Doc Martin Page 9

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In Series 9 Episode 3, a patient arrives at the surgery with a small bird (a finch) in her pocket.

The bird finds its way onto Martin's desk. He spots it there and promptly tosses it out of the window.

"Careful Doc," says the woman, "he can't fly."

The truth of her statement is demonstrated by a sound effect of the almost weightless bird hitting the ground.

Later in the episode, the receptionist is on the phone talking to a man she addresses as "Mr Chegger".

A few moments later, she addresses him less formally as "Scott".

Later still, he sees a patient called "Paula Kemp": no, I don't get it either.

Ada? Yes, I would have got that - but her name was Paula.

Perhaps she was a red herring?

Tonight's patient - Albert Ross! Also creased up laughing with Caroline Quentin in the vet's surgery operating theatre.

It really does take some kind of scriptwriter to come up with a script as good and simultaneously as bad as some recent Doc Martin scripts.

Marvellous, marvellous comedy-drama and then it descends into farce - and not even good farce. I'm talking about embarrassingly unfunny farce.

Whoever is in charge of the scripts really needs to get this sorted out.

Yes there are some farcical characters such as the Policemen and the Woman in the pharmacy. Yes - you need a bit of a mixture in comedy drama.

In the most recent episode - a patient called Ross Abbot!

Also in the most recent episode, the dog runs off with a severed finger hotly pursued down the street by Louisa and the owner of the finger.

I think I'm fairly safe in saying that anybody who has ever owned a dog knows that chasing it in the hope of outrunning it is, in every sense, a hopeless pursuit.

Accordingly, I am absolutely sure that Louisa would never, in any realistic world, have pursued the dog at full pelt through the town.

There was another questionable incident when the running dog ran straight home to Martin and dropped the severed finger at his feet.

Yeah, because that's really going to happen!

I was expecting them to have to wait for the finger to pass through, so to speak.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 15th November 2019, 5:05 PM

In the most recent episode - a patient called Ross Abbot!

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And that woman patient. I tried to make it out but I couldn't . Wendy something. Maybe Saints.

Quote: Chappers @ 15th November 2019, 10:21 PM

I was expecting them to have to wait for the finger to pass through, so to speak.

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That would have been excellent!

Quote: Chappers @ 15th November 2019, 10:21 PM

And that woman patient. I tried to make it out but I couldn't . Wendy something. Maybe Saints.

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That would have been the best one ever!

I've just whizzed through the recording and her surname was "House" - which is still quite good.

Quote: Rood Eye @ 15th November 2019, 10:36 PM

I've just whizzed through the recording and her surname was "House" - which is still quite good.

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Oh yes. Of course.

Episode 5 had a patient named "Darryl Hannah." Not particularly clever, but a nice nod.

The finale of series 9 certainly implies that there will, indeed, be a 10th series.

I can't help but think they'd give a true finale a more definitive sendoff.

Quote: Andicus @ 16th November 2019, 8:00 AM

The finale of series 9 certainly implies that there will, indeed, be the 10th series.

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I think it could run and run almost forevermore - or at least until Martin Clunes wants nothing more to do with it.

Having said that, nobody is irreplaceable - even though he does play the part exceedingly well.

Ignoring the descents into farce, it's got just about everything a reasonable viewer might want of a comedy-drama.

The descents into farce are, to me, similar in effect to that of somebody pressing the pause button and standing right in front of the screen as I watch a brilliant TV drama and saying "You do realise it's not real, don't you?"

Pointless and destructive of viewers' entertainment.

But otherwise it's great!

Why is is that The Chemist's Shop (Real life candy shop), Sometimes the exterior door is painted Black on the outside and sometimes it is green on the outside?

My only guess it that multiple episode entry and exits of the actors are shot at the same time but out of order and the exterior real door at some time was repainted black while the set for the interior shots the outside of the door remained green... anyone?

Quote: BARRY L @ 20th September 2020, 5:46 PM

Why is is that The Chemist's Shop (Real life candy shop), Sometimes the exterior door is painted Black on the outside and sometimes it is green on the outside?

My only guess it that multiple episode entry and exits of the actors are shot at the same time but out of order and the exterior real door at some time was repainted black while the set for the interior shots the outside of the door remained green... anyone?

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It probably had something to do with the visit of Shakin' Stevens to Port Wenn in 1981.

Very good.
People ask my wife of she likes shakin Stevens.

A big fan of this and joined a couple of Facebook groups. Amazed the number of Americans in the groups. Surprised that it travels so well.