Podcast Portwenn: Doc Martin & Best Medicine

Chesla Wechsler
  • 5.0 (8)
  • TV Reviews

Welcome to Podcast Portwenn — celebrating the world of Doc Martin, unofficially. I’m Chesla Wechsler and we’ll be discussing Doc Martin and Best Medicine. Whether it's Dr Ellingham or Dr Best, Martin Clunes or Josh Charles, Portwenn as one word or two, we're here for it. We'll talk about the show with people who are watching for the first time and people who've seen it all. We'll discuss the characters, the plots, what we appreciate about the show, you name it. Check the show notes for spoiler alerts! Doc Martin specific episodes contain spoilers for Best Medicine and are best avoided until you've watched multiple seasons of Best Medicine. Podcast Portwenn is an independent fan production — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Buffalo Pictures, ITV, Fox, or the creators of Doc Martin or Best Medicine. It will never generate money for me. If it is ever monetized, I commit to donating it all to charity.

  1. Sep 12

    Best Medicine Season 2 Preview: A Gen Z Fan's Hot Takes on Martin, Louisa & the New Love Pentagon

    Season One of Best Medicine ended in a tangle of misunderstandings, and I’ll have a Season Two podcast guest to help sort it out: Gabriela, a Gen Z viewer who runs with a whole Discord group of fellow fans. She found the show on Hulu (blood-phobic doctor, sold), then went back and watched Doc Martin to see where it all started.  She’ll be bringing her group chat's best theories with her. We also get into whether Al (Carter Shimp) should actually take one of those college acceptances or stick around Port Wenn for Elaine (Cree). Gabriela's take, as someone closer to Al's age than I am, might surprise you. Then there's the Best family. Robert (Martin Clunes) is confirmed to be returning, we debate whether he and his wife Vanessa are actually still together given what we know about Robert's gambling and Vanessa's very "radical honesty" psychology style. Glendon (Patch Darragh) gets the villain treatment too — we dig into why he's so threatened by Martin (Josh Charles) taking his spot as Port Wenn's big man around town. Of course we can't skip Martin and Louisa (Abigail Spencer). Between Eden (Eliza Coupe), Sheriff Mark (Josh Segarra)'s proposal, and a new monitor named Parker (Jack Cutmore-Scott) throwing a whole love pentagon into the mix, Gabriela and I both have opinions about where this actually goes by the end of season two. We also talk through what it would take to get Robert and Martin in a room to finally deal with the accident and Rosemary — and yes, we go there on generational trauma and why Martin's blood phobia shows up when it does. Plus: baby, or no baby, for Louisa? Subscribe for more Doc Martin and Best Medicine talk, join the conversation on YouTube, and let us know your own season two predictions in the comments.   [00:00] Hook [00:32] Introduction to Gabriela, a Gen Z Fan [01:57] Anticipating Season Two: Plot Predictions [03:34] Should Al Go To College? [04:42] Who is Mark's Dad? [05:34] Martin's Parents [07:28] Glendon as the Villain [09:52] Martin and Louisa: We Need Some Progress! [11:23] Getting Robert and Martin To Talk [14:38] Baby? No Baby? [15:10] How Gabriela Fits In

  2. Sep 6

    Doc Martin Season 7 Newbie Reaction: Couples Therapy, a Taser, and Patty's Big Told-You-So

