Take Three: The Shrink Next Door

The Shrink Next Door: Season 1, Episode 3 “The Treatment” (B+)

It’s fascinating to watch how Ike is able to subtly suggest things to Marty and then make it seem like it’s an idea he’s not really sure about, making Marty the one to push it since he now believes it to be his own invention. Hearing about how he made a fake alter ego who helps him collect payments was cause enough for concern, but that was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what Ike was able to get Marty to do in this episode. Connecting him to a Broadway producer who, like Marty, thought that it probably wasn’t a good fit since he didn’t want to be a guinea pig, was his latest big scheme, and Phyllis was right to be concerned about cutting costs with the fireproofing that nearly ended up sending the entire theater up in flames. The bigger issue was that Marty’s invitation for him to come to “industrial psychology” for the staff at his store came with him having to pay for all the sessions that Ike wasn’t able to conduct during that time. Offering him a full-time job is even more problematic, and Phyllis isn’t going to be happy at all with that very concerning development. Ike almost won Phyllis over when he talked to her about her feelings and how no one saw her, but inserting judgment on her behavior was his undoing, and now she has it out for him more than ever. Knowing more about Marty’s finances and treasured possessions is only going to give Ike more influence and power.