After the death of one of his beloved koi fish, Marty is finally tuned in to just how little Ike cares about him after 30 years. Finally starting to free himself from Ike’s spell, Marty went against Ike’s wishes and moved AFC to New Jersey, firing him in the process.
It’s finale time, let’s see if Marty frees himself completely or if Ike somehow manages to get the last laugh in episode 8 of The Shrink Next Door.
Making Amends
With Ike now gone from his life, Marty is realizing just how badly he screwed up with everyone around him. He truly has no one. He starts by asking Bruce to lunch, which is awkward and uncomfortable for both of them after 20 plus years of Marty undermining him for Ike’s wishes. Marty continues to play a voicemail from Ike on his machine, likely hoping there’s a new message to listen to before it, but it’s always just Ike asking if Marty still plans to attend his sessions. He tries to call Phyllis, but chickens out at the end and pretends to be someone else, with Phyllis reiterating she wants nothing to do with her brother.
He does, and Ike then asks him to be his best man at a vow renewal ceremony for him and Bonnie. The catch? Bonnie doesn’t know about this vow renewal ceremony yet. It’s all a ploy to get back into Marty’s good graces.
In his quest to continue trying to reconnect with people from his past, Marty finds Nancy, his niece, on Facebook with the help of Bruce. They meet at a coffee shop and Marty attempts to talk to her and fails. She’s a grown woman now, and she wanted an apology she never got. She leaves angrily and tells him not to contact her, or her mother, again.
Finally, Marty makes his way to the frame store, searching for Hannah after their failed date the night of his heart attack. Of course, it’s been decades now and she no longer works there, but when Marty asks Joe about what happened he finally tells Marty about what Ike had told Hannah. That it was Ike that told Hannah not to contact him again.
Realization finally dawns on Marty; Ike has been doing nothing but isolating him from every other person for 30 years in order to keep him all to himself.
Make Him Dead to Me
Marty commits to kicking Ike out of his life, and his first step is changing the locks on the Hampton house. When he hears a car pull up, Marty runs and hides, anticipating Ike, but it’s Phyllis.
She’s furious at him for seeing Nancy behind her back, and he apologizes. He just wants to be back in their lives. But Phyllis isn’t having it. She’s also appalled at the state of their home, and even more upset when she sees the beloved cherry tree gone. Marty then details to her the changes they made, and she’s disgusted by the way the house seemingly belongs to Ike and Bonnie. And how Marty allowed himself to be treated.
Marty tells her again he just wants to be back in their lives, and Phyllis has a moment of reprieve in her ire when Marty tells her he wants Ike to be dead to him, just as Phyllis had considered Marty dead to her for all these years. That night, they burn Ike’s things from the house outside, including the $20,000 baseball from the gala.
Then, Ike shows up.
The Spell is Broken
Ike and Marty get into it, mainly over Ike’s possessions that are currently in a burn pile. For a moment it seems as if Ike might still win, trying to rehash his 27-year-old argument that Marty and Phyllis’ relationship is toxic. However, Marty stays true to what he knows is right and he screams at Ike as he details the damage he’s done. Marty has lost his family, his house, his business, all for Ike, who feels nothing for him. Miriam had been right all those years ago.
Ike grabs the last book manuscript left and takes off, telling Marty he’s nothing without him. Meanwhile, Phyllis is smashing a car with a croquet club and when Ike comes out she tells him that’s for the last 27 years. Except for one issue, that wasn’t his car she smashed.
One Year Later
Ike has stayed away from Marty, and Marty has his family back. A new cherry tree has been planted and Phyllis, her kids, and her grandkids have all gathered to celebrate at the Hampton house. But Marty isn’t the same. When the front door is left open, he tries to push his anxiety from his mind, but he can’t. He runs back to the entryway and slams the door close, locking both locks before rejoining the table. Undoubtedly afraid of Ike sneaking his way back in through an unguarded entry.
At least Phyllis is thankful to have her brother back in her life, and Marty is enjoying having his family back.
2021
In the end, Marty gets the last laugh. Ike’s license is revoked and Marty finally walks away, despite Ike’s last-ditch attempt to make amends. Marty ended up paying Ike 3.2 million dollars over the course of 27 years, not including all that Marty did for him. And Marty wasn’t the only one, or even the one who gave the most. But in the end, Marty won.
All episodes of The Shrink Next Door are airing on Apple TV+.
