Doc Martin Christmas Special, ITV review

Santa comes to Portwenn as the final curtain falls.

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Doc Martin review

A heart-warming return to UK's most notorious disease hotspot.

The curse of the penultimate episode in a comedy-drama season: setting up the big storyline that will power the finale means there is too much dramatic legwork and not enough comic relief. The supporting players in this show are too good, however, for there to be no pleasure. Everything John Marquez says as dumb copper Joe Penhale is funny, so pressing him into service as an umpire-commentator for Portwenn's annual, injury-plagued gig race is gold.

Doc Martin (ITV, Wednesday) still is, and at the top of its game. So much so it would put car mechanics out of business. It also has the advantage of only appearing every two years, meaning that the lay off almost makes you forget just how good it was. It's also the only doctor's surgery anyone fancies visiting.

In the opening episode, the Doc was grumpier than ever. For him, this is an "all-life crisis". If he won the lottery, I'm sure he'd throw the ticket in the bin before sticking pins in his eyes.

Does anyone actually behave like this or are they "on the spectrum"? If it is the latter, he's off the scale, but who cares. In real life, you would simply be saying, "Wow, the Doc's hard work. How long do we have to stay?"

To cheer himself up in series eight, he's agreed for wife Louisa (Caroline Catz) to have a dog, which of course, is something else to complain about, and trip over, while banging his head on a low door. If you know a grumpier person than this, please contact a TV company about doing a documentary.

He was ably assisted by PC Penhale (John Marquez) who was told so many times that he was an idiot, I expect an immediate class libel action from the local constabulary to stand up for one of their own.

The village plod was suffering kidney stones: "How often are you passing water?" asked the Doc. He replied: "Bit personal isn't it, Doc?" This prompted the policeman to say, "I'm not an idiot". Oh, yes you are. As the episode closed, Penhale's quest for romance dissolved along with his kidney stones. He seemed more relieved about the latter. Quite right.

Doc Martin: series 8 is just what the doctor ordered

Toby Earle goes for a check-up in Portwenn.

Doc Martin's cast shares the secrets behind new series

As one of TV's most popular dramas returns to our screens, David Stephenson meets the Doc Martin cast on location in Cornwall for its penultimate series.