Martin Clunes

Dr Martin Ellingham is brilliant, grumpy, imperious and socially inept as an obstetrician turned GP. These facts make Doc Martin a must-see for those prospective doctors who want to fit in to the medical establishment which, as you know, is filled with imperious, socially inept, grumpy doctors who may, if you're lucky, be brilliant. If you can't bear to watch Martin Clunes being curmudgeonly in Cornwall, you could watch James Robertson Justice as Sir Lancelott Spratt in the Doctor in the House franchise or De Forrest Kelly as Bones in Star Trek to get much the same picture.

Martin Clunes has suggested that next year's series of his bewilderingly long-running ITV comedy-drama Doc Martin will be the last, because the writers have run out of ideas. This won't do, so here are five new plots that should be right in its wheelhouse: 1) Doc Martin pulls a face at a sheep, 2) Doc Martin pulls a face at a cow, 3) Doc Martin thinks he sees a boat in the distance but it's just a rock so he pulls a face, 4) Doc Martin can't find his glasses and then pulls a face when he realises that they've been on top of his head all along, and 5) Doc Martin pulls a face at a goose. You're welcome for the new series, ITV.

That cranky carapace cracks just a little as the Doc faces the repercussions of the painful events in the last episode. His marriage looks wounded beyond repair and he's stuck at home in pretty Portwenn with only his ghastly, grasping, emotionally exploitative mother for company.

It's the final episode and, as Doc Martin has never been a series that would ever willingly give in to the fervent hopes of its devoted audience (just think how long it took Martin and Louisa to marry) fans must brace themselves. Pour a stiff drink, find some worry beads and prepare to hold the hand, mentally, of this most difficult of men. He needs your support.

Martin Clunes is great as Martin and, even if you're ambivalent about the appeal of his flinty personality, you'll need a heart of concrete not to feel his every flinch of pain in an unexpectedly touching finale.

The gloomy Doc Martin becomes gloomier still as his many problems crowd in. He's not feeling well, he's lost a lot of weight and he becomes increasingly obsessed by the idea that something is badly wrong. A case of physician, heal thyself, surely?

And married life is a bed of thorns rather than roses as Louisa becomes unsettled and unhappy in the marital home. Their relationship takes a serious knock when Martin (Martin Clunes) behaves disgracefully at the school sports' day and at last Louisa (Caroline Katz) is forced to take a long, cool look at their relationship.

It seems that, very soon, Martin will have even more cause to be curmudgeonly.

The Doc's blood phobia is getting worse, as is his consequent insomnia, which is also beginning to disturb his wife Louisa in the marital bed. Maybe it's time he saw that psychologist his Aunty Ruth recommended, particularly when there's an unfortunate and very public incident involving Doc Martin, dopey police officer Penhale and a staple-gun. Penhale (John Marquez) causes widespread panic in Portwenn after jumping to conclusions about an asbestos scare.

But nothing is quite as terrifying as the sight of Martin's poised, chilly mother (played by Claire Bloom) who turns up on his doorstep with some news which, if delivered to any sentient human being other than Martin (Martin Clunes) being would be cause for thoughtfulness and sadness. But not the blithely unempathetic Doc, oh no. Not in a million years.

Appearing in a highly popular drama series alongside a cast of much-loved actors would be enough to give most performers a dose of paralysing stage fright. But baby James Ellingham isn't fazed at all (well, to be accurate, all eight babies who play him). He plays up to the camera beautifully, stealing every single scene. The little 'un is a perfect foil to Martin Clunes's cantankerous GP who, it turns out, is not the only grump in the village. Ruth's neighbour Mr Moysey (Ronald Pickup) is just as antisocial and ill-tempered.

"Come back in five days," the doctor tells him abruptly after a brief medical examination. "What happens if I drop dead before then?" snaps Mr Moysey. "We'll cancel the appointment."

The humour of Doc Martin isn't subtle and the storylines are either sledgehammer-obvious or ludicrous to the point of surreal, but I laughed out loud more times watching this than I have at many so-called comedies.

Martin Clunes and Ronald Pickup shine in Episode 4

Part of the reason why these scenes were so brilliant is because of the talents of both Martin Clunes and Ronald Pickup.

A mystery man is found unconscious on the beach by two improbably bearded fishermen, and Doc Martin (Martin Clunes) rushes to his aid. But what caused his blackout and will he hang around to find out? Meanwhile, Louisa is juggling the new baby while selflessly helping others and blowing her fringe out of her eyes. And Ruth's got a secret admirer. Will the kindly-yet-gruff, big-eared GP be brutally maimed in a frenzied knife attack or will he just sort it all out as usual? Tune in to find out.

After their disastrous honeymoon last week, newlyweds Louisa and Martin return to what passes for normal life in pretty Portwenn. Louisa (Caroline Katz) is back at school and baby James's new childminder Mel, throws the house into chaos when she's late for work. Martin (Martin Clunes) is uneasy about handing over his precious son to her, largely because she's constantly scratching herself. Martin's hopeless beside manner soon sends the new nanny into a fury and the Ellingham family into chaos just as they are about to entertain guests at dinner. Stand by for some comedy business involving a baby monitor.

Last night's TV: Doc Martin

As Martin Clunes's melancholic doctor returns for his wedding day, the anthem could be: here comes the bride and gloom.