The Shrink Next Door

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.