Things have changed for Dr. Martin Best (Josh Charles) since the last time we saw him. He broke up with his girlfriend, and his latest medical case forced him to confront his emotions, which he let out in a hug with Louisa (Abigail Spencer). He doesn’t even know just how much things have changed. He’s not yet aware of Louisa’s new relationship with Parker (Jack Cutmore-Scott). “Can’t Stop the Healing” focuses on Martin’s learning and growth. That’s what makes Best Medicine Season 2, Episode 6 another strong episode.
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“Sometimes all they need is to be heard.”
The medical case Martin must deal with in this episode comes with a surprise. Remember Savannah (Helene York), the con-woman who accidentally caused a plague outbreak in Port Wenn during the first season of this show? Well, she’s back! Yeah, Martin has his hands full trying to counteract her advice to the town after she returns with a naturopathy license. One patient is almost as abrasive as Martin, telling him that maybe Savannah can cure his terrible personality. “She hasn’t cured yours,” he shoots back. Situations like this keep illustrating why Martin’s impatience with most people is justified a lot of the time.
The humor that can be the best part of this show pops up in this plot in other ways, too. Savannah turns a woman orange with a carrot diet, which is a funny sight gag. She also causes George (Jason Veasey) to lose his sense of taste just as a famous food critic is coming to the Salty Breeze. This leads to another surprise return. Greg (Stephen Spinella) brings back Gina (Nadia Dajani), the cook who parked her food truck in front of the Salty Breeze earlier this season, to help. She pulls off some great one-liners. From her, the mafia-style jokes land well.
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“If you keep putting your heart out there…it just gets stronger.”
The comedy of this series still largely happens thanks to the character of Mark (Josh Segarra), though, and this episode provides more of that than the last few installments. His attempts to tell Martin about his hookup with Eden in the last episode are funny. Then when he does manage to say it, the result is hilarious. It’s hard to measure the intensity of laughter when he says he and Eden were horizontal, vertical, “and, at one point, diagonal.” Also, Mark advises little Peter Cronk (Ben Lewis Doherty) about how to talk to a girl, which is a sweet interaction. I like the pairing of two characters who haven’t shared much screen time.
The other reliable source of comedy, Martin’s assistant Elaine (Cree), also delivers in this episode. Her acting ambitions take a step forward. She gets a local agent (from New Hampshire!) and is preparing for her first audition, which turns out to be a commercial for…wait for it…sex crayons! Yep, glow-in-the-dark sex crayons.
The moment she realizes that’s what they are is priceless. (How did she not figure it out when she was memorizing the script?) The fact that she actually books the commercial is the perfect way to cap off that episodic plotline, and I dearly hope we might get to see that commercial in a future episode!
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“You made me possible.”
Besides all this, though, the episode does what all of the episodes this season have done by developing Martin’s character more and more. It’s the best part of this season so far. By far. Martin’s reaction to Mark’s admission about Eden is low-key and calm. And we know why: his feelings for Louisa. By contrast, Martin’s reaction to Louisa’s new relationship with Parker is different. He becomes more hostile to Parker, which we expect from him, but he also does something else. He asks Louisa what she likes about Parker. Her answer, including that he’s a good listener, is the opposite of what others have been saying about Martin throughout the episode.
This is a bit heartbreaking. Louisa seems to understand that. She seems to know that Martin is comparing himself to her list and feels like he doesn’t measure up. That’s why she breaks down crying after this conversation. Martin makes the effort to grow by offering to be there for bully Glendon (Patch Darragh) if he starts his cancer treatments.
We know Martin is doing this for Louisa. Not specifically so she will be with him right now, because she’s with Parker, but to be the kind of person she wants. I respect Martin when he says there’s nothing wrong with not being a people person. But I also respect that he wants to improve. Best Medicine Season 2, Episode 6 continues the high quality of this season by doing that. I will be seated for more.
Best Medicine airs on FOX on Tuesdays at 8 PM and streams the next day on Hulu.
