"Perish Together as Fools" - Season 04, Episode 03

- by Karen

PC Joe Penhale's brother, Sam, is visiting Portwenn. He's a painter... amongst other things. He's been contracted to paint the surgery and it's a good thing. Before painting (the wallpaper?) he starts off with an animated portrait of Pauline on the main wall in the surgery (c'mon, who in Portwenn wouldn't love to see that every time they come to the surgery?!) Anyway, Sam needs a little examination as the Doc suspects that something's off. This, of course, has PC Joe concerned since whatever his brother has might be genetic.. and Joe, well, he might die. Someday.

Pauline and Al keep getting their wires crossed and Pauline wants more... excitement, romance, and nothing same-y. Thanks to her private conversation with Bert, Al knows all and tries to fulfill her wishes. She's not happy about the changes and decides she wants Al back the way he was. Thankfully, because he doesn't seem to be doing too well with the changes.

Louisa decides to try to get her house back from its current tenant, thanks to Auntie Joan, so she sets the wheels in motion to get out of the pub-life. Things shift gears as she gets concerned about the baby. She hasn't felt him/her move in a while so Martin gives her a quick examination. Reassuringly, he hears the baby's heartbeat for the first time and you can see in his face that he is very much pleased about this baby coming into his life. 

But there's someone else (I'll give you two guesses and the first one doesn't count) who seems to be quite ticked off about this whole situation and takes pleasure in the constant belittling of the romance that happened between Louisa and Martin. The green-eyed monster rears its ugly head... and the redhead ain't afraid to use it!

Kippers, paint crack, special relationships, and half-naked Joe hugging the Doc... this crazy train is on the track with no signs of stopping. They'll Perish Together as Fools, no doubt. Enjoy!





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"Uneasy Lies the Head" - Season 04, Episode 02

- by Karen

Louisa returns to Portwenn... about 6 months pregnant. She let's Martin know he's the father but she doesn't want his help. Especially when she sees the delightful Edith sitting inside Martin's house when she tells him. Things get even better when Edith turns out to be one of her OB docs at the Truro hospital. 

The town is happy Louisa is back home where she belongs. You can really see it on their faces when she comes into the pub looking for a temporary room. Mrs. Tishell is there, too. And, yes, she does faint at the news Louisa is carrying Martin's child.

One of the reasons Louisa has come back to town is because there's a part-time position available at the school. But the Head Master has some... shall we say... issues... to deal with first. Maybe once he's dried off after walking into the Sea and has stopped twitching he'll be in a better position to make some decisions? One can only hope.

Pauline's Uncle Jimmy and his wife are having trouble getting pregnant. And he's none too happy that Louisa and the Doc didn't seem to have any trouble at all. He's pissed at the world. However, part of the problem is that Uncle Jimmy is working hard at finding a cure for something else. Something 'exotic'...

Pregnancy, small testicles, floating arms, blue wee, and Auntie Jill. We get up close and personal in this episode. Get ready for Uneasy Lies the Head... Cheers!

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"Better the Devil" - Season 04, Episode 01

- by Karen

It's the first episode in season 4, and it seems Louisa has left Portwenn for some time after the non-wedding. However, the Doc can’t help but to look for her around town whenever he sees long brown hair in a ponytail.

The show opens with the Doc carrying a bag of something... and it's leaving a trail of blood all along the streets of Portwenn, all the way back to the surgery. It’s an organ. Possibly a liver. A bloody liver. He puts it in a tin and grabs a scalpel. Looks like someone is trying to face some demons. But why now?

Bert comes to the surgery. He’s got a feeling. Something’s missing in his life and he discusses it with the Doc... because the Doc can “understand” what it’s like to be alone. Bert’s looking for a little romance. And Al’s just the guy to help him find a lady-friend. But is Bert really ready to meet the "needs" of the modern woman?

Yeah. This is good stuff.

Mrs. Tishell’s husband, Clive, arrives home. He works as a safety officer on a rig out in the Sea and it seems that the constant banging noise out there has affected his hearing. Sexually-deprived (read: randy) Clive is happy to be home with his wife... unfortunately Sal isn’t quite feeling all warm and fuzzy about him being back. 
But she’ll take care of that.

And an old colleague of the Doc’s is circling Portwenn. Edith. It's pretty clear that she was more than just a past colleague. She’s doing research at the hospital in Truro where she and Doc run into each other - and where she proceeds to belittle his work as a GP. Edith's the complete opposite of Louisa. The Doc finds this slightly refreshing in a weird, might-need-a-rebound-no-strings-attached kinda way. She’s an extremely cold person. So cold, in fact, she makes the Doc seem caring and kind. 

But not so fast, Dr. Crazy Lady. It’s the end of the episode... and since the writers love their viewers... there’s a knock on the door. And there’s a big surprise waiting on the other side...

Poor Doc is facing the devil, for sure. Which one will he choose to conquer first? Season 4 starts off with a bang. Hold on to your hats!  Enjoy... Better the Devil...

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"In Sickness and in Health (Happily Ever After)" - Season 03, Episode 07

- by Karen Haviley

The big day has finally arrived. Or has it?

