Doc Martin - episode titles & synopses

So far, there have been five series of Doc Martin and a Christmas Special 2006, Colin scoring the music to all of them (he's also scored the music to the German version of Doc Martin, but that's another story!). Below are the titles and synopsis for each episode of the UK version:

First Series (2004)

• Episode 1: Going Bodmin - When a vacancy arises in the sleepy Cornish hamlet of Portwenn, Dr Martin Ellingham jumps at the chance, but later realises that adjusting to village life is not going to be plain sailing. In his sharpe suits and flashy car, Martin is like a fish out of water, and his brusque manner does not go down too well with some of the locals

• Episode 2: Gentlemen Prefer - Martin has decided to stay in Portwenn but realises that he will have to make some changes to the way in which the surgery is run. When he refers Roger the former teacher for a biopsy, the results bring bad news. Roger is also bitter because Louisa got his old job. Martin fires Elaine for inefficiency - only to find that the entire village shun him

• Episode 3: Sh*t Happens - Martin makes his debut on a local radio station - but doesn't make a great impression on the interviewer. Bert and Al argue over Al's plans to go to college. A nasty stomach bug sweeps through the village - but is the swimming pool or the water to blame? Louisa is keen to make amends with Martin, but then Mark invites himself along too

• Episode 4: The Portwenn Effect - The Portwenn Players dance is being held in the village. Louisa buys two tickets and invites Martin along, but as dancing and social occasions are not his thing he turns her down. Louisa invites Mark instead. He is over the moon and asks Martin's advice on his lack of success with the opposite sex. Meanwhile, Louisa has a troublesome ten-year-old to contend with, and Martin visits a park ranger with a very unusual friend

• Episode 5: Of All The Harbours In All The Towns - An old flame of Joan's sails back into her life and sweeps her off her feet, then Martin discovers that the man is seriously ill. Schoolgirl Melanie develops a crush on the doctor and Martin fears her father's wrath when she keeps showing up at the surgery. There is romance in the air for Al and Elaine

• Episode 6: Haemophobia - Martin doesn't take kindly to the influx of holidaymakers, and his attempts to point out the dangers of sunbathing to one woman don't come across very well. Gossip spreads about Martin's phobia of blood and he becomes the subject of a practical joke in the pub. One of Louisa's pupils has an accident and an ambulance has to be called to take him to Truro for emergency treatment. On the way there, Martin reveals the reason behind his fear

Second Series (2005)

• Episode 1: Old Dogs - The Doctor comes face-to-face with Danny, an old flame of Louisa's, who returned to the village to visit his aging mother, and the two fail to get on. And, is there a mugger in the village?

• Episode 2: In Loco - Louisa is a candidate for the head teacher's job in Portwenn, but thanks to Doc Martin the odds seemed stacked against her. There is an outbreak of a highly contagious skin infection at the school. The Doc is initially confounded - until his brilliant diagnostic skills uncover the source

• Episode 3: Blood Is Thicker - Al discovers that Bert may not be his father and goes in search of the truth. An odd family with a lack of hygiene and a passion for taxidermy contract salmonella poisoning, but Martin has difficulty convincing them to accept treatment. PC Mylow's bossy sister arrives in Portwenn and sets up a herbalist business in his flat. However, when her remedies increase his patients' many ailments the doctor is forced to take action

• Episode 4: Aromatherapy - The GP must pinch his nose and figure out why one of his patients smells so bad that nobody can bear to be in the same room as him. He also saves a life and a marriage when he realises that a local radio presenter's strange behaviour is due to diabetes and not alcoholism. Meanwhile, PC Mylow hopes his luck with the opposite sex will improve when a pretty blonde shows an interest in his driving ability

• Episode 5: Always On My Mind - Pauline is all set to achieve her ambition when she is given the chance to join the Portwenn Lifeboat Crew. However, her joy is short-lived when she discovers the chauvinistic tendencies of her shipmates. Martin is accused of murder by the husband of a woman who died in his care. The irate man resorts to sabotaging Aunt Joan's crops in retaliation but an unexpected twist reveals the true motivation for his ire

