Doc Martin Season 1 Fresh Eyes: A Best Medicine Know-It-All Watches Doc Martin for the First Time

Podcast Portwenn Season 2 kicks off with a fresh twist on the Doc Martin newbie experience. Chesla is joined by Patty, a familiar face from the Best Medicine playlist but this time, Patty has just finished watching Doc Martin Season 1 for the very first time. Having already seen all 13 episodes of Best Medicine, Patty brings a uniquely informed perspective: she knows the American adaptation inside and out, and now she's meeting the gold standard original.Patty shares her first impressions of Doc Martin (Martin Clunes), describing him as oddly familiar: her background in high-tech workplaces has left her well-acquainted with brilliant people who struggle with social graces. She's immediately drawn to Aunt Joan (Stephanie Cole), appreciating how Joan holds Martin accountable with love rather than excusing his rudeness.The conversation digs into the memorable and sometimes uncomfortable moments of Season 1: the ketchup prank that crossed a line, the cringe-worthy halitosis comment that derailed Martin and Louisa's (Caroline Catz) first kiss, the dream sequence that fooled everyone (including the dog), and the awkward teenage crush that stretched believability.Comparing the two shows, Patty and Chesla examine how the characters translate across the Atlantic. PC Mark Mylow (Stewart Wright) comes across as shy and endearing in Portwenn, a contrast to his more blustery Best Medicine counterpart Sheriff Mark Mylow (Josh Segarra). The Elaines, Elaine Denham (Judy Punch) and Elaine Denton (Cree), share a knack for snark, but Best Medicine's Elaine showed a softer, more redeeming side much earlier. Al Large (Joe Absolom) in Doc Martin is nerdy and insecure, whereas Al Large (Carter Shimp) in Best Medicine struck Patty as warmer and more self-assured.They also explore the blood phobia backstory, laid out early and plainly in Doc Martin versus the slow, tantalizing drip of clues in Best Medicine, and debate whether Robert Best (Martin Clunes) and the writers can afford to keep audiences waiting much longer. The social geography of the two Portwenns gets a look too: Cornwall feels genuinely working-class and rural, while the Maine version reads as considerably more upscale, narrowing the gap between the doctor and his neighbors.Patty's predictions for Season 2: a rocky but progressing Martin-Louisa relationship, Mark as a temporary obstacle, and hopefully some growth from Elaine. She'll be back — and so will we.⚠️ This episode contains Best Medicine spoilers throughout. Doc Martin viewers who haven't seen Best Medicine may want to take note.