Martin and Louisa do their best to get to the church. Not gonna happen.
Let's break it down with a few pictures, shall we?

The Vicar (who's been tossing a few back) gets in a tug of war with his booze of choice and the Doc. He falls and fractures a hip. He's out.

Then there's the replacement Vicar from Delabole, Mr. Porter, who saves the day but not before Martin has to re-insert a rectum. (Mr. Porter's pig's rectum, that is) Hmph.

There was a *small* incident at the Large Restaurant - the reception site...

aaand then again at the NEW reception site (with a circus tent constructed and assembled by the aforementioned Large Restaurant owners).

Then PC Penhale actually makes an arrest in town... too bad it’s the florist who has the wedding flowers under lock and key... with no key to be found.

And finally, Louisa's only bridesmaid goes into labor...

Yes. All of this in a span of 5 or 6 hours. (gotta love television)
Is there any wonder why they feel this whole thing probably shouldn't happen?


What an end to Season 3! And what’s in store for Season 4? It’s not going to be pretty, that’s for sure. How do you recover from an event like this in a small village? We can’t wait to find out.

Enjoy the Season 3 closing ceremonies – or lack thereof – in Happily Ever After…. Cheers!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARTIN!

Happy Birthday Martin Clunes!

We want to wish you good Health, happiness and prosperity.  (You got that all covered but take some more).   And we hope that you make many more Season of Doc Martin.  Like #6,7,8.....

Cheers and have a great day.

From Rock the Doc Podcast (if you even know we exist)

"The Two of Us (Nowt So Queer)" - Season 03, Episode 06

- by Karen Haviley

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our U.S. listeners!
Here at Rock the Doc we are grateful for many things (including all of YOU!) and we hope you, too, have a long list of things you're grateful for this year. Enjoy the special Turkey Day podcast! Now pass us a few pumpkin pie martinis! (you thought I made that up!)

The Doc and Louisa are engaged. And they didn't waste any time sealing the deal either. Dave the postman catches them saying goodbye in the wee hours of the morning while he's on his route. It was only a 'little' awkward, though. But it's clear these two are pretty excited to have finally moved to the next level in their on again/off again relationship (or whatever you would call what they were doing).

The whole town is pretty happy, too. Well... all except Mrs. Tishell.

Al finally gets into the books at Large Restaurant and starts asking some questions about why Bert has lost so much money since he opened. All evidence points to some funny business by Mick. Which is what Al suspected all along. Bert is relieved but he's still out quite a bit of money and it doesn't look like Mick will be paying it back anytime soon.

The Doc's patient, Beth, is recovering from knee-replacement surgery and it's not healing like it should. She keeps insisting she's taking the medication but her sister, Janet, seems to be intercepting the antibiotics. Pauline informs the Doc of the Black Spinster's Widow's past and soon he finds himself spooked just a bit by her presence, too. After many visits to their house for well-checks on Beth, he discovers the real problem is not the antibiotics she's not taking.. it's the ones she is taking. Janet is a research scientist and poor Beth is a guinea pig for her new self-launched antibiotic trials.

Solving that mystery also takes care of another problem in the town involving Bert, Dave and Mick. It's true.. once one of them gets it, they all get it!

But enough of that. We've got a wedding to plan! And since the next episode is the last in season 3, it surely will pull out all the stops for the characters in this funky little town.

Embezzlement, a crazy old bat, love triangles and a postman who couldn't possibly finish his route in one day. Life in Portwenn is Nowt So Queer after all (yeah, right!!).... Enjoy!

TRIVIA QUESTION: What does the acronym MRSA mean?

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"Breaking Up is Hard To Do (The Holly Bears a Prickle)" - Season 03, Episode 05

- by Karen Haviley

The stage is set. Louisa and the Doc have their first date. An evening of classical music, outdoors on a lovely estate. Romantic, right? Well...

Louisa’s friend, Holly, is one of the featured performers of the evening which is why Louisa has tickets in the first place. Things start out extremely well - they compliment each other, look lovingly at each other, and then they end up pretty much as you’d expect: Louisa tells the Doc she doesn’t want to see him anymore. It’s clear that this time she means it. She’s done trying to make things work and tired of waiting for ‘them’ to begin. 

And the Doc knows it.

Bert can’t figure out why he’s in the red. Al gets suspicious but he has bigger fish to fry at the moment: Pauline’s gambling. It's really starting to have an effect on her normally pleasant demeanor and the Doc is becoming increasingly aware that there's a problem. Especially when collections comes the surgery to take away her scooter due to late payments. It’s then she admits she has a real problem... she’s not winning enough.

Meanwhile, Holly comes for a quick visit to Portwenn to admire this ‘idyllic’ place. She’s in a rush, though, and jumps down from a ladder to a rock - a moment that sets off a chain of events that leads to a seriously surprising ending with the Doc and Louisa. It's not pretty, but it gets us to where we've been patiently waiting to see these two. 

Romance grows, ends, blooms again, ends again and finally reaches it's highest point. It's clear: Breaking Up is Hard To Do... even for Doc Martin.

