Inspired by true events, The Shrink Next Door, based on Joe Nocera’s 2019 podcast, follows Martin “Marty” Markowitz (Will Ferrell) as he transforms from a gullible, eccentric man-child to an independent textile company boss with the help of a psychiatrist. Nothing wrong with that, right?

Marty, the golden child of the Markowitzs, is so sensitive and fragile that the parents sheltered him from all the ills of our society. Now that they’re both gone, Marty is caught off-guard by the emotional turmoil of not knowing who he is, what he wants, and whom to trust. That makes him a perfect target for a fast-talking confidence trickster masquerading as a prominent Manhattan psychiatrist-to-the-stars named Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf (Paul Rudd). With some quick fixes right out of the gate, Marty jumps head-first into the brave new world of boundary crossings, ethical violations, exploitations, and power grabs.

Dr. Ike shamelessly slithers into Marty’s dull and lonely single life by blatantly violating the code of ethics left and right. Every time somebody attempts to get close to Marty, Ike gets testy and isolates the vulnerable patient from the loved ones, including Phyllis Shapiro (Kathryn Hahn), a well-meaning, but overbearingly protective younger sister. A budding romance with Hannah (Christina Vidal Mitchell) is prematurely lopped off because she gets an inkling of the despicable doctor’s ulterior motive. That’s what abusers do in order to dominate their preys; they have to be in their heads telling them what to do 24/7.

Just like a cult leader, Dr. Ike alternately bullies and charms Marty into blind and complete subservience. He takes over Marty’s life, complete with his home in the Hamptons and family business over the course of 27 years and at a whopping $3.2 million! After all he only does what would benefit him while persistently maintaining he has Marty’s best interests at heart — ‘Everyone is out to get you.’ ‘I’m going to protect you.’ ‘Without trust, we have nothing.’

I’ve had my share of therapy sessions in this country, but my issues with them are unlike Marty’s. I should be grateful that they were 100% ethical and professional, but still found myself increasingly disillusioned and frustrated at my being stuck in the past. No therapists ever gave me a ‘lightbulb, bing bing bing’ moment; just knowing smile, nods, and attagirl! praises for all the work I’ve done. I realized I was wasting my money on therapy when I was getting the “Gee, I’ve never thought of it that way before” moments from self-help books and Oprah. You could say that I’ve never had a Dr. Orna (Showtime’s Couples Therapy) in my therapy days.

The Shrink Next Door presents both a cautionary tale and a case study for how a narcissistic sociopath in the form of an authority figure can take over your life lock, stock and barrel. Marty faced a nasty double whammy of an inherent power differential in counseling — up-power doctor to down-power patient — and undue influence of a narcissistic sociopath. Don’t let anybody bully/charm you into doing something you feel utterly uncomfortable with; be mindful of how they make you feel. Although a little bit of discomfort goes a long way in personal development, ethical therapists create a safe space, empower their clients, protect their spirit, and see a wider perspective.

The Shrink Next Door debuts Friday, November 12 on Apple TV+ with the first three episodes, followed by a new episode every Friday.

About the Author

Meg Mimura is a TV critic who actually watches shows zealously in search of thought-provoking and paradigm shifting human drama worth our precious time. She is a member of Television Critics Association. Follow her on Twitter.