Episode 1 – Going Bodmin (March 14, 2016)

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This topic contains 166 replies, has 12 voices, and was last updated by  Debra 8 years ago.

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  • March 5, 2016 at 1:17 am #67 Reply

    Kate Kennedy
    Keymaster

    Post your comments for Going Bodmin here

    • This topic was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by  Kate Kennedy.
    • This topic was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by  Kate Kennedy.
  • March 11, 2016 at 5:04 pm #102 Reply

    chazglen
    Participant

    Most DM titles are based on other titles, allude to common Cornish phrases or are a mere play on words. It might be interesting for people to know the hidden meanings behind some of them. For instance :: ‘Going Bodmin’. The double entendre being Martin, who had developed a blood phobia, was being sidelined (from London, where he was a highly respected surgeon) to the small Cornish community of Portwenn (not far from the real town of Bodmin). Bodmin, in real life, was the location of that area’s asylum for the mentally disturbed, and the phrase is well known in the Cornish culture. So the double meaning is quite apt :: Martin was going ‘there’ both physically as well as mentally.

    • March 14, 2016 at 5:05 pm #131 Reply

      Kate Kennedy
      Keymaster

      Chaz – in the PortwennOnline pages I’ve been adding trivia pages to the episodes and I’ve probably done the trivia pages for about 1/3 of the episodes. At the top of each trivia page I attempt to identify all of the meanings of the episode titles. Many of them tie into several of the storylines. It’s really fun to dig deeply into the episode to find some hidden nuggets.

    • June 30, 2018 at 4:23 am #557 Reply

      Alexavia

      Why does this have to be the ONLY relibale source? Oh well, gj!

  • March 12, 2016 at 10:53 am #103 Reply

    apl9662
    Participant

    Just rewatched this very first episode. It surprised me a bit how “nice” he was in fact. He smiled a few times, nearly really laughed when seeing the surferboy’s Volkswagen floating in the waves. It also surprised me how rude the people of Portwenn were to him. Elaine in partiular. She was speaking to her future employer in such a rude way! I totally agreed with Martin that he didn’t want to hire her in the first place. I wasn’t very surprised that he was about to go away after one week. He was about to go bodmin indeed. It was only his love for the medical profession that witheld him from that – thanks to Bert. And maybe the hint of crush he had for the head teacher 😉

    • June 30, 2018 at 6:00 am #577 Reply

      Della

      I really coud’nlt ask for more from this article.

  • March 12, 2016 at 2:44 pm #122 Reply

    chazglen
    Participant

    Yes… the smiles caught me off guard too… as well as a few ironic jokes and sarcasm. These, as the series progressed, gave way to textbook Aspergers where humor completely eluded him.

    • June 29, 2018 at 6:55 am #414 Reply

      Philly

      Stellar work there evyneore. I’ll keep on reading.

    • June 30, 2018 at 3:31 am #544 Reply

      Lavar

      Right oniht-s helped me sort things right out.

    • June 30, 2018 at 8:04 am #607 Reply

      Latisha

      A piece of eriuotdin unlike any other!

    • July 7, 2018 at 3:59 pm #612 Reply

      Barbi

      If only there were more clveer people like you!

    • July 7, 2018 at 4:16 pm #684 Reply

      Sugar

      This is what we need – an insight to make evonyere think

  • March 14, 2016 at 4:20 am #126 Reply

    MrsTishell
    Participant

    Oooo — there’s a new doctor in town. A smart Doctor Ellingham with a deep, luscious voice. I’m still waiting for him to stop by the pharmacy. Wonder when he will introduce himself? Shall I bake him a cake?

    • June 29, 2018 at 11:51 am #478 Reply

      Alyn

      Boom shkaalaka boom boom, problem solved.

    • June 30, 2018 at 12:19 am #488 Reply

      Ice

      The accident of finding this post has bregntihed my day

    • June 30, 2018 at 2:57 am #529 Reply

      Espn

      If only there were more clveer people like you!

