Jimmy and Brian help Grace deal with unexpected news. Paul and Julie face her past. Liz worries she's come between Sean and his dad.
Jimmy and Brian visited Grace in prison every single day. Jimmy did so because he refused to give up on his patient. He needed to lift her spirit. Meanwhile, Brian was hired as her lawyer. He had to be in that environment to keep her updated on progress in her criminal case. Jimmy is invested in her life. And yet, the words he says to her are ultimately more reflective of his own needs. He needs to know he didn't make a mistake. He can't give up. He has the power to do more. He will do precisely that. That isn't always in Grace's best interests. She's very lucky as the District Attorney decides to drop all the charges. That was a prosecutorial decision based on the complexities of the case. Grace was abused by Donny for years. She finally snapped. She is a sympathetic victim too even though she pushed her husband off a cliff. He survived. Jimmy reaches out to Donny in an appeal to his better nature. Donny has no sway over the case though. Sure, he can decide whether or not to be cooperative. However, it's up to the District Attorney to determine what investigative steps to take. The decision lies solely within the criminal justice system. That happens regardless of how Grace and Donny feel in this situation.
Grace believes she deserves punishment. She belonged in prison for what she did. The charges are dropped. She can't believe it. She doesn't celebrate like Jimmy and Brian do. They were invested in this outcome. They beam with joy. Grace is dumbfounded. She returns to Donny. She believes she must suffer under his wrath instead. That's what she deserves. She continues to fall into the same tragic cycle. She can't escape. Jimmy believes sharing his own personal experience can inspire Grace into believing she doesn't have to settle for this life. That's so impersonal. Jimmy inserts himself in the lives of his patients. His words pale in comparison to the character statements Brian gathered from the people Grace knows and loves. They speak honestly about how good she is. They knew how abusive and tragic this relationship was. They want to speak up now in her defense. Their words allow Grace to believe she is no longer alone. Brian achieves this outcome. He saves a life. Grace moves to Vancouver with her sister. She has the freedom of a new life ahead of her. It happens because Jimmy removed his ego from the situation.
And yet, the narrative is full of conflicts driven entirely by the selfish desires of the characters. Brian wonders if he and Jimmy are actually friends. Jimmy has a habit of making everything about him. They don't know any personal details about each other's lives. They have simply been friends for awhile. They continue mostly out of inertia. It would be more painful to acknowledge the friendship is no longer working. In fact, the rest of the friend group doesn't want Jimmy around because he changes the dynamic. It's a fun and relaxed vibe when Liz, Gaby, Derek and Sean are hanging out. Jimmy wants to be included. Things are simply too weird right now with Gaby. Those are the consequences of them hooking up and her ending things. They are going to be weird for awhile. They can't just skip over those emotions. They have to face them. That requires time and actual maturity. Paul is impressed by Alice writing a letter to Louis. It didn't provide much relief. He wants her to promise not to reach out to her mother's killer again. She breaks that pledge. She hears his apology. That too doesn't ease any pain. It just makes life worse. She wants these negative feelings to go away. Instead, she seeks comfort in Connor. She rejected him and paired him off with Summer. And yet, this mistake has the potential to ruin more lives because everyone has different expectations.
That self-reflection is necessary at every stage of life. Liz believes she is selflessly walking away from the food truck to allow Sean to achieve his dream with his dad. She did so without asking if Sean wanted that. Father and son reminiscence fondly on what could have been. They still have plenty of tension between them. Sean's anger still emerges. He doesn't have control over that. And now, Liz makes this decision behind his back. She wanted to make things better for someone she cared about. Instead, she was more concerned about how she would come across. Gaby is blunt with her advice. It's still up to each patient to decide whether to listen and apply it to their lives. The wrong lessons can be communicated as well. It's nice Jimmy and Brian figure out how to evolve their friendship. They are both equally in the dark about Charlie's life. They bond over that. But that's also a story meant to address a problem while ensuring nothing in the dynamic ultimately changes. Similarly, Paul and Julie finally address how she has fallen in love with her patient. It's no longer responsible for her to continue treating him. He doesn't want her to love someone only to watch their essence fade away over time. Her husband is still alive. He remains in a care facility with dementia. He doesn't recognize her. It's tragic. It forces Paul to be more proactive with his disease. He has to take it seriously. He doesn't need Julie to be the responsible one for his care. They reach that catharsis with only a little bit of drama along the way. The stakes of the storytelling can be small at times. That still informs character in a meaningful way even though not everything resolves neatly across the board.
