Shrinking Season 2 has finally reached its emotional ending, making many wonder if the series concluded tragically for one of Jimmy Laird’s patients, Louis (played by Brett Goldstein). In the series, Laird, a therapist’s life gets impacted by the sudden passing of his wife. This leads to him giving unethical advice to his patients, at times, leading to deadly consequences. His pre-existing wounds, however, are aggravated when Louis confesses to unintentionally taking the life of Jimmy’s wife, evoking mixed emotions.
Here’s a detailed article on what actually happened to Louis in the second season’s finale.
Does Louis die at the end of Shrinking Season 2?
No, Louis attempts suicide but is eventually rescued by Jimmy in the Shrinking Season 2 finale.
The final episode, titled “The Last Thanksgiving,” features Louis’ attempts to get over the guilt of being drunk and killing Jimmy’s wife, Tia. Though he is aware he cannot bring back Tia’s life, he tries to make things better and seeks forgiveness. He tries to befriend Jimmy’s daughter, Alice, and best friend, Brian, which doesn’t sit well with the therapist. However, Brian is aware of what feeling Louis is going through and how difficult it is for him to come out of it. Nonetheless, they try to aid him with healing.
Though Louis makes some progress in dealing with trauma and guilt, one instance undos it all. A friend ends their relationship with him after discovering his past, leading to his depressed feelings resurfacing. Now, alone, he decides to take away his life by stepping onto a train track. However, by god’s grace, Jimmy, keeping aside his grudges arrives and rescues him.
Will Louis return in Shrinking Season 3?
Brett Goldstein’s Louis might return for Shrinking Season 3, as per co-creator Bill Lawrence.
The finale features a thought-provoking scene, highlighting the power of forgiveness. In the scene, Jimmy ultimately makes amends with Louis and comes to terms with his grief. In a conversation with the Los Angeles Times, Lawrence revealed the tense final scene was intentionally set up to create an unease in the audience about Louis’ fate and to emotionally resolve the matters between the two characters. He further teased that chances of Louis’ return are possible.
He stated, “Brett’s got tons of s— he’s working on, but he is so good in the show this year, so the idea of getting to show how he [Louis] moves forward interests us. Don’t forget, we pitched this show where the first year is about grief, second year is about forgiveness, [the] third year is about moving forward. It would be weird to not include his character as part of that.”
The third season of Shrinking is expected to come out sometime in Fall 2025, although no official release window has been announced yet.
