Almost three years after it left our screens, British series Doc Martin is making a surprise comeback. But not everyone’s happy about it – especially as original star, Martin Clunes, is not returning as the grumpy Dr Martin Ellingham.
Instead, Hollywood actor Josh Charles will be leading an American reboot of the show. Josh, 53, is best known for his roles in the film Dead Poets Society and the long-running legal drama The Good Wife.
What will the US remake of Doc Martin be about?
With Hollywood fixated on remaking beloved shows right now, this new US iteration of Doc Martin, renamed Best Medicine, will follow a hot-shot Boston surgeon who moves to a sleepy fishing village on the East Coast to be its reluctant new GP. It’ll premiere early next year.
Like the much-loved Dr Ellingham, Josh’s doctor has also been described as having a “blunt and borderline rude bedside manner” in the official logline. This rubs the quirky, needy locals the wrong way, and he alienates the town, even though he’s the only doctor they’ve got.
“The story of Doc Martin has resonated worldwide with its humanity, originality and humour,” a spokesperson for Fox Entertainment, who are behind the new show, said. “With Best Medicine, that eccentricity gets a small-town American spin.”
While Doc Martin viewers have prayed for more episodes since the show ended after 10 seasons, a source tells New Idea this is likely not what they had in mind.
Even though original UK producers, Philippa Braithwaite and Mark Crowdy, are working on the remake, that hasn’t stopped concerns that the British charm might not translate to an American setting, and possibly ruin the legacy created by Martin, 63.
Will there ever be Season 11 of the original Doc Martin?
For now, Martin has previously confirmed he has no plans to pop his alter ego’s stethoscope back on for Season 11.
Doc Martin’s 10 seasons were shot over a span of 18 years, beginning in 2004. When the show ended in December 2022, Martin said it was “sad” to be finishing up, but also the right time.
“Poor Philippa, I mean she’s worked on every single script, 84 of them, and none of them are easy,” he said in an interview on This Morning. “Because you’ve got a main protagonist who doesn’t like anybody and nobody likes him, and then go from there. “It hasn’t been easy, it’s tough and we sort of don’t want to repeat ourselves, you know?”
Where can I watch Doc Martin in Australia?
Fans who are disappointed that Martin won’t be returning can still revisit him in Doc Martin, which is available to stream in Australia on BritBox and ABC iView. You can also check out Josh in The Good Wife, which is available to watch in Australia on Amazon Prime Video.
