Missed Your Doctor's Appointment? Reschedule with KCET's Hit Series 'Doc Martin' Beginning June 30
Los Angeles, CA - June 3, 2011 - Did you miss your doctor's appointment? Reschedule on-air with KCET, the nation's largest independent public media company serving Southern and Central California. Beginning June 30 at 8pm, KCET will offer an encore presentation its highest rated program--the British comedy-drama series Doc Martin--beginning with season one.
Starring Martin Clunes (Men Behaving Badly) as the once-esteemed London-based surgeon Doc Martin Ellingham, the series details the trials and tribulations of Ellingham as he develops a phobia to blood which forces him to leave his post. After retraining as a general practitioner, he gets a job in the beautiful but sleepy village of Portwenn, replacing its deceased local doctor. However, his abrasive personality and tactless bedside manner don't exactly mesh with the pace of life in Cornwall, nor with the town's schoolteacher Louisa Glasson, who he attempts to develop a romantic relationship with.
"Doc Martin's loyal fan base on KCET continues to grow," said Bohdan Zachary, KCET's vice president of Broadcasting & Program Development. "By rebroadcasting all three seasons, we can offer those just tuning in a chance to rediscover the despicable Doc Martin and the cast of Port Isaac that truly makes this series a classic." Doc Martin is one of several British programs that have delivered some of KCET's highest ratingssince becoming an independent public television station. Other distinctive shows from Great Britain on KCET include BBC World News, Rosemary and Thyme, MI5, Prime Suspect, Hustle and a host of royal wedding coverage surrounding the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Doc Martin Season One:
Episode one: "Going Bodmin"
Doc Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes) has been forced to give up his career as an eminent surgeon, and retrain as a GP, after developing a phobia to blood. A vacancy arises in the Cornish hamlet of Portwenn following the death of the local GP. On the train journey to Cornwall for an interview for the post, Martin takes a close interest in a woman sharing his carriage. His intense scrutiny unsettles the woman and she moves to a seat in another carriage.
When he arrives to be interviewed, he finds the woman is schoolteacher Louisa Glasson, the lay member of the interviewing panel. Louisa is particularly tough in her questioning of Doc Martin. As he leaves the interview Louisa challenges him about why he had been staring at her on the train. He curtly advises Louisa to see an eye specialist as he has detected acute glaucoma.
Episode two: "Gentleman Prefer"
Doc Martin Ellingham's practice is officially open for business. The waiting room is full of patients and Doc Martin announces to the packed waiting room that unless they have a genuine ailment they should all leave. Stunned and embarrassed, everyone shuffles out, leaving just one man, sour-faced former teacher Roger Fenn who has a nasty cough. Doc Martin tells Fenn he must be referred to a specialist for a biopsy on a neck lump. But Fenn accuses the doctor of time-wasting and storms out.
Episode three: "S**t Happens"
Doc Martin Ellingham makes his debut on the local radio station, Radio Portwenn. He's not a natural in front of the microphone, and the interview is like pulling teeth for presenter Caroline. She's furious with his monosyllabic answers to her questions. A nasty stomach bug is sweeping through Portwenn. People are dropping like flies, and filling Doc Martin's surgery. The local pharmacist has been busy with customers seeking remedies.
Episode four: "The Portwenn Effect"
It's the Portwenn Players dance, an auspicious event in the village's social calendar, and Bert is in charge of selling tickets. Louisa buys two tickets and invites Doc Martin. But he doesn't do dancing, and most certainly doesn't do social occasions.
Episode five: "Of All the Harbours in All the Towns"
An old flame of Joan's sails back into her life and whisks her off her feet. But John Slater is seriously ill with a life-threatening heart condition, as Doc Martin discovers when he insists on running tests on John. Slater wants to rekindle the love affair with Joan and sail off into the sunset with her. But Doc Martin is anxious for Joan that she will have to nurse a very sick man.
Episode six: "Haemophobia"
The tourist season has arrived in Portwenn. Disgruntled by the invasion of holidaymakers, Doc Martin grimaces as he makes his way through the crowds. Then he notices an attractive woman, and stops to stare... at her chest. Not surprisingly she's annoyed at his blatancy. And she can't believe it when he says he'd like to examine her chest. Martin was actually trying to warn the woman about the dangers of sunbathing for fear of skin cancer, but his usual abrupt and quirky manner has caused offence.
About KCET
On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays a vital role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central California. KCET currently produces the Emmy®, duPont-Columbia and Peabody Award-winning SoCal Connected, a hard-hitting prime-time weekly television news program that examines the issues and people of Southern California. Throughout its more than 40-year history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality educational family and children's programs, its outreach and community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported community institution. More than half of the funds raised to support KCET's operating budget come from individual support. For additional information about KCET productions, Web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org.
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