Shrinkinghas no hesitation in showing each character’s messiness, but in Season 2, one group member has gone through an especially rough time and deserves a break. The series makes no secret about Liz’s (Christa Miller) role. She is the over-involved, controlling neighbor, and everyone around her has been giving her flack for it. Whether it isSean’s (Luke Tennie)description of her Blind Side-ing him or Jimmy’s (Jason Segel) disparaging comments about her role in Alice’s (Lukita Maxwell) life, Liz is often made the butt of the joke. Even so, Liz acknowledges her flaws and is trying to work on herself.
Liz never gets the consideration she deserves. In Season 2 alone, Sean blames her for escalating his problems with his father, she argues with Jimmy, and she’s even insulted by her own son. In Season 2, Episode 6, “In a Lonely Place,” Liz finds herself in a dark place, desperate for a win, and not even her work at the animal shelter can cheer her up. Few of her friends even notice how desperate she is for help, and Gaby (Jessica Williams), who has her own family issues, tells her only to get out of the tub rather than helping to find a solution. The fact thatno one recognizes what she is going through or shows her support proves that she deserves better.So far, nothing positive has happened for Liz this season, and it’s past timeShrinkinggives her something to celebrate.
Liz Hasn’t Done Anything Wrong
While Liz may have a strong personality, she hasn’t done anything wrong. InSeason 1, Jimmy gets frustrated about her connection with his daughter, but no matter how it makes Jimmy feel, Alice needs Liz. After her mother’s death, Alice was left on her own because Jimmy checked out. None of the other adults in Alice’s life stepped up, so Liz was essentially the teen’s sole caretaker. Though Jimmy may resent it, what Liz did was a good deed, and she even took a step back once Jimmy collected himself enough to care for Alice. Liz was labeled controlling for wanting to be involved in Sean’s food truck after he asked her to be an investor. Yet she collaborated with him and helped him make his dream come true. Eventually, Sean was glad for her involvement. Then Liz received criticism for selling her share of the truck to Sean’s father after overhearing Sean saying it was a dream they shared. In this case, Liz was not only trying to do something nice but actively acknowledging that she was too involved.
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Liz’s breaking point is when her son, Connor (Gavin Lewis), blames her for letting him down by not solving the problems he made in his love life bysleeping with his girlfriend’s best friend. Yet, that is not her place, and Liz has finally taken a step back from his life.Liz always has the best intentions, and no one acknowledges that. Instead, they consider her mettlesome and nosy. Liz is being given a hard time for trying to be helpful. Even though she oversteps at times, her friends only bring up her failures, and the constant negativity isn’t helping her situation.
Liz Deserves a Win in ‘Shrinking’ Season 2
At the end of Episode 6, Liz does make a bad decision by meeting up with her ex, Mac (Josh Hopkins). This extreme step for validation and acceptance shows how desperate she is to be acknowledged. There is a healthy way for this to happen through her connection with her friends, but they insist on blaming her when things don’t go her way. Even the animal shelter won’t use her better pictures of the dogs to attempt to get them adopted. So, in need of a win, Liz takes an extreme step. Though Liz and her husband,Derek (Ted McGinley), generally have a solid relationship (though often lacking in communication), she goes behind his back to meet with Mac, who is free with his compliments. This meeting suggests Liz’s problems will only continue to grow despite the fact that she, of all people, has earned a break.
Liz is not perfect, butthe point of the show is that everyone is messy. Liz is accused of being the problem far more often than she is, and though she is quick to help everyone, no one does the same for her when she so clearly needs them.ShrinkingSeason 2 has shownLiz trying to work on herself, which blows up in her face, so it’s no wonder the character has hit a personal low. Liz deserves much better, and it’s past time forShrinkingto give her a victory.
Shrinkingis available to stream on Apple TV+ in the U.S. New episodes drop every Wednesday.
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