True crime thriller The Shrink Next Door heads to Apple TV Plus

January 04, 2023

Apple TV Plus

Anchorman co-stars Will Farrell and Paul Rudd are re-teaming for a true crime–inspired thriller on Apple TV Plus. The Shrink Next Door may have some laughs, but the two funnymen are mostly going into thriller territory in this one.

So, what is The Shrink Next Door all about? Who’s involved? How can you watch it? Read on for these answers and more. Below is everything we know about The Shrink Next Door so far.

And if you don’t already have Apple TV Plus, you can hit the link below to sign up so you don’t miss this or any other Apple series:

Apple TV Plus

Apple TV Plus has quickly become a major player in the streaming game since its launch in 2019. Its slate of original programming includes shows like Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Foundation, and For All Mankind as well as movies like The Banker, Greyhound, and Palmer.

What is The Shrink Next Door about?

Inspired by true events, The Shrink Next Door tells the story of “psychiatrist to the stars” Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf and his bizarre relationship with longtime patient Martin “Marty” Markowitz.

Ike blurs the lines that are supposed to exist between doctor and patient. He slowly inserts himself into Marty’s life in more and more inappropriate ways. Ike even goes so far as to move into Marty’s home in the Hamptons.

Check out: The best shows on Apple TV Plus

As things escalate, Ike takes advantage of his position to a concerning degree, exploiting Marty for his own financial gain.

Blending true crime, thriller, and comedy, the series is sure to become a conversation starter when it airs on the Apple streamer.

When and where can I watch it?

Apple TV Plus

The Shrink Next Door will premiere exclusively on Apple TV Plus on November 12.

The series’ first three episodes will be available at once on November 12, with the remaining five episodes of season one rolling out weekly thereafter on Fridays.

The three-episode premiere format has become the go-to way for Apple to bring in new viewers for its original shows. As Android Authority‘s Adamya Sharma has argued, “three episodes is what it takes to get a viewer hooked.” And that wisdom comes straight from the competition’s research over at Netflix. Basically, while people love a good binge, three episodes is all you need for them to know if they’ll want to tune in next week.

The season finale of The Shrink Next Door is set for December 17.

Apple has not revealed whether future seasons are planned or whether The Shrink Next Door will be a limited series.

What is The Shrink Next Door based on?

Apple TV Plus

“Based on the incredible true story,” reads a title card in Apple TV Plus’ trailer for The Shrink Next Door.

So, what is that a reference to? What is this show, with its peculiar premise, based on? Is this one of those things where studios grossly exaggerate a true event to attract viewers to a mostly made-up story?

Actually, no. This one seems legit.

The Shrink Next Door is a wild but true story.

From Wondery and Bloomberg, the folks behind Dirty John and Dr. Death (both also adapted as streaming series), The Shrink Next Door tells the story of real-life therapist to the stars Isaac Herschkopf, who used his power and influence to exploit his patients for his own financial gain. The story is told from the perspective of Ike’s neighbor Joe Nocera, an American journalist who fell down a rabbit hole of revelations as he looked into the therapist’s background.

The podcast won the 2020 Webby Award for documentary in the podcast category, and it was the number one podcast for three weeks straight on Apple’s podcast charts. The Apple TV Plus series is based on the podcast and tells the story of the real-life Ike Herschkopf and his patient Marty Markowitz.

Who’s involved?

Apple TV Plus

The main cast and the characters they play are as follows:

Will Ferrell as Martin “Marty” Markowitz
Paul Rudd as Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf
Kathryn Hahn as Phyllis Markowitz (Marty’s sister)
Casey Wilson as Bonnie Herschkopf (Ike’s wife)
Sarayu Blue as Miriam (another of Ike’s patients)

Series writers are Georgia Pritchett, Adam Countee, Ethan Kuperberg, Stuart Zicherman, Catherine Shepherd, and Sas Goldberg. Sharing directing duties are Michael Showalter and Jesse Peretz. Both directors have previously worked with Rudd. Showalter co-starred with him in Wet Hot American Summer, among other projects, while Peretz directed him in Our Idiot Brother.

Civic Center Media, in association with MRC Television, produces for Apple TV Plus.

What to expect from The Shrink Next Door?

Apple TV Plus

It’s hard to say where Apple intends to go with this series.

Unlike the podcast it’s based on, The Shrink Next Door doesn’t appear to include journalist Joe Nocera, who is something of a character within the story, as Ike Herschkopf’s neighbor and the person uncovering the story.

Instead, the show is told as a more traditional series, chronicling the story of these two men and their families as it unfolds.

The series appears to be set in the 1980s, like its real-world inspiration. The trailer also suggests that it takes full advantage of its cast of comedy actors by giving the story a comedic — if extremely dark — tone.

Read: The best Apple TV Plus movies

Beyond that, we don’t know much for certain. Will the show explore any of the other patients Ike took advantage of? Can it reveal anything that wasn’t in the podcast? Is it in fact be funny, or are the few comedic bits all in the trailer?

We’ll see.

For now, that’s what we know about The Shrink Next Door, along with some of what we’re still waiting to find out.

You can check it out starting November 12, only on Apple TV Plus. And you can sign up for Apple TV Plus below if you’re not already a member:

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