Doc Martin is a British television medical comedy drama series starring Martin Clunes in the title role. It was created by Dominic Minghella[1] after the character of Dr Martin Bamford in the 2000 comedy film Saving Grace.[2] The programme is set in the fictional seaside village of Portwenn and filmed on location in the village of Port Isaac, Cornwall, United Kingdom, with most interior scenes shot in a converted local barn.
Eight series aired between 2004 and 2017, with a television film airing on Christmas Day in 2006. The eighth and most recent series aired on ITV from September 2017, and streamed in the United States and Canada on Acorn TV. Series 9 began filming in Port Isaac in March 2019.[3] While it was initially reported that the series would end after Series 9, Martin Clunes clarified that it had only been commissioned as far as 2019, thereby not ruling out future plans by the broadcaster.[4]
An American TV remake of the series is also being planned.[
Plot
Dr Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes), a brilliant and successful vascular surgeon at Imperial College London, develops haemophobia (a fear of blood), forcing him to stop practising surgery. He obtains a post as the sole general practitioner (GP) in the sleepy Cornish village of Portwenn, where he had spent childhood holidays with his Aunt Joan (Stephanie Cole), who owns a local farm. Upon arriving in Portwenn – where, to his frustration, the locals address him as "Doc Martin" – he finds the surgery in chaos and inherits an incompetent receptionist, Elaine Denham (Lucy Punch). In Series 2–4, she is replaced by Pauline Lamb (Katherine Parkinson), a new receptionist, and later also a phlebotomist. In Series 5, Morwenna Newcross (Jessica Ransom) takes up the post.
The programme revolves around Ellingham's interactions with the local Cornish villagers. Despite his medical excellence, Ellingham is grouchy, abrupt, and lacks social skills. His direct, emotionless manner offends many of the villagers, made worse by his invariably unpleasant responses to their ignorant, often foolish, comments. They perceive him to be hot-tempered and lacking in a bedside manner, whereas he feels he is performing his duties in a professional and by-the-book manner, not wasting time chatting. Ellingham is very deadpan and dresses formally in a business suit and tie, regardless of the weather or the occasion, and he never takes off his jacket, even when delivering babies. He does not smoke and has no hesitation in pointing out the risks of unhealthy behaviours, both in private and in public gatherings.
The villagers eventually discover his fear of blood, and the frequent and debilitating bouts of nausea and vomiting it causes. In spite of this handicap, Ellingham proves to be an expert diagnostician and responds effectively to various emergencies in his medical practice; thus, he gradually gains grudging respect from his neighbours. Ellingham's aunt, Joan Norton (Stephanie Cole), provides emotional support in the face of the controversy among the villagers caused by his impatient manner. When she dies after a heart attack, her sister Ruth (Eileen Atkins), a retired psychiatrist, comes to Portwenn to take care of her affairs, and eventually decides to use the village as a permanent retreat, offering Martin the support Joan had provided.
Ellingham finds it difficult to express his developing romantic feelings towards primary school teacher Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz). He often spoils rare tender moments or opportunities to compliment by telling her things like: she looks flushed but her pulse is good. Martin eventually proposes to Louisa, but their relationship remains difficult because of his insensitive nature.
Other noteworthy characters are father and son Bert and Al Large who are always trying to run a small business of various types; Pharmacist Sally Tishell who is infatuated with Martin; Mark Mylow, a quirky police officer who is later replaced in series 3 by Joe Penhale who proves to be even more quirky.
Cast and Characters
Current Cast
Martin Clunes as Martin Ellingham – village GP doctor
Caroline Catz as Louisa Ellingham (née Glasson) – school headmistress; later, Martin's wife
Ian McNeice as Bert Large – local businessman
Joe Absolom as Al Large – pub landlord
Selina Cadell as Sally Tishell – pharmacist
John Marquez as Joe Penhale (series 3-9) – police officer
Eileen Atkins as Ruth Ellingham (series 5-9) – retired forensic psychiatrist; Martin's aunt
Jessica Ransom as Morwenna Newcross (Series 5-9) – surgery receptionist
Original character
Martin Clunes originally played a character called "Dr Martin Bamford" in the 2000 film Saving Grace and its two made-for-TV prequels, Doc Martin and Doc Martin and the Legend of the Cloutie, which were made by British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB). The prequels show Bamford as a successful obstetrician, rather than a surgeon, who finds out that his wife has been carrying on extramarital affairs behind his back. After confronting her with his discovery, he escapes London and heads for Port Isaac, a small coastal town in Cornwall which he remembers fondly from his youth. Shortly after he arrives, he is involved in the mystery of the "Jellymaker" and, following the departure of the village's resident GP, decides to stay and fill the vacancy. In these three films the village is not known as Portwenn.
The Martin Bamford character is friendly and laid-back, seeming to enjoy his retreat from the career pressures and conflicts he left behind in London. He drinks and smokes carelessly, including a mild illegal drug, and has no problem getting his hands and clothes dirty by temporarily working as a lobster and crab fisherman aboard a local boat.
The original deal had been to produce two television films per year for three years, but Sky Pictures folded after the first two episodes were made, so Clunes' company tried to sell the franchise to ITV. The new network felt that the doctor character should be portrayed as a "townie", a fish out of water who is uncomfortable in the countryside. They also wanted something darker, so Clunes suggested that the doctor be curmudgeonly, socially inept, and formal. The new doctor's surname was changed to Ellingham, an anagram of the last name of the new writer, Dominic Minghella, who was brought in to rework the doctor's background and create a new cast of supporting characters.