    Patty has said it for seasons: Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz) keeps putting Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes) into situations he was never going to survive, then treats the wreckage as proof she was right. In Season 7, Dr. Rachel Timoney (Emily Bevan) asks whether Louisa is setting Martin up to fail on purpose, and whether that is really about avoiding intimacy. I could not WAIT for Patty to get to this season.  She’s been so on target with her comments. And I loved her reaction enough to make it the intro for the episode. Season 7 opens with Louisa in Spain for three weeks with no contact, and Martin just getting on with it until Aunt Ruth (Dame Eileen Atkins) points out how odd that is. Then comes the therapy: three hugs a day, three nice things, and an actual date at the restaurant where they first met. Also one of the great fake-out lines in the whole series. IYKYK. It involves a sweater. And the picnic!  Great to see Angela Sim (Caroline Quentin), Martin’s Men Behaving Badly better half, join in the fun. Patty's other verdicts. She really loves Aunt Ruth and PC Joe Penhale (John Marquez) has crossed from annoying to endearing, although her sentiments don’t extend to ‘competent’.  Who thought it was a good idea to arm Penhale?!  Peter Cronk (Preston Nyman) turns up aged fifteen and starts bossing Morwenna Newcross (Jessica Ransom) around, which got us ranking all three receptionists - Elaine Denham (Lucy Punch), Pauline Lamb (Katherine Parkinson), Morwenna - and me asking whether Best Medicine's Elaine Denton (Cree) is a composite of the lot. We also get into whether Martin Best (Josh Charles) changed more in one season than Martin Ellingham has in seven. Patty has had enough of Mrs. Tishell (Selina Cadell) and Danny Steel (Tristan Sturrock). Then there's the dog. Martin decides Buddy has to go, permanently, and neither of us could get past it. Patty watched it wondering how I was going to defend it. I did not.  Did this fly in the UK?  In the US, the dog can NEVER die.  It’s a rule. (Well, it should be). Plus Sigourney Weaver wanders into Portwenn as Beth Traywick (Patty wants more!), and Gemma Jones closes the season as Annie Winton in a hostage situation that becomes the sharpest mirror Martin and Louisa have had yet. Like and subscribe if you enjoyed this. Not signed in? You can still help: send this to the Doc Martin or Best Medicine person in your life, or follow us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Comment and I will reply - that is half the fun of my little hobby. If you're not happy, I'm not happy. [00:00] Told ya - cold open [00:07] Welcome back, Patty [00:49] Patty's verdict on Season 7 [02:27] Aunt Ruth, deadpan queen [03:47] Louisa: "I don't need a therapist" [05:23] Why Louisa keeps falling for the doc [07:05] The dog storyline neither of us can defend [08:23] The dogs get named first [09:15] Penhale grows on Patty [11:48] Penhale and the taser [13:34] Visa or Mastercard? [14:15] Peter Cronk at 15 [15:04] Ranking Elaine, Pauline and Morwenna [15:38] Mrs. Tishell, her husband, and a plot Patty's done with [16:23] Dr. Timoney's opening move [19:16] The Season 6 prediction pays off [19:36] Danny Steel is back, and now we know why [22:26] Blood phobia, control, and a self-diagnosis [24:35] Homework: hugs, affirmations, and an actual date [27:26] The list nobody wanted to make [30:01] "We're not normal" - the light bulb [30:45] Spain, silence, and the sausage [33:41] The Wintons: a hostage situation as a mirror [35:19] Patty's favourite episode, and the Cyrano theory [39:11] Sigourney Weaver turns up in Portwenn [40:50] Martin Clunes vs. Martin Ellingham [43:26] Patty predicts Season 8 [44:37] Is Best Medicine's Elaine a composite? [46:16] Martin Best vs. Martin Ellingham [49:02] See you for Season 8

  3. Sep 2

    Doc Martin Season 6 Newbie Reaction: "He's Not the Only One Who Has to Change"

