For 18 years and 79 episodes, Doc Martin has quietly become one of the most consistently loved and rewatchable series on British television — and increasingly around the world. The show, which concluded its final season in 2022 but continues to attract huge audiences through streaming platforms like Netflix, ITVX, and BritBox, follows the misadventures of Dr Martin Ellingham, a brilliant but socially inept vascular surgeon forced to relocate from London to the picturesque (and eccentric) Cornish fishing village of Portwenn after developing a crippling fear of blood.

Martin Clunes delivers what many consider the performance of his career as the titular doctor — grumpy, brilliant, blunt to the point of rudeness, yet underneath it all deeply caring. His portrayal of a man who can save lives in the operating theatre but cannot navigate basic human interaction has made Doc Martin one of the most memorable characters in modern British comedy-drama.

The series begins with Martin’s humiliating retraining as a GP in Portwenn after losing his London surgical career. What follows is a perfect blend of fish-out-of-water comedy, gentle village satire, and surprisingly touching character development. The supporting cast is exceptional: Caroline Catz as Louisa Glasson, the schoolteacher who becomes Martin’s love interest and eventual wife; Ian McNeice as the endlessly patient Bert Large; Joe Absolom as the affable plumber Al Large; and Selina Cadell as the formidable pharmacist Mrs Tishell, whose unrequited obsession with Martin provides some of the show’s most memorable comic moments.

The humour is dry, character-driven, and rooted in the clash between Martin’s clinical precision and the laid-back, eccentric rhythms of village life. Yet the show never reduces its characters to caricatures. Over the seasons, Martin slowly — very slowly — learns to connect, to apologise, to express emotion. Louisa grows from a confident but guarded woman into a partner who challenges Martin without ever trying to “fix” him. Their relationship — awkward, stubborn, deeply loving — is the emotional spine of the series.

The writing remains remarkably consistent across its long run. Each episode balances standalone medical mysteries (often bizarre and darkly funny) with ongoing character arcs. The show’s creators — including Philippa Braithwaite and Dominic Minghella — understand that the real drama lies not in life-or-death emergencies, but in the small, everyday failures of communication, pride, and vulnerability.

Critically, Doc Martin has always been a quiet success rather than a flashy awards magnet. It has earned steady praise for its warmth, humour, and refusal to patronise rural life. Clunes has won multiple National Television Awards, and the series itself has been nominated repeatedly for Best Drama. Viewers consistently rank it among the most rewatchable shows on television — comfort viewing with sharp edges.

The final season (2022) gave the characters satisfying closure while staying true to the show’s tone: no saccharine endings, no sudden personality transplants, just gradual, believable growth. Martin and Louisa’s family life, the village’s quirks, and the doctor’s stubborn humanity all remain intact.

Even years after its finale, Doc Martin continues to find new audiences. Streaming numbers remain strong, and fans regularly petition for specials or a movie. The show’s enduring appeal is simple: it reminds us that people — even brilliant, difficult, grumpy people — can change, slowly and imperfectly, when surrounded by love, patience, and the occasional kick up the backside.

In a television landscape often dominated by cynicism or sentimentality, Doc Martin offers something rarer: kindness with teeth. It’s funny, moving, and deeply human — and that’s why, nearly two decades later, it still feels essential.