Along with Clunes, the only actors to appear in both versions of Doc Martin are Tristan Sturrock and Tony Maudsley.
Eight series aired between 2004 and 2017, with a television film airing on Christmas Day in 2006. The eighth and most recent series aired on ITV from September 2017, and streamed in the United States and Canada on Acorn TV. Series 9 began filming in Port Isaac in March 2019.[3] While it was initially reported that the series would end after Series 9, Martin Clunes clarified that it had only been commissioned as far as 2019, thereby not ruling out future plans by the broadcaster.[4]
An American TV remake of the series is also being planned.[
Plot
Dr Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes), a brilliant and successful vascular surgeon at Imperial College London, develops haemophobia (a fear of blood), forcing him to stop practising surgery. He obtains a post as the sole general practitioner (GP) in the sleepy Cornish village of Portwenn, where he had spent childhood holidays with his Aunt Joan (Stephanie Cole), who owns a local farm. Upon arriving in Portwenn – where, to his frustration, the locals address him as "Doc Martin" – he finds the surgery in chaos and inherits an incompetent receptionist, Elaine Denham (Lucy Punch). In Series 2–4, she is replaced by Pauline Lamb (Katherine Parkinson), a new receptionist, and later also a phlebotomist. In Series 5, Morwenna Newcross (Jessica Ransom) takes up the post.
The programme revolves around Ellingham's interactions with the local Cornish villagers. Despite his medical excellence, Ellingham is grouchy, abrupt, and lacks social skills. His direct, emotionless manner offends many of the villagers, made worse by his invariably unpleasant responses to their ignorant, often foolish, comments. They perceive him to be hot-tempered and lacking in a bedside manner, whereas he feels he is performing his duties in a professional and by-the-book manner, not wasting time chatting. Ellingham is very deadpan and dresses formally in a business suit and tie, regardless of the weather or the occasion, and he never takes off his jacket, even when delivering babies. He does not smoke and has no hesitation in pointing out the risks of unhealthy behaviours, both in private and in public gatherings.
The villagers eventually discover his fear of blood, and the frequent and debilitating bouts of nausea and vomiting it causes. In spite of this handicap, Ellingham proves to be an expert diagnostician and responds effectively to various emergencies in his medical practice; thus, he gradually gains grudging respect from his neighbours. Ellingham's aunt, Joan Norton (Stephanie Cole), provides emotional support in the face of the controversy among the villagers caused by his impatient manner. When she dies after a heart attack, her sister Ruth (Eileen Atkins), a retired psychiatrist, comes to Portwenn to take care of her affairs, and eventually decides to use the village as a permanent retreat, offering Martin the support Joan had provided.
Ellingham finds it difficult to express his developing romantic feelings towards primary school teacher Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz). He often spoils rare tender moments or opportunities to compliment by telling her things like: she looks flushed but her pulse is good. Martin eventually proposes to Louisa, but their relationship remains difficult because of his insensitive nature.
Other noteworthy characters are father and son Bert and Al Large who are always trying to run a small business of various types; Pharmacist Sally Tishell who is infatuated with Martin; Mark Mylow, a quirky police officer who is later replaced in series 3 by Joe Penhale who proves to be even more quirky.
Cast and Characters
Current Cast
Martin Clunes as Martin Ellingham – village GP doctor
Caroline Catz as Louisa Ellingham (née Glasson) – school headmistress; later, Martin's wife
Ian McNeice as Bert Large – local businessman
Joe Absolom as Al Large – pub landlord
Selina Cadell as Sally Tishell – pharmacist
John Marquez as Joe Penhale (series 3-9) – police officer
Eileen Atkins as Ruth Ellingham (series 5-9) – retired forensic psychiatrist; Martin's aunt
Jessica Ransom as Morwenna Newcross (Series 5-9) – surgery receptionist
Original character
Martin Clunes originally played a character called "Dr Martin Bamford" in the 2000 film Saving Grace and its two made-for-TV prequels, Doc Martin and Doc Martin and the Legend of the Cloutie, which were made by British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB). The prequels show Bamford as a successful obstetrician, rather than a surgeon, who finds out that his wife has been carrying on extramarital affairs behind his back. After confronting her with his discovery, he escapes London and heads for Port Isaac, a small coastal town in Cornwall which he remembers fondly from his youth. Shortly after he arrives, he is involved in the mystery of the "Jellymaker" and, following the departure of the village's resident GP, decides to stay and fill the vacancy. In these three films the village is not known as Portwenn.
The Martin Bamford character is friendly and laid-back, seeming to enjoy his retreat from the career pressures and conflicts he left behind in London. He drinks and smokes carelessly, including a mild illegal drug, and has no problem getting his hands and clothes dirty by temporarily working as a lobster and crab fisherman aboard a local boat.
The original deal had been to produce two television films per year for three years, but Sky Pictures folded after the first two episodes were made, so Clunes' company tried to sell the franchise to ITV. The new network felt that the doctor character should be portrayed as a "townie", a fish out of water who is uncomfortable in the countryside. They also wanted something darker, so Clunes suggested that the doctor be curmudgeonly, socially inept, and formal. The new doctor's surname was changed to Ellingham, an anagram of the last name of the new writer, Dominic Minghella, who was brought in to rework the doctor's background and create a new cast of supporting characters.
Along with Clunes, the only actors to appear in both versions of Doc Martin are Tristan Sturrock and Tony Maudsley.
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