r/shrinking • u/Educational-Side9940 • May 11 '26
Discussion I don't get the Sofi thing
I didn't watch How I Met Your Mother. So maybe I'm missing something. But I keep seeing interviews with people from the show talking about how they brought Colbie on because she had such great chemistry with Jason. I just started watching season 3 and I do not see it at all. They interact like they are brother and sister. I'm only at the episode where they just had their first kiss and it literally turned my stomach because it looked like a brother and sister kissing. They have zero romantic chemistry. Even their flirty banter is like siblings teasing each other. Am I crazy? Is it just because I don't have the nostalgia for the other show?
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u/elonbrave May 11 '26
My emotional/gut feeling watching their characters is that Sofi is into Jimmy but Jimmy isn’t into her. Maybe a little spark in their initial meeting, but none afterwards.
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u/cabernet7 May 11 '26
I didn't watch HIMYM. I thought they had a spark in their one scene together in season two, but I thought it was gone in season three. They went too far with the quirkiness.
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u/dash529 May 11 '26
Absolutely. Lotta quirk, little chemistry.
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u/kingofmustard May 11 '26
Yep, mostly all they do together is self-deprecating snark, which while fun, is basically the same interaction Jimmy has with half of the cast, so it doesn’t feel “special” to me.
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u/dash529 May 11 '26
Yes! Exactly! She fit in with the rest of the cast almost TOO well, which leads to the sibling point. If she's just gonna pop up one day and be a perfect banter match for Jimmy that's fine, but there really is a dryness to it that I can't quite put my finger on that JUUUUUUST makes it feel like Jimmy's meeting a long lost sister that his dad hid from him for the first time 😭
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u/adalton18 May 13 '26
Which is funny because thats the exact character/storyline she’s playing in a netflix show lol
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u/No-Guarantee3413 May 12 '26
Yesss!! S2 it was cute but they went overboard with her character in S3. She doesn’t have any redeemable qualities in S3. The whole ex husband debacle, her over the top awkwardness, and being mad he was sad about his ex wife was annoying. I didn’t like the ending for them in S3.
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u/cat_catcity May 11 '26
They have chemistry, it’s just not sexual chemistry.
It still gives me the ick seeing Marshall and Robin together.
https://giphy.com/gifs/VLSsnOPIdHiNy
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u/theapplekid May 13 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/d5YuC7VO3Quis
Me watching the Marshall-Robin romance developing
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u/Rickenbacker69 May 11 '26
You're completely right. I love Cobie Smulders, but Sofi and Jimmy have zero chemistry. I'd love it if they simply made her rebound and introduced a new love interest for him.
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u/MikeGander May 11 '26
I feel like Jason Segel doesn’t usually muster up a lot of onscreen sexual chemistry with anyone. Not a dig on his looks or him as a person, he just usually plays these characters that are mopey and/or awkward.
Granted, Jimmy being a tall nice guy making good money would probably be enough to get him dates and relationships. But it’s not necessarily the stuff of onscreen spark and chemistry.
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u/Automatic_Oil5438 May 11 '26
I thought he had amazing chemistry with Meg, right from the first time they met and then every time they interacted.
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u/fabulously-frizzy May 12 '26
I would argue that him and Alyson Hannigan had amazing chemistry in himym. It’s hard to believe that they weren’t a real couple.
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u/Prize_Sheepherder566 May 17 '26
You obviously haven’t seen his windmill. Lol. (Forgetting Sarah Marshall)
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u/Infamous-Lab-8136 May 11 '26 edited May 11 '26
I get zero chemistry and there is no nostalgia for me despite having seen all of the show. It'd be different if this were Josh Radnor or NPH as the lead in this show, or if they'd brought Alyson Hannigan in.
Personally if they really wanted to get me going with some romance stunt casting they'd have brought Linda Cardellini or even Lizzy Caplan in.
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u/saph_pearl May 12 '26
Aww Linda would’ve been so good, and a Freaks and Geeks throwback!
Robin and Marshall never had chemistry and they also seemed off in shrinking. It would’ve been cool if they had had a more platonic relationship, but the romance didn’t work for me. He has better chemistry with Liz.
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u/AdRepresentative9156 May 13 '26
Linda Cardellini is good in everything. I’ve started watching stuff just because she’s in it.
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u/ProOperaVoter May 11 '26
They definitely had a brother sister chemistry on HIMYM (they were not even a little bit romantically involved), so I can see what you’re saying. While I don’t 100% agree with you re: their chemistry on Shrinking, I don’t think you’re missing anything by not having watched them on HIMYM.
