The Shrink Next Door
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Marty Markowitz used to be a person.
Before he met Dr. Ike Herschkopf, Marty had a family and a life and a sense of humor.
However, Ike mostly takes a back seat in the finale.
So, in a very awkward scene involving a food truck, he tries to buddy up with Bruce.
Bruce gracefully declines Martys bumbling offer of friendship, but he subtly redirects him back to Phyllis.
Bruce remains a mensch and the ultimate work friend.
And shes totally right to be furious at him.
Rejected, Marty limps back to Ike.
However, things are different now.
During this session, Marty is guarded, skeptical, and tense.
Instead of being enraptured by every word Ike has to say, his face is alive with discomfort.
His body language is screaming NO even as Ike slithers closer.
Ike has a huge ask.
He wants Marty to be the best man at a vow-renewal service for him and Bonnie.
Martys eyes pinball all over the place before he reluctantly agrees.
But things change when Marty heads to the frame shop to talk to Hannah.
The store owner informs Marty that Hannah stopped working there a while ago.
However, he shares that Ike was the one who told Hannah to stay away from Marty.
The owner adds insult to injury by telling Marty that Hannah even has a husband and kids now!
And who does he see there?
After being absent for three episodes, Kathryn Hahn is back, people!
This is not a drill!
An earlier flashback to 1982 already reacquainted us with Martys fast-talking, brash, and opinionated sister.
In it, Marty helps Phyllis leave her no-good, cheating husband.
They drive away, and Marty clicks on the radio.
Jeffrey Osbornes On the Wings of Love kicks in, and Marty starts singing.
The kids join in.
Ever the curious person, Phyllis invites herself in and starts to poke around her old family home.
Marty waves her concern away, but honestly its no weirder than what actually went down in that house.
Shes so angry and sad, but at the same time she can see that her brother is broken.
Youre just a schmuck like the rest of us.
Anyone can make mistakes.
She softens a bit and begins to help her brother move on.
Marty tries to object but then basically says whatever when he realizes its gone.
Marty wants to see the family, but Phyllis isnt quite ready for that yet.
Phyllis just wants Marty to see that he is also responsible for the choices that led down this road.
Unfortunately, this conversation is cut short when Ike stumbles onto the scene.
He slinks onto the property, framed by the blazing fire, like the devil he is.
Phyllis immediately goes into attack mode, but Martys got this.
Hes set up a few honeybee hives in the backyard, and he seems happier and more centered.
But the Seder is bittersweet.
Even though family surrounds Marty, he doesnt really know any of them.
A future is promised, but Marty is still dealing with the fallout from his traumatic relationship with Ike.
When we see Ike and Marty next, its the present day.
Ike tries to sweet-talk the committee.
He whines about caring too much and asserts that Marty became his family member.
After the hearing, Ike waits for Marty outside.
The two have one final confrontation.
And this time, Marty comes out on top.
When Ike says he forgives Marty, Marty snaps back with a killer final line.
I dont think you will, but I hope that you do.
But Im afraid to say, were out of time.
The coda of the episode is informative, chilling, and brief.
In the immortal words of Marty Markowitz, were out of time, my friends.
), he didnt break any ethical guidelines.
This inflexible (and illogical) mind-set belies an inability to engage in empathy or flexible thinking.
Heres a tip if youre looking for a therapist: ask them if theyre in therapy.
Marty check-in: Sending nothing but love and happiness to Marty Markowitz and his whole family.
The coda also mentioned that Marty has never been back to therapy, and I get it.
But I truly hope hes found people he can trust and that his bees are thriving.
One final thought.The therapist part of my brain feels it must leave you with a referral.