• Episode 6: The Family Way - Martin is surprised when his parents visit out of the blue, but they bring unwelcome tidings for all, especially Aunt Joan, who may be driven out of her home. School secretary Maureen receives better news when her thyroid problem turns out to be a pregnancy. Louisa calls the doctor when Danny collapses - but the ambulance is delayed and Ellingham must perform emergency surgery to save his life

• Episode 7: Out Of The Woods - Mark has an unusual idea for a stag night, which involves camping under the stars rather than going to the pub. However, the jaunt ends in disaster when he gets lost in the woods and then bitten by a snake, leaving Martin with the task of locating the clueless copper and saving his marriage before it has begun. Meanwhile, the teenagers of Portwenn provoke the wrath of the doctor by inventing a deadly game that threatens one boy's life when he has an allergic reaction to a weever fish sting

• Episode 8: Erotomania - Mark is forced to investigate his fiancee's past when a stranger arrives in the village with a mysterious photo. Mrs Tishell finally removes the neck collar she has worn for years, and suffers a prolapsed disc as a result. Martin reveals his true feelings for Louisa over a few glasses of wine, but he drinks too much and wakes the next morning to a waiting room full of giggling patients, a raging hangover and a distinct feeling of uneasiness

Christmas Special (2006)

• On The Edge - The peace of Portwenn is disturbed when a hoard of twitchers descend on the village. The birdwatchers are on the trail of a rare chough, which has been found nesting on Joan Norton's land. At the surgery, Martin may be losing his receptionist, as Pauline wants to go to university. And he's having even less success with women in his personal life as the arrival of Louisa's father stymies any chance of a reconciliation

Third Series (2007)

• Episode 1: The Apple Doesn’t Fall - Doc Martin treats an uncomfortable Louisa Glasson for suspected anaemia. A reluctant Aunt Joan is forced to receive treatment from Martin after she nearly runs someone over. Alison Lane approaches the Doc over worries about her daughter Delph's behaviour, and whilst initially refusing to treat the girl, Martin is forced to revise his opinion about the causes of Delph's hyperactivity when the girl goes through a shop window and Ritalin pills go missing from Pauline's desk

• Episode 2: Movement - Doc encourages Bert Large to give up plumbing and to open a restaurant, but Bert's opening night is far from successful, when Martin treats a host of patients with suspected food poisoning the following day. Bert hires a new chef, and passes a health inspection, but customer numbers continue to dwindle until the real cause for the sickness is discovered

• Episode 3: City Slickers - Louisa has some new and very annoying neighbours. Mrs Averill comes to see the Doc as she has a rash, and then doesn't want to leave. Anthony and Terri Oakwood and their son Sam, manage to gatecrash Martin and Louisa's intimate dinner. Louisa is worried that one of her pupils might have measles, but Martin diagnoses a slapped cheek. Sam Oakwood has come down with something, and when Martin finds that Mrs Averill's cat has been staying with him, he realises where they both got TB

• Episode 4: The Admirer - PC Penhale is having a birthday party and Martin doesn't want to go. Martin has to treat Carrie Wilson, a local divorcee, who turns out to be a hypochondriac and takes a bit of a fancy to Martin. Louisa is not sure how to deal with this threat, and Martin is equally unsure how to react. He is further distressedto find that his Aunt Joan has taken up with a much younger man, Edward Melville, and appalled when he actually catches them in a compromising position

• Episode 5: The Holly Bears A Prickle - Martin and Louisa go out on their first date and she seizes the opportunity for a romantic kiss, but the clumsy doctor manages to ruin the moment with an inappropriate remark. Louisa's friend Holly's condition takes a turn for the worse when she has an allergic reaction to morphine, and Martin has to act quickly to save her life. Louisa is full of admiration for him - and he surprises her by proposing. Al is increasingly worried about his girlfriend's gambling addiction