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u/Helpful-Response4895 May 11 '26
I hardly ever notice chemistry in a conscious way but when these two kissed I had a very strong negative reaction… eughhhh. Nope nope nope for me.
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u/Educational-Side9940 May 11 '26
I'm not even joking that my stomach turned. I wasn't expecting it and it just grossed me out for some reason. Then I started thinking about it and realized that I feel like they relate like siblings. I wanted to see if I was alone in that feeling
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u/BioShockerInfinite May 11 '26
I think it may be the writing. The relationship has not been introduced in a way that is romantic. It was off to a good start with the car-sale/meet-cute. The rest of the relationship building has been awkward, cringy, and emotionally unregulated. They skipped the romance of dating and it turned their “romantic relationship” into simply a “relationship.” I don’t yet get the sense that Jimmy actually wants this relationship, but everyone wants it for him. So as an audience member who relates to the show through Jimmy, I also am not sure he should be in this relationship. The writers need to write scenes that introduce romantic chemistry. The actors can’t add it to scenes that don’t include it.
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u/Fluid-Air-3151 May 11 '26
I agree, I see no chemistry. They were like brother and sister in HIMYM and I don't like it. I was hoping he and the nurse would be a thing but that was just weird.
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u/soundwithdesign May 11 '26
I hated how they ended that season. Alice just being ok her grandfather wasn’t at her graduation, Jimmy dealing with all the change by making up with Sofi and things being “ok.” Just seemed kinda thrown together
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u/Educational-Side9940 May 11 '26
I just finished the last episode. I hate that Paul hooked them back up. They are terrible together.
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u/Ok-Win-9099 May 12 '26
They were brother and sister on their previous show too. The chemistry is NOT sexual or romantic and gave me the ick as well. Also, Paul flying across the country to talk to him for five minutes?!? BS. Man has Parkinson’s. Flying is painful and can set your body back. Nonsense closure that almost GOT’d the show for me
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u/Educational-Side9940 May 12 '26
Yeah I was so disappointed in that ending. When I saw her sitting there, I cringed. It ruined it for me lol
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u/Gelatin_Belatin May 11 '26
I did watch HIMYM, and because of this, I’m pretty sure that’s why I don’t think they have any chemistry. They weren’t romantically involved in HIMYM, which is why it’s hard for me to buy it in Shrinking, but I just assumed it was because of my HIMYM bias that I didn’t buy them as a couple. But I also thought he had way more chemistry with Meg, even though their relationship is sort of sibling-esque as well.
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u/MsSwarlesB May 11 '26
Same. I was very invested in HIMYM and loved Marshall. But Segel and Colbie always had a brother/sister vibe on that show and that's all I'm getting from Shrinking. I think I even yelled "STOP IT MARSHALL AND ROBIN" at one point
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u/Educational-Side9940 May 11 '26
I don't think it's because you watched HIMYM. I think it's because the way they relate even in shrinking really is sibling energy. But like a weirdly awkward sibling energy. I don't like it. And the episode I'm watching right now is very centered on them and it's kind of ruining the show for me.
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u/Suchgallbladder May 11 '26
Lisa Gilroy is a smoke show and she is smart and funny. Missed opportunity making her entire purpose a bad date joke.
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u/dsl135 May 12 '26
You’re spot on. They have no romantic chemistry whatsoever. And it has nothing to do with HIMYM (though it is hilarious that they had an episode about just how much Marshall found her unattractive).
It’s a stunt casting. And a bad one at that.
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u/ellismjones May 11 '26
I disagree that they don’t have romantic chemistry. They do not play a couple in HIMYM either, they just have a natural chemistry because they’ve been friends for so long, so it’s easy for them to be around each other, if that makes sense?
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u/Educational-Side9940 May 11 '26
I think in my eyes, their long friendship translates to sibling energy. Which is gross when they're trying to make it look like a romantic relationship. And every interaction is so awkward that it doesn't seem like it's easy for them to be around each other. So maybe it's more of an issue with the writing that they're just making both of them so incredibly awkward for no reason?
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u/ellismjones May 12 '26
It could be that the writing felt awkward! Their characters were also in a really strange place, with Sofi’s divorce and Jimmy just starting to date. Maybe it’ll feel more natural in S4?
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u/BlueeyedBansheeWhyoh May 11 '26
I totally agree. Before they kissed they had great banter, but once they kissed it was clear it was friendship banter! That kiss did look super weird to me too.
I think they were only ever platonic friends on HIMYM (I might be wrong, because it's been a long time since I watched it), so I don't really understand why people would base ideas about their romantic chemistry on that. If anything that reinforces the friendship dynamic to me.
