The Shrink Next Door
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Youd be forgiven for thinking you pressed play on the wrong show this week.
This episode ofThe Shrink Next Dooropens on a very peculiar black-and-white scene.
Its an imagining of one of Ikes novels.
He was just getting kicked in the side.
Martys slow realization that Ike does not care about him unfolds over the entirety of the episode.
As the two men finish work on Ikes ninth (?!)
novel in his Some Like It series, Marty starts telling Ike about some pretty serious health concerns.
Moments later, were treated to a welcome sight: Cathy and Bruce!
Two people who actually care about Marty!
But Bruce has a solution.
They can shift operations to a space in Jersey for half the rent.
Ike arrives just in time to burst this bubble of collaboration and kindness.
As soon as he hears the word Jersey, he stomps off in a huff.
Cathy, on the other hand, sticks around to get Marty the help he needs.
It turns out that Marty has a hernia.
Its pretty bad, and he needs surgery.
And that surgery will require a few days of recovery in the hospital.
Despite Martys diagnosis and pending surgery, Ike still refuses to place focus on Martys health or health stressors.
During their last session, before Marty goes under the knife, Ike is still harping on New Jersey.
Ike flippantly compares the surgery to when his twins got their tonsils out as kids.
He says, we watched Jungle Book and we ate ice cream and Jell-O.
(Of course Ike would brag about watching one of THE most racist Disney movies with his kids.
Not exactly a shocker.)
For the next ten or so minutes, were with Marty.
And the experience is lonely and intense.
No one is there to greet him; theres not even a flower delivery or an Edible Arrangement.
Then, hes convinced that his iPhone is on the fritz.
But the true breakthrough for Marty finally comes when a student named Terrel comes to read to him.
Terrel is nice enough, but for some reason hes chosen to read Steinbecks ultra-depressingOf Mice and Men.
Its not exactly a beach read.
Steinbecks words really hit home for Marty.
Terrel reads, A guy goes nuts if he aint got nobody.
I tell you, a guy gets too lonely, and he gets sick.
Is this what happened to Marty?
Is his hernia just a hernia, or is Ike the real hernia?
Oh, no, wait.
Ikes not actually MIA.
Hes hosting yet another lavish party AT MARTYS HOUSE.
(Oh, hey, its the party from the first episode!)
Marty breaks out of the hospital so he can find Ike.
Instead, he cares more about how things look to his guests.
Martys tush is hanging out and his emotional vulnerability is infecting the vibe.
So Ike steers him over to the side and gives him a pep talk.
Its all b.s., but Marty buys it for a brief moment.
Until, that is, he finds Adam.
When Marty visits the koi pond, Adam is dead.
Ike didnt bother to follow any of the instructions that Marty had left him.
And Martys fears about going into the hospital all came true.
He begins to fully realize that he was never really anything to Ike except a glorified grill master.
And then he moves on to the anger stage of grief.
A repeat of the scene from the premiere unfolds, but now we have the context.
Marty stumbles around the yard full of rage and regret, smashing every smashable item.
Then, he buries Adam, apologizing to him for his negligence.
Hes really apologizing to himself, though.
Hes apologizing for lost relationships, lost opportunities, and lost time.
Maybe its just because the cows were gaudy and hideous.
Ike doesnt know that anything is wrong though.
So when Marty doesnt show for his session, Ike panics.
He heads to the AFC warehouse, only to find that hes been ghosted.
So Ike gamely heads to Jersey.
What Ike finds in Jersey shocks him.
The warehouse is bustling, and Marty is a new man.
This is the moment weve all been waiting for.
And his entire staff applauds his newfound strength.
Our time is up for now, but Ill see you at our final (!)
session next week for the finale.
He advises her to cut off both of her parents on Facebook as a punishment for being toxic people.
Weve talked before about how Rudd and Ferrell are both playing against bang out in this series.
Still, while there might not be too much of a market for Rudd (a.k.a.
