The Shrink Next Door

This show is not a barrel of laughs and it's not supposed to be. I saw one reviewer wrote "Jewish people are funny and this should be a laugh riot." I'm not sure if that reviewer is Jewish or not, but either way, seriously? Sorry to sound like Joe Pesci, but are we clowns to you? Sorry the Jews and Jewish characters in the show didn't do their job of cracking you up. News flash: sometimes clowns are sad underneath!

This show is funny at times, but it isn't really a comedy. At most, it's a dark comedy. It's based on a true story of how a person was ruinously manipulated by an unethical therapist who needed therapy himself. You're chuckling one moment and cringing the next, which is exactly the reaction you should be having. In that sense, the show succeeds.

I'm not saying it's perfect. It can be slow at times, and Ferrell's other characters peep through quite a bit. He isn't the strongest player on the show, but he's committed and convincing enough. Paul Rudd is kind of a revelation as the smarmy climber who fools everyone, including his very lovely wife and to some degree even himself, into thinking he's doing good work on behalf of Ferrell's Marty. And Kathryn Hahn is Marty's sister Phyllis is terrific.

Don't watch it if you're looking for a lighthearted cynical romp. This is nuanced human drama about people, family, ethics, ambition, class and social machinations. It's complicated, dark, sometimes shocking and yes, sometimes funny. It's a very smart and engaging show with strong performances that sneaks up on you.

I give this a solid 7/10 as it was slow, but the characters were quite good. It's been a long time since I hated a character as much as I do Rudd's.

This isn't a comedy and I don't think it's marketed as such, but for some reason people jump to that conclusion based upon the actors. I see some reviews saying things like "only 1 laugh per hour" or something like that. They have the totally wrong genre here.

This is a good show.

My Review - The Shrink Next Door - My rating 8/10 I never thought I'd be so impressed with Will Ferrell in a dramatic role this series just proves to me not to judge any actor on one aspect of their career.

Will Ferrell has always seemed to me to be a one dimensional comedian and I have to admit I've found him irritating.

Not so anymore his role as the shy impressionable self deprecating Jewish businessman Marty Markowitz ripe for exploitation and manipulation by psychiatrist Ike played by Paul Rudd was a revelation to me.

If this was a movie instead of an 8 part television series both actors would be up for Academy Award consideration in my opinion.

The premise of the Shrink Next Door based on a podcast and TV series both based on the real life story of psychiatrist 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.

For this viewer it was like watching a spider coax its willing prey into its web then attacking .

In this case the spider is Ike the Psych not killing but stealing the life of its prey gullible Marty by alienating his willing victim from family and friends until any semblance of self reliance is extinguished.

The Shrink Next Door is not a heavy drama it has moments of great warmth and insight and a wonderful script by 3 women and 3 men.

The Directors Jesse Peretz and Michael Showalter have skilfully created the best series featuring a male duet performance I've seen this year both Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd are mesmerising in the creation of these complex characters I found myself wondering who was the more unwell the patient or the Psychiatrist?

I'm so glad I was recommended by a friend to watch this wonderful series

Ps Kathryn Hahn is wonderful as Marty's feisty sister a great character performance.

Been waiting for this and was not disappointed. I think every review should come with an age. I'm 44 and they don't make them like they used too.

I thought this was intelligentl, interesting and well acted. I love Will Ferrell, I think he is a comedy genius (sometimes) and I think he can turn his act to seriousness when the time calls for it. He's somewhere InBetween here. Really enjoying this show and Paul Rudd is fantastic too.

So much rubbish that disappoints but I'm looking forward to each episode.

Everyone in this show ticks me off. Dr. Ike is a horrible person, Marty, just pisses you off with his decisions. Phyllis is overbearing... The list could go on and on. All that being said, they are all perfect. The casting is amazing, the acting is spot on. The emotions I am feeling while watching this train-wreck are excellently crafted and executed. Every episode leaves me feeling anxiety ridden and exhausted. A great watch, but I could not imagine binging this show.