Enjoy!

TRIVIA QUESTION: Holly mentions a colleague of the Doc's from London, Johnny Bamford, but what is the significance of this name? 

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"The GP Always Rings Twice (The Admirer)" - Season 03, Episode 04

- by Karen Haviley

Well, well, well... isn’t this an interesting episode. The title definitely lives up to its name.

The new painter in town, Edward, has his eye on Auntie Joan. And the Doc gets an eye-full when he visits her to drop off some papers. Maybe it’s the estrogen or the news that she in fact does have osteoporosis, but folks, this part is worth watching a few times. If you’ve ever witnessed one of your elders in a compromising position, your compassion and empathy for the Doc will be overflowing; and likewise, if you were the one who was CAUGHT - well, you'll no doubt have a good chuckle about this clip. (Kudos to the writers and director!) Oh, did we mention that Edward is about 50 years her junior? 

The owner of the local hotel, Carrie Wilson (or ‘harpy’ as Mrs. Tishell affectionately refers to her), has her eye on the Doc. She makes every excuse to grab his attention. But in true Doc fashion, he’s just seriously annoyed by her. Not to worry, the Doc takes care of her... and her little dog, too.

With all of this flirting going on with Carrie and the Doc, Louisa realizes that she can no longer sit on the sidelines and wait for Martin to act. She makes the first move and asks him out to a charity concert the following week. An orchestra. Amateurs. This should be good.

Al is back in town, but he nearly gets arrested by the new and improved PC Penhale right out of the gate. Bert is happy to see him, but it’s clear he’s not feeling well after his amazing travels abroad. Or maybe they weren’t so amazing after all. Things have clearly changed in Portwenn and Al is starting to feel that it’s a good thing he came back to town when he did.

Oedipus complex, tsetse flies, more scratch-offs, tarts about town and jealousy abounds in Portwenn this week. Thank goodness The GP Always Rings Twice...  but next time he'll remember to knock... loudly.

Enjoy!

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"Love Thy Neighbor (City Slickers)" - Season 03, Episode 03

- by Karen Haviley

So the Doc and Louisa try once again to have dinner at home. It’s rather awkward as they seem to each want to say something to the other. They don’t get the chance to break the ice before the new neighbors invite themselves in -- and in turn the Doc invites himself out.

The new neighbors are definitely different -- but not in a good Portwenn kinda-way. They don't believe in 'mainstream parenting' so their son, Sam, gets to be as irresponsible as he wants without consequences. 

Lucky for them, PC Penhale is suffering from what the Doc believes to be agoraphobia. So PC won’t be leaving the station house to hunt down Sam anytime soon.

Al’s still traveling the world (or wherever) so Pauline is filling some of her time by playing scratch-offs. She wins enough cash to consider purchasing a scooter. You can sense this is not going to end well.

Sweet, little ole Mrs. Averill has come to see the Doc about a few rashes she’s developed. It turns out to be eczema but her cough is even more disconcerting. Especially when she starts to cough up blood. After some tests it turns out to be TB which has spread to one of the new inhabitants of her old house.

Must be the lack of inoculations... or it COULD be the ceremony that the new neighbors were holding over the burning badger in their yard. One can never tell what causes these things.

Lofty city folk, burning badgers, funky green soup, more gambling, and TB... it's time to give thanks that you don't have neighbors like these - and to pray you never do!

Love Thy Neighbor... easier said than done! Enjoy!

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"The Morning After (Movement)" - Season 03, Episode 02

- by Karen Haviley

In this episode we discover what idea Bert’s been mulling over these last few weeks: he’s opening a restaurant. Yes. That’s right. Bert’s opening a restaurant. That should help his depression. Or at the very least it should help him develop new medical ailments.

Pauline is heading off to her Phlebotomy course in Truro for a couple of days so her replacement, Poppy, is filling in. Things start off well with Poppy and the Doc which Pauline doesn’t see coming, so she gives her some advice to help secure her position upon her return.

A young girl is struggling with her teenage ‘physical development’ and comes to see the Doc for treatment (can you imagine?). His instincts are spot on and after initiating an innovative plan, her confidence is soaring.

Louisa invites the Doc over for dinner on the night of Bert’s grand opening. The Doc shows up, not with flowers or wine, but with a bag of yams. You know, to help her iron-poor blood since she’s anemic. I mean, c’mon, flowers die in a few days, right? And with yams you get..... nah, I’m not digging him out of that one.

The dinner doesn’t go as planned and they end up at Bert’s restaurant. The Doc makes a gruesome discovery in his salad and that ends that. Or so he thinks.

The town has come down with some kind of virus and everyone’s at the surgery the next day. The common denominator seems to be Bert’s restaurant. But not.. so.. fast, Dr. Ellingham.....

It’s another beautiful day in Portwenn! Don’t you wish your own town was so exciting on a daily basis?

Enjoy the ride, folks... we've got Movement.

TRIVIA QUESTION: (2 parts) What is the actor’s name that plays Mick Mabely AND what other show was he on with Martin Clunes?

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