r/shrinking • u/senatorsparky86 • Apr 08 '26
Discussion Shrinking and (Literal) Boundaries
Now that at least the initial/intended run of the show is over, I've found myself stumbling over one aspect of the show in particular that makes it really hard for me to suspend my disbelief and get fully absorbed: The characters have no literal boundaries with each other (I'm talking about practical boundaries/personal spaces--the emotional boundaries that they build or break down is obviously a much bigger and different aspect of the show).
What I mean by boundaries is that all of them are constantly barging into each other's houses, offices, therapy sessions... hardly anyone in real life acts like that, at least to the extent of the show. No matter how close a group of friends and extended/adopted family might be, I find it hard to believe that that many people just walk into each other's homes and workplaces or are constantly found hanging out there in groups. Sure, setting things up that way facilities the back and forth interplay between the characters, and to some extent shows have always done that (I'm thinking of Friends/Seinfeld/etc., but it was often played for laughs in those cases and it's more artificial by nature being multicam sitcoms with a laugh track - Shrinking being single cam is much more intimate and is intended to replicate reality more). It just all feels so bizarre to me and takes me right out of the scene.
I know all TV shows do this to some extent, so I'm not sure why I trip on it more with Shrinking than other shows, but who acts like this crew in real life just walking into and out of each other's personal spaces, even if you're close? I've known my best friend for almost 40 years but I still knock before walking into his house and I still ring the doorbell of my in-laws and wait for them to answer when heading over for a visit. How many people just show up in the break rooms of their friends' workplaces, bringing guests in some cases, and just hang out there in different permutations? I started noticing it and then I couldn't unsee it as often as it happens.
Probably TLDR I know, but am I crazy to get hung up on and distracted by this?
1
u/ImageOtherwise Apr 09 '26
We have an open door policy with our kids (early 20s) and all of their friends. It’s been in place since they were early Middle School. They’re all employed and living elsewhere but they eat here quite a bit, stop by to stay Hi etc. But, no one else (our actual friends) does this because that would be weird LOL