Do You Know About Doc Martin - Series Four?

In a prior "Do You Know About? post, we introduced you to a television series called Doc Martin - surly, tactless, self-centered, Doc Martin's reception room is never-the-less crowded since he's the only doctor in Portwenn, Cornwall. We wanted to let you know that Series 4 of Doc Martin is now available in a two disk set. Hurray!

The action picks up a few months after the wedding day disaster, when Doc Martin and the pretty school teacher Louisa realized, literally at the last moment, that neither could go through with the ceremony. Dr. Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes, Men Behaving Badly) is even grumpier and ruder than before. His former fiancée, Louisa (Caroline Catz, Murder in Suburbia), has left the village to avoid embarrassment. The doctor himself plans to return to London as a surgeon - if he can conquer his fear of blood. Even a pin prick's worth of the red stuff makes him gag.

Matters quickly become complicated when Louisa moves back with startling news.

Meanwhile, Martin's old flame, Edith Montgomery (Lia Williams), takes a job at the local hospital and sets her sights on the doc. Sparks and rumors fly as patients crowd his office: a shouting oil rigger, the inept local constable, a woman who sees her dead husband's ghost, and a man who eats his own hair.

Through it all, Doc Martin is gruff, impatient and abrupt. Hard to believe that Doc Martin could be so attractive to two women, no less, as well as to the stray dogs who continually try to get into his surgery.

Actor Martin Clunes had this to say about his return to the set:
"As I drove back to the location there was a sense of anticipation of being back there. We have been able to rent the same house just along the coast from Port Isaac where we have always stayed. The views from the house along the coast are stunning. It took a little while to get back into the character and into the rhythm of single camera acting. Suddenly you realise it is sort of a second skin and it just lovely being back. The doc's sharp suits and severe haircut help me to get back into character. But it is his trademark curmudgeonly approach to his patients which is the key to playing the role again."

Stephanie Cole returns as Aunt Joan . . .

Ian McNeice is back as restauranteur Bert Large . . . .

and Katherine Parkinson reprises her role as the often lethargic and slightly looney receptionist, Pauline.

Having just watched this Series, I can tell you that the show is just as funny, the characters just as endearing and the plotlines just as engaging as the first three seasons.

Watch a clip from Espisode 1 of Series 4 here.

Don't tell anyone, but a 5th Series has been commissioned, but won't begin filming until 2011.