    Season 6 opens with the Ellingham wedding and ends with depression, disillusion, and a surgery that should never have happened. Patty came into this one off a season 5 finale she loved — and this season did not clear that bar. She's firmly on Team Martin (Martin Clunes) at this point, though she gives Louisa (Caroline Catz) points where they're earned. Aunt Ruth Ellingham (Eileen Atkins) — stalker and all — and Joe Penhale (John Marquez) have both endeared themselves to Patty, and the Al (Joe Absolom) and Morwenna (Jessica Ransom) spark has caught her interest. She's even a fan of Mike Pruddy (Felix Scott) as a childminder, OCD and all. Bert (Ian McNeice) grates on her more every episode for how often Al has to bail him out of his own scrapes. Of course we agree that Margaret Ellingham (Claire Bloom) is despicable. And Patty thinks Mrs. Tishell (Selina Cadell) came back not quite right — and downright mean to Jennifer Cardew (Annabelle Apsion). What she can't forgive: playgroup, and then sports day. Patty's read is that Louisa keeps putting Martin in situations where he's set up to fail, then treats the failure as evidence. "He wants to fix it. He's gonna need some help with how — but she has to wanna fix it too, and he's not the only one that has to change." Here’s your assignment: -          Up through season 6, were/are you on Team Martin or Team Louisa and why? -          Are you from the UK?  How did season 6 sit with you when you saw it the first time? -          What are your thoughts on “You’re my patient. And you’re my wife?” [00:00] Intro to Season Six of Doc Martin with Newbie Patty [02:11] Dramatic Wedding Episode and Initial Impressions [06:50] Joe Has Grown On Patty [08:26] Things Start to Sour [08:56] Martin Really Really Tries [09:51] Does Louisa Love Martin As He Is? [12:20] Comic Relief, Even With A Stalker! [13:39] Truth And  Accountability Are Important [15:28] Disillusionment with Season 6 [16:16] Is Patty Onto Something? [18:11] Mrs. Tishell's Return [22:49] Martin Is Unwell - But In What Way? [24:51] Damn That Margaret!  But Kudos to Claire Bloom [26:18] Morwenna and Dating [27:23] Aunt Ruth Grows on Patty [28:21] Bert And Poor Al [29:13] Shouldn't Louisa Help Martin More? [32:52] Patty Is On Team Martin, But Will She Stay There? [40:33] The Blood Phobia and Martin's Failed Marriage:  Related? [43:05] Patty Gives Louisa Some Points [45:20] Joe Gets Something Right And Jenny Is Better CPR Choice [49:25] Surgery and Personal Boundaries [52:06] Predictions

  4. Aug 30

    Best Medicine Season 2 Preview: Love Pentagon, Blood Phobia Goes Public, Mark Finally Gets Love

    Best Medicine is scrubbing up for Season 2, and so is Podcast Portwenn! For the first time, the whole Season 2 Unspoiled panel is together. Doug from New Jersey is back from our Season 1 crew, and he's joined by Mel from Maryland and Carol from Colorado. First things first: Sheriff Mark Mylow (Josh Segarra) finally has some fans. Mark didn't get a lot of love from last season's panel, but Mel and Carol are here to fix that. Yes, he's a doofus. He's also a good guy, and this season he's getting his due. Now, about that love pentagon. We're picking up five months later, and let's count: Martin Best (Josh Charles), Louisa Gavin (Abigail Spencer), Mark, Eden Montgomery (Eliza Coupe) who is somehow still in town (is she commuting?), and a brand-new arrival apparently sent to keep an eye on Martin after Glendon Ross (Patch Darragh) reported those blood draws to the medical review board. How many people can be in one love pentagon? Yikes. The panel does not agree on this one, and how many are too many? There's plenty more to chew on. Does Al Large (Carter Shimp) actually leave for college, and what does that do to him and Elaine Denton (Cree)? Did the sea urchin money change Aunt Sarah Best (Annie Potts)? And now that Martin's blood phobia is about to become public knowledge, is that finally what gets him talking to his father, Robert Best (Martin Clunes)? We have three completely different theories about how those two ever have that conversation. Plus a little casting news: Andrea Martin is joining the show, and Greg Garrison (Stephen Spinella) and George Brady (Jason Veasey) got promoted to series regulars. (George has always been my fave, so I was very pleased.) No answers here, just three fans on the record before the season proves us right or wrong. Available now: I went to Dorset, England for Buckham Fair and met Martin Clunes. There’s a podcast episode for that! So tell me. Is Louisa better off with someone uncomplicated, or is that just Martin's cue to wake up? Does Al go to NYC? And are you Team Mark yet? Leave a comment on YouTube. I read all of them, I answer all of them, and I've started bringing some into the podcast. This is my little hobby, but if you're not happy, I'm not happy. Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. [00:21] Introduction to Podcast Portwenn's Best Medicine Season 2 [00:51] Season Two Insights and New Panelists [02:41] Who Is Rewatching And What's Your Favorite? [06:15] Elaine and Al [09:24] Eden And Martin And... [11:51] Could Eden Be Good For Martin? [13:55] Did The Sea Urchins Pan Out? [16:18] Martin and Robert [18:47] Andrea Martin [20:29] New Characters and Plot Twists [20:45] Baby or No Baby? [22:36] Martin and Louisa [24:53] Returning Characters And What Does The Future Hold?