    • July 7, 2018 at 4:07 pm #645 Reply

      Irene

      Yeah that’s what I’m talking about baib–nyce work!

  • March 14, 2016 at 4:34 am #127 Reply

    blt
    Participant

    Rather amazing how so many things in the first episode have found their way in all episodes: dislike of dogs, “shut up!”, the gaggle of girls, the play on names like Lady Bra(ding), the attraction to Louisa, “I prefer Dr Ellingham”, etc. Bit most of all how his desire to be the best of doctors for this community wins the day.

    • June 30, 2018 at 7:17 am #595 Reply

      Jayne

      I found just what I was needed, and it was entgntairine!

  • March 14, 2016 at 4:49 am #128 Reply

    Clunatic ShazRose
    Participant

    I think the village made him more grumpy over time. The Doc did smile and laugh during this episode and seemed to make an effort to be part of the town festivities, though not successfully. A great start for the series. And I agree, blt, lots of the series elements were in play from the start.

    • June 29, 2018 at 11:11 am #451 Reply

      Sunny

      Very valid, pithy, sutccnic, and on point. WD.

    • June 30, 2018 at 3:03 am #535 Reply

      Marlien

      Yeah that’s what I’m talking about baiby-n-ce work!

  • March 14, 2016 at 12:28 pm #129 Reply

    Sue

    I wish I could remember my first impressions when I saw the inaugural episode of Doc Martin for the first time. Unfortunately, it has been so long ago and I have already watched it so many times, that initial reaction has faded. I recall liking it, but not enough to be hooked on the series. However, because of recommendations from a friend, I was determined to watch some more episodes and give the show a chance. It didn’t take too long before I was hooked. In hindsight, after seven series of the show, I can see some of the key attributes were already being set, even though Phillipa and Martin have said they didn’t really have long-range expectations or plans at the time. The very first scene, with the view of coastal Cornwall from the air, was a big draw and the scenery has continued to be a major player in the series. The on-again, off-again connection between Martin and Louisa, however brief, begins the long-running thread of every series. Then, there is the noticeable difference in the personality of the Doc in this episode, and for several episodes, where he is actually capable of smiling, apologizing and even submitting to a hug from Auntie Joan without much cringing. It would be nice to see a bit of that return in Series 8 and 9, at least as it relates to his family.

    • June 29, 2018 at 11:54 am #482 Reply

      Stitches

      A really good answer, full of raottnaliiy!

    • June 30, 2018 at 12:19 am #489 Reply

      Stone

      What a joy to find soemone else who thinks this way.

    • June 30, 2018 at 2:41 am #522 Reply

      Torn

      I can’t hear antinyhg over the sound of how awesome this article is.

    • June 30, 2018 at 2:51 am #526 Reply

      Deandra

      Whoever edits and pulibshes these articles really knows what they’re doing.

    • June 30, 2018 at 4:28 am #559 Reply

      Jaundalynn

      Heckuva good job. I sure apepacirte it.

  • March 14, 2016 at 3:31 pm #130 Reply

    Cheryl Killian

    I too was surprised when I finished the series and started at the beginning to see how much more “grumpy” he had become over the series. It actually surprised me to see him smile and make an attempt at being social as I didn’t remember that until seeing it the second time. I loved his embrace with auntie Joan. I also had to laugh at his description of why he liked (really didn’t like) dogs. They smell so good and they bite! I would like to see him return to this softer side as the series closes and do hope for a good outcome with he and Louisa. Caroline is the perfect Louisa….beautiful, sweet, funny and flawed in her own ways. I love this show!

    • June 30, 2018 at 3:00 am #532 Reply

      Frenchie

      Inframotion is power and now I’m a !@#$ing dictator.

  • March 14, 2016 at 5:22 pm #133 Reply

    Kate Kennedy
    Keymaster

    I was surprised watching this episode last night that I noticed a couple of things for the first time. I have gone over every episode so many times grabbing information for the website that I didn’t expect to find new things. I like that this rewatch will let me sit back once a week and just WATCH each episode again.

