Summary
- Doc Martin is a beloved British comedy-drama series with 10 seasons showcasing the growth of Dr. Martin Ellingham and the quirky village of Portwenn.
- Season 10 of Doc Martin, the final season, after a long break, may lack the warmth of previous seasons but still offers closure and familiar faces.
- Each season of Doc Martin brings its own charms and challenges, with highlights like Martin's love story and struggles with medicine.
Those late to the party may be wondering, "How many seasons of Doc Martin are there?" and happily, there are many to enjoy, each with its own merits and flaws. Doc Martin is a British comedy-drama series that first premiered in 2004 and ended in 2022. The beloved series produced a total of 10 seasons, chronicling the lives of Dr. Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes) and his friends in the sleepy Cornish village of Portwenn.
Doc Martin is a cozy, warm, and intelligent series that treats its characters with respect even when it's poking fun at small-town English life and Dr. Martin's eccentricities and foibles. A medical TV drama as well as lighthearted comedy, Doc Martin follows the exploits of the title character who moves to Portwenn as the village's general practioner after working many years in London. The kooky villagers and the anti-social Dr. Martin come to a begrudging respect over the years and the series' 10 seasons show his growth from an outsider to an indispensable member of Portwenn.
|
Doc Martin Seasons |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Release Year |
Episode Count |
|
1 |
2004 |
6 |
|
2 |
2005-2006 |
8 |
|
3 |
2007 |
7 |
|
4 |
2009 |
8 |
|
5 |
2011 |
8 |
|
6 |
2013 |
8 |
|
7 |
2015 |
8 |
|
8 |
2017 |
8 |
|
9 |
2019 |
8 |
|
10 |
2022 |
9 |
10 Season 10 (2022)
Doc Martin Is Not The Same After A Long Break
Doc Martin season 10, the final season of the series, aired in September 2022, nearly three years after the season 9 finale. Season 10 takes place a year after the season 9 ending and Martin has not returned to medicine since the events of the previous season, instead choosing to care full-time for his and Louisa's (Caroline Catz) new baby Mary Elizabeth, though that doesn't last long. The arrival of Louisa's father, Terry Glasson (Kenneth Cranham), from prison throws a wrench into their quiet lives.
As ever, Clunes does an admirable job bringing his strange charm and gruff but lovable attitude to the show but after a three-year hiatus, Doc Martin season 10 simply loses its steam. There's little of the same warmth from previous seasons and storylines feel rushed with the series finale featuring a surprise pregnancy with one couple and a proposal for another. It's always unfortunate when the final season of a TV show is its worst, but season 10 doesn't erase the goodwill from the rest of Doc Martin.
9 Season 6 (2013)
A Stuffier Tone Than Previous Doc Martin Seasons With Some Surprises
Season 6 of Doc Martin premiered in September 2013 and begins with the doctor and Louisa finally getting married. However, the season sees Dr. Martin still unable to shed his grouchy and abrupt personality, leading to friction between him and Louisa, and their young son James is caught in the middle. Aunt Ruth (Eileen Atkins) purchases a cottage in Portwenn for permanent residence and is convinced to turn it into a bed and breakfast at the end of the season.
The end of the season finds Martin saving Louisa's life with an emergency surgery and recommitting to his wife and son, just as they are about to leave him on a long holiday. Its odd tonal shifts like this make season 6 more awkward than others. Two years after season 5, season 6 of Doc Martin returns feeling slightly stuffy and flat, which takes away from the charm. Opposing tones like Ruth starting a B&B and Louisa's brain surgery are an odd mix.