Shrinking star Jessica Williams breaks down Gaby and Jimmy's drunken decision

Warning: This article contains spoilers about Friday's episode of Shrinking.

When it comes to romance, there are usually two good rules of thumb: don't hook up with your coworkers or your close friends.

But on Friday's episode of Shrinking on Apple TV+, Gaby (Jessica Williams) and Jimmy (Jason Segel) broke both, ending a truly spectacular catastrophe of a house party with a drunken make-out session that graduated into something even more hot and heavy. (Props to Gaby for making out with a man who recently projectile vomited over a piano in front of a room full of guests).

Setting aside the fact that Gaby and Jimmy are close friends and coworkers at the practice of fellow therapist Paul (Harrison Ford), there's the added complication of their shared grief. Jimmy is still lost in the haze of losing his wife, Tia (Lilan Bowden), who was Gaby's best friend — and Gaby is also newly divorced. Not exactly the best time for complicated hook-ups.

It's certain to have fallout. "What happens in this episode affects how the last four episodes play out," teases Williams to EW.

Below, Williams (coincidentally, Williams and I were in the same middle school drama program) breaks down the potential consequences of the hook-up, why she thinks Gaby did it, and what it was like singing Sugar Ray in the car with Ford.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: At the end of episode 6, Gaby and Jimmy get drunk and start making out, which seems to turn into having sex. Do you think there's always been this chemistry or curiosity lurking under the surface with them? Or is it purely a drunken, spur-of-the moment thing?

JESSICA WILLIAMS: It's a mixture of both. Gaby has known Jimmy and Tia, his wife that passed away, for a really long time. Gaby also is in newly divorced mode, trying to figure out her libido and what not. They're definitely both pretty drunk. And both of them have had a really rough night. I do think they've always had good chemistry and a connection. They really get along. And then, I think the s----y night and being in that moment together, something clicks for them. There is a line in there where Jimmy says he couldn't get an erection. And in the beginning of Shrinking where Gaby's hooking up with that guy, she can't even get there romantically. It's a few contributing factors.

Why do you think she decides to go for it?

Because it's been a long night, they are in the bedroom, and what's great about the way it was shot is they both decide to go for it at the exact same time. It's not one person doing it, and then the other missing it. It's both of them going and making that split decision. But I think that speaks to the chemistry that they have and their connection.

Do you think that there is any real interest there that somewhere down the line, maybe not even this season, this could become a real relationship?

It's possible. I think anything's possible. They've been friends for a really long time.

How was it filming those scenes with Jason Segel? Because he is arguably the king of the awkward sex scene.

Totally. He is. I feel like he's done it in everything. It was good. Our set is super respectful. It was a very professional, comfortable experience.

How much regret is there going to be the next morning on either side here?

They definitely were drunk, so there will be some confusion. That's something to figure out in episode 7. But they were drunk, and it was a split second decision, so...

Who will it hurt the most — Gaby, Jimmy, Alice... Paul?

Oh, definitely Alice. She's been through a lot for sure. Her dad's a lot (laughs).

Does Paul care? Does he think it's funny?

You never know with Paul. He definitely doesn't like for people to break the rules and likes people to stick to the script, but there is also this weird, carefree part about Paul, so you never know. It's up to Paul — and Harrison.

You did allude to the fact that we'll see the consequences of this during the rest of the season. Could this be a significant obstacle in Jimmy and Gaby's friendship, or are they good enough friends that they could roll with it?

The thing with Shrinking is it's all about lines being blurred. It's about relationships being blurred and emotions and feelings being blurred. You articulated it really well, where I think they do have a really, really strong friendship and foundation. Also, it's definitely a big, big complication because Tia was also Gaby's best friend and she and Jimmy are both still grieving.

Well, yes, Gaby is going through her own grieving process because Tia was her best friend, and she's also going through a divorce. How ready is she, if at all, for a new relationship right now?

I don't think Gaby's ready for a new relationship. She's out in her post divorce phase trying to figure it out. But she contains multitudes. That's what I love about the writing on the show, is it'll surprise you. The feelings are complicated, and this show's about that.

We've seen the ways it does and doesn't work, but would you be an advocate for Gaby taking the better parts out of Jimmy's book in terms of his approach to honesty with his clients?

Gaby is inherently someone who wears her heart on her sleeve, and she works with her clients in a very particular way. Gaby naturally is very heart-led, and she's pretty easy to read in general. That's something that her clients really like about her. So, she absolutely would not be doing that. Also, she's a Black mental health specialist. I don't think she can just tell people exactly what they should be doing the way that Jimmy would be able to at all.

I have to ask what it was like singing along to the radio in the car with Harrison Ford, because I think we'd all like to do that if given the chance.

Oh, it was really fun — Sugar Ray with Harrison in the car. They asked me for a list of songs and a lot of the songs I chose [were] from when we were in middle school growing up in the South Bay. Sugar Ray was definitely up there. I had other ones — "Fat Lip" by Sum 41, "Absolutely" by Nine Days, Michelle Branch "Everywhere," Avril Lavigne's "Complicated," No Doubt's "Just a Girl."

So you gave them a list and then Harrison chose the song?

Laughs. He tells us what he is willing to do. Yes, absolutely. But we didn't know if he would know the lines or not, and he showed up knowing every single word. So, that was a blast doing that with him. Very surreal.

Everyone clearly has this affection for Paul and he is going through this medical diagnosis. So please tell me we don't have to worry too much about him as the season goes into its final episodes.

Paul is mean and grumpy and funny and tender and somehow sweet that you feel like he's in control of his own destiny. Gaby just wants to make sure that he has plenty of water, and I do have a nice sense of how much water he drinks at the end of the season. I will say the outlook is promising. But also, Paul's always someone we should be worried about.

Besides getting a good handle on Paul's water consumption, what do you wish for Gaby by the end of the season?

I want Gaby to realize that she's not necessarily alone and to let people in a bit more. I also want Gaby to go for what she wants more. She has some things she's going for at the end of the season, and she has a couple of realizations at the end of the season. I just want her to be happy.

This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

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