Doc Martin. Image shows from L to R: Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz), Dr Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes). Copyright: ITV
Doc Martin

Doc Martin (2004)

  • TV comedy drama
  • ITV1
  • 2004 - 2022
  • 79 episodes (10 series)

Comedy drama following the trials and tribulations of a socially challenged surgeon turned GP working in Cornwall. Stars Martin Clunes. Also features Caroline Catz, Ian McNeice, Joe Absolom, Selina Cadell, John Marquez and more.

Episode menu

Series 5, Episode 3 - Boho With A Shotgun

Sleepless nights are taking their toll on Dr Martin Ellingham and Louisa Glasson. Tempers are frayed as they try to find ways to comfort their constantly wailing baby.

Further details

Doc Martin. Dr Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes). Copyright: Buffalo Pictures / Homerun Productions

Sleepless nights are taking their toll on Dr Martin Ellingham and Louisa Glasson. Tempers are frayed as they try to find ways to comfort their constantly wailing baby.

Just as they manage to get him off to sleep, Buddy, the dog who thinks Martin is his best pal, barks and wakes the baby. Exasperated Martin scoops up the little dog and takes him to Aunt Ruth.

Aunt Ruth has problems of her own: she is dealing with an intruder on the farm who 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.

She decides to pay a visit to mother and son. As a psychiatrist it soon becomes clear to Ruth that Michael is a bit odd. He has a collection of metal objects strewn around the garden. Ruth catches him taking pot shots at her hubcaps.

Shirley makes an appointment with Martin to discuss the crippling stomach pains she has been suffering. When her son is out of the room, Shirley tells the doc she thinks her son is trying to poison her so he can have the house to himself.

New receptionist Morwenna Newcross fails to make a good impression on the doc by arriving late on her first day. Her grandfather William gives her some 'magic pills' to make sure she is on time, and bright as a button at work.

The pills make Morwenna hyperactive and the doc sacks her alleging she is high on drugs. It is only when William collapses with a suspected heart attack that the doc discovers the 'magic pills' he and his granddaughter have been taking are actually methamphetamines which were given to soldiers during the war to keep them alert. William appeals to the doc to give Morwenna another chance.

The results of the tests on Shirley Dunwich show a heavy concentration of arsenic in her system. The doc immediately calls PC Penhale suspecting that Shirley is actually being poisoned by her son. There's a real crime for Penhale to deal with at last, but he seems less than confident about how to proceed.

When they arrive at the Dunwich farm they find Ruth trying to help Shirley, and Michael wielding a gun. The gun goes off and Penhale thinks he has been shot. It is the doc who manages to calm the situation and seize the gun.

Martin also notices the odour from old wallpaper in the house. He realises the copper arsenate from the old wallpaper which Michael had started to strip had produced deadly fumes and caused Shirley's illness.

Broadcast details

Date
Monday 26th September 2011
Time
9pm
Channel
ITV1
Length
60 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Friday 23rd November 2012 9:00pm ITV3
Friday 19th July 2013 9:00pm ITV1
Saturday 17th May 2014 8:00pm ITV3
Wednesday 19th November 2014 8:00pm ITV3
Saturday 2nd May 2015 1:45pm ITV1
Saturday 4th July 2015 7:00pm ITV3
Monday 30th November 2015 8:00pm ITV3
Sunday 24th July 2016 7:00pm ITV3
Saturday 14th January 2017 8:00pm ITV3
Friday 28th April 2017 8:00pm ITV3
Friday 15th February 2019 8:00pm ITV3
Wednesday 20th November 2019 8:00pm ITV3
Friday 24th July 2020 9:00pm ITV3
Friday 30th April 2021 8:00pm ITV3
Friday 21st January 2022 9:00pm ITV3
Friday 5th May 2023 9:00pm ITV3
Sunday 7th May 2023 11:00am ITV3

Cast & crew

Cast
Martin Clunes Dr Martin Ellingham
Caroline Catz Louisa Glasson
Ian McNeice Bert Large
Joe Absolom Al Large
John Marquez PC Penhale
Eileen Atkins Aunt Ruth Ellingham
Jessica Ransom Morwenna Newcross
Buffy Davis Pippa Woodley
Guest cast
Tom Goodman-Hill Mark
Andrew-Lee Potts Michael Dunwich
Miriam Margolyes Shirley Dunwich
Peter Vaughan William Newcross
Writing team
Jack Lothian Writer
Robert Leedham Script Editor
Production team
Ben Bolt Director
Philippa Braithwaite Producer
Mark Crowdy Executive Producer
Nick McPhee Editor
Anthony Ainsworth Production Designer
Jane Broomfield Production Designer
Colin Towns Composer

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