Doc Martin

I love a good TV series/drama, and Doc Martin is exactly that and more. Every time it comes on, it always makes my night, and is consistently wonderful and engrossing.

Doc Martin has some beautiful production values. The photography is always skillful, but I just love the beautiful, almost picturesque scenery. The music is lovely too, not just the accompanying music in scenes but the main title theme too.

Where Doc Martin also scores is in the writing. Of all the shows on ITV, this for me is one of the most consistent in terms of written quality, always being funny, subtle, honest and touching. The story lines are also very well explored, any issues or problems the characters face are done in a gripping way that doesn't patronise or offend.

The direction is great too, while the pace is never too rushed or too slow and each episode is a perfect length and leaves you satisfied when it ends.

The characters are always engaging, especially the title character, who is really quite lovable once you get to know him. The acting helps to make these characters likable, Caroline Catz and Ian McNiece are always great, but it is Martin Clunes who holds the show together and he is brilliant. I quite liked Clunes even before this show, especially in Goodbye Mr Chips, but after seeing him here I confess I love him even more now.

All in all, just wonderful and I am amazed how consistently strong it is. 10/10 Bethany Cox

This gem of a series is lifted out of the sickly-sweet genre of medic/policeman in small quirky country community (often with 'heart' somewhere in the title and 'heartwarming' in the reviews - ugh!) by the spectacular social ineptness of the lead character, Doc Martin, perfectly played by Martin Clunes. Imagine the series if Doc Martin was an ordinary GP, and you'll see what I mean. I was first attracted by the wonderful scenery of Port Isaac in Cornwall (Port Wen in the series)but quickly got interested in how he was going to put his foot in it this week. The story lines are average I would say, some better than others, usually centred on a different medical incident each week, but the real interest is in the relationships between the villagers and the doctor, and how they develop over time. It is always entertaining (and even the not-so-good plot lines are enlivened by the beautiful landscape) and sometimes extremely funny - something to look forward to.

Doc Martin is as close as it gets to perfection. Martin Clunes and Dominic Minghella should (and I'm sure do) take intense pride over their creation. The writing is the best in the business, the director Ben Bolt is amazing, and the acting is subtle, natural, hilarious and touching. In addition to Martin Clunes, Caroline Catz has shown herself to be one of the best of her generation. And the scenery and music, of course, are beautiful.

Pleeeeeeaaaaaaaase, please, please Mr. and Mrs. Clunes: Don't sell out to us Yanks. Let the American version of Men Behaving Badly be your guide...Don't do it, ever, under any circumstances!

I do not understand why some people do not understand why they love this series nor understand why they love Doc Martin. Some dedicated viewers really don't understand why they are so hooked! So I shall tell them why they love Doc Martin. Doc Martin is real. I am a registered nurse and have worked in the Operating Room (theater, if you are picky) and I can tell you this man exists. That is why I switched to the Medical Floor, to get away from the Doc Martins of the hospital. Good grief, they are intimidating. It takes years to find out how weak and vulnerable and sad they are. When a patient codes and doesn't make it, the Doc Martins of the world are left to handle their grief and feelings alone. Isn't that sad? We notice (and love) Doc Martin first of all because he oozes alpha male chemistry and we react to that with a mixture of love and hate, contempt and admiration. We love him second of all because he has transcended most of his feelings (unlike us) and has moved to a higher plane of capability because of it and we benefit from his capability and confidence. We love him thirdly because he needs our love and he has been so mistreated and has such voids within him. There are all kind of subtle clues that Doc Martin is wonderful, but none so telling as the fact that dogs love him and are not impressed by his screams and sneers. You cannot fool a dog! Why does America love this series so much? Because the British do a much finer job than we do at so many many film endeavors. From the impeccable casting to the brilliant writing and believable dialogue to the ability the British have to plumb the depths and soar the heights of human drama and comedy without having holes and gaps that need filled with obscenity or worse. Thanks to the British for their genius. They are even brilliant in the way they use color to match the characters to the environment and create an ambiance that disarms the viewer. I love British films and "Doc Martin" best of all. I suspect another reason America is enthralled with the Doc Martin series is because we Americans are having socialized medicine crammed down our unwilling throats, and watching socialized medicine in action adds a certain little touch of horror spice to the story that Brits probably do not even notice.

Being an ex-pat Brit, I am well aware of how the country has changed in many ways not to my liking, but one thing they still do so well in the UK has not changed, and that is dramas of this genre. I lived in various parts of the English countryside as a kid, and I know that eccentric characters like this really do abound. As for the comment about the local lovelies, you should try the seaside towns of Cardigan Bay in Wales, a goodly number of beauties there, I assure you, it must be the bracing sea air. Regarding another comment, I too went to the church and lit a candle to pray that nobody in Hollywood will even think of making an American version of this very charming drama. Looking forward to the fourth series and also hoping for a happy ending, soppy romantic that I am.