‘Doc Martin’ Recap: ‘Series 10, Episode 5’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 1005 of ‘Doc Martin’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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Whenever a family member arrives at our doorstep, it is cause for celebration. For someone we deeply love and are connected to on a fundamental level is back in our midst and we get to spend precious moments with them and create memories. Which is why we cherish family visits during the holidays and welcome these arrival moments, because of what they provide us with. But what’s fascinating about this aspect of life, is that not everyone finds the same joy that others do in having a family member swing by, nor do they wish to spend any time with them in the first place. Which is shocking to so many of us since we don’t understand how on earth people could not want to be around their family in any capacity. 

But that’s just it… we just don’t understand. For we haven’t been privy to the moment that pushed a person to need to be free of a family member and we don’t understand the pain that person brought them in any capacity… or how hard it is for them to see that person face to face after years of distance from a bad memory. But through storytelling, we can get some idea, and that is why this is top of mind today, simply because it’s a problem that Louisa encountered in the next episode of Doc Martin on Acorn TV. A feat that this story accomplished… by outright surprising us. Since early on, it seemed as though this story was going to focus on Joe rekindling his love in an awkward manner while Bert worked to chase off a squatter so he could sell a rare camper for a lovely price.

Plot points that of course, went somewhere since Joe and Janice declared their love for each other and Bert got nothing in the end for handling the whole mess with the camper, in a foolhardy manner. But while all of that was going on, an unexpected visitor dropped by the surgery, specifically… Terry. That’s right, Louisa’s estranged father came by to say hello for reasons that were heartbreaking and conflicting in nature. For he was released from prison early because he came down with a terminal disease and wanted to reconnect with his family before his passing. Which put Louisa in a tough spot, because she wasn't happy to see him and was in essence being asked… no… forced… to reconcile years of pain and trauma in the name of being the bigger person. 

A task she was of course up to because she’s a great human being through and through. But the conflict that came out of such an act and the pain that resurfaced made it clear how hard it is to see a family member that someone cut out of their lives… return. Because whether that person has recovered from the trauma said family member brought forth or not, dark memories persist when that person shows up on their doorstep, and the whole point of keeping them at bay, is to be free of all of that, and of course, that same person is forced to handle this whole matter with kid gloves. Because there’s no trust here and being on guard must be a standard, for regardless of the promises made by that sour family member… the scorpion always stings, as the old parable informs us. And that’s why arm’s length is critical, and it is a good thing that Louisa didn’t get too invested here either.

Because thanks to Martin, everyone came to learn that Terry wasn’t dying. He merely had an illness oft mistaken for something terminal and that was of course… treatable. But that also meant, a return to prison. Something Terry wasn’t good with and when given the chance to run and burn the last bridge he had with his family… he took it. Further hammering home, the reasons why some people keep some family members as far from them as possible and well… while that was indeed heartbreaking for Louisa, it did make for one engaging tale. One that offered up great insight to those who might not understand this reality and affirmation for those that do, and it was wonderful to see this show touch upon a topic that few will and well, now that we’ve reached the end of this journey, the time has come to patiently wait for the next chapter in Martin’s farewell journey. Until next time.  

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