My review of this week's Shrinking, "Depression Diet" — with spoilers — coming up just as soon as I'm a restaurant critic in disguise...
Alan Sepinwall
When Shrinking began, it was both much more of a show about Jimmy than the ensemble piece it became, and largely focused on Jimmy's pain in the aftermath of Tia's death. As the show has gone on, it's become more comfortable building major storylines where Jimmy's either a minor figure or not involved at all. And as Jimmy has become more emotionally healthy, the series has placed more of a dramatic burden on other characters. He's not magically healed of his grief and worry, but most of what he's been dealing with this season is either romantic tension or his preparation for Alice's departure from the nest — both normal, relatively light life cycle events.
"Depression Diet" follows up on Sofi's appearance at the end of last week's episode. As everyone realizes that a party in honor of Jimmy's dead wife, featuring all of his friends and family, doesn't really qualify as first-date territory, the two attempt a simple, easy do-over: dinner at Sofi's house. But Jimmy isn't the only one bringing baggage to the relationship: her ex-husband Nick (played by Matt Jones, aka Badger from Breaking Bad) is around constantly, and seems to be going out of his way to not leave them alone for the date.