[marchrand]

I missed the blood phobia of DM apparently under control in S5. Does that mean only under certain circumstances will it reappear? I hope at some point in S6 he will show signs that this is still a problem. I noticed that when he is operating on Eleanor in S5 he did fine. Could it have been that Morwenna came onto the series after he had it under control and that if Pauline was still his receptionist he would have weaken because she knew how helpless he was to the extent that he sent her for training to become a phlebotomist?

[Conniej]

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1we...vy-horse-power


Page 14

http://issuu.com/yourhorse/docs/370yh?mode=mobile

[Shop Girl]

Cute article. And he was only a couple hours away from here on one of his trips! Arggghhhh!!!!

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1we...vy-horse-power

[Shop Girl]

Originally Posted by Conniej

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1we...vy-horse-power

LOL Connie!

[cc.cookie]

Originally Posted by Shop Girl

One tidbit I pulled out of the article is this:

We keep it in check," says Clunes, listing certain key elements that must remain in place. "You've got blood phobia, you've got a surgeon who's denied surgery, who has to conquer this but can only work in medicine in this other way;

Do you think this means that he cannot recover completely from his blood phobia and return full time to surgery? If these key elements must be in place for the licensees, wouldn't they have to keep to it also? This interview took place after S5 had been filmed, so maybe one of their commandments is that Martin will never fully recover from the blood phobia?

I see the blood phobia as a psychological sign (deep seated in his subconscious) of his need to change. When he makes a commitment to change-that being a big name surgeon in London isn't the be all and end as to his life- then he will conquer it and won't "need" the phobia anymore.

He was close to a commitment to change in s5 but it still wasn't working in the full sense of a life lived well.

[cc.cookie]

Originally Posted by Shop Girl

Cute article. And he was only a couple hours away from here on one of his trips! Arggghhhh!!!!

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1we...vy-horse-power

“If you’d said ten years ago that I would be driving a seven and a half ton truck with my own two young Clydesdales taking them to hoof camp I’d have laughed in your face. But it is a reality and it’s very exciting,” says Martin.

People that knew MC before might say this isn't MC. He's made a commitment to change and although he breaks out occasionally (smokes & speeds in his car) he has made a radical and hopefully permanent change in his life because of PB and Emily.

I think this could happen to DM. As yet he still doesn't believe it is possible for him as shown in s5 he's really walking on eggshells with LG and going thru the paces but not really getting "involved". Getting involved is painful, especially for him with his background, it will require a huge leap of faith in LG and her willingness to commit to him and save him from what could be a very painful experience. In s5 he must be thinking "Can I survive if LG rejects me and leaves?"

His relationship with LG is so much more demanding of him emotionally than his relationship with Edith which was a comfortable meeting of two likeminded unattached souls.

[Biffpup]

Originally Posted by Conniej

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1we...vy-horse-power


Page 14

http://issuu.com/yourhorse/docs/370yh?mode=mobile

Connie, thanks so much for the links. I'm having problems with the second one. I can see the first page (well, first two -- one with photo and one with text) but when I try to move to the next page of the article, it skips to the next article in the magazine. Am I doing something wrong? Anyone have that problem?

[Biffpup]

Originally Posted by Shop Girl

Cute article. And he was only a couple hours away from here on one of his trips! Arggghhhh!!!!

http://www.itv.com/presscentre/ep1we...vy-horse-power

He was pretty close to me too when he was in New Orleans. If we had only known in advance...

[Biffpup]

Originally Posted by cc.cookie

I see the blood phobia as a psychological sign (deep seated in his subconscious) of his need to change. When he makes a commitment to change-that being a big name surgeon in London isn't the be all and end as to his life- then he will conquer it and won't "need" the phobia anymore.

He was close to a commitment to change in s5 but it still wasn't working in the full sense of a life lived well.

Good points, cc.cookie. At the very, very end of S5 I wonder if he actually got there, all the way. We'll see.

[Shop Girl]

Originally Posted by Biffpup

He was pretty close to me too when he was in New Orleans. If we had only known in advance...

If I had ESP and knew he was there I could have picked up New Park on the way and we could have had some Amish Country fun!

[NewPark]

Originally Posted by Shop Girl

If I had ESP and knew he was there I could have picked up New Park on the way and we could have had some Amish Country fun!

OMG Shop Girl, why didn't we know this! Shoofly pie, quilts, AND Martin Clunes -- lovely!

[madmother]

When MC did his other horse documentary he visited a riding school less than 5 miles from where I live. I found out about it the next day.

[Conniej]

Originally Posted by Biffpup

Connie, thanks so much for the links. I'm having problems with the second one. I can see the first page (well, first two -- one with photo and one with text) but when I try to move to the next page of the article, it skips to the next article in the magazine. Am I doing something wrong? Anyone have that problem?

I realized it's only a 'sneek peek' when I went back later to read the article. Apparently they want to tease you with just enough to buy the full magazine.

[Biffpup]

Originally Posted by Conniej

I realized it's only a 'sneek peek' when I went back later to read the article. Apparently they want to tease you with just enough to buy the full magazine.

Got it. I should have realized. Thanks for