Doc Martin: Series 4

Martin Clunes is back in another 8-episode run of ITV1's Doc Martin, and - thanks to the bombshell dropped at the end of the previous series - is grumpier than ever.

For those of you just catching up, this tells the story of Doc Martin, a haemophobic surgeon who's forced to set up a general practice in the sleepy Cornish town of Portwenn. Being socially unadjusted, he's ill-suited to this task, and thus is the source of the series' comedy and drama.

Clunes is still as irascible as ever as the lead and his take on the grumpy fish-out-of-water continues to simmer dangerously close to the boil, ready to implode at a moment's notice. The supporting cast infuse their respective oddball with a certain sense of fantastical whimsy, and none can be faulted for impeccable comic timing.

This gives rise to some genuinely amusing moments - including a fantastic scene where one of the villagers takes steroids in a surreal attempt to become more fertile - as well as weaving an interesting, easy to follow story that's fairly easy to dive into at any point. It doesn't stop one or two episodes from sagging in the middle, though, and if Jack Bauer is your hero of choice, the producers aren't attempting to change your mind, with the pace rarely accelerating above a plod for the duration of the series.

Perfect as Sunday evening wind-down television, the relaxed paced, easy comedy and low-drama are such easy viewing that it's impressive it doesn't put you to sleep - in the good way, of course. Combining fantastic performances with well observed comedy, this is a reassuring slice of that TV essential - the grumpy eccentric.



Released on DVD on 1st March 2010 by Momentum Pictures.

Written by Ross Sweeney.