@nicolemichele5 Published March 11, 2026, 11:45 a.m. ET Where to Stream: Shrinking Powered by Reelgood More On: Shrinking ‘Shrinking’ Season 3, Episode 7’s Heartbreaking Ending Left Me Sobbing To “A Thousand Years” On My Couch ‘Shrinking’ Perfectly Casts “TV Legend” Candice Bergen As Derek’s Mom: “One Of The High Points Of The Season” ‘Rooster’ Episode Guide: How Many Episodes Are in ‘Rooster’ on HBO And HBO Max? Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Rooster’ On HBO, Where Steve Carell Is An Author Who Works At A College To Be With His Daughter After Her Husband’s Sex Scandal “I Will Be Grape” will go down as one of the most brilliantly balanced episodes in Shrinking history. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry tears of joy. And at the drop of a dime, those happy tears will turn sad — especially right before the end credits roll.
As noted in Decider’s full Season 3 review, Shrinking has mastered the art of flicking from poignant to playful scenes and letting highs and lows co-exist. The signature formula is skillfully utilized each episode, but Season 3, Episode 7 — written by Zack Bornstein and directed by James Ponsoldt — hits different.
Shrinking Season 3, Episode 7 spoilers ahead.
I first watched “I Will Be Grape” several months ago, but I have yet to recover from the clever writing, powerful performances, and sever emotional whiplash it delivers in just 33 minutes. The installment seamlessly spotlights Shrinking‘s large ensemble, juggles multiple storylines, mixes humor and heart, and delivers a final gut punch.
You’ll laugh as Liz (Christa Miller) loses her shit over Derek’s passive aggressive mother, Constance (Candice Bergen), then you’ll bask in the warmth of the two eventually coming together to put their differences aside. Tears will well as Paul (Harrison Ford) tries to wind down his practice while guiding fellow Parkinson’s patients and coming to terms with his bi-lateral tremors. But you’ll smile as he finds humor in “24-hour jazz hands” and bonds with friends like Gerry (Michael J. Fox). And you’ll struggle to feel sad at Tia’s (Lilan Bowden) grave while Jimmy (Jason Segel), Alice (Lukita Maxwell), Brian (Michael Urie), and Summer (Rachel Stubington) sport inappropriate graphic tees, play Chubby Bunny, and thirst over Louis’s (Brett Goldstein) hot new beard.
Tia’s birthday and her memory are at the core of Episode 7, which shows Jimmy reminiscing over a special moment the two shared at one of her parties. As Jimmy played Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years” on the piano, Tia confidently sang “I will be grape” instead of “I will be brave.” The silly slip-up not only inspired the episode’s title, but made viewers feel like part of the family by letting them in on the inside joke. Shrinking has a special knack for finding immense meaning in mundane moments, so naturally, Tia’s friends make her rendition of “A Thousand Years” a birthday tradition.
With three minutes left in the episode, Jimmy, Alice, and their found family gather around his piano and passionately sing “A Thousand Years (Tia’s Version).” Brian proudly holds up a bunch of grapes, and Sofi (Cobie Smulders) belts the wrong lyrics hilariously early, making an iconic first impression on Jimmy’s loved ones. As the joyous celebration continue, however, Gaby’s phone rings and Shrinking‘s entire tone shifts…
Throughout Season 3, we’ve seen Gaby search for a deeper professional purpose and make efforts to treat patients with more serious struggles. In Episode 2, she told two existing patients — Mark (Keith Powell) and Donna (Jill Knox) — that she’d agree to meet with their friend Maya (Sherry Cola), who was struggling and essentially anti-therapist. Maya told Gaby “there’s a dark cloud hovering over me lately,” and Gaby called her out for not opening up. But as time went on, the two grew closer.
Taking a page out of Jimmy’s book, Gaby used unconventional tactics to earn Maya’s trust and break down her walls. The two spent time together outside of therapy, crushed trivia, and started to make progress in the office. Gaby learned that Maya was battling depression, felt abandoned by her friends, and sometimes mixed Xanax and alcohol. She warned Maya that “loneliness becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy if you’re self-medicating and isolating,” and encouraged her to call any time she needed her.
We saw Maya feeling low at the end of Episode 6 and reaching out to Gaby to invite her for fro-yo. Unfortunately, Gaby was at the hospital visiting Derek, so Maya told her she was fine and could wait until their next session to talk. In Episode 7, we learned Maya canceled that session.
“Hey Maya! Got your message about needing to skin this week. That’s totally fine, but if you do that shit again I’m gonna find you and give you therapy wherever you are; gym, roller coaster, somebody else’s bed. It does not matter to me,” Gaby said, leaving Maya a voicemail. Cut to the end of Episode 7, when Gaby sees five missed calls from “Donna (Patient)” and steps away from the piano to call her back.
“Hey Donna, what’s up? Slow down, slow down. Wait, what do you mean we lost Maya?” Gaby syas into the phone as her face drops.
For those who need a refresher, Donna is Gaby’s patient and Maya’s friend who recommended her for therapy. While we have yet to learn the details, it’s clear that Donna was calling to let Gaby know Maya died. Another incredible Season 3 performance from Williams shows us that Gaby was heartbroken and blindsided by the news. And since she told Paul earlier in the episode she and Maya were doing “great work” together, it’s safe to assume this profound loss will major a real toll on her — both personally and professionally — moving forward.
In case you arent’ tearing up already, Shrinking pulls out a meaningful, sob-worthy needle drop to carry us into the end credits: Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years.” The real version! In context, it’s a total tearjerker that reminds us Shrinking‘s use of music is genius.
The official synopsis for Shrinking Season 3, Episode 8, “Depression Diet” notes that “Gaby has a crisis of confidence.” So buckle up for another emotional ride, but rest assured there will be lots of laughs along the way!
New episodes of Shrinking premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV.
