Shrinking Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Potatoes

Apple TV+’s  Shrinking is getting very close to finding its footing only four episodes into its freshman season. There are still some kinks, especially with the weighting of screentime given to each storyline. But Shrinking Season 1 Episode 4, “Potatoes,” has finally given Harrison Ford’s character some much-needed depth, and has started moving Jimmy and Alice on from Tia’s death.

The entire thesis of Shrinking is how much grief is a journey, and moving on is a large part of that process. Until now, there hasn’t been much headway made between Jimmy and his daughter besides tentative dinners spent together. There’s still a very valid reason for Alice to be hesitant about talking with her dad.

They’re glossing over that a little too much for my liking, but I trust the writers to bring that arc full circle by the time Shrinking Season 1 has ended. Alice is luckily talking through her feelings with Paul, but at some point, she has to break down with her father in order to really build that relationship back up.

I think the storyline that will do them in is this Sean/Alice issue, which is giving me the ick. I love Sean’s character, and I think his relationship with Jimmy is helping them both. And I’m really excited to delve deeper into Alice’s social/personal life. But I don’t like the idea of them in a situationship of any kind, especially with the lines already so blurred. I also just don’t know what that age difference is supposed to be, which is what’s making it weird.

Gossiping about Alice is the perfect way to bring Gaby and Liz together though. This dynamic is quickly becoming one of my favorites in Shrinking. They’re like aunts on different sides of your family, fighting to be the favorite, and it’s hilarious. I say it every week, but kudos to Jessica Williams on her natural talent for funny line delivery. 

I’d even say she brings out the best in the actors that she’s playing off of, making her scenes with literally any of the characters, Alice included, some of the best in the show.

Liz and Gaby both have their own stuff to deal with, keeping the other thesis of the show on track; everyone can benefit from therapy. With Gaby’s recent divorce, and now Liz coming to terms more and more with how she needs to loosen her rope with Alice and find her identity outside of motherhood, there’s a ton of potential for these two to become better friends.

I kind of love that Jimmy is the other part of that friendship triangle, but there’s also something to be said about developing female friendships on screen. These two women can also be an outlet for Alice now that her mom is gone, and I don’t want them to betray her trust so quickly to her father.

There’s a slippery slope there, so it’s going to be interesting to see where that friendship heads.

The main development in Shrinking Season 1 Episode 4 was with Paul’s personal life. While the first three episodes of the season set the stage for Jason Segel’s new normal (in his life and approach to therapy), Harrison Ford waited on the back burner.

He elevates his comedic timing in Shrinking Season 1 Episode 4 and shows that he’s no longer just a curmudgeonly old fart that likes to antagonize his coworkers. He’s actually a bit insecure in his relationship with his adult daughter Meg that lives on the East Coast and just wants to get to know his grandson a bit more.

It’s a heartbreaking subtle detail, but Paul switches out the picture frame on his desk with the new photo of his grandson, and the last one he had in there was of the kid as a baby. The new one is at least 4-5 years later, so it makes us wonder how often they get to see each other.

Shoutout to the production/set designers for that one, it really kicked me in the ribs to think about how sparingly he gets to connect with his grandchild that lives across the country. 

Sticking with the theme of the series, Shrinking shows that even a seasoned professional like Paul can benefit from a little therapy. I’m no therapist, but he seems to have a fear of rejection since he won’t disclose his illness to his daughter and ask her to sign some legal paperwork for him.

It’s a bummer that they’ve already established that Meg lives in Connecticut and they live in California because I don’t know how often we’ll get to see her character appear.  Lily Rabe is definitely an exciting actor to bring into the Shrinking ensemble, so here’s hoping she pops up again at some point.

Speaking of the Shrinking ensemble, this team is getting really creative at letting these actors and characters interact with each other. In Shrinking Season 1 Episode 3, Liz and Paul were able to cross paths. This time, it’s Paul and Brian that connect, in an even more organic way.

It’s established that Brian is Paul’s estate attorney, so there’s a fun scene of the two of them together. And they can’t be any more opposite. Michael Urie brings in a cheerful, empathetic energy into every scene, and Ford plays Paul with an apathetic exterior. It’s another very funny dynamic, and one that I can see resurfacing later in Shrinking Season 1.

My one fault with Shrinking Season 1 Episode 4, “Potatoes,” is that it didn’t carry on the sort of cliffhanger ending from its previous installment. Jimmy finding out that Grace is ignoring his advice is a big deal and I thought it would have more of an effect on his confidence at work.

But he blurs the line with yet another patient, this time in a significant way. So it’s safe to say that Jimmy has not found his professional groove yet, and I hope he works that out soon.

Stray Thoughts: 

• Now that I think about it, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a grown man jumping on a trampoline either.
• Liz rock-tumbling for fun is such a TikTok hobby.
• Liz’s “cool mom” list was actually pretty cool. Jimmy’s attempt at being a “cool dad” was a fail.
• Derek is such an interesting character. The guy is clueless, but I love that they’re using him as the sort of stereotypical ditzy housewife character.
• “I can only love him for an hour and forty-five minutes a day.” Best line of the episode.
• Very curious to see if Jimmy confronts Alice about what he hears her say about Sean.

 

What did you think of this episode of Shrinking? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Shrinking airs Fridays on Apple TV+.

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