  5. Aug 25 ·  Bonus

    Take Me To The Fair: What Was Buckham Fair Like?

    Podcast Portwenn goes off-script for a special episode and the video version is not to be missed.  Over the last few months, Chesla invited you to donate to Buckham Fair, a fundraiser for the Dorset County Hospital's Emergency and Critical Care unit hosted by Martin Clunes and Philippa Braithwaite. You requested an update on how it went, so here it is.  This year's fair raised roughly £138,000! So why would three Americans fly across an ocean for a fair benefiting a UK hospital they will HOPEFULLY never use? Chesla, Chris, and new friend Janice dig into it: the pull of Dorset's countryside, the chance to say thank you in person, and, for Chris and Chesla, the anchor event in a larger Dorset trip. There's plenty of Martin Clunes and Neil Morrissey face time too. Both judged the fair's dog show categories (Fluffiest & Scruffiest, Best Six Legs, and yes, a "dog who looks most like Neil Morrissey" class), and the group compares the stiff, dog-averse Martin Ellingham of the show to the very real Martin Clunes getting mobbed by his own on-set dogs Chicken (real name Taffy) and Paddy.   Chesla also fesses up to an accidental goosing of Martin during a photo opportunity.  And in front of her own husband!  Sorry Martin!  Setup days get their due too — tent stakes in drought-hard ground, zip-tied dog fencing, and a crash course in reading instructions. Once it's running, the group walks through the scale of the thing: nine dog rings, a heavy horse display including Martin's Clydesdales, a horse trainer (Ben Atkinson) whose methods leave a lasting impression, and the Lamb National — a butcher-sponsored obstacle race of lambs, then kids, then adults, then one very fast sheepdog.  And that’s just a subset! The episode closes on a Tombola raffle gone sideways, which somehow ends with Chesla going home with a cowboy hat donated by Martin. Photo credits go to friends Simo (Martin Clunes Art Project), Janice, Marisa, Chris, and Chesla whose photos and sketches show up throughout. If you weren't able to donate before the fair wrapped, it’s not too late to donate directly to Dorset County Hospital Emergency and Critical Care Fund: https://dchcharity.org.uk/ [00:00] Introduction to Buckham Fair and Its Purpose [01:58] Why Fly from the US to England for a Fair? [06:06] What We Would Have Told Philippa [07:00] Late to the Party with Martin, Philippa, and Buffalo Pictures [09:49] Getting There, and First Impressions of Dorset [13:52] Getting Into the Fair Itself, Including Volunteering [18:10] What Is It Like? [18:38] Horses [21:49] Dogs [26:07] Ellingham vs. Clunes with Dogs [28:56] Oops!  Thank Goodness for Senses of Humor [30:56] Nine! Dog Rings [32:36] Other Events [36:33] Heavy Horses Showing Versatility [38:41] Patrick [40:58] Experiences at the Fair [41:43] It's a Small World [42:24] A LOT of Money [43:02] Swag and the Tomb (really, the Tombola) [45:35] Rides [45:58] New Friendships - One of the Best Parts https://www.facebook.com/FayeNealPhotography Ben Atkinson’s Horses:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100044425269749 Note that some photos and events described were part of set up, tear down, and sponsor benefits.

  6. Aug 14

    Doc Martin Season 5 Newbie Reaction: New Aunt, New Baby, and a Pharmacist's Breakdown