    The two things I noticed in this one:

    1. I hadn’t really noticed that Ross’ car floating in the harbour was a Volkswagen Beetle. When I was a child I vividly remember the Volkswagen advertisements that said “It floats!” My dad loved Volkswagens.

    2. I’d always noticed the smile from Martin and the hug when he first greets Aunt Joan. But what only registered for the first time last night was that when she grabbed the meat cleaver to prepare the chicken and he jumped up to leave, he leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. I had to stop and replay that last few seconds because I had never really caught that.

  • March 14, 2016 at 8:07 pm #137 Reply

    lad
    Participant

    I remember watching Doc Martin for the first time on Netflix after an aunt of mine mentioned it. I like some British tv, and PBS, so I gave it a try. At first I wasn’t enamoured… It had the unbalanced and awkward footing of a first show… I found Bert and Elaine annoying, the male breasts storyline far fetched and the flood in the office just dumb…but I laughed when Martin walked into the door, and I kinda liked Louisa, Mark and the dog. I was amused when the fishermen drove the doc off the road and wish those two would resurface. I was hooked after episode 2 which I watched a few weeks later. Watching it for the second time I found myself laughing where I didn’t the first time, especially at Elaine and the phone calls from Greg. Also knowing the tenor of the show I now see the humor of the Lt. Col., and I found the fishermen even funnier. Martin wasn’t his grumpy self yet, but that develops very quickly. It’s interesting to note how well Martin Clunes has aged. The weight loss really looks good on him.

  • March 15, 2016 at 1:20 am #138 Reply

    Biffpup
    Participant

    I’ve watched this ep a gazillion times but tonight I noticed something I’ve continually missed. Bert and Al are working on the sink and in the background Doc is unloading “that” Buddha from a box. This episode totally hooked me. All it lacked was Mrs. Tischell. I fell in love with “the dog”, Gremlim, who was just so perfectly scruffy and messy and made those wonderful dog noises. Bert and Al became the small-town neighbors my grandparents had. The obvious attraction between Doc and Louisa was fascinating. Doc wasn’t as correct as he became later and used “sod off” and “shit”. My favorite moment was when the band started to play and it startled Martin. And that moment when two damaged individuals look at each other, Martin with the tape on his nose, Louisa with the eyepatch, was totally brilliant and laid out the way for the rest of the shows. I fell in love when I first watched this episode, with Martin, but also with Portwenn.

  • March 15, 2016 at 4:48 am #139 Reply

    Pam

    I watched this episode this morning and again tonight as part of the rewatch. I like it more each time I see it, and like some of you have stated, I pick up on things I didn’t notice the first time I saw it. As others noted, Doc was more genial than in later episodes. I counted three times that he smiled: when seeing the Volkswagen that was floating in the high tide, when he first saw Auntie Joan, and when he first met Susan Brading. I love his witty, sarcastic comments to Elaine (“That must be nice for you.”; “Any ringing in the ears?”; “And you, either get back to Delabole, wherever that may be, and don’t come back. or go and find a mop and work out how to use it!”), Bert (“Treat yourself to a noun!”) and Louisa (“Irritating, apart from the primary school teacher, who’s a pirate,it seems.”). Watching this again made me realize how much I miss Mark Mylow. Also, I noticed when Doc’s car was being towed into town after being stuck out on the moor, it went past a pharmacy, but it didn’t seem to be Mrs. Tishell’s. There were many things that made this a wonderful first episode: scenery, local characters, interesting plot and the music.Plus, it was my introduction to the incomparable actor Martin Clunes!

    • March 15, 2016 at 6:18 am #141 Reply

      Kate Kennedy
      Keymaster

      Pam – that WAS Mrs Tishell’s pharmacy in S1. There is only one scene in the pharmacy in S1 and that was the location they used (at the corner of Fore St and Back Hill, right across from the school). The only appearance of Mrs Tishell in S1 was E3 (Sh*t Happens). In S2 & S3 the pharmacy had moved to the corner of Middle St and Dolphin St. It finally moved to the spot right by
      The Platt in S4.

