Those late to the party may be wondering, “How many seasons of Doc Martin are there?” and happily, there are many to enjoy, each with its own merits and flaws. Doc Martin is a British comedy-drama series that first premiered in 2004 and ended in 2022. The beloved series produced a total of 10 seasons, chronicling the lives of Dr. Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes) and his friends in the sleepy Cornish village of Portwenn.
Doc Martin is a cozy, warm, and intelligent series that treats its characters with respect even when it’s poking fun at small-town English life and Dr. Martin’s eccentricities and foibles. A medical TV drama as well as lighthearted comedy, Doc Martin follows the exploits of the title character who moves to Portwenn as the village’s general practioner after working many years in London. The kooky villagers and the anti-social Dr. Martin come to a begrudging respect over the years and the series’ 10 seasons show his growth from an outsider to an indispensable member of Portwenn.
Doc Martin Seasons | ||
|---|---|---|
Season | Release Year | Episode Count |
1 | 2004 | 6 |
2 | 2005-2006 | 8 |
3 | 2007 | 7 |
4 | 2009 | 8 |
5 | 2011 | 8 |
6 | 2013 | 8 |
7 | 2015 | 8 |
8 | 2017 | 8 |
9 | 2019 | 8 |
10 | 2022 | 9 |
10
Season 10 (2022)
Doc Martin Is Not The Same After A Long Break
Doc Martin season 10, the final season of the series, aired in September 2022, nearly three years after the season 9 finale. Season 10 takes place a year after the season 9 ending and Martin has not returned to medicine since the events of the previous season, instead choosing to care full-time for his and Louisa’s (Caroline Catz) new baby Mary Elizabeth, though that doesn’t last long. The arrival of Louisa’s father, Terry Glasson (Kenneth Cranham), from prison throws a wrench into their quiet lives.
As ever, Clunes does an admirable job bringing his strange charm and gruff but lovable attitude to the show but after a three-year hiatus, Doc Martin season 10 simply loses its steam. There’s little of the same warmth from previous seasons and storylines feel rushed with the series finale featuring a surprise pregnancy with one couple and a proposal for another. It’s always unfortunate when the final season of a TV show is its worst, but season 10 doesn’t erase the goodwill from the rest of Doc Martin.
9
Season 6 (2013)
A Stuffier Tone Than Previous Doc Martin Seasons With Some Surprises
Season 6 of Doc Martin premiered in September 2013 and begins with the doctor and Louisa finally getting married. However, the season sees Dr. Martin still unable to shed his grouchy and abrupt personality, leading to friction between him and Louisa, and their young son James is caught in the middle. Aunt Ruth (Eileen Atkins) purchases a cottage in Portwenn for permanent residence and is convinced to turn it into a bed and breakfast at the end of the season.
The end of the season finds Martin saving Louisa’s life with an emergency surgery and recommitting to his wife and son, just as they are about to leave him on a long holiday. Its odd tonal shifts like this make season 6 more awkward than others. Two years after season 5, season 6 of Doc Martin returns feeling slightly stuffy and flat, which takes away from the charm. Opposing tones like Ruth starting a B&B and Louisa’s brain surgery are an odd mix.
8
Season 5 (2011)
Some Major Story Changes But A Shift In Doc Martin’s Tone
The major event of Doc Martin season 5 is the off-screen death of Aunt Joan (Stephanie Cole). This is a crushing blow for Martin, as Joan was a surrogate for his absentee and cold mother and the reason he went to Portwenn in the first place. At her funeral, Martin is reunited with her sister, his Aunt Ruth, who would go on to become a major character in the series. Martin also has to contend with the birth of his son James and after some hemming and hawing, decides to move in with Louisa.
It’s a season of loss and new life, and the tone is certainly changed with Stephanie Cole gone. However, the introduction of Aunt Ruth is a welcome breath of fresh air and Ruth Ellingham is a wonderful addition to the cast for the rest of the series. Bringing in a child to the dynamic in the show also makes for some interesting conflicts in Martin’s usually cold character. Season 5 does overcorrect a bit, possibly due to its serious storylines, and has a much more comic and twee feel which doesn’t fit with the usual tone of the show.
7
Season 4 (2009)
A Fine Season Of Doc Martin Doesn’t Offer Anything New
Doc Martin season 4, which premiered in September 2009, begins with Louisa having left Portwenn after Martin calls off their wedding in the previous season. She returns before the season premiere finishes with the surprise news that she’s pregnant with Martin’s child. Martin spends much of the season debating what kind of life he wants to have as a father, as well as spurning the unwanted advances of Edith Montgomery (Lia Williams).
The season ends with Louisa going into labor, but the baby would not be revealed until season 5. Season 4 is a fine season but doesn’t have the same magic as Doc Martin‘s first three installments. The wait between seasons 3 and 4 was the longest at the time, and when it returned, something was very slightly off in regards to the tone and story. Clunes still leads a warm ride but Doc Martin season 4’s quality dips in comparison to what came before it.
