The scary thing about Dr. Isaac Herschkopf is he seems like such a good guy. As played by Paul Rudd in Apple TV+'s The Shrink Next Door, Dr. Ike -- as the psychiatrist's patients call him -- appears to be a total mensch. He cares about the people he helps, going beyond a therapist's traditional duties to ensure his patients live their best lives. However, his approach to his patients' care coincidentally involves lots of benefits for the good doctor.
Based on the popular podcast of the same title, The Shrink Next Door can be categorized as a true-crime story. Dr. Ike's crimes don't involve murder or robbery and are more insidious than that. He would fit suitably alongside cult leaders showcased in series like The Vow. In The Shrink Next Door, Dr. Ike leads a cult of one person, timid and insecure businessman Marty Markowitz (Will Ferrell). Although the real-life Dr. Ike took advantage of many of his patients, the podcast and the Apple TV+ miniseries focus on Marty, Dr. Ike's most lucrative victim.
The Shrink Next Door spans nearly four decades in the intertwined lives of Marty and Dr. Ike. Ferrell and Rudd successfully convey the weight of all those years, even if they don't always convincingly look their characters' ages. As the story begins in 1982, Marty is adrift, facing down his 40th birthday, grieving the deaths of his parents, struggling to run the fabric supply business they left him, and browbeaten by his latest ex-girlfriend. He's clearly a man in need of therapy, which is why his well-meaning busybody sister, Phyllis (Kathryn Hahn), encourages him to make an appointment with Dr. Ike, on the recommendation of her rabbi.
Rudd and series creator Georgia Pritchett don't present Dr. Ike as an outright villain, and much of his early advice to Marty is genuinely helpful. Marty feels good after talking to Dr. Ike, who helps him stand up to his ex-girlfriend, overcome his panic attacks, and take control of his business. No matter how greedy and manipulative Dr. Ike might be, he always seems to believe he's genuinely helping Marty and his other patients. He's so self-involved that he can't understand why anyone wouldn't willingly cater to his every whim.
There are early hints of Dr. Ike using Marty for favors and financial gain, but it's not until Dr. Ike discovers the true extent of Marty's wealth that he takes his efforts to the next level. Dr. Ike is shocked to learn that this schlubby, unassuming guy owns a fancy house in the Hamptons, millions of dollars in jewelry, and cash assets in multiple offshore bank accounts. You can practically see the dollar signs in Dr. Ike's eyes on his first visit to the Hamptons, and soon he's insinuated himself into every aspect of Marty's life. He joins Marty's company as an "industrial psychologist," and he convinces Marty to bankroll a charitable foundation that opens doors for Dr. Ike and his wife Bonnie (Casey Wilson) into elite Manhattan society.
Dr. Ike also essentially moves into Marty's Hamptons house, throwing lavish parties, and treating Marty like the hired help. At Dr. Ike's direction, Marty expands his property to include a basketball court, a koi pond, a tennis court, and a second pool. When Phyllis questions Dr. Ike's tactics, Dr. Ike has Marty cut her out of his life permanently. The ingratiating, enthusiastic Dr. Ike makes all of these decisions seem like Marty's own ideas, building Marty up only to immediately undermine him.
Dr. Ike's takeover of Marty's life happens slowly. The Shrink Next Door unfolds slowly as well, sometimes hammering home the same points from multiple angles. It's not hard to see that Dr. Ike is bad for Marty. After a while, there's a sense of repetition to each new indignity the therapist imposes on his hapless patient. Rudd and Ferrell are both known for their comedic work, but The Shrink Next Door isn't goofy, and Marty's troubles aren't played for laughs. Pritchett and series directors Michael Showalter and Jesse Peretz find dark humor in Marty's predicament, always laughing at the situation rather than laughing at Marty himself.
The Shrink Next Door could have been pared down to six episodes or even into a feature film. That being said, the creators capture a lot of illuminating and entertaining details along the way. There's a strong sense of time and place to the story, entrenched in the New York City Jewish community: the characters' cultural identity is key to their feelings of guilt and insecurity. Marty is sympathetic throughout, but so is Dr. Ike, a man whose pathological need for external validation leads him to exploit the people he thinks he's helping.
Anyone who listened to The Shrink Next Door podcast knows the outcome of the story. There's a growing sense of vindication and comeuppance as the story heads toward its climax. Hahn's no-nonsense presence is missed in the middle Phyllis-free episodes, but her arc comes back in a satisfying way by the end as both Marty and Dr. Ike face the consequences of their choices. The Shrink Next Door is a heartbreakingly funny story, delivering pathos and discomfort as only brilliant comedic performers can.
The first three episodes of The Shrink Next Door premiere Friday, Nov. 12 on Apple TV+, with subsequent episodes debuting each Friday.