User Reviews

The therapy continues as Martin and Louisa try to find a way to join together as true partners. Martin, heavily on the autism spectrum, has a duality. He has trouble interacting with human beings, yet recognizes what could potentially destroy them. In this one he and Louisa are supposed to set up something between them, but neither has the facility to do so. The most visible plot line, however, has to do with that little dog. It drives Martin crazy. He seeks out people to euthanize it and, of course, no one will. Then there is the most ugly scene in the whole series. He gets out a syringe and is likely to kill the dog until he is stopped by Louisa. This leads to his interacting with a woman who uses natural cures in her veterinary practice. She takes Buddy, but he keeps coming back to Doc. The near death of the dog is beyond what a writer should have done. The episode concludes with a bizarre scene involving the female vet.

The psychotherapist working with Doc and Louisa has suggested a bit of homework...for Louisa to plan an activity start to finish and the Doctor to simply go along with whatever she plans. This is because in their relationship, she is mostly passive and he's quite controlling...and so Louisa plans a picnic.

At the same time, the Doc is struggling with that darned dog--it keeps showing up and following him about* at work and home. He is about to euthanize it** when Louisa stops him and demands he find a home. So, he takes it to a completely idiotic holistic vet. Why she's an idiot, you learn through the course of the show.

Additional topics covered is the pathetic Penhale planning on a picnic to get closer to a lady, Mr. Large operating a still and an obnoxious girl who seems to have some sort of seizure disorder. None of the topics in and of themselves are very interesting and a rare flat episode overall.

*Through the course of the series, a variety of scruffy dogs are used. You wouldn't normally notice this unless you are binge- watching.

**I really thought having Martin trying to kill the dog was a BAD decision by the writer. While Doc is a jerk, he never seemed so cruel as he is here. Bad decision.

I could not believe what I was seeing. First, a screenplay that calls for Doc Martin to attempt to murder a healthy dog by lethal injection. Then, the actor himself agreeing to do the scene. We are talking about a UK crime called animal cruelty punishable by a prison sentence.

So not only would he be a dog murderer but he might lose his license being an ex-con.

While laws permit governments to do this i.e. overcrowded shelters it is the crime of animal cruelty when a citizen becomes an animal vigilante and decides to kill a healthy dog rather then turn it over to authorities.

Showing Doc Martin trying to commit animal cruelty is baffling and was a serious, stupid error on the part of the writers. Here is hoping the baby does not cry to often or too loud.