Shrinking Season 3, Episode 6, “Dereks Don’t Die,” puts the heart of this beloved comedy on the line as a sobering wake-up call for the ensemble. This mid-season episode, written by CJ Hoke and Randall Keenan Winston, does something this show is particularly skilled at – reminding its characters and, in turn, its audience how short and precious life is. “Dereks Don’t Die” has a shorter runtime yet mines plenty of depth. Two sequences of vignettes don’t last all that long. Still, Shrinking packs significance into every frame and word.
Relatedly, this episode reveals Derek and Liz’s last name (It’s Bishop!) for the first time, which feels largely inconsequential. On a more minute scale, it complements how “Dereks Don’t Die” gets to know the couple (and Matthew, a bit) on a deeper level. Regardless, Shrinking reiterates that people can be positively surprising and hope can ebb and flow in the most complicated of places. Those themes may seem simple, but this show is good at making the smallest things – the most human things – feel less lonely and more relatable.
MORE: Everything We Know About Shrinking Season 3
Showing Up and Being Honest
Not only is it a relief that “Dereks Don’t Die” immediately addresses Jimmy and Meg hooking up, but how it does so is refreshing. Pretty quickly, Shrinking gives that scene a new context by revealing that Meg and Dave are separated. So, it’s quite wonderful to see how unbothered Meg is by it. Compared to where her relationship with Dave is, this development with Jimmy is so uncomplicated. There are more expectations on how she will tell her father about Dave than anything to do with Jimmy. Meanwhile, it’s entirely in-character for Jimmy to spin out about whether this will jeopardize his relationship with Paul.
After not being there when she needed him earlier in her life, it’s impactful to see how Paul and Meg have evolved since the start of the show. A scene like the one when Meg opens up to Paul is critical, too, if Shrinking follows through with Paul moving to Connecticut. (Did Gaby find out about the move off-screen? She doesn’t seem as shocked by the news as Jimmy.) It features some really beautiful, lived-in work from Harrison Ford and Lily Rabe. It’s perhaps when their characters’ father/daughter dynamic has felt the most realistic.
While they share less screen time than Meg and Paul in the series, “Dereks Don’t Die” still makes the moment between Brian and his dad land. Michael Urie doesn’t shortchange any part of Brian’s emotional journey. The same is true in his impression of Jason Segel’s Jimmy – Michael Urie will get that Emmy Award! Relatedly, this episode does an excellent job of spotlighting Brian and Jimmy’s friendship; they know each other too well. Jimmy knows what Brian needs and nudges him, as Liz did for him earlier in the season. That’s love!
MORE: Shrinking Season 3, Episode 2 Review: ‘Happiness Mission’
Accepting Help Isn’t Always Easy
Given the emphasis on Sean’s dedication to his food truck, it’s not surprising that someone of Dre Thibodeaux’s caliber recognizes Sean’s hard work and wants to see him grow as a sous chef. For now, though, the best thing to come from this job opportunity is the scene between Paul and Sean – some of my favorite work from Ford with Luke Tennie. Their characters’ history presents itself through their expression of real joy about Paul’s good day and Sean’s progress. Also, Paul telling Sean, “Use our tools to shut your brain down,” feels as personally relevant as it is to literally every character on this show.
“Dereks Don’t Die” creates a natural juxtaposition between Sean being further in his therapy journey and Maya being at the start. There’s a non-linear process to learning how to accept and use those tools. Gaby taking Maya to the gym is another great way for Shrinking to show Jimmy’s impact on her. Moreover, it’s a sweet and natural way for Gaby to talk about her friendship with Tia. It also leads to a revelation about Alice and boxing that makes her even cooler.
It’s Shrinking’s fault for having an ensemble this great; any character development is interesting. This episode proves that point by spending more time with Maya, a recurring character. Sherry Cola’s performance, especially in that final scene, conveys so much through the most subtle expressions. It’s tough yet authentic to watch Maya minimize her problems and retreat inward, rather than continue to reach out to Gaby. In turn, Shrinking creates another juxtaposition with Maya feeling hopeless and lonely in the darkness, while the other characters feel the opposite when learning the good news about Derek. “Dereks Don’t Die” tells a whole story in those two sequences alone.
MORE: Shrinking Season 3, Episode 1 Review: ‘My Bad’
Embracing Change and Vulnerability
This episode actively discusses that people can’t accept help until they want it, but that doesn’t mean that people should stop trying to reach them. In that conversation, there’s a compelling comparison between an EKG and therapy as preventive care. Both aren’t always accessible to everyone, but they can help someone before it’s too late. Look no further than Derek and his Widow Maker blockage. Derek is no stranger to being the grounding force for the ensemble, so it’s dramatic to threaten someone so integral to everyone.
Derek’s health scare also gives Ted McGinley the space to peel back a different, more fragile, and fearful side of Derek. In that shift, Liz tries to fill that role for Derek – until Jimmy asks her how she’s doing. Seeing that vulnerability in Liz is so rare that it’s easy to lock into that scene. Christa Miller is breathtaking in it, and Segel delivers a wonderful supporting performance. That scene is also a great lead-in to Jimmy confronting Matthew with that critical question: “Are you going to be like this forever?” On the heels of complimenting his strength, Shrinking earns that scene as Jimmy’s way of repaying Liz for taking care of Alice.
It’s then beautiful and very funny to see how similar Matthew and Liz are – down to cornering nurses for answers. Suddenly, their stubbornness to reconcile makes even more sense. But it takes time – and a very scary turn from someone they love – for both of them to get to that place. Ultimately, “Dereks Don’t Die,” like the rest of the show, realistically depicts how brave it is to admit you’re not okay while emphasizing that everyone is on their own timeline.
MORE: Will Shrinking return for another season? We have the answer here!
—
