Doc Martin (TV Series 2004-)

Doc Martin, now shooting its sixth charming series, is popular in more than 30 countries around the world, including Slovenia and Saudi Arabia. Foreign-language adaptations have aired in Germany, France, Spain, The Netherlands, and Greece -- and Russia may be next.



Martin Clunes and Caroline Catz.

Martin Clunes is Martin Ellingham (his surname’s an anagram for the name of creator Dominic Minghella), a London surgeon who develops a phobia to blood and who relocates to the picturesque Cornish village of Port Wenn, becoming the area’s general practitioner. He is gruff, intolerant, and rude to people, but over time he develops a relationship with and has a child with local headmistress Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz).

The community is full of quirky, amusing characters, including a plumber-turned-restaurateur (Ian McNeice), his son (Joe Absolom), Martin’s aunts (Stephanie Cole, followed by Dame Eileen Atkins), local cops, and a series of three dippy receptionists, among others.



This series is lovely, funny and set in a beautiful Cornish village called Port Isaac which I visited in July and fell in love with it. I highly recommend Doc Martin to everyone! :)

 

 

 

 

 

 





Downton Abbey (Christmas Special 2012)

 

 

September 1921. The Crawley family heads north, to Duneagle Castle in Scotland - the ancestral home of The MacClare family - to visit Lady Rose and her warring parents, Susan and Hugh ("Shrimpy"). Bates, Anna, Molesley, and O'Brien also make the trip.

 

 

 

 

Gregson, the man who hired Lady Edith on at the newspaper, tells her that he is going to be in Scotland as well. After Edith informs her family of this Mary and Matthew disagree about Gregson's motives. Gregson later declares his feelings for Edith and hopes to find an ally in Matthew. "Shrimpy" tells Lord Grantham, that he will have to sell his estate because he did not modernise it like Downton and now the money is all gone.

 

Tom remains at Downton with baby Sybil. The staff looks forward to the approaching country fair, and Carson struggles to keep them concentrating on work.

 

 

 

 

A new housemaid, Edna, joins the staff and is quickly fired after Mrs Hughes discovers her getting too close to Tom.

 

 

 

Mrs Patmore becomes involved in a romance, but it does not last as she realises he is only interested in her cooking.

 

 

 

 

At the country fair, the Downton staff win the tug of war. Jimmy is nearly robbed after winning money from betting, but is saved by Thomas, who is beaten in his place. They later agree just to be friends.

 

 

 

 

Lady Mary goes into labour early, rushing home to the local hospital to deliver her baby, a son.

 

 

 

 

 

 Matthew soon joins her to meet his heir. But on the way back to Downton, he is killed in a car accident.  Mary cuddles their baby, unbeknownst to her, now a single mother.

 

 

 

 

 

This episode is so sad. I loved Dan Stevens as Matthew! xx

 

 

Downton Abbey Series Three, Episode Eight

 

September 1920. Downton Abbey's annual cricket match with the village takes place, bringing out Lord Grantham's competitive side.

 

 

Violet's great niece, Lady Rose MacClare—the daughter of Violet's niece, Susan, Marchioness of Flintshire and her husband, Hugh, Marquess of Flintshire—visits. A trip to London reveals that there is more to her than meets the eye: she's a wild girl who likes to drink and party.

 

 

 

Carson controls Thomas's future, and Thomas finds an unlikely ally in Bates.

 

 

 

 Mary and Matthew are keeping secrets from one another. 

 

 

 

I like Mary and Matthew. xx

 

 
 

Downton Abbey Series Three, Episode Seven

September 1920. Bates is freed from prison, to the resentment of Thomas.

 Upon O'Brien's advice, Thomas makes a midnight visit to Jimmy's room and falls into O'Brien's trap.

Branson plans to baptise baby Sybil a Catholic. While Lord Grantham discourages Edith's desire to become a journalist, Violet supports her granddaughter.

Edith comes to London to meet with a magazine editor, and accepts his offer for a weekly column. Branson's drunkard brother comes to Downton. Matthew continues to confront Lord Grantham about the estate's mismanagement, leading to the resignation of the family's long time agent Jarvis.

Tom is appointed as the new family agent upon Violet's suggestion. Miss Sybil Branson is baptised at a Catholic Church in Ripon with the whole Crawley family in presence.

 

 

 

I love the Matthew and Mary scene. I hope Edith finds happiness soon, happy she is sticking up for herself. Thomas is in hot water! Oh dear! xx 

 

Downton Abbey Series Three, Episode Six



September 1920. Branson decides to name his daughter Sybil and wants to baptise her as a Catholic, both of which Lord Grantham is firmly opposed to. However, Mary and the rest of the family defend Branson's decision.

To repair Cora and Robert's marriage, Violet pressures Dr Clarkson into going back on his assertion that Sybil would have had a slim chance of living if she had undergone a Caesarean section. He tells Cora and Lord Grantham that Sybil would have surely died either way, and Cora forgives Robert.

Anna finds evidence that might prove Bates innocent, but another prisoner threatens his chances of freedom. After Bates threatens the inmate, George Murray is able to get Bates a release date.

Daisy is upset that Alfred is paying a lot of attention to Ivy.

Ethel prepares a luncheon for the Crawley women and gets Mrs Patmore to help. When Lord Grantham finds out about the luncheon, he is outraged that Isobel would let a former prostitute serve lunch to his family. However, Cora and the women ignore his protests.

 

 

 

I love the scenes with Matthew and Robert, Matthew, Mary and baby Sybil and the luncheon scene! xx