    Doc Martin newbie Patty is back for Season 5, a favorite season for many Doc Martin viewers.  Auntie Joan’s (Stephanie Cole) death hits Patty hard and Aunt Ruth (Dame Eileen Atkins) doesn’t seem like a very warm substitute.  Of course, Patty does laugh at Martin’s (Martin Clunes) eulogy of his aunt, which is completely true but, really?  Aunt Ruth doesn’t strike Patty as a typically compassionate mental health professional, until Chesla explains that being a psychiatrist at Broadmoor isn’t a typical mental health assignment.  Patty and Chesla discuss whether Martin is on the autism spectrum, triggered by Aunt Ruth making the surprising statement that people don’t change.  Does she mean people who might be psychologically predisposed to missing social cues or does she just think she knows Martin well enough that he’s fixed in his ways due to his horrible upbringing? Season 5 has other departures and arrivals:  Pauline (Katherine Parkinson) is out and Morwenna (Jessica Ransom) is in as the receptionist.  We meet Joe Penhale’s (John Marquez) ex-wife Maggie (Julie Graham) and Louisa’s (Caroline Catz) absentee mother, Eleanor (Louise Jameson).  Patty is surprised by Martin’s willingness and aptitude at parenting, and comments again on Louisa’s coping strategy of running away instead of discussing problems.  Both Patty and Chesla really enjoy the final scene of the season, both for it’s normally excellent acting and it’s fantastic writing.  There’s a quick Best Medicine checkin, as well as numerous questions on US vs England ways of doing things.  Podcast viewers from England – you know the assignment! Do you think Martin’s behavior can be entirely explained by his appalling childhood?

  7. Aug 3

    Doc Martin Season 4 Newbie Reacts: Total Miscommunication, a Threat Named Edith, and a Baby

    Doc Martin newbie Patty is back for Season 4. Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes) wants to go back to London — or does he? Old flame Edith Montgomery (Lia Williams) is back in his orbit too, and this time she's angling to rekindle the romance, while Martin seems interested in her strictly as a colleague. Patty is not a fan of Edith either way. Patty isn't surprised by Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz) showing up pregnant, but she is surprised by Martin's lack of growth — or is he actually backsliding? His blood phobia looks all but conquered by season's end... until the baby's messy arrival puts it to the test. There's a surprise of a different kind waiting at the chemist's, too: Patty did not see Mrs. Tishell's (Selina Cadell) husband, Clive (Malcolm Storry), coming. What's going on there? Patty also digs into PC Joe Penhale's (John Marquez) brother storyline and its unexpected forgery twist, plus the Al (Joe Absolom), Bert Large (Ian McNeice), and Pauline Lamb (Katherine Parkinson) relationship tangle — is Bert actually looking for love this time? Patty is warming up to him. Finally, the big payoff: the car chase, the birth, and Martin holding his own baby for the first time — though of course, he can't resist a comment. Since Patty has also watched Best Medicine Season 1, we close with a compare-and-contrast: how the American version handles its own hairball patient episode differently, how the blood phobia is explained, and what it means that Best Medicine's Eden Montgomery (Eliza Coupe) is teased to return in Season 2 the same way Edith Montgomery keeps reappearing throughout Doc Martin's Season 4. Patty's paying close attention to that one.   [00:16] Introduction and General Impressions [04:03] Character Analysis: Edith and Martin [05:28] Martin: Duty of Care vs. Caring and Miscommunication [07:32] Mrs Tishell and Clive [09:32] Bert Looking for Love [12:14] Bert, Al, and Pauline [14:19] Joe Penhale, Comic Relief [15:56] Martin's Treatment of Pauline's Uncle [17:51] Specific Scenes of Interest [23:51] Tangent on Tick-Borne Illness [24:37] Funny Lines about Serious Topics [26:52] So Much Miscommunication [28:36] Improving Blood Phobia [29:27] Pauline's 'Competency' [31:58] Going to London [36:36] Insults [38:13] The Birth - Finally! [40:34] Things to Point Out [42:12] Best Medicine Comparisons [45:05] Comparing Doc Martin and Best Medicine [45:40] A Baby Plotline [46:26] The Blood Phobia [50:21] Future Prospects and Character Arcs

  8. Jul 24

    Doc Martin Season 3 Newbie Reaction: Mark's Out, Joe's In, and What's Up with Martin and Louisa?

