Erotomania

This is a hilarious episode. It involves obsessions and commitments. The Doc sits in the middle of several stories. First of all is his own romantic connection to Louisa. When she is cut loose from her former boyfriend, who tries to rush her into marriage, she turns to Martin. The scene where the two have too much too drink is amazing. It's also sad and endearing. Other more sad moments come from the always positive (and often depressed) Mark, who gets news that is disturbing. Unfortunately, Doc finds himself in the midst of this as well. And then there is the pharmacy lady with the neck brace who tries to get prescriptions from Martin. He is an utter stickler for rules and will not play fast and loose with them. This is such a wonderful series with a balance of time, place, character, and plot, usually relating to a single theme.

First off it's tough to see PC Mylow leaving because he's replaced by an even stupider PC who goes so overboard it's like he's trying to be a hybrid of Peter Sellers and all Three Stooges rolled into one, but not funny...

Mylow was a great character (his lecture to Doc when he first finds out about his blonde fiance is sublime, first-rate acting, something the loony PC never pulled off) and it would have been better had he remained, at least for the two seasons left of what I call The Joan Years, which, to me, are the best seasons of the show... Once Aunt Mummy replaces Joan the show loses some of its charm...

Also important is, here's the first episode where polar opposites Martin and Louisa stare at each other and say how much they love each other until, not long after, Martin pretty much becomes... himself again...

Making Louisa get angry that Doc is Doc and this happens so much during the course of the series, most fans defend Doc Martin over the perfect woman Louisa, who really is anything but... if she loves him warts and all, just ignore the warts, woman!!!!!

Anyhow, not a bad episode and not a great one, and it's also nice seeing Doc sleeping with the dog, who soon gets replaced as well. This series replaces almost everyone, doesn't it?

I think this episode is one of the best as humor is implicit in every speech of the actors.The intense emotional moment of drinking around the table finishes totally unexpected !!!!!!. Both are overwhelmed, but every one in a personal manner. Anyway, love is not in Martin's province! Louisa tried to find the real Martin and she succeeded to a certain point. She knows for sure that Martin loves her and actually that's what she wanted to find out first.

But, the doctor is so scared of love, of the complexity of his own feeling so that he tries to escape in a "medical" way. Of course, it is totally unacceptable for a woman like Louisa. That's why I said at the beginning it was one of the best occasions for Mrtin Clunes to show a nice sample of playing in a humorous and in the same time in a very serious manner.