Loving Doc Martin

No, not the shoes. The British TV series.

Martin is surgeon, whose glittering career comes crashing down around him when he develops a phobia which prevents him conducting operations. He makes a life changing decision to retrain as a GP, and applies for a vacant post in the sleepy Cornish hamlet of Portwenn, where he spent childhood holidays.

Doc Martin is as grumpy, short-tempered and brilliant as House, and while he has no cadre of residents to torture, he does have a town full of varied and wonderful characters to annoy him. And of course, there’s a love interest.

We’ve barely started watching, and already there have been these memorable lines –

Patient – Am I your first official patient?
Doc Martin – You are indeed. Collect a thousand loyalty points and you get a free coffin.

Elderly patient with a cough – Could it be something serious?
Doc Martin (writing a script for medicine) –  Yes. Lung cancer.

Patient: And you reckon these will work, do you?
Doc. Martin: No – I just prescribe them for fun.

Doc Martin – Well, there’s the mystery of medicine. Everyone comes to you for an opinion but when you actually give them that opinion nobody really wants it, do they?

I took a bit of umbrage when the only treatment the good doc offered for osteoporosis was an increase in estrogen dosing, but he has the right attitude when it comes to vaccines.

Thanks to Mr TBTAM for discovering this wonderful series in the DVD section of our local library. You can also watch the grumpy Doc on Hulu.

And though they are spelled differently, I actually do love the shoes too. 

11 Responses to Loving Doc Martin

  1. I ADORE the shoes…I got some Doc Martens oxfords two or three years ago, and they rarely leave my feet in waking hours!!

    Thanks for the tip about watching this program on Hulu. I shall take a squint at it.

  2. Argh! The cough one liner!

    I coughed at a doctor years ago and when I suggested it was more serious than the allergy for which he had been treating me for ten days he asked, sarcasm dripping, Do you think it is lung cancer or TB?

    Turned out to be whooping cough.

    My mother diagnosed me. I switched doctors.

    • Marie –

      Clearly your doc was not Doc Martin. Doc Martin would have diagnosed your whooping cough. It is right up his alley, and I can just hear him saying it with his British accent – “Madam, you have whooping cough.”

      Of course, he would have then insulted you in some other way whilst treating you…

  3. Oh it’s a pleasure to watch really. Last night I saw season 2 episode 2 and not to ruin it for anyone the ending was so very funny.

  4. It’s a wonderful series!! I got hooked last year when I had the flu! They are currently filming season five now in Port Issac ( Port Wen )

  5. My comment is more of a question–
    so now that the Doc has professed his love,
    what should be the new direction of the show
    for Season 6. I would love to know people thoughts on any new directions. I have my ideas too…would love to hear from people.

    • Caroline –

      I think the series should focus back on the life and medical problems of the town folks. Maybe take on some hot potato health topics like abortion, family planning, enviromnental risks of natural gas drilling (A series of farners who sold their drilling rights and now have strange skin and neurological symptoms…)

      Hadn’t realized it was back on this season – thanks for the heads up!

      Peggy

  6. April 28, 1013

    Peggy, Filming has begun in Port Isaac (AKA Port Wein.) I read that the cast was at the Camelot Castle Hotel (where they shot the scene that disrupted a wedding while looking for baby James Henry.) Maybe Doc and Louisa will tie the knot? I would like to see more funny things than heartbreak this season. What about you?

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