Doc Martin

For the historic Taos, New Mexico physician, see Thomas "Doc" Martin. For the footwear and clothing brand, see Dr. Martens. For the baseball player, see Doc Martin (baseball).

Doc Martin
Series title card
Created by	Dominic Minghella
Starring	Martin Clunes Caroline Catz Ian McNeice Joe Absolom Selina Cadell Stephanie Cole Katherine Parkinson Louise Jameson Eileen Atkins
Theme music composer	Colin Towns
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of series	5
No. of episodes	38 (list of episodes)
Production
Producer	Philippa Braithwaite
Running time	37× 50mins 1× 92mins
Original release
Network	ITV (ITV1/STV/UTV) (also ITV1 HD/STV HD/UTV HD)
Release	2 September 2004 – 2013

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, United Kingdom, 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.

Synopsis

Clunes plays Dr. Martin Ellingham, a brilliant and successful vascular surgeon at Imperial College London who develops haemophobia (a fear of blood), and as a result is forced to stop practising surgery. He obtains a post as the General Practitioner (GP) in the sleepy Cornish village of Portwenn, where he spent childhood holidays with his Aunt Joan (played by Stephanie Cole). Upon arriving in Portwenn, Dr. Ellingham - who, to his frustration, is addressed as "Doc Martin" by the locals - finds the surgery in disarray. He inherits an incompetent receptionist, Elaine Denham (played by Lucy Punch). Her character is replaced in Series 2-4 by new receptionist and later phlebotomist Pauline Lamb (played by Katherine Parkinson).

The show revolves around Ellingham's interactions with the local Cornish villagers. Despite his medical brilliance, Ellingham is a gruff man, lacking social skills. His cold, abrasive manner offends many of the villagers. He is perceived by them to be short tempered and lacking in a bedside manner, whereas he feels he is going about his duties in a professional and no-nonsense manner, not wasting time chatting with the villagers. His haemophobia, which results in frequent and debilitating bouts of nausea and vomiting, eventually becomes known amongst the villagers. His aunt, Joan Norton, provides emotional support in the face of the disquiet his abrupt manner causes among the villagers. Caroline Catz plays primary school teacher Louisa Glasson, for whom Doc Martin finds it difficult to express his romantic feelings.

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, a successful obstetrician rather than surgeon, finding out that his wife has been carrying on extramarital affairs behind his back. After confronting her with the news, he escapes London and heads for 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 in Port Isaac and fill the gap. In these three films the village is not known as Portwenn.

The original deal was to produce two such 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. ITV felt the Martin Bamford character should be portrayed as a "townie", out of his depth and uncomfortable in the country. They also wanted something edgier, so Clunes suggested the doctor be very grumpy and socially inept. The new doctor's surname was to be 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 actor to appear in both versions of Doc Martin is Tristan Sturrock.

Series

Series 4-5

Interviewed about the release of the Series 3 DVD, Clunes indicated he would take a break from acting in 2008, to allow his daughter a family summer holiday, which she missed during the programme's filming. Clunes' wife is Philippa Braithwaite, Doc Martin's producer. In February 2009, ITV confirmed plans for a fourth series with eight episodes. Series 4 aired on ITV1 from 20 September to 8 November 2009, and was a ratings success for ITV. STV originally did not broadcast Series 4 in Scotland due to financial issues surrounding a dispute with ITV. In 2011 STV resolved its issues with ITV and has since broadcast Series 4 during July and August 2011.

Series 4 was released on DVD in the UK on 1 March 2010.

In the US American Public Television (a US syndicator that supplies the programme to public television stations) confirmed that Series 4 would be available to stations from 1 March 2010.

In New Zealand, Series 4 began broadcasting on 25 January 2010 on TVNZ.

In Australia, Series 4 began broadcasting from 12 June 2010 on ABC1.

In an interview published in the Manchester Evening News on 15 September 2009, Clunes said, "It looks like ITV will give the go-ahead to a fifth series but that won’t be filmed until 2011."

On 2 March 2010 during an interview on the BBC's The One Show, Clunes stated that Series 5 will be filmed in 2011. ITV confirmed the commissioning of a fifth series of Doc Martin in a press release on 1 April 2010. Dame Eileen Atkins will join as Doc Martin's Aunt Ruth and Jessica Ransom is the new surgery receptionist, Morwenna Newcross. Martin Clunes, Caroline Catz, Ian McNeice, Joe Absolom, John Marquez and Selina Cadell will all return to the series.