• Episode 6: Nowt So Queer - Portwenn is buzzing with the news of Martin and Louisa's engagement - but Aunt Joan is disappointed that she has to hear about the impending nuptials from the village postman rather than her own nephew. Beth Sawle's wound isn't healing and Martin discovers that her sister has been treating her with a homemade potion - which proves to be the cause of an outbreak of aspergillosis in the village. Bert's restaurant is in financial trouble and Al decides that it's time to take action

• Episode 7: Happily Ever After - It's Martin's wedding day and he manages to offend the vicar who is due to conduct the ceremony by suggesting he has a drink problem. When they struggle over a bottle of whisky, the vicar falls over, fracturing his pelvis and Martin has to find a replacement. Pauline suggests the former vicar of Delabole, who strikes a deal. He will conduct the wedding ceremony if Martin will examine his sick pig. Bert and Al are putting the finishing touches to the wedding banquet when disaster strikes

Fourth Series (2009)

• Episode 1: Better The Devil - Since Martin and Louisa both got cold feet on their wedding day, Louisa has left, and Martin has been finding life in Portwenn infuriating. When he unexpectedly meets his old flame Edith, now a top-ranking doctor who is clearly surprised at the way his life has turned out, he starts to consider new directions. But Martin's thoughts are turned upside down when Louisa returns - with big news of her own. Meanwhile, Pauline considers an offer from Al

• Episode 2: Uneasy Lies The Head - After sharing her news, Louisa is adamant that she does not want Martin involved and is angered by his traditional views. The new headmaster causes alarm with his odd behaviour

• Episode 3: Perish Together As Fools - PC Penhale is delighted when his beloved older brother Sam comes to visit. When Sam offers to re-paint the surgery, Martin observes him and concludes that he may have a rare genetic disease. But a blood test discloses something unexpected which could alter the brothers' bond forever. Meanwhile, Al acts on some relationship advice from Bert but things go from bad to worse with Pauline. And Louisa reveals some embarrassing personal information about Martin to Edith

• Episode 4: Driving Mr McLynn - Martin expresses some negative views when Louisa reveals she will be interviewing for the headteacher's job. Pauline worries that something is up when Al behaves in a secretive manner, and is later seen semi-naked in Louisa's home. A well-to-do couple come in to the surgery to ask Martin to grant them a disabled parking permit for the village, but a mishap sees them leave in disgust and cause mayhem in town. Martin discovers that Joan and the farm are in financial difficulty. Edith brings Martin a gift to help him in his application for a top surgeon's post in London

• Episode 5: The Departed - Martin makes a good impression when he meets one of the interviewers for the surgeon's job in London. But he realises that he is not really over his blood phobia, so he books a session with a renowned cognitive therapist recommended by Edith. Meanwhile, the parents of a boy who fell ill following a visit to Aunt Joan's farm hold her responsible for his condition and threaten to sue her. And a newly widowed woman tells Martin that she is seeing visions of her dead husband - could she be sick, or does she just need bed rest?

• Episode 6: Midwife Crisis - Martin disagrees with the holistic approach to care advocated by the village's midwife, and is incensed when her advice to Louisa results in an adverse reaction. Bert is smitten with the restaurant's new cook, but is devastated to learn that she has a husband. Edith has dinner with consultant Robert Dashwood, and tells Martin that he will be receiving some good news about the London job. Aunt Joan thinks Martin needs to inform Louisa about his plans to move on

• Episode 7: Do Not Disturb - Rumours are rife about Martin's plans to leave Portwenn and take up a surgeon's job in London. An insecure Pauline confronts him about her future and Martin offers to write her a reference, but it all ends in tears. At the surgery, a worried Joan Norton brings in Ted to be examined, suspecting he may have had a heart attack. And Martin attends a medical conference at a hotel where Edith is giving a key speech. A shocking and very bloody accident at the conference convinces Martin he could make a go of it in London