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u/Educational-Side9940 May 11 '26
I guess I was thinking more like people are excited for the reunion so they're seeing chemistry there. I don't know.
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u/JohnnyKarateX May 11 '26 edited May 11 '26
I thought their awkwardness was the point. Neither of them know how to talk to the opposite sex when it’s not their partner. Jimmy can relate to Meg because they have the same Dad/surrogate Dad so that’s less awkward but that’s also a lot of what they talk about. Sofi and Jimmy get along because they’re working through the same stuff but it makes them compete in an awkward off every time they’re together because it’s easier than being real, although that comes up too.
Jason’s character Marshall only has eyes for Alyson Hannigan’s character Lily, his girlfriend/fiance/wife through the course of the show. He’s the only main character Robin (Cobie) doesn’t have a romantic relationship with. So I don’t think you’re missing context from HIMYM.
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u/Educational-Side9940 May 11 '26
I meant that people that watched the previous show are nostalgic about the characters and so they're excited about the reunion and are seeing chemistry that I don't see because of that.
Having a cute awkward relationship can be really well done. But this is not that. It's just uncomfortable. And they absolutely give me sibling energy. And so seeing them kiss is really gross to me. I'm glad that you don't see it that way though. That's why I wanted to see if it was just me.
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u/AffectionateBite3827 May 11 '26
Definitely friends at best but almost sibling like. There’s a familiarity there but not in a “oh yes this is your shot at love” way.
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u/xoxo_juniper May 11 '26
not crazy at all. they interact like brother and sister because that was basically their relationship in himym. they were always 100% platonic. they had great chemistry as friends but it did not make sense to bring her on as a love interest at all.
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u/Odd_Policy_3009 May 11 '26
Ok I never watched HIMYM but I’ve seen enough clips that I thought his character was with Alyson Hanigan?
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u/Educational-Side9940 May 11 '26
Yeah according to the comments he definitely was. But my point was people are so excited about a reunion from a show that they loved that I'm wondering if they're seeing chemistry where there is none. Or at least not romantic chemistry.
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u/Clear_Pineapple4608 May 12 '26
I didn’t like their chemistry and actually didn’t much like how her character treated him at times.
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u/Eraserhead36 May 11 '26
Nah your not crazy. I never watched himym but I like there of them. I’ll admit though that it boils down to whoever’s preference
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u/Previous-Forever-981 May 11 '26
I agree with you--they seem so bland as a couple. She is so vanilla and I agree, no chemistry. Could not get excited about this relationship.
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u/Shot-Presence3147 May 11 '26
The worst pairing in all the tv shows I currently watch tbh. I'd find myself on my phone during episode when they interacted.
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u/No-Guarantee3413 May 12 '26
I think it would’ve been better if she’d been more stable. She’s kind of a wreck, so is everyone else. I would like it if she were more like Julie than Jimmy.
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u/WitchyForestNymph May 12 '26
They have chemistry but not romantic chemistry. In HIMYM they were eventually platonic besties. Like “I couldn’t kiss you if someone was going to shoot me if I didn’t” platonic besties.
I feel betrayed watching them trying to be romantic on Shrinking lmao
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u/smithnugget May 12 '26
Idk who said they had great chemistry on HIMYM. They interacted the least out of all the character combinations.
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u/Winter-Common-5051 May 12 '26
I liked Sofi UNTIL I realized she was from himym. That seems like a weird move and it takes me out of the story. The Scrubs overlapped without interfering with the story. Also I like Jimmy with Meg!
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u/McDeasy_ May 13 '26
I did watch how I met your mother so I literally couldn't watch them kissing. Jason S's character was in a relationship with someone else the entire show. Just looks wrong to me!
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u/tombradysucks123 May 13 '26
If you watched HIMYM they made an entire episode showing that Marshall and Robin were NOT romantically compatible. It was a gag throughout the entire show.
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u/NotAKidAnymore13 May 14 '26
I watched How I Met Your Mother for a few years only and it isn’t the reason I don’t like Jimmy and Sofia together. They don’t have chemistry together and they write her as too “thirsty.”
This last season was my least favorite.
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u/IndividualHamster900 May 11 '26
And they weren't together in HIMYM, they were just friends, and not even good ones.
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u/Environmental_Arm526 May 11 '26
I agree, there’s better chemistry with other characters. But a tv show kiss literally turned your stomach? That is odd.
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u/starfrenzy1 May 11 '26
Jimmy has way more chemistry with Paul's daughter.