Meg starting to hook up I think I kind of saw that coming upthread. It's interesting because when they were chatting in the storage unit and he started waxing poetic about women, and kissing a woman to the REM song I sure thought he was talking about Colby Smuthers character. No idea where this is going. I guess the good news is the weird nurse laughing lady is done. And now with half the cast seemingly moving to the east coast where is this all going. On another note the side story with Sean and the ex girlfriend is boring me to tears. It's not interesting. Otherwise it was a standard Shrinking episode. Derek and Liz doing Derek and Liz things. The Gaby intervention in regards to the other Derek, also kind of boring. I'm still enjoying the show but it's just not as good as it was the previous seasons IMO
George Zipp wrote: ↑19 Feb 2026 09:04 am
Watched E4 last night. Thought it was again hit and miss episode than what we have been seeing this season Spoiler
I thought the Derrick eating 600mg of gummies was funny. Knew that was coming as soon as he poached them from his leach child. I didn't see the date with goofy laughing nurse going the way it did. Let's hope we have seen the last of her. Anything involving Harrison Ford has been rock solid this season and it continued last night, just excellent stuff, the highlight of the show for me right now. Liz and the mothering of the newborn and the spying is ridiculous. Her treatment of her son is understandable and I think we all knew it was coming to the place it ended last night. Not a fan of the ex girlfriend of Sean. Really not a fan of this conflict between Gaby and Jimmy. Her setting him up in the teaching thing was silly. Feel like they are setting something up for when Paul retires. Finally, where is Colby Smuthers.
Agree with all this, good rundown... thought this was a good bounce back from E3 but still not great. Still really hate the message being sent to/about Sean with his gf. He's absolutely right and everyone is gaslighting him to think he needs to just relax.
Do not understand at all Gaby's transformation into a really petty and emotionally unstable person. And again the "Jimmying" thing is just so cringeworthy for anyone who knows anything about basic therapeutic boundaries. It's not even a good idea to be friends with clients AFTER you're done seeing them, let alone before you establish a rapport. I know this is just a glorified sitcom but it's borderline irresponsible to portray that on screen as effective. Most people have enough trouble establishing healthy interpersonal boundaries.
My wife and I are watching Casual now along with Shrinking. Casual takes this to a whole 'nother level.
There are some similarities between the two shows, but Shrinking is far superior IMO.
George Zipp wrote: ↑26 Feb 2026 10:06 am
Watched most recent episode last night. Spoiler
I'm not normally one to pat myself on the back but Jimmy and Meg starting to hook up I think I kind of saw that coming upthread. It's interesting because when they were chatting in the storage unit and he started waxing poetic about women, and kissing a woman to the REM song I sure thought he was talking about Colby Smuthers character. No idea where this is going. I guess the good news is the weird nurse laughing lady is done. And now with half the cast seemingly moving to the east coast where is this all going. On another note the side story with Sean and the ex girlfriend is boring me to tears. It's not interesting. Otherwise it was a standard Shrinking episode. Derek and Liz doing Derek and Liz things. The Gaby intervention in regards to the other Derek, also kind of boring. I'm still enjoying the show but it's just not as good as it was the previous seasons IMO
Agree with all this... E5 was fine but one of the most boring episodes of the entire series. Seems very aimless now that Jimmy and Alice have mostly gotten over their grief.
My take on the Meg thing isSpoiler
it's just gonna be the casual hook-up he needed to feel confident about going for Colby.
... but really who knows at this point, they are clearly not feeling beholden to traditional narrative arcs (in a bad way).
George Zipp wrote: ↑26 Feb 2026 10:06 am
Watched most recent episode last night. Spoiler
I'm not normally one to pat myself on the back but Jimmy and Meg starting to hook up I think I kind of saw that coming upthread. It's interesting because when they were chatting in the storage unit and he started waxing poetic about women, and kissing a woman to the REM song I sure thought he was talking about Colby Smuthers character. No idea where this is going. I guess the good news is the weird nurse laughing lady is done. And now with half the cast seemingly moving to the east coast where is this all going. On another note the side story with Sean and the ex girlfriend is boring me to tears. It's not interesting. Otherwise it was a standard Shrinking episode. Derek and Liz doing Derek and Liz things. The Gaby intervention in regards to the other Derek, also kind of boring. I'm still enjoying the show but it's just not as good as it was the previous seasons IMO
Agree with all this... E5 was fine but one of the most boring episodes of the entire series. Seems very aimless now that Jimmy and Alice have mostly gotten over their grief.
My take on the Meg thing isSpoiler
it's just gonna be the casual hook-up he needed to feel confident about going for Colby.
... but really who knows at this point, they are clearly not feeling beholden to traditional narrative arcs (in a bad way).
I thought about your spoiler point as well. I'm guessing it's pretty obvious that Spoiler
Paul is going to find out one way or the other that his married daughter is (soon to be) banging his protege. One of the omnipresent members of this clique is going to either walk in on them or see them, something to that effect. That will lead to plenty of content during the remainder of the season
I feel like they hooked up almost as a general favor to him since Paul is usually so so and ungrateful to him, and she wants him to move on? I mean, if so, that's a very interesting move. ha
Becoming just a total sapfest. Hard to take it seriously anymore. Also no clue what they could possibly be building up to for the finale, it has been all over the place. I guess Gaby will have a crisis now, whoop-de-doo.