• Episode 8: The Wrong Goodbye - The preparations for Martin's departure are nearly complete, and he is surprised by the number of patients coming to see him on the last day before his surgery closes. Edith visits to say she will see him in London. Taxi driver Tommy is complaining of migraines, but Martin does not realise their significance until Tommy's wife Tasha collapses with the same symptoms during the Harbour Day celebrations. Tommy is driving the heavily pregnant Louisa to a routine hospital appointment - and Martin realises that Louisa may be in serious danger

Fifth Series (2011)

• Episode 1: Preserve The Romance - Curmudgeonly GP Martin Ellingham's plans to resume his career as a consultant in London are put on hold with the birth of the baby he fathered with his now estranged partner, Louisa Glasson. At the surgery, new GP Dr Di Dibbs is excited to begin work, but Martin begins to have serious doubts about her competency after she misdiagnoses a patient and dishes out prescriptions for totally inappropriate drugs

• Episode 2: Dry Your Tears - With the departure of Dr Dibbs, Dr Martin Ellingham moves back into his old surgery, agreeing to stay for a couple of months until a replacement can be appointed. Determined to get to grips with fatherhood, he asks Louisa to move into his house so he can help to raise their child. At the funeral of his Aunt Joan, Martin shocks the villagers when his eulogy becomes a health warning about the dangers of eating the wrong food

• Episode 3: Boho With A Shotgun - Sleepless nights are taking their toll on Martin and Louisa and tempers are starting to fray. Aunt Ruth has problems of her own - a thief has stolen the hub caps from her car. The thief is identified as Michael Dunwich, who lives with his mother Shirley on a neighbouring farm. Later, Shirley tells Martin about her crippling stomach pains and reveals that she thinks her son is trying to poison her. New receptionist Morwenna Newcross arrives late on her first day, but when her grandfather William gives her some pills to make sure she wakes up on time, Martin thinks that she is high on drugs and fires her

• Episode 4: Mother Knows Best - Bert Large and and pub landlord Mark Bridge are both keen to take advantage of a fun run event to boost their takings by providing food for runners and spectators - but Martin puts paid to Mark's enterprise when he diagnoses an infection which means Mark must not handle food. Louisa's hippyish mother Eleanor arrives unexpectedly and Martin and Louisa are far from happy to see her. They are puzzled to find that their previously wailing baby is now sleeping through his feed times until Eleanor confesses that she gave him a drop of her herbal brew to soothe him

• Episode 5: Remember Me - PC Joe Penhale has an unexpected visitor in the shape of his ex-wife Maggie, who appears to have completely forgotten that they split up a couple of years ago. Joe takes her to Large's restaurant, where fellow diner Martin quickly spots that Maggie is showing symptoms of amnesia. Louisa's mother Eleanor catches up with her old school friend Paul, a local fisherman, who takes her out on a date. Morwenna arrives at the surgery with an injured foot and the doctor grimaces at the sight of the blood as he treats the wound. PC Penhale warns Martin and Louisa that if they do not register a name for their baby soon, the state will be forced to step in

• Episode 6: Don't Let Go - In an effort to get Maggie to stay in Portwenn after she gets the all-clear, PC Joe Penhale tries to prove that he is the man for her - and even engineers situations where he can show off his macho side to impress her. But will his attempts at subterfuge work? Martin steps in when school caretaker Mr Coley becomes muddled and puts the children of the school at risk. Tensions mount between Martin and Louisa as they find themselves unable to agree on anything, from schooling for their son to what to have for dinner

• Episode 7: Cats And Sharks - Bert Large's restaurant is in financial trouble - and he is being chased by loan sharks Alastair Tonken and his son. When Ruth gives Al £800 he uses the money to pay back the some of the loan. But Alastair Tonken tells them they still owe him. Al thinks it is time they stood up for themselves but PC Penhale says he can't help them - it's a civil matter. The Tonkens then put pressure on Mrs Dingley for the money they lent her and Penhale has to break up a fight between them and the Larges. He tells the Tonkens to leave the village and never come back. Eleanor has a plan to help the restaurant in the form of a Spanish theme night. But when she suffers a strangulated hernia Martin has to operate himself. Convinced that he should resume his career as a surgeon Martin plans to quit Portwenn leaving Louisa and their baby son in the village. There is still the child's christening to organise but as usual the doc shows little interest

