# The Shrink Next Door (2021)

> A wealthy but vulnerable man's therapy with a charming psychiatrist slowly becomes a decades-long takeover of his life.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/85932

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 8
- Episode runtime: 42 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, crime
- Created by: Georgia Pritchett
- Network: Apple TV
- Cast: Paul Rudd, Will Ferrell, Kathryn Hahn, Casey Wilson, Cornell Womack, Robin Bartlett, Carey Moulder, Christina Miller
- TMDB rating: 7.1/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11947248/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: darkly comic, unsettling, slow burn, chilling, uneasy

## What critics say

Critics and audiences find it a chilling, impeccably acted psychological drama with strong lead performances, though the mixed audience reception suggests uneven appeal.

## Synopsis

The Shrink Next Door (2021) is an American limited series created by Georgia Pritchett for Apple TV. Adapted from a hit podcast about a real case, it follows wealthy, neurotic heir Marty Markowitz (Will Ferrell) as he seeks help with boundaries from charming psychiatrist Dr. Isaac Ike Herschkopf (Paul Rudd). Across eight episodes spanning decades, the story tracks how a therapy relationship slides into total control over Marty's finances, home and choices, while his wife Phyllis Shapiro (Kathryn Hahn) becomes entangled in the arrangement. Each episode peels back another layer of exploitation, built from quiet, uncomfortable conversations and escalating small betrayals. The result is a darkly comic, slow-burn unease, with a sharp eye on vulnerability and predatory charisma. Fans of Dirty John, Inventing Anna and Hannibal will find resonance in its true crime grounding and the chilling ordinariness of its manipulator. Set largely among wealthy Manhattan and Hamptons circles, the series balances satirical wit with genuine dread, leaving viewers unsettled by how plausible the deception feels.

## Shows like The Shrink Next Door

- [Painkiller (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/120098)
- [Dopesick (2021)](https://ember.film/tv/92371)
- [The Creep Tapes (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/170911)
- [Baby Reindeer (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/157618)
- [Gypsy (2017)](https://ember.film/tv/58938)
- [Inventing Anna (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/80764)
- [Untitled Murdaugh Murders Series (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/177850)
- [The Crowded Room (2023)](https://ember.film/tv/102294)
- [In Treatment (2008)](https://ember.film/tv/13103)
- [Shades (2025)](https://ember.film/tv/174186)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt