Doc Martin: Difference between revisions

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[[ITV]] comedy-drama series, on air since 2004, with nine series aired and a tenth and final one confirmed in production as of 2020. The character originally appeared as Doctor Martin Bamford in two BSkyB TV movies, before being significantly retconned and renamed by Dominic Minghella (spot the anagram).

 

 

 

 

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* [[Afraid of Blood]]: Martin, of course.

** {{spoiler|He seeks therapy to correct it in season 4 and is over it by season 5.}}

* [[Broken Aesop]]: In the final episode of season 1, a nine-year old boy who's kind of a loner is told by Louisa that, if you allow people to make fun of you and don't react, then [[Blatant Lies|they'll accept you because "they'll see you're okay"]]. Even worse, this [[Aesop]] is repeated by the boy to Martin... who in the same episode had been the victim of a practical joke that wasn't strictly a [[Deadly Prank]], but was still pretty cruel and quickly made him [[Acceptable Targets|a laughing stock]] by pretty much everybody in the village, to the point where he was being discussed on local radio.

* [[Deadly Prank]]: Averted (see [[Broken Aesop]] above), but as Martin pointed out, it ''did'' keep him from attending to patients that actually needed his help

* [[Drama Bomb]]: When Joan is [[Killed Off for Real]] at the start of season 5.

* [[Dr. Jerk]] [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold|With A Heart Of Gold]].

{{quote|"It was easy to find you, I just followed the trail of outraged people".}}

** The [[Dr. Jerk]] is played straight in the 4th series with the character of Dr. Edith Montgomery, who not only shares Martin's lack of bedside manner but has even less care or empathy for her patients.

** Also, the Spanish version.

* [[The Fun in Funeral]]: Season Five, Ep2, plays this to the hilt with Joan's funeral. The hearse is late, the guests are weird,<ref>er than normal</ref> the pall-bearers drop the coffin, Martin turns Joan's eulogy into a medical case history presentation-cum-public health lecture, the local police constable bemoans dealing with simple heart attacks and not something exciting, someone's mobile phone goes off playing "things can only get better" as a ring-tone. The usual for Portwenn really.

* [[Imaginary Friend]]: Anthony, an invisible 6-foot squirrel.

** In the Spanish version, Migue, an alien from Saturn.

** Dr Dibbs self-diagnosis almost kills her before Martin manages to correct it.

* [[Jerk with a Heart of Gold]]: While the Doc has a habit of being extraordinarily rude to people, it's clear that he ''does'' care about their well-being, but is frustrated by the fact that they never follow directions. He also clearly loves his Aunt, Louisa, and even Pauline. This is most obviously expressed in the episode where he and Louisa become engaged, as he tells off Pauline's mum for accusing Pauline of being a criminal when really she just has a gambling addiction, and where he tells Louisa that he can't bear to live without her.

* [[Killed Off for Real]]: {{spoiler|Auntie Joan}} dies of a heart attack offscreen during the hiatus between seasons 4 and 5.

* [[Loan Shark]]: It turns out that Bert has had to go to some loan sharks to keep his restaurant afloat.

* [[My Local|The Local]]: The Crab and Lobster.

{{quote|'''Martin:''' I was locked in the cupboard under the stairs as a child, and it never did me any harm.}}

* [[Mood Whiplash]]: A deliberate part of the format, with a dark and light story winding around each other every episode.

* [[Mystery of the Week]]: Either a single patient with a strange illness or a town epidemic.

* [[Oedipus Complex]]: In one episode, a painter has this for Auntie Joan.

* [[Spock Speak]]: Ellingham, frequently.

** PC Penhale for PC Mylow.

** Originally Pauline for Elaine, though since Pauline has run for three seasons now she has a rather well developed, unique character.

*** Morwena is very much one for Pauline though.

** Averted with the replacement for Aunt Joan, Martin's Aunt Ruth is a very different person.

* [[Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?]]: Blood.

{{quote|'''PC Penhale:''' Give us a minute Nigel.

'''Nigel:''' All right. }}

* [[We Want Our Jerk Back]]: After Martin resigns to go to London at the end of season 4 he is replaced by the lovely, sweet, and patient Dr Dibbs. She's so bad at the job that it's a relief to get grumpy old Martin back.

* [[Will They or Won't They?]]: Martin and Louisa, and to some extent, Pauline and Al.

 

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