Martin Clunes isn't a bad fellow and even in a thankless role like this, he's hard to entirely dislike. But surround him with a cast of insufferable fools -- most of whom are direct from Central Casting -- and the show quickly goes downhill.
"Doc Martin" somehow manages to inherit the world's most obnoxious and incompetent receptionist and the world's most inept plumber. His reaction? He puts up with them. Sorry, but this is utterly absurd. It's ridiculous to expect us to believe that man as abrasive and unfriendly as "Doc Martin" supposedly is (even just on the surface) would simply endure such destructive and useless people. Is there no one else within 30 miles who could do a better job? Because clearly, there's no one else within 30 miles who could do a *worse* job.
At every turn, there's a plot device straight from the 1930s, no matter how improbable. For example, when Martin is run off the road, does he even bother slowing down? Nope, he drives at the same speed until he runs into a pond. Sorry, but anyone with an IQ over room temperature would at least take his foot off the gas, if not move it to the brake pedal. Believable? Not even slightly, but it's a necessary device to advance the entirely hackneyed plot. It's a bog-standard sit-com. Beyond Mr. Clunes and the locations, there's really nothing to save "Doc Martin".
"Doc Martin" somehow manages to inherit the world's most obnoxious and incompetent receptionist and the world's most inept plumber. His reaction? He puts up with them. Sorry, but this is utterly absurd. It's ridiculous to expect us to believe that man as abrasive and unfriendly as "Doc Martin" supposedly is (even just on the surface) would simply endure such destructive and useless people. Is there no one else within 30 miles who could do a better job? Because clearly, there's no one else within 30 miles who could do a *worse* job.
At every turn, there's a plot device straight from the 1930s, no matter how improbable. For example, when Martin is run off the road, does he even bother slowing down? Nope, he drives at the same speed until he runs into a pond. Sorry, but anyone with an IQ over room temperature would at least take his foot off the gas, if not move it to the brake pedal. Believable? Not even slightly, but it's a necessary device to advance the entirely hackneyed plot. It's a bog-standard sit-com. Beyond Mr. Clunes and the locations, there's really nothing to save "Doc Martin".