Doc Martin is ending its run after 18 years on the air, and star Martin Clunes recently talked about ending the British medical comedy-drama series in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. Rupert Graves, Lesley Nicol, Ben Miller, Fay Ripley, David Hayman, Hermione Norris, and Kenneth Cranham also star in the series, which follows a British doctor who has returned to a much-loved town from his youth.
The show’s final installment, a Christmas special, was released on the Acorn TV streaming service today.
Comparing this role to the rest of his body of work, Clunes said,
“The best job I’ll ever have, I guess. To shoot in a holiday location, with my wife, from my own company, it just doesn’t happen like that, does it? We’ve been through four different managements, and we don’t even get script notes or notes on edits or anything. We’re completely left alone. We don’t take up anybody’s desk time, and it still seems to outperform most of the competition. That’s never gonna happen again. So yeah, it’s been an amazing job. And it bought us this farm.”
He also shared a memory about his last day on the Doc Martin set:
“We were filming a scene from Episode 7, where Chris Parsons [played by Vincent Franklin], the medical director guy, is in the rock pool and gets his foot stuck, and his wife’s having a seizure. And Jess Ransom, who plays Morwenna, and Joe Absolom, who plays Al Large, were in the scene. And we had an amazing summer this year, and the ocean was the loveliest blue, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. And to our left out of shot was a beautiful Cornish beach with people doing what they’ve done in Cornwall for years, which is families and their dogs and their children just having a fantastic time. And it seemed to sum up our experience. It wasn’t too taxing a day; I didn’t have to say any long medical words. Just a quick defibrillation. It was quite easy. So it was really great. It was a feeling of real elation. But I’ve always loved finishing jobs. I’ve always started jobs with the intention of finishing them.”
What do you think? Have you watched Doc Martin over the last 18 years? Are you sad to see the series end?
Sad
Oh yes. Sad to see it end. Loved it from beginning to end. A very unique comedy. Wish it would show forever!!
Of course I’m sad to see Doc Martin end. This type of comedy is a once in a lifetime occurrence and the cost have endeared themselves to us. Wish it could continue.