Doc Martin fans rejoice! As you can tell from the title, the latest episode of FOX’s Best Medicine pays tribute to the original British series in an exciting way. But it does more than that. It is the most emotional installment of this show so far, which is conveyed through both the writing and performances.
That makes Best Medicine Season 1, Episode 9 a strong episode for this quirky and cozy dramedy.
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“I’ve never understood nostalgia.”
Doc Martin is a beloved show. Besides the general tone, Best Medicine has always emulated some of the plot points from it, such as some of the medical cases. This episode does that. Then it goes further by casting Doc Martin himself, Martin Clunes, as Martin’s father! (Yes, it’s a little meta that he has the same name as the character!)
Martin’s parents come to Port Wenn for a visit, and, just like on Doc Martin, they are terrible people. Their behavior explains a lot about who Martin is. He may be abrupt and antisocial, but after meeting his parents, it’s amazing he’s not even worse.
Martin’s father is deeply unpleasant. He’s unfairly judgmental, rude, and hypocritical. Veteran actress Judith Ivey plays Martin’s mother, and she’s not much better. In one scene, she’s outright mean to Elaine (Cree). She tells her, “You’re adorable, but not as adorable as you think you are,” and refers to Elaine’s influencer work as “garbage.”
I was ready to throw hands! I’m not that into online content, either, but Elaine is not garbage. Besides that, Martin’s parents came to Port Wenn to sell Aunt Sarah’s (Annie Potts) house out from under her. Yeah, it’s safe to say we don’t like them. When they leave at the end of the episode, we want them to stay away.
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“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”
All of this drama helps to develop Martin (Josh Charles) as a character. He is more sympathetic than he’s ever been in this episode, and that progress is something the writers have charted out quite well. Charles’ performance continues to be exceptional. The final confrontation between Martin and his father hits hard, with Martin insisting they should have dealt with the death of Martin’s sister when they were children, while his father remains emotionally closed off.
I think Charles and Clunes work beautifully together. Martin and Sarah have another bonding scene at the end of the episode, too, so the touching beats keep coming.
That includes Martin and Louisa (Abigail Spencer). This ship tends toward the low-key and sweet type of interaction, and that’s the case in this episode. Martin is still learning how to be more sensitive about things. But he has already opened up to her a lot. There’s a great moment when his hemophobia kicks in, and she supports him through it.
This is significant because Louisa’s ex-fiancé, Mark (Josh Segarra), is the one who gets hurt. She helps Mark focus through this medical emergency, but when Martin’s phobia forces him to leave the room, Louisa follows him. That is the choice she makes in that moment. Both men are in a crisis, but Martin is the one she goes to. The meaning of that is not lost on me.
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“He’s not just a patient, he’s a person.”
Speaking of Mark’s injury, it’s the most tense medical situation this show has done so far. He literally accidentally impales himself on a piece of metal. It makes you wince, but it also makes you worried because Mark is such a likable character. You know his life is not in danger. However, you still get a sense of how serious the stakes are in these scenes.
There is a good touch of Port Wenn quirkiness here, too, when everyone sings the school song to keep Mark calm while the doctors help him. It may not be the kind of thing a “prestige” television show would do, but it feels right for the world of this show.
Most of the other supporting characters are likable, too. That’s something that makes Port Wenn worth visiting every week. Even the small moments, like George (Jason Veasey) trying to get teenagers to appreciate his cooking in this episode, are usually entertaining. Sometimes they can veer too much into silliness, but not in this episode. “Doc Martin” is too dramatic to be silly. Best Medicine Season 1, Episode 9 could have leaned on its stunt casting for most of its impact, but it turns out to be an emotionally effective episode.
Best Medicine airs at 8 PM on Tuesdays on FOX and streams the next day on Hulu.
