Tag: The Shrink Next Door

Introduction

The Shrink Next Door is a podcast by Wondery that tells the story of Isaac Herschkopf, a psychiatrist who abused his relationship with his patients to exploit them for personal gain. The podcast was written and hosted by Joe Nocera. The podcast premiered on 21 May 2019, and consists of 14 episodes.

On 23 April 2020, it was announced that Apple Inc. had given a straight-to-series order for an 8-episode limited series based on The Shrink Next Door for Apple TV+, and it began airing on 12 November 2021. The adaptation is written by Emmy winning writer Georgia Pritchett and directed by Michael Showalter. Dr. Isaac Herschkopf is played by Paul Rudd, and Martin Markowitz is played by Will Ferrell.

Episodes

Episode	Title	Date
1	Welcome to the Neighbourhood	21 May 2019
2	Sibling Rivalry	21 May 2019
3	Easy Mark Markowitz	23 May 2019
4	The Familia	28 May 2019
5	The Last Straw	04 June 2019
6	What Did I Do To You?	11 June 2019
7	Update	18 June 2019
8	Charged	07 August 2019
9	My Dinner With Ike	14 July 2020
10	The Decision	22 April 2021
11	Interview with Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd	12 November 2021
12	Interview with Kathryn Hahn and Casey Wilson	19 November 2021
13	How Michael Showalter Translated the Podcast to the TV Screen	03 December 2021
14	How Georgia Pritchett Filled in the Blanks	17 December 2021

Release

The series aired between 12 November 2021 and 17 December 2021.

The Shrink Next Door was the number one podcast for three weeks straight on Apple’s podcast charts. It won the 2020 Webby Award for Documentary in the category Podcasts.

Miniseries

The Shrink Next Door is an American psychological black comedy-drama miniseries developed by Georgia Pritchett based on the podcast of the same title by Joe Nocera. The miniseries premiered on Apple TV+ on 12 November 2021. The podcast and TV series are both based on the real life story of psychologist Isaac Herschkopf, who in 2021 was determined by New York’s Department of Health to have violated “minimal acceptable standards of care in the psychotherapeutic relationship”.

Outline

Psychiatrist Dr. Ike Herschkopf inserts himself into the life of one of his patients, Marty Markowitz.

Cast

• Main:
  • Will Ferrell as Martin “Marty” Markowitz
  • Paul Rudd as Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf
  • Kathryn Hahn as Phyllis Shapiro
  • Casey Wilson as Bonnie Herschkopf
  • Cornell Womack as Bruce
• Recurring:
  • Sarayu Blue as Miriam
  • Robin Bartlett as Cathy
  • Gable Swanlund as Nancy
  • Richard Aaron Anderson as Joel
  • Allan Wasserman as Rabbi Sherman
  • Christina Vidal as Hannah
• Guest:
  • Lindsey Kraft as Deborah
  • Lisa Rinna as herself
  • Carlos Lacámara as Benny
  • Annie Korzen as Esther
  • Mindy Sterling as Mrs. Zicherman

Episodes

Number 01: The Consultation

In 1982, Martin “Marty” Markowitz visits Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf under the advice of his sister, Phyllis Shapiro, in order to help with his anxiety attacks and grief after their parents’ recent deaths. Ike’s unconventional method manages to help Marty as he takes him outside to play basketball and eat lunch, and he helps Marty with a problem concerning his recently broken-up girlfriend. Satisfied with his first session, Marty decides to return while also forming a bond with Ike. In 2010, Ike hosts a party at a large house, while later in the night, the caretaker vandalises the backyard in anger and frustration. The caretaker is revealed to be Marty.

Number 02: The Ceremony

Nearing Marty’s 40th birthday, Ike suggests he have a second bar mitzvah as Marty had not enjoyed his first due to anxiety and stomach problems. Phyllis, however, is against the idea, believing it will dishonour the memories of their parents. Marty and Ike go ahead with it anyway and Phyllis complains to her rabbi, causing him to lodge a complaint to Ike’s rabbi, who, in turn, warns him about it. Marty later berates Phyllis and they have an argument. On his birthday, Marty proceeds with the second bar mitzvah, though most of the people who show up are Ike’s wife and friends. Meanwhile, Phyllis, believing Marty will abandon the idea, prepares his birthday celebration with her kids, only to be left in tears when Marty doesn’t show.

Number 03: The Treatment

Phyllis asks Marty to open the family’s trust fund so she can hire a better lawyer during her divorce. Ike gives Marty a business opportunity when a Broadway show requires his help to make a large curtain for the stage. The curtain ends up costing too much, and Marty’s staff are unenthusiastic at solving the problem. Marty brings Ike to the company to motivate them, and they manage to solve the issue. Alarmed at the increasing closeness between the two, Phyllis visits Ike for a session, which ends badly. Marty later gets into another argument with her and refuses to unlock the trust. While Marty is out with Ike, Phyllis visits his apartment but becomes angered at seeing how close her brother is to Ike. She then robs their parents’ jewels from his vault. Returning home and reading Phyllis’ message, Marty calls Ike and asks for help, in the process revealing his large inheritance. Realising the extent of Marty’s wealth, Ike inserts himself into Marty’s life even further.

