‘Shrinking’ Season 3 Finale Theory Suggests Paul Wasn’t Really There

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Be warned, this article contains spoilers for the final episode of Shrinking Season 3, titled “And That’s Our Time.” While Shrinking will return for a fourth season, the creators designed this episode as the end of the show’s original storyline. They’re planning a new story arc with familiar faces, so “And That’s Our Time” feels like a definitive conclusion. The episode is very emotional, especially the conversation between Jimmy (Jason Segel) and Paul (Harrison Ford), but it leaves you wondering if everything is as it seems.

The last scene of Season 3 features Paul telling Segel’s character that he’s always felt like a father to him. This confession was a long-awaited, touching moment for both the character and viewers. However, the way it unfolded felt a bit too neat and idealistic for a show usually known for its realistic emotional depth. It made me suspect the show’s creator was setting up a classic twist, as they’ve done before.

Is Paul Really There at the End of ‘Shrinking’ Season 3?

The latest episode, “And That’s Our Time,” continues the story from “The Bodyguard of Sadness,” where Paul retired and moved to Boston with his wife. Throughout the finale, Jimmy is clearly bothered by not having properly said goodbye to Paul after their argument. They do have a somewhat awkward phone call to make amends, but the lack of a real farewell is noticeable. However, Paul unexpectedly flies back to Los Angeles to give Jimmy some final advice and reassurance before letting him navigate life on his own.

This show usually does a good job of mixing dramatic moments with believable situations, but this recent Paul storyline feels off. He supposedly flies across the country from Boston to Los Angeles to talk to Jimmy, then immediately turns around and flies back – it just doesn’t seem realistic. While Ford’s character says all the right things for a season or series finale, the whole situation feels forced. Even without considering Paul’s worsening Parkinson’s, which has been more noticeable lately, this trip feels like an unnecessary and over-the-top move.

Considering Paul’s health, it seems very unlikely he could have traveled so quickly, especially without someone to look after him. Therefore, I believe Paul wasn’t actually present during Jimmy’s final scene. It’s more probable that Jimmy used the memory of Paul to motivate himself and fully commit to a relationship with Sofi. Jimmy often relies on Paul’s guidance, even if he doesn’t follow it himself. What we likely witnessed was Jimmy visualizing the advice he wished Paul had given him one last time.

I’m particularly drawn to this idea because Jimmy and Paul are alone when they’re together. The show could have easily had other people around, but I believe the isolation was intentional. It allowed Jimmy a private moment to mentally prepare himself before joining Sofi, a preparation seemingly fueled by his connection with Paul. It also provided cover if Jimmy was, in fact, imagining the conversation. And it’s striking that they didn’t share a hug – a moment that felt natural given their history. Perhaps the absence of that physical connection hints at the fact that the real Paul wasn’t present, being in Boston at the time.

One of the Minds Behind ‘Shrinking’ Has Done Something Similar in Another Show

Bill Lawrence, along with Jason Segel and Brett Goldstein, created the show. While all three are involved in the creative process, Lawrence typically works behind the scenes. He’s had a lot of success recently with shows on Apple TV, including Ted Lasso and Bad Monkey, as well as the HBO hit Rooster. But he’s perhaps best known for Scrubs, the popular medical sitcom that’s currently making a comeback. Scrubs was groundbreaking for its blend of humor and heartfelt drama, a style Lawrence has continued to perfect in his later work.

If Jimmy was only talking to his own imagined version of Paul, the reveal would strongly resemble a memorable episode of Scrubs called “My Screw Up.” In that episode, John C. McGinley’s Dr. Cox spends almost the entire time talking to the memory of his deceased friend, Ben Sullivan (Brendan Fraser). The surprise is that Ben actually died very early in the episode, and the writers cleverly maintained the illusion that everyone believed he was still alive, not just Dr. Cox.

As Shrinking begins a new story arc that moves past Jimmy’s sadness, the show doesn’t necessarily need to mention his final talk with Paul. This means it’s possible we’ll never know for sure if that conversation actually happened, and that’s okay.

While the scene where characters ‘shrink’ could be seen as a shortened version of themes explored in Lawrence’s earlier work, “My Screw Up,” the connections between the two are undeniable. “Shrinking” frequently references “Scrubs” through shared actors and subtle nods to the show’s history. For example, Christa Miller’s character, Liz, uses the word “bajingo” – a term she originally popularized on “Scrubs” where she played a significant role as Jordan, Ben’s sister. This suggests Lawrence may have intentionally echoed a plot device from another one of his shows to add depth or intrigue to the final conversation between Jimmy and Paul in Season 3 of “Shrinking.”

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2026-04-13 16:20