    • March 15, 2016 at 6:35 am #142 Reply

      apl9662
      Participant

      Pam, those kind of textlines were what made me hooked to the series. And of course the handsome actor, of whom -I admit, I had never heard of before. One very funny line from episode 1 is also when Elaine says ‘ will you pay me for this week or what’ and of course he answers ‘what’. I have seen this episode countless tomes and still see new things. I’ll have to rewatch the part with the the taped nose and the eyepatch tonight. Some of you might know that I saw the Dutch version first, but for some reason, I had missed the first episode of Dokter Tinus. That made the first watching of S1e1 completely new and a very pleasant surprise. Once I had seen it, I immediately ordered the box with S1 to S5 and bingewatched it during Christmas holidays of 2013. My poor family didn’t get much attention at the time. But what a show! After some time my youngest son, then 13 years old, pretended sitting next to me and doing a game on his tablet, but anytime he laughed at the right moment, so he secretly watched it with me.. Very good for his English too!

      • This reply was modified 10 years, 4 months ago by  apl9662.
      • June 30, 2018 at 2:08 am #513 Reply

        Joyelle

        That’s a smart answer to a diffciult question.

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      Lorena

      Good to see real expertise on display. Your coritnbution is most welcome.

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  • March 15, 2016 at 7:25 am #145 Reply

    MrsTishell
    Participant

    One thing that struck me was that DM’s voice is so different in this episode. Half an octave deeper than usual and a bit smoother than in later seasons. Although, that difference could be put down to ageing vocal cords. The other actors sound the same, however, from season to season…it’s just DM that sounds markedly different.

  • March 15, 2016 at 3:12 pm #147 Reply

    Kate Kennedy
    Keymaster

    I was working on the quotes from this episode last night. I grab ones that are either funny or tell us something about the characters or village. One I hadn’t noticed before that I think is supposed to be a double entendre: Martin and Gilbert are walking into the lifeboat house and Martin tells him that he’s found an unrelated case. Gilbert tries to find out who and Martin says, “Young lad. Surfer type. Probably wished too hard for the perfect swell”. Just then they notice Ross and Susan through the window. I can’t believe I never caught the humor in that line.

  • March 16, 2016 at 3:20 am #149 Reply

    Em

    A few thoughts after rewatching S1E1:

    1 – Thank you, Kate, for setting this up. I’m always happy to find another excuse to watch and talk about “Doc Martin”. (Like I really need an excuse…)

    2 – Similar to Sue, my very first impressions of the show (after having it recommended to me by friends) was not favourable, I’m sorry to say. I couldn’t catch all of the dialogue, as I am hard of hearing, and Netflix didn’t have subtitles at that point. I didn’t quite get the British humour, and overall, it seemed to be a very slow-moving show. Thankfully, I decided to watch at least a few more episodes in order to give it a fair trial, and needles to say, I was hooked shortly after 🙂

    3 – It’s interesting to look back now and see that the entire premise of the show is laid out for us in the first 5-10 minutes. We are shown that Martin is socially awkward (staring at Louisa, a stranger, on the plane), an esteemed surgeon (as evidence by Chris’ praise at the interview), a brilliant diagnostician (correctly diagnosing Louisa’s glaucoma after a remarkably brief assessment), and most of all, he is terribly out of place in Portwenn (in which abound dogs, incompetent receptionists and plumbers, and nosy villagers). Add in that longing glance at Louisa through the school window, and that’s it. That’s the show 🙂

    4 – I noticed a stark difference in the film quality used. The texture of the film, and also some of the shots, reminded me of (relatively) older British comedies, like Mr. Bean. I’m curious to see at which point they switch to the clearer film quality we see by the end of S7.

    5 – Al is so young! And he’s quoting Daphne DuMaurier?!? It’s hard to picture Al quoting historical literature in any of the more recent seasons. And that’s sad.