Number 04: The Foundation

Marty cuts Phyllis out of his life and hires Ike as a consultant at the fabric company, annoying the company staff. Ike becomes a father to twin girls, but refuses to hire help even as his wife, Bonnie, becomes overwhelmed. This prompts her to hire the help anyway using her own money. Under Ike’s influence, Marty starts a foundation with him, mostly using Marty’s money. Marty later scores a date with Hannah, a girl who works at a frame shop that he and Ike often visit. Ike suggests taking her out to an expensive charity gala on a date. During the gala, both Hannah and Marty become uncomfortable at Ike’s blatant claims and his irresponsible use of Marty’s money. The night ends with Marty having a heart attack and being hospitalised after Ike spends $20,000 of Marty’s money during an auction. Ike later warns Hannah that she should let go of Marty for the good of his recovery.

Number 05: The Family Tree

In 1990, Ike’s father passes away. Marty is invited to the funeral and offers Ike’s family to stay in his Hamptons house for the weekend. Ike begins taking over the house, convincing Marty to redecorate, having him sleep in the guest house instead of the master bedroom, and extending his stay in the house indefinitely as he plans on writing his novel, while making Marty type it on his own. Disliking a large tree in the backyard, Ike tries to have Marty chop it down, but he refuses as it was a tree that his parents planted when they bought the house. Ike becomes angered and threatens to leave, forcing Marty to chop down the tree later in the night in order to salvage his relationship with him. One year later, under Ike’s advice, Marty buys the property next door and combines it with the house.

Number 06: The Party

Ike begins throwing a series of parties at Marty’s Hamptons house, while making Marty serve his guests. In 1997, Marty witnesses Bonnie break down during one of the parties, saying that she does not recognise her husband anymore. In 2007, during another party, Marty meets with Miriam, another of Ike’s patients. She tells him about how Ike previously convinced her to cut off her relationship with her own mother, which she deeply regrets as she missed her death. While in town, Marty meets with a neighbour who talks about Phyllis’ current life, making him realise how much he missed over the last few years. He attempts to run away from Ike but can’t bring himself to do so. While heading back to the city, Miriam’s bus suddenly breaks down; however, it is revealed to be a ploy by Ike to strand Miriam at a nearby gas station while he cuts her off, stating that she is a toxic person.

Number 07: The Breakthrough

In 2010, Ike angrily refuses a plan to move the foundation to New Jersey to keep it from going under. Marty is diagnosed with a hernia and undergoes surgery. Ike never visits him during his recovery. Marty escapes the hospital after four days and confronts Ike, finding out that he was hosting another party at the Hamptons house. Ike attempts to convince Marty that he did everything he could to help him, but when Marty finds out one of his koi fish has died as a result of Ike’s neglect, he breaks down in front of Bonnie, saying he can’t do it anymore. Later that night, Marty begins vandalising the backyard as seen in the first episode. When Marty misses his next therapy session, Ike tries to contact him, only to find that he has moved the foundation to New Jersey without his knowledge. Ike confronts him but is fired from the foundation by Marty as a result.

Number 08: The Verdict

Marty returns to therapy with Ike, wanting to give him another chance. Ike continues with his old ways by having Marty as his best man at the renewal of his wedding vows, even though he and Bonnie have been separated for years. Marty tries to reconnect with Phyllis through her daughter, Nancy, but she angrily rebuffs him. When Marty finds out that the reason Hannah never called him back was because of Ike, he cuts off contact with him for good. Phyllis later confronts Marty approaching Nancy, but she ends up reconciling with him. Ike shows up while Marty and Phyllis are burning his stuff from the house, attempting to convince him again about Phyllis’ toxicity. Marty finally stands up for himself and tells him to leave. One year later, Marty has fully reconnected with Phyllis and her family. He has also sued Ike in an attempt to get his license revoked. Ike tries to insert himself back into Marty’s life one last time, but Marty, now immune to him, says he feels absolutely nothing. The textual epilogue shows that Ike’s license was eventually revoked in 2021, and that Marty has never returned to therapy.

Production

It was announced in February 2020 that a television adaptation of the podcast The Shrink Next Door was in development, in which Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd would star. The series was greenlit and ordered by Apple TV+ in April. Kathryn Hahn and Casey Wilson were added as leads in November, with Sarayu Blue cast in a recurring role in February 2021.

Filming began in November 2020, in Los Angeles and finished in March 2021.