Fans were in stitches whenever Paul Rudd and Will Ferrell shared the screen together in an “Anchorman” film, and now the great performers will be seen together again in the interesting (and much more serious) Apple TV+ short series “The Shrink Next Door.”
The new series is based on the hit podcast of the same name and stars Paul Rudd as Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf, a charismatic psychiatrist who utilizes his patient Martin “Marty” Markowitz’s (Will Ferrell) fortune to his own advantage. “The Shrink Next Door,” a podcast co-created by Wondery and Bloomberg Media, was named the year’s most popular by Deadline.
If you’ve listened to the podcast or seen the trailer for the upcoming TV show based on it, you may be wondering: Is “The Shrink Next Door” based on a true story? The reality, as it turns out, is frequently more bizarre than any work of fiction. See how close the TV version of “The Shrink Next Door” comes to the original book.
The Shrink Next Door Is Based on Real Events
Do not doubt for a second that the scenario told in “The Shrink Next Door” is based on actual events. Whereas most patients would trust that their therapist is looking out for their best interests, real-life Marty Markowitz came to know that Dr. Ike was exploiting him. As reported by Parade, Markowitz initially visited Dr. Ike for help with his depression.
The therapist gradually persuaded Markowitz to make life-altering choices. Dr. Ike and his wife ended up moving into Markowitz’s Hamptons mansion during the height of the ordeal, during which he also gained partial control of Markowitz’s business and successfully persuaded his patient to alter his will. The real world is expected to In 2019, Markowitz discussed his poisonous friendship with Dr. Ike in an interview with The New York Post.
‘It was like I was in a cult,’ he said. “He abruptly became the center of my universe… Every step was a breach of ethics.” Markowitz had no initial reason to doubt Dr. Ike’s credibility as a therapist because of his established reputation and track record of working with celebrities. Fortunately, he came to terms with the gravity of his predicament and sought assistance.
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The Podcast Behind the Tv Series
The original podcast “The Shrink Next Door” describes how Marty Markowitz’s life was turned upside down and how he fought for years to regain control. Bloomberg contributor Joe Nocera is the podcast’s host and producer. As reported by Parade, he met Markowitz and Dr. Ike after moving in next door to Markowitz’s Hamptons mansion and was inspired to tell the tale following their initial meeting.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ferrell said that he wasn’t familiar with “The Shrink Next Door” before being approached for the film, but that he became a huge fan after doing some study. He stated, “It has special value for everyone who has done any amount of treatment because it is so relatable in a manner.”
“Marty was in a particularly vulnerable position when we discussed this with him; he had never sought this kind of therapy before, but he was willing to give it a go after experiencing immediate and profoundly helpful short-term relief and a level of support he had never experienced before. I’m putting everything I have into this.”
The actor from “The Shrink Next Door” went on to say that the most striking aspect of the plot was how rapidly things deteriorated between Markowitz and Dr. Ike. If you have Apple TV+, don’t miss “The Shrink Next Door” on November 12.
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What Happened to Herschkopf
Herschkopf was Markowitz’s closest confidant for a long time; this was especially true after he severed ties with his sister. Despite the fact that Herschkopf took more and more of Markowitz’s money and forced Markowitz to do more and more errands and tasks for him, Markowitz still considered Herschkopf to be the one person he could count on and trust.
Markowitz’s hernia surgery in 2010 finally corrected the lopsided relationship. Markowitz saw that Herschkopf didn’t check on him at all in the days after the operation, leading him to doubt their friendship. As he explained to Nocera, “I knew that he knew that he was the sole person in my life.” When I finally let all of my feelings about these things—frustration, difficulty, and anger—out, it was like a dam broke.