Series 5 was produced in 2011 and has eight episodes. The series began airing on all ITV regions on Monday 12th September.

In Australia, Series 5 began broadcasting from 15 October 2011 on ABC1.

In the USA Series 5 began broadcasting in March and April of 2012

Series 6

Martin Clunes announced a sixth series of Doc Martin on The Alan Titchmarsh Show (5 March 2012). It will be filmed in the spring of 2013, and broadcast that autumn. He had previously stated that while a sixth series was probable, it would likely be the final one.

Ratings

In the UK, Doc Martin has been a ratings success for ITV1 with the third series achieving ITV1's best midweek drama performance in the 9 PM Monday slot since December 2004. The final episode of the third series was watched by 10.37 million viewers, which is the programme's highest-ever viewing figure for a single episode.

In 2009, Doc Martin was moved to a 9 PM Sunday time slot for the broadcast of Series 4. That change meant that it followed-on from ITV's The X Factor programme. Series 4 ratings were adversely impacted by STV not screening the majority of ITV drama productions in Scotland. The final episode of Series 4 had ratings of 10.29 million viewers. STV went back on its decision not to screen ITV drama in Scotland. Series 4 of Doc Martin was broadcast on Sunday afternoons in August 2011.

Foreign adaptations

Notro Films produced a Spanish version under the title Doctor Mateo for Antena 3 Televisión. It aired in 2009 and was shot in Lastres, Asturias, with the fictional name of San Martín del Sella twinned with Portwenn.

French television producers Ego Productions, in cooperation with TF1, have produced a French version of the series starring Thierry Lhermitte as Dr Martin Le Fol, with the series based in the fictional Breton town of Port-Garrec, twinned with Portwenn.

In Germany, Doktor Martin an adaptation of the original series, airs on ZDF with Axel Milberg as Doktor Martin Helling, a surgeon from Berlin. The counterpart of Portwenn was the real existing village of Neuharlingersiel in East Frisia.

In Greece, Kliniki Periptosi an adaptation of the original series, will be aired in November 2011 on Mega Channel with Yannis Bezos as Markos Staikos, a surgeon from New York.

In the United States, Hart of Dixie is based on a similar premise, in which a gruff big-city surgeon becomes a GP in a rural town, antagonizes the locals, and uses her diagnostic skills to identify otherwise unknown conditions.

Episodes

Main article: List of Doc Martin episodes

Thirty-eight episodes aired on ITV in the UK between 2004 and 2011. Episodes are 50 minutes, except the 2006 Christmas special which is 92 minutes. In the US, American Public Television provides the 2006 Christmas special as a two-part episode with the second episode airing the week after the first.

Cast and characters

Actor	Character	Duration
Martin Clunes	Dr. Martin Ellingham M.B. B.S. F.R.C.S.	2004–2013
Caroline Catz	Louisa Glasson	2004–2013
Ian McNeice	Bert Large	2004–2013
Joe Absolom	Al Large	2004–2013
Selina Cadell	Mrs. Sally Tishell	2004–2013
John Marquez	PC Joe Penhale	2007–2013
Eileen Atkins	Dr. Ruth Ellingham B.Sc. Ph.D.	2011–2013
Jessica Ransom	Morwenna Newcross	2011–2013
Louise Jameson	Eleanor Glasson	2011–2013

Past characters

Actor	Character	Duration
Lucy Punch	Elaine Denham	2004
Felicity Montagu	Caroline Bosman	2004–2005
Stewart Wright	PC Mark Mylow	2004–2006
Stephanie Cole	Aunt Joan	2004-2009
Angeline Ball	Julie Mitchell	2005–2006
Tristan Sturrock	Danny Steel	2005–2006
Katherine Parkinson	Pauline Lamb	2005–2009
Joseph Morgan	Mick Mabley	2007
Lia Williams	Dr Edith Montgomery	2009

Guest stars

Guest stars include Celia Imrie, John Alderton, Hugh Lloyd, Jeff Rawle, Doreen Mantle, Margaret Tyzack, Christian Rodska, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Mary Woodvine, Miriam Margolyes, John Woodvine, Stephanie Leonidas, Ben Miller, Chris O'Dowd, Robert Daws, Kenneth Cranham, David Bamber, Claire Bloom, Mathew Horne, Lucy Robinson, Gwen Taylor, Sylvestra la Touzel, Anthony Calf, Richard Johnson, David Haig, Phyllida Law, Benjamin Whitrow, Louise Delamere, Nicholas Le Prevost, Sophie Thompson, Mathew Baynton, Andrew Lee Potts, Julie Graham, John Duttine and Tony Maudsley.

