Doc Martin is a British television comedy drama series starring Martin Clunes in the title role. It was created by Dominic Minghella after the character of Dr. Martin Bamford in the 2000 comedy film Saving Grace. The show is set in the fictional seaside village of Portwenn and filmed on location in the village of Port Isaac, Cornwall, England, with most interior scenes shot in a converted local barn. Five series aired between 2004 and 2011, together with a feature-length special that aired on Christmas Day 2006. Series 6 began airing on ITV on 2 September 2013.
Written by Sophie and last updated on jan 30, 2023.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
Pauline looks set to achieve her ambition of joining the Portwenn Lifeboat crew. However, her joy is short lived when she is confronted with the chauvinistic behaviour of her shipmates. Martin is accused of murder by the husband of a woman who died in his care.
The episode was rated 7.47 from 158 votes.
The Doc deals with a strange family who seem reluctant to let him make house calls, and whose passion for taxidermy seems to hint at a dark secret involving their missing mother. PC Mystow also has family problems when his overbearing sister moves in a sets up shop - much to the Doc's disgust - as a herbalist. A chance remark by Pauline sets Al on a path that could well destroy his relationship with Bert.
The episode was rated 7.51 from 159 votes.
PC Mark Mylow can't persuade Dr Ellingham to be his best man, but Al Large agrees. The stag weekend – a camping trip – goes wrong when an adder bites Mark’s ankle and he suffers a potentially fatal allergic reaction. Meanwhile, Dr Ellingham deals with a spate of weever fish stings among teenage boys playing a dangerous game of dare.
The episode was rated 7.53 from 161 votes.
An outbreak of what the Doc suspects is Impetigo leads to problems for Louisa, who must decide whether to follow the Doc's orders to force the infected children to stay at home, or to help the parents by allowing the children to attend school. The decision is made harder by her impending interview to take over the job of Head Teacher - in front of a board of governors that (to his surprise) includes Doc Martin. Meanwhile, an accident in the Fish and Chip shop leaves Bert behind the fryers and the owner's son, Peter, in need of somewhere to stay while his mother is in hospital. His first choice is with none other than a certain Doctor Martin Ellingham...
The episode was rated 7.67 from 165 votes.
Martin's estranged parents charming Christopher (John Woodvine) and Margaret (Claire Bloom) make a surprise visit, school secretary Maureen Tracey (Ruth Sheen) visits the doctor with what she thinks it is a thyroid problem, PC Mark Mylow announces he's getting engaged, and when Danny Steel collapses, Dr Ellingham has to carry out emergency surgery to save his life.
The episode was rated 7.69 from 159 votes.
The people of Portwenn are concerned for Radio Portwenn's DJ Caroline Bosman, whose increasingly erratic behaviour has them suspecting that she has been hitting the bottle. The Doc has to deal with an elderly patient whose personal aroma can clear a room, but is unable to determine a medical cause for the stench. PC Mylow hopes that his pheremone spray will endear him to a pretty newcomer to the village, while the Doc/Louisa/Danny triangle gets even more complicated.
The episode was rated 7.72 from 158 votes.
Season Premiere. Dr Ellingham visits an elderly patient in the villiage, but has to contend with her irate son, who turns out to be one of Louisa's ex-boyfriends. Things become even more complicated when he meets the new receptionist and sees a patient who claims he was injured while being mugged but refuses to give a statement to the police.
The episode was rated 7.75 from 185 votes.
A Salvation Army member arrives in Portwenn to try to trace a missing woman, Danny asks reluctant girlfriend Louisa to move into him, and PC Mark Mylow's medical check has a shock result.
The episode was rated 7.90 from 154 votes.
Martin learns that he is under investigation for rude and condescending behaviour with the end result that he may have to go on a 2-week course to improve his people skills. Pauline advises him that he will have to find a new receptionist, as she is returning to university to study nursing. Bert Large thinks he's struck gold when word gets out that a rare bird is nesting in the local cliffs on Auntie Joan Norton's land, so he borrows the police van to offer guided tours. Louisa's father Terry Glasson suddenly re-appears in the village, accompanied by his friend, Jonathan. Terry had left the village under a cloud when he was accused of stealing money from the lifeboat fund, but he has always maintained his innocence and Louisa remains his staunchest defender. Things get serious when Jonathan stops taking his medication, and takes Martin, Louisa and Pauline prisoner. The problems in the town heat up.
The episode was rated 8.36 from 14 votes.