• Episode 8: Ever After - Fuelled by a cocktail of drugs, Mrs Tishell can no longer hide her unrequited love for the doc, and decides she must take drastic action. When baby James Henry is left in her care, she boards a bus out of the village leaving an enigmatic message for Dr Ellingham to meet them at the castle. The doc is joined by Louisa, who is beside herself with worry, and his Aunt Ruth, as they go off in search of Mrs Tishell. Eventually they realise she is at Pentire Castle, a magnificent house perched high on a cliff edge. With the baby in her arms Mrs Tishell looks perilously close to jumping out of the window. Can Aunt Ruth's experience as a psychologist calm the dangerous situation down?

Sixth Series (2013)

• Episode 1: Sickness and Health - Portwenn is buzzing with arrangements for the wedding of Martin and Louisa. But will the marriage finally go ahead? Martin is irritated by PC Penhale, who wrongly assumes he is best man, and Louisa is running late. The vicar has his doubts as to whether she will turn up, putting Martin even more on edge. Will they finally tie the knot, or will the villagers have to put the confetti back in the box?

• Episode 2: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? - Martin and Louisa invite the chairman of her school's board of governors for dinner, but the evening ends in disaster. After taking offence at Martin's diagnosis of her skin problem, the new nanny walks out. PC Penhale phones Radio Portwenn for relationship advice, then goes on a charm offensive to win friends

• Episode 3: The Tameness of a Wolf - A stranger stops dead in his tracks when he sees Ruth in the village, and later he spies on her when she is having a coffee with Caroline. Ruth is not sure why, but she starts feeling uneasy. One of Louisa's pupils blames an upset stomach on a meal she ate at Bert's restaurant and writes about it in the school magazine. Bert and Al are furious, and they go to see Louisa wanting something to be done

• Episode 4: Nobody Likes Me - When Martin is talked into taking baby James to playgroup, he is forced to sing along with the other mums. As the parents pair up, one of them says she is worried about her daughter, to which Martin replies that the girl is probably just backward. Al helps Ruth move into a cottage in the village where she meets her new neighbour, a grumpy old man called Moysey. When Moysey goes for a repeat prescription for his asthma, Martin notices that his breathing has got worse - but he takes exception to being poked and prodded. Al admits he would like a girlfriend and asks Morwenna if she has any single friends. Morwenna asks her mate Janice, who is not impressed by the idea. So a desperate Al decides to sign up with Cornish Couples, a dating website

• Episode 5: The Practice Around the Corner - Mrs Tishell returns to the village. Martin has to work out what is wrong with beachcomber Lorna. Al and Morwenna have an internet dating disaster, and romance is blossoming for Bert and Jennifer

• Episode 6: Hazardous Exposure - Jennifer fears she may have to leave Portwenn after a letter arrives saying that Mrs Tishell no longer needs supervision. Bert is miserable after learning Jennifer might have to move on and Al tells him he should do something to get her to stay. Martin asks Malcolm Rayner, the village hypochondriac, if he has ever worked with asbestos. A worried Malcolm remembers that he fitted insulation at the police station and in other houses. Penhale puts up asbestos warning notices all over the village

• Episode 7: Listen with Mother - During an examination, Mrs Tishell is smitten by Martin holding her hands and staring into her eyes, and falls head-over-heels in love with him again. Two military policemen call at the police station looking for Mike Pruddy. Al pretends not to know Mike, then goes to warn him the army are looking for him. Louisa has shocking news for Martin

• Episode 8: Departure - Louisa is leaving for Spain, Bert and Jennifer's engagement party goes off with a bang, and Al is hailed as a hero for saving Caroline's life

 

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