International broadcasters

• In Africa, Doc Martin airs on the Hallmark Channel on DSTV.
• In Argentina, Doc Martin airs on Film & Arts channel.
• In Australia, series 1-5 were broadcast on ABC1. It was shown on Australian PayTV channel, UKTV. Repeat episodes from series one to three have been shown on 7Two from 5 May.
• In Belarus, Doc Martin (Doktar Marcin) airs on Belsat TV channel.
• In Belgium, Doc Martin airs on the public channel Eén.
• In Brasil, Doc Martin airs on Film & Arts channel.
• In Bulgaria, all Doc Martin series aired on the Hallmark channel.
• In Canada, Doc Martin airs on VisionTV and Knowledge Network in British Columbia.
• In Chile, Doc Martin airs on Film & Arts channel.
• In Colombia, Doc Martin airs on Film & Arts channel.
• In Czech Republic, Doc Martin (Doktor Martin) airs on the CT1 since 1 October 2009.
• In Denmark, Doc Martin airs on the public commercial channel TV2 Charlie.
• In Finland, Doc Martin airs on the public commercial channel MTV3.
• In France, the adaptation Doc Martin airs on TF1.
• In Iceland, Doc Martin airs as 'Martin læknir' on Sjónvarpið.
• In Ireland, Doc Martin airs on TV3.
• In Italy, Doc Martin also airs on the public channel RAI.
• In Italy, Hungary, Russia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and other countries where available, Doc Martin airs on the Hallmark Channel.
• In Mexico, Doc Martin airs on Film & Arts channel.
• In New Zealand, Doc Martin aired on TV One. It was also shown on New Zealand PayTV channel, UKTV
• In Norway, the first season of Doc Martin aired on the public channel NRK1 with reruns on VOX in 2012.
• In Poland, Doc Martin (Doktor Martin) airs on the public channel TVP2 since 4 November 2009.
• In Romania, all Doc Martin series aired on the Hallmark channel.
• In Serbia, Doc Martin (Doktor Martin) airs on TV Avala channel.
• In Slovenia, Doc Martin series 4 airs on the SLO2 (Slovenia 2) channel.
• In Spain, the adaptation Doctor Mateo airs on Antena 3 TV channel.
• In Sweden, Doc Martin aired on the subscription Kanal 9 during late 2008 through 2012.
• In Uruguay, Doc Martin airs on Film & Arts channel.
• In USA, Doc Martin is distributed by APT to subscribing local stations. Series 1-4 can also be viewed in the US on Netflix, Amazon streaming and Hulu.
• In Venezuela, Doc Martin airs on People & Arts.

DVD releases

Series 1, 2 and 3 and "On the Edge" were released separately on Region 1 and 2 and in the "complete Series 1 to 3" box set. Series 3 was released on 2 February 2010 and Series 4 was released for region 1 and 2 on 6 July 2010.

In region 4, Series 1, 2, 4, and "On the Edge" were released separately and in a nine-disc boxset entitled "Doc Martin: Comedy Cure", as well as an earlier seven-disc boxset not including Series 4. The two Sky Pictures telefilms were individually released in Region 4 (as 'Doc Martin: volume 1' and 'Doc Martin: volume 2, the Legend of the Cloutie') on the Magna Pacific label, but are now out-of-print.

Awards

In 2004 Doc Martin won the British Comedy Award for Best TV Comedy Drama, having also been nominated as Best New TV Comedy. In the same year, Martin Clunes won the Best TV Comedy Actor award, primarily for his portrayal of Doc Martin.

External links

• Doc Martin at itv.com
• Doc Martin at stv.tv
• Doc Martin at IMDb
• Doc Martin at British Comedy Guide
• Doc Martin at British TV Comedy
• Doc Martin episodes at Hulu
• Doc Martin on Film & Arts (Spanish)