User Reviews

So much goes on in this episode. At the center of it all is Martin who is beginning to become protective of Louisa and the unborn baby. He is on her case constantly, acting irrationally, treating her like she is made out of sugar. Meanwhile, with the old man and a fish behind the stove (smelling terrible), Louisa has control of the house, but there are all kinds of things wrong with it. She talks Al Large into repairing her plumbing and several other jobs. Al needs the money, but when he lies to Pauline about where he is, it starts the rumor mill. The most interesting pair are a man and his wife who have come to the the Doc to get a handicapped parking permit. But there is something fishy going on. The redheaded ex lover of Doc is continuing to put her nails into him and there are strained relations between Louisa and the father of her soon to be baby. Also, we find that Aunt Jane is pretty much broke.

This is a rather typical episode of "Doc Martin"--well written, well acted and enjoyable. However, it also has nothing particularly exciting about the plots--nothing that is earth-shattering or all that important.

The main plots are the McLynns and Louisa's job situation. The McLynns are both quite elderly and come to Doc Martin to get a handicapped parking permit application signed. However, when the Doctor tries to examine Mr. McLynn (who is in a wheelchair), he is argumentative and the couple stomp off in a huff. Something is going on here, but exactly what you'll need to see through the course of the show, as the couple clearly are lying about something. As for Louisa, as the old director of the school went crazy, they need to fill the position and Louisa seems like a natural since she was the director before she left town for several months. However, the Doc doesn't think she should be working since she's very pregnant--and does what he can to undermine her chances at the job-- and she is naturally quite resentful. And, in a tiny and odd subplot, the neighborhood annoying teens begin spreading the rumor that Louisa and Al are sleeping together! Overall, very slight but enjoyable.

This is a good example of frustration comedy. The Doc kept getting patients who didn't want to get treated. First was Louisa, of course. Aunt Joan called the Doc because she saw Louisa winded after moving furniture in her new home. Then the McLynns who wanted him to sign for their PWD parking application but did not want to be evaluated. After that was the school secretary who was so obviously ill but insisted it was only hay fever. Lastly, it was the Doc himself who frustrated Edith for not confronting his hemophobia head on. In the end everything resolved itself. Louisa got to have her cake and eat it too. The McLynns were given the right diagnosis so they were on their way to getting proper treatment. Hay fever lady got antibiotics. And the Doc finally agreed to see a therapist. Edith smirked at Louisa at the end perhaps thinking she won this round. She thinks she's a step closer to getting the Doc back to London, back to surgery, and them back together as a power couple all because the Doc agreed to see a therapist. I know the back and forth bickering between the Doc and Louisa in the past was the customary vehicle used to push the romantic angle. If this was a Hollywood flick, some extra would be saying, "Get a room." But this time, their repartee rubbed me the wrong way. I can't believe the Doc would be so narrow-minded to think that women can't raise children and have a job at the same time. I know it's supposed to be his "concern" for Louisa and his child but he just came off backward and misogynistic. Then there were the "fat" and "obese" bombs from Al and Pauline. I'm not really hardcore politically correct but putting those together just got my goat.