Under doctor’s orders
THERE’S jeopardy from the off in the sleepy Cornish village when a farmer gets stuck in a cow crush with her leg dangling through the floor.
Doc Martin Ellingham, played by Martin Clunes, may not be friendly but you can’t argue with his super dedicated GP call-out service.
There’s no waiting on hold for 20 minutes listening to Michael Bublé on a loop in Portwenn.
But Martin’s attitude seems to have finally caught up with him in this ninth series.
“I know a lot of folks think you’re a to**er, but I’ll be sorry to see you go,” snaps the aforementioned woman-withleg-stuck.
The rumours that the doc is about to be struck off are flying through the village but he’s convinced they are wrong.
However, a multitude of complaints has led to the arrival of a rather cold fish from the General Medical Council.
Rebecca Hedden (played by Holby’s Hermione Gulliford) plans to shadow him, observe, assess and scribble notes furiously as he barks at all his patients. Unsurprisingly, the doc finds all this quite irritating.
In other news, little James Henry starts at nursery, leading to some questions about whether or not Martin and Louisa (Caroline Catz) are planning a second child.
And this week’s medical crisis is provided by Mrs Tishell (Selina Cadell), who decides to go on a date with someone she met at book club. But it all ends in disaster when she has a terrible accident.
For irascible doctor comedy meets Casualty-level drama, there’s no better show.