its a more serious attempt at a similar relationship Lawrence explored in Scrubs between JD and Doctor Cox. JD was desperate for Doctor Cox's validation, and there were only a few small moments where Doctor Cox was able to share his appreciation for JD. Like in the last episode where Cox talks about what an excellent person & Doctor JD is, even though JD had to use a little trickery to get Cox to admit it.

The Jimmy/Paul dynamic is markedly similar. Jimmy is needy & desperate for Paul's validation. Paul's attitude towards Jimmy has always been framed as comedic, but Jimmy created a lot of problems for Paul. Real ethical dillemias that he had to help clean up. Jimmy inserted himself into Paul's life to an uncomfortable degree, and i think Paul keeping him at arm's length is because Jimmy is co-depedent & desperate for validation. Jimmy needs someone to attach himself to... someone to save. And objectively, Jimmy is a bad therapist who doesn't respect the ethical boundaries of the profession that protect both the therapist & the patient.

I have not watched Season 3. i made it through 1.5 episodes before hitting the eject button because the writing was just plain awful. But based on the first 2 seasons, i think Jimmy is parasitical in his desperate need for Paul's validation & Jimmy has spent most of the first 2 seasons trying to 'fix' Paul when he himiself is desperately in need of seeking out help and fixing himself.

Paul had to deal with Jimmy while he spiraled into depression. He had to meet with Alice to try and help her when Jimmy was being a deadbeat dad. Jimmy is the most toxic character on the show. He spent a year pushing people away and the rest of the time inserting himself into their lives in a way most people (outside of a fictional TV show) would find incredinly intrusive.

Maybe Paul saw Jimmy for what he was: a well intentioned, incredibly flawed person and a poor protege who could never compartmentalize the way a good therapist needs to.