3dender wrote: ↑13 Mar 2026 08:39 am
Becoming just a total sapfest. Hard to take it seriously anymore. Also no clue what they could possibly be building up to for the finale, it has been all over the place. I guess Gaby will have a crisis now, whoop-de-doo.
Maybe Roy Kent will have a relapse and plow his car into the kid as she's heading off to college. Maybe Derek and rock lady kid will snap and kill the entire cast. I still enjoy the show but the sapfest thing is spot on. The gravesite stuff. The Parkinsons stuff. Derek's octuple bypass, Jimmy banging Paul's daughter and now finally going out with Colby Smuthers, the adopted baby. Where is this all going. I want to know.
MEGA HAPPY...and not as enjoyable as Ted Lasso can pull it off. Also, what is the angle for season 4??? That will be very interesting. I like the show, and always tell people to watch it, but might start telling people to just watch the first two seasons.
It also hasn't been mentioned how the last episode ended. For all the sapfest talk, and it's real, they decided to throw in a patient suicide. I'm not sure why this particular show needs to take on this angle. But it's done.
George Zipp wrote: ↑18 Mar 2026 13:02 pm
It also hasn't been mentioned how the last episode ended. For all the sapfest talk, and it's real, they decided to throw in a patient suicide. I'm not sure why this particular show needs to take on this angle. But it's done.
That's what I'm saying... doesn't seem like writers have any real direction here, it's all over the place. We'll see what tonight brings...
George Zipp wrote: ↑18 Mar 2026 13:02 pm
It also hasn't been mentioned how the last episode ended. For all the sapfest talk, and it's real, they decided to throw in a patient suicide. I'm not sure why this particular show needs to take on this angle. But it's done.
That's what I'm saying... doesn't seem like writers have any real direction here, it's all over the place. We'll see what tonight brings...
Last night is now taking the show into places I'm really bummed out about. We are very, very close to Fonzie being on the water ski and the shark is approaching rapidly.
I will say the Gabby and patient suicide story line was actually nice. That's real world stuff and I'm not going to complain about it for a show about therapists. They handled that well.
Now let's get to the chum. I'm very tired of Liz and her antics. The gay couple are so over the top ridiculous it's moved past silly. Not even going to comment on the adoptive birth mother just hanging around.
Now to Jimmy and Colby. What. Really, JFC. Sure, let's get to our first date and the needy clingy ex husband is there with the kid playing video games. Strike 1. Then she asks him to provide couples counseling during the date. I don't know the ethics and professional rules of that particular field but gonna go out on a limb and say that's frowned upon. Strikes 2-79. And then sure, let's start face mashing after the bad date.
There are only two episodes left in the season, I think. Of course I'll watch but as many have said, where is this all going.
George Zipp wrote: ↑18 Mar 2026 13:02 pm
It also hasn't been mentioned how the last episode ended. For all the sapfest talk, and it's real, they decided to throw in a patient suicide. I'm not sure why this particular show needs to take on this angle. But it's done.
That's what I'm saying... doesn't seem like writers have any real direction here, it's all over the place. We'll see what tonight brings...
Last night is now taking the show into places I'm really bummed out about. We are very, very close to Fonzie being on the water ski and the shark is approaching rapidly.
I will say the Gabby and patient suicide story line was actually nice. That's real world stuff and I'm not going to complain about it for a show about therapists. They handled that well.
Now let's get to the chum. I'm very tired of Liz and her antics. The gay couple are so over the top ridiculous it's moved past silly. Not even going to comment on the adoptive birth mother just hanging around.
Now to Jimmy and Colby. What. Really, JFC. Sure, let's get to our first date and the needy clingy ex husband is there with the kid playing video games. Strike 1. Then she asks him to provide couples counseling during the date. I don't know the ethics and professional rules of that particular field but gonna go out on a limb and say that's frowned upon. Strikes 2-79. And then sure, let's start face mashing after the bad date.
There are only two episodes left in the season, I think. Of course I'll watch but as many have said, where is this all going.
Yeah I don't have much more to add.
There are like 3 total compelling characters in the series (Paul, Sean, and Alice/Derek get 1/2 each), and in their wisdom the writers of the show have decided to devote 90% of the screentime to everyone else, including by far the two most obnoxious characters Liz and Brian.
They clearly had no clue where to go this season, and little clue about what made the first two seasons special.
Now to Jimmy and Colby. What. Really, JFC. Sure, let's get to our first date and the needy clingy ex husband is there with the kid playing video games. Strike 1. Then she asks him to provide couples counseling during the date. I don't know the ethics and professional rules of that particular field but gonna go out on a limb and say that's frowned upon. Strikes 2-79. And then sure, let's start face mashing after the bad date.
Badger! Good to see ole Matt Jones on TV. One of my favs from Breaking Bad. But yeah, asking your potential new boyfriend to do on the spot marriage counseling on your first (or I guess second) date? Sure! Why not. As far as Liz goes, when your husband is one of the creators and writers, I guess you get into 88.5% of all the scenes and storylines now.
Fun fact - Ava is played by Claudia Sulewski, who is engaged to Finneas O'Connell, or maybe better known as Billie Eilish's brother.