    6 – The Doc apologizes to Susan Brading in the pub, after her affair has been revealed. He seems genuinely contrite, and willing to do what he can to mend the relationship. This is a far cry from the Doc Martin we see at the end of Season 6, when he goes to apologize to the coughing singer. That apology seems to take a great deal of effort on the Doc’s part.

    • March 19, 2016 at 2:44 am #154 Reply

      Sue

      Regarding the comment about the film quality, I noticed the same thing, but just thought it had to do with my TV or the recording I was viewing. I know nothing about the technicalities of filming these shows, but did find the conversation on the topic interesting, when Phillipa discussed it with the interviewer in that recent podcast many of us heard. They seem quite pleased with the film that is currently used for the series. The drone shots used in S7 certainly provide a new dimension.

    • June 29, 2018 at 6:15 am #411 Reply

      Dalton

      Aptapenrly this is what the esteemed Willis was talkin’ ’bout.

  • March 17, 2016 at 6:43 pm #151 Reply

    apl9662
    Participant

    Very interesting discussions here! I rewatched the episode again yesterdaay, after some of your interesting remarks. I also noticed something I hadn’t seen before. When The Doc meets Susan Brading for the first time, they pass the backside of the school. In the later series, there is always the playground of the school, with the blue gate, but here it was just what it in real life is: the parking of the Old School hotel.

    • June 30, 2018 at 3:43 am #546 Reply

      Ellie

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      Eldora

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      Cash

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  • March 18, 2016 at 6:39 pm #152 Reply

    Kate Kennedy
    Keymaster

    While doing the rewatch I’m going to be finishing and updating the trivia pages at PortwennOnline. Here is the completed trivia page for this episode – they will all be pretty extensive so there’s a lot to see. The individual trivia pages (Easter Eggs, Action Martin, etc) are still a work in progress, but I’ll be updating them as I go along.

    http://portwennonline.com/TriviaS1E1.html

  • March 20, 2016 at 7:43 pm #155 Reply

    Joan Ellingham
    Participant

    When I saw Doc recoil from strangling the chicken and then beheadding it, I thought he had left London because of some horrible surgical mistake and was relieved to learn that it was only hemophobia. I also thought that Louisa’s first words to Martin “you gotta problem” was the perfect clue to what would unfold over the next seven series

  • March 20, 2016 at 8:26 pm #156 Reply

    Charlie Glendinning

    These insights have been wonderful… chiefly for peeling back layers of my own ignorance. Maybe ignorance is harsh… more that they reveal my ‘un-awaredness’ since the mind can only drink in so much during the pace of the show. I tend to be very visual and am totally absorbed in scenery and facial expressions. What I am finding here on these ‘re-watch’ posts are wonderful observations that deepen my enjoyment of the show and give me a profound admiration for the script writers.

    Someone mentioned previously how much they miss Mark Mylow, the town police constable. I share that sentiment since P.C. Joe Penhale tends to be over-the-top goofy and a bit irritating. Mark had a real gentle and ‘holistic’ character about him that seems — in Penhale — to be distilled into caricature.

    Glad to see the exit of Elaine, though… that was a good move.

    -Charlie

    • June 30, 2018 at 12:47 am #495 Reply

      Jory

      Just what the doctor ordeder, thankity you!

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  • March 21, 2016 at 3:08 pm #158 Reply

    Roscarrock
    Participant

    Some random comments on S1E1:

    – Do we know where Louisa is flying home from? Presumably London but for what reason? Perhaps visiting Holly, her teacher friend from a later episode. It seems odd Louisa would be traveling anywhere by air at that point.

    – The moving vans in this episode are marked “Movers”. In later episodes they’re “Removal Services”.

    – I prefer the grainier appearance of the earlier productions. It lends a warmth not seen in later series. Not sure what changed. Perhaps technology improved, or perhaps their budget increased and they were able to purchase or hire better equipment. I don’t think they’ve started shooting digital video, although it’s possible.

    That is all. Thanks for the blog!

    • This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by  Roscarrock.
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