Gaby invites Jimmy to speak to her class. When Derek ends up in the hospital, Liz has issues with their son. Paul has an important realization.
The Field has changed for Paul. He swore by this therapeutic tool. It helps people figure out what's important to them. It delivers what a person needs. It's clarifying in this moment. The episode begins with Paul thrilled about getting to work again. His job has meant everything to him for his entire life. It's exhilarating to get to do it again. He's back in the office mocking Jimmy and Gaby. They need his guidance all the time. Yet everything comes into focus during his session with Gerry. He's upfront about seeing his new patient as a hallucination just eating cake. It's not that exciting. More patients are directed to Paul because of how he can relate to the struggles of Parkinson's. He helps Gerry see how things in his life are good relatively speaking. That's the only direction he needs. He knows to pick up a couple pints of ice cream on his way home. That's enough reassurance. Meanwhile, Paul sees his wife and daughter enjoying their time with him. He envisions Jimmy and Gaby relying on his expertise. He's surrounded by friends who care about his well-being. That's his source of fulfillment now. The balance has shifted. He's at peace with retiring.
Jimmy doesn't get to be the one to tell Paul he has to stop. They thought that was eventually going to occur. It wasn't necessary. Jimmy doesn't need to offer some profound goodbye either. It will take months for Paul to transition to retirement. Of course, that leaves plenty of things up in the air regarding the ongoing responsibilities of the practice. The show will find ways to keep Paul involved even if he isn't a therapist. He fulfills that role quite well when Liz comes to him seeking advice about Matthew. That moment is about more than that though. It's a declaration of love. The two of them hate being vulnerable. They don't like each other. Yet they are part of each other's lives. They have to accept that. They do. No one will ever believe that it happened. That's the greatest power of all. It's appreciated without needing to become a big thing amongst the entire group. That occurs later when Derek is hospitalized after eating too many of Matthew's marijuana gummies. That further extends Liz's frustrations with her son. She confides in Brian about her embarrassment. That stings as Matthew overheard it all.
Gaby also has to admit that her therapy approach isn't working with Maya. Her newest patient has barely opened up during multiple sessions together. Gaby wants to embarrass Jimmy when he's a last minute fill-in guest for her class. She wants him to defend jimmying. She doesn't see the benefits. It remains difficult for her to trust him. She can't let go of his painful actions from the past. It's about more than Tia's death. He hasn't been a reliable friend. Her reasons don't always make sense either. They are a moving target. This is how she feels right now. That must be respected by her friend. She also needs to recognize that Maya will benefit from a sudden jolt in her environment. It's worked well for Wally during her sessions with Jimmy. It highlights Maya's loneliness. It's great having Gaby on her team for Lord of the Rings trivia. Gaby crushes it. Maya lets her guard down. Gaby schedules an emergency session. That's work to deal with later. Right now, they just need to embrace the celebration of a breakthrough and bar trivia win. That's how the show often approaches its storytelling. The tone can shift instantly. It's important not to take life too seriously. Yet it's also comfortable to be vulnerable and lean on a support system too.
