Martin Clunes

It's a rare thing but the pleasure of Doc Martin (ITV) is in the minor characters, the pepperings of humanity who surround Martin Clunes's borderline sociopathic central figure.

This made the opening episode of the current series rather tough going, as much of it was spent with just the Doc and his new bride, Louisa, traipsing about the woods in their wedding finery - a shotgun-toting spin on the old nightmare honeymoon night chestnut.

Obviously, Doc Martin is a fantasy show - it seems remarkably easy to get an appointment with the Portwenn GP - but it goes off the rails when it strays from its quirky community beat. Many shows get that horribly wrong, with all the supporting characters reduced to caricatures, but Doc Martin has created a credible TV community and it's a shame when it wastes them.

The idea last night was to pack some emotional muscle into Doc Martin and Louisa's oddball romance but it came across as laboured farce. It was back with babysitting Ruth (an underused Eileen Atkins), PC Penhale and a comedy power cut that Doc Martin got its old familiar glow back.

Haven't we been here, done this before? There's a strong sense of déjà-vu wafting in the sea breeze over Portwenn as wedding bells ring out for the second time to celebrate the happy union of Doc Martin (Martin Clunes) and the long-suffering Louisa (Caroline Catz).

As the sixth series opens for business, they're taking a second stab at tying the knot after their plans unravelled back in series three.

Quite why Louisa has shown such dogged devotion to miserable Martin is a bit of a mystery. Yes, he's got a certain inept charm but he's a grumpy old man before his time. Perhaps the prospect of Happy Ever After will put a smile on his face.

It's two years since we last saw flinty curmudgeon Dr Martin Ellingham and when we return to the pretty Cornish village of Portwenn nothing has changed - he's still a miserable git. Even the prospect of his much-anticipated wedding to his beloved Louisa doesn't put a song in his heart. The couple's first attempt at matrimony fell apart, but at last they are successful (this isn't a spoiler, the nuptials are in the opening minutes).

The ceremony is smartly dispatched by a very impatient groom and we spend the rest of the episode with the happy couple (Martin Clunes and Caroline Catz) as they confront a string of disasters on a hopeless honeymoon. There's not much of a story, just a series of increasingly weird and barely credible incidents. Back home Aunty Ruth (splendid Eileen Atkins) is babysitting, and has her fair share of troubles, too.

It might have started out as a three-way pun involving the popular boot boy footwear, the profession of its main protagonist and the christian name of its star. But Doc Martin is into a somewhat implausible sixth series now and tonight we begin with something as close to a bang as this curious show gets. For a start, Martin Clunes's titular lead is getting married to the long-suffering Louisa. But that's just the half of it as the couple's honeymoon turns first disappointing and then nearly disastrous.

Odd to say for such an enduring series but it feels like Doc Martin still struggles with its tone - at times it seems to aim for sitcom chuckles, at others a degree of dramatic heft. Still, Clunes is likeably lugubrious and it makes a pleasant change to see a primetime ITV drama that doesn't seem too desperate to please everyone.

Doc Martin, ITV, review

This enduring hit for ITV (the first series aired back in 2004) is by now rather flat. Though the cast members, particularly Martin Clunes in the title role, are all perfectly good, and the script and pacing are fine, the package is as cosy as an advert for fabric softener.

Martin Clunes and Caroline Catz shine

It's fair to say that Doc Martin will never be a critically acclaimed piece of work, but the drama is full of well-crafted characters and brilliant spots of comic timing.

Doc Martin review

The quickest way to kill off a comedy is to throw a wedding. So we could only hope Doc Martin's nuptials would come a cropper before Martin Clunes and Caroline Catz reached the altar.

Martin Clunes' weight loss causes wardrobe worries

Martin Clunes lost a stone in weight after catching a virus and had to have his wardrobe rejigged for the new series of Doc Martin.

Martin Clunes interview

It's taken a while, but loyal fans finally get the happy ending they've longed for as Portwenn's grumpy medic makes an honest woman of fiancée Louisa in the new series of Doc Martin. But don't expect the day to go smoothly... TV Choice caught up with screen groom, Martin Clunes...

Martin Clunes interview

Martin Clunes talks about his surprise at Doc Martin's success.