Apple Lands Will Ferrell & Paul Rudd Limited TV Series ‘The Shrink Next Door’ Based On Podcast

Nellie Andreeva
·2 min read

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Apple has given a straight-to-series order to The Shrink Next Door, an eight-episode limited series starring Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd, which is based on the No. 1 new podcast of 2019 by Wondery and Bloomberg Media. The streamer landed in competitive situation the project, from director Michael Showalter and writer Georgia Pritchett, which reunites Ferrell and Rudd after starring together in 2013’s Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. MRC Television took the package out in February.

Directed by Showalter (The Big Sick, The Lovebirds) based on a script by Pritchett (Succession, Veep), The Shrink Next Door is a dark comedy inspired by true events that detail the bizarre relationship between psychiatrist to the stars Dr. Isaac “Ike” Herschkopf, played by Paul Rudd, and his longtime patient Martin “Marty” Markowitz, played by Will Ferrell. Over the course of their relationship, the all-too-charming Ike slowly takes over Marty’s life, even moving into Marty’s Hamptons home and taking over his family business. The series explores how a seemingly normal doctor-patient dynamic morphs into an unprecedentedly exploitative relationship filled with manipulation, power grabs, and dysfunction at its finest.

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The Shrink Next Door is produced by Civic Center Media in association with MRC Television, Gloria Sanchez Productions, Semi-Formal Productions, Wondery and Bloomberg Media. Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum and Brittney Segal will executive produce for Gloria Sanchez Productions. Rudd and Pritchett will also serve as executive producers. Showalter and Jordana Mollick will executive produce on behalf of Semi-Formal Productions. Marshall Lewy for Wondery and Jared Sandberg, Katie Boyce, and Francesca Levy for Bloomberg Media will serve as executive producers, with the podcast’s host Joe Nocera as co-executive producer.

The Shrink Next Door will debut globally on Apple TV+. It will join the streamer’s slate of upcoming projects, which includes soon-to-premiere limited series Defending Jacob, starring Chris Evans, and animated series Central Park.

Ferrell is repped by UTA, Mosaic, and Jackoway Tyerman.. Rudd is repped by Lighthouse Management & Media, UTA and Jackoway Tyerman. Showalter is repped by UTA, Artists First and Goodman Genow. UTA also reps Wondery.

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