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WhenTed Lassofirst took off in 2020, it wasnt hard to see the appeal.
But what makesTed Lassospecial what prevents its wholesomeness from turning into empty sentimentality is its willingness to go dark.
(The third is star Jason Segel.)
Jimmy Laird (Segel) is a therapist who is tired of advocating for the tedium of incremental self-improvement.
Leave him, or Im done being your therapist, he blurts.
Grace listens to Jimmy and moves back in with her sister, even calling to thank him.
Jimmy desperately wants to reconnect with his daughter and shake himself loose from his yearlong malaise.
But its clearly a bad idea for a million reasons.
People oftenneedto arrive at realizations at their own pace, and rushing it can hurt them.
Besides, its also just plain unethical to involve yourself directly in your patients lives.
Its a serious moment, a brutal reminder that Jimmys new tactic would never work without adverse consequences.
But at least it leads to a moment of empathy from Alice, who thanks Jimmy for coming.
I wouldve come sooner, you know, he says.
Then, after a long pause: You look so much like your mom.
Its a simple moment and maybe a little obvious, but it makes for a nice ending.
Coin Flip alone proved to both Jimmy and us that his new idea ultimately wont work.
Are we due for nine more episodes of Jimmy learning that same lesson over and over?
But so far, its an entertaining watch thats hard to dislike.
Theres a lot of promise here, especially with this cast and crew.
Progress Notes
Carrying this section name over from Erin Qualeys excellent recaps ofThe Patient.
Jimmy immediately flees at the sight of his best friend, so theres clearly a story there.
But hey, I can never argue with Oxford Comma.
Oh, now I get it!
