Review: Shrinking, "Imposter Syndrome" | Season 1, Episode 6
Nothing brings people together like parties and, well, party-induced trauma
Jimmy’s opening therapy session with Sean in “Imposter Syndrome” is pretty innocuous—the latter shares some standard issues with PTSD where he finds himself transported back to his initial trauma, and then Jimmy makes a crack about hot wings. They’re immediately back out in the break room, where Paul stops by to check in on their progress, update them on his daughter’s reaction to his Parkinson’s diagnosis (she’s taking things over, much to his chagrin), and get some digs in on Jimmy before we head to the credits in a fairly jovial mood.
And yet within these early scenes lies the seed of the growing dread that pervades “Imposter Syndrome.” Because as much as Jimmy might separate himself from Sean’s situation, his grief is a form of trauma, and the second he looks past his anxiety about hosting Brian’s surprise engagement party at his house he’s headed straight for a breakdown. It starts when Derek’s Dad joke at the door sends him flashing back to the last party they thr…