Doc Martin - Saturday 22nd

DO you think it'll get to the end of this series of Doc Martin and that baby will still be nameless?

Doc Martin

DO you think it'll get to the end of this series of Doc Martin and that baby will still be nameless? There's no sign of an outcome tonight. Not that there's any huge rush. It's not like it's a cat or a dog and it'll come when you call it.

Anyway, Martin (Martin Clunes) has to get through Joan's funeral first. Terrible shock. Or was it? Mrs Tishell the pharmacist saw it coming, she tells Joe the police constable as they hand out the order of service at church. This is Mrs Tishell, the biggest stickybeak in Portwenn.

She's wearing a black fascinator, and with her neckbrace for what injury I've never worked out it looks quite something.

The whole funeral is quite something. I knew the minute the woman went up to Martin to say something comforting that this was going to be a better effort than I'd expected.

She's like, I can't believe Joan's dead, and about those pills you gave me ...

Between the pall bearers, Martin's eulogy and the introduction of the new season replacement aunty Ruth, a psychiatrist who unfurls her own self-analysis including the impact of "early quasi-sexual encounters" to Louisa as they wait for the coffin, tonight's episode is unlikely to disappoint you.

There are some very droll moments, in a show I've often found a bit broad and overly reliant on the alleged quirkiness of its characters.

No, Martin hasn't cleared out for London, yet. He's even interviewing for a new receptionist, a girl called Morwenna. Or Louisa's interviewing; he walks in as she's showing Morwenna the filing system.

He asks if she's qualified. "I used to work in a bakery." Is that relevant? "I still get discounts on pastries."

Doc Martin
ABC1, 7.30pm
Ratingl: 4 Stars.