6
Season 7 (2015)
A Strong Season For Martin Clunes But Not As Lighthearted As Previous Installments
After having saved Louisa’s life in the previous season, Dr. Martin returns to Portwenn recommitted to his wife and son, and begins to see a therapist to make good on his promise while Louisa and James are visiting her mother in Spain. When Louisa returns, she and Martin visit with Dr. Rachel Timoney (Emily Bevan) to uncover just why Martin has been so cold. This season of Doc Martin also features a cameo from Sigourney Weaver as an American tourist in episode 7, “Facta Non Verba”.
The therapy aspect of Doc Martin season 7 offers an interesting wrinkle to the show and finally gets the stoic Martin to divulge more information about his personal life. When Louisa and Martin consider their relationship may not be for the best, it actually feels like there’s a real chance they separate adding a sense of tension to the season. Dr. Martin avoids falling into the trap of becoming too loveable as more insights are revaled about him, so his characterization stays consistent even if the season feels less warm.
5
Season 9 (2019)
The Continued Reliability Of Late Period Doc Martin Seasons
Dr. Martin’s credentials are put on the line in Doc Martin season 9. A medical board, still concerned with the hemophobia – fear of blood – he developed in London before the show began, sends an assessor to examine his progress. This comes to a head in the season finale when Martin vomits during a surgery and swears off practicing medicine. There is cause for celebration, however, as Louisa announces that she’s pregnant again at the end of the season.
Martin’s struggles, as well as Aunt Ruth’s memory loss shown throughout the season, are heavier themes than usual for the series, but the sense of unease is offset by the promised comedy and cordiality of season 9. The season continues to walk in the same nostalgic rhythm that season 8 found after years of struggling to recapture the show’s charms.
4
Season 8 (2017)
A Return To What Made The Series So Great
Doc Martin season 8 is a return to form for the series after seasons 4-7 were a noticeable downgrade from the beginnings of the show. In season 8, Lousia and Martin successfully rekindle their relationship, and the frustrating will-they, won’t-they divorce dance of season 7 is finally put to bed. The season is filled with the familiar shorter storylines that make the first three seasons such an easy joy to watch, but it still provides some high stakes when Martin’s hemophobia causes an accident with a patient.
This season-ending event leads right into the medical board troubles in season 9. Sigourney Weaver also returns for the season finale, “All My Trials”. Seasons 4-7 of Doc Martin were by no means bad but they did not feel aligned with the show that premiered in 2004. Season 8 gets back to the essential Doc Martin and allows Clude to play the character with as much awkwardness and scruffy lovability as always.
3
Season 3 (2007)
A Solid & Dependable Season Of Doc Martin
Season 3 of Doc Martin finds Martin and Louisa going through an awkward dating phase that sees them apart for a time at which point Carrie Wilson (Louise Delamere) tries to woo him. Aunt Joan’s health also begins to deteriorate, hinting at sad events to come in the series. Despite all these setbacks, Martin suddenly proposes to Louisa who accepts just as quickly but at the very last moment of season 3, the pair call off the wedding, leaving everyone waiting in the church.
Clunes is as excellent as ever in his role as Dr. Martin and in season 3, seems to have completely figured the character out. Absurd, darkly funny, and still serious when it needs to be, season 3 of Doc Martin offers exactly what fans should expect. However, this season proves that while the show can continue to be excellent there are not many fresh directions it can go in.
2
Season 1 (2004)
A Series Premiere That Proved Doc Martin Would Be Exceptional
The first season of Doc Martin showed exactly what kind of series it would be: a cozy, smart, and often biting medical comedy-drama with a strangely relatable character at the center. Season 1 begins with Dr. Martin leaving London after developing hemophobia and retiring to what he hopes is a quiet practice in Cornwall. However, the town proves they are not going to make his life easy, ending the season with a ketchup prank that targets Martin’s fear of blood.
Doc Martin proved it was not any run-of-the-mill comedy show with season 1 and Clunes’ ability to play a thoroughly odd character and make him likable indicated the series would last a long time. It does feel like season 1 is working to find its footing tonally and discover who the interesting characters are, but it’s immediately apparent how delightful Doc Martin will be going forward.
1
Season 2 (2005-2006)
When Doc Martin Found Its Footing
If season 1 of Doc Martin proved what the show could be, season 2 perfected it and proved the series would be here to stay. In season 2, Martin begins his unorthodox courtship of Louisa, which is funny and heartwarming all the same. Key characters like Pauline Lamb (Katherine Parkinson) and Martin’s unkind and difficult parents are introduced, revealing why the character behaves the way he does.
It’s in season 2 that Doc Martin finds its footing and uncovers the best balance of comedy, romantic drama, and medical storylines that make the series shine. With Martin’s backstory all but explained, Clunes has free reign to make the character his and turn the show into nearly two decades of enjoyment for viewers. Confident, smart, and respectful of the audience and characters, Doc Martin season 2 is the high point of the series.
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