    Doc Martin newbie Patty (a Best Medicine veteran) tears through Season 3, which is a season of surprises. She spends half the season hoping PC Mark Mylow (Stewart Wright) is coming back. She hasn't yet warmed up to his replacement, Joe Penhale (John Marquez). Al Large's (Joe Absolom) return partway through the season was a tease but, alas, no Mark. Auntie Joan (Stephanie Cole) surprises everyone! IYKYK, right? Pauline Lamb (Katherine Parkinson) gets a jealousy-fueled rival at the surgery AND learns phlebotomy, making her far more useful than S1's Elaine (Lucy Punch). Then there's the big one: the Martin-and-Louisa Glasson (Martin Clunes, Caroline Catz) will-they-won't-they finally does, um, something. Patty walks through the concert date gone wrong, the mood-swing comment, the breakup, and everything that follows. Chesla and Patty cover what's believable, what the motivations of Martin and Louisa might be, and what it might mean for their futures. Martin Ellingham is, well, Martin: rude, blunt, whatever word you want to use — and some British terms send Patty and Chesla down a rabbit hole comparing US and UK vocabulary (Decrepit! Really?). They also start connecting the physical abuse hinted at in Martin's childhood to his bedside manner, and discuss how much compassion Martin has for patients compared to his drive to solve the medical mystery and heal. Best Medicine chat centers around composite characters: is Elaine (Cree) a composite of Elaine and Pauline? Is Mark Mylow (Josh Segarra) a composite of Mark and Joe? Plus, inevitably, dog comparisons. Season 3 leaves Patty more eager for Season 4 than any previous season-ending cliffhanger did. If you're English, help us Yanks out on vocabulary and whether you think the characters of Doc Martin seem genuine. If you have questions you wished Chesla would have asked, comment. If you have future-season questions you want asked, send her an email. [00:16] Introduction and Best Medicine Spoiler Warning [01:03] Constable Swap [01:59] Funny Lines and Language Use Differences [06:38] New Revelations about Martin Plus Other Developments [10:33] The Oakwoods Annoy Everyone! [12:02] Getting The Medicine Right [14:41] Martin's Social Ineptness and Miscommunications on Both Parts [16:12] Whoa, Auntie Joan! [18:15] The Proposal and Outcome:  Plausible? [22:22] If Louisa Wants Martin To Change, She Needs A New Approach [26:18] Mark/Joe, Elaine/Pauline, and Best Medicine Parallels [29:39] Doc Martin Seems More Authentic:  British vs. US TV Preferences? [33:10] Dogs [35:24] He's Trying.  Really! [39:06] Why Does Martin Say "You Won't Make Me Happy"? [40:59] Continuing to Watch [42:06] Best Medicine Lovers [43:27] The Sawle Sisters [47:17] Favorite Seasons Doc Martin, Doc Martin season 3, Doc Martin recap, Doc Martin reaction, Best Medicine, Doc Martin newbie reaction, Martin Ellingham, Martin Clunes, Louisa Glasson, Caroline Catz, Martin and Louisa breakup, Martin and Louisa relationship, PC Mark Mylow, Stewart Wright, PC Joe Penhale, John Marquez, Al Large, Joe Absolom, Pauline Lamb, Katherine Parkinson, Aunt Joan, Auntie Joan, Stephanie Cole, Elaine Denham, Lucy Punch, Elaine Denton, Cree, Sheriff Mark Mylow, Josh Segarra, Best Medicine composite characters, Doc Martin vs Best Medicine, Doc Martin American reaction, Doc Martin dogs, Podcast Portwenn

See All (51)

Trailers

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Welcome to Podcast Portwenn — celebrating the world of Doc Martin, unofficially. I’m Chesla Wechsler and we’ll be discussing Doc Martin and Best Medicine. Whether it's Dr Ellingham or Dr Best, Martin Clunes or Josh Charles, Portwenn as one word or two, we're here for it. We'll talk about the show with people who are watching for the first time and people who've seen it all. We'll discuss the characters, the plots, what we appreciate about the show, you name it. Check the show notes for spoiler alerts! Doc Martin specific episodes contain spoilers for Best Medicine and are best avoided until you've watched multiple seasons of Best Medicine. Podcast Portwenn is an independent fan production — not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Buffalo Pictures, ITV, Fox, or the creators of Doc Martin or Best Medicine. It will never generate money for me. If it is ever monetized, I commit to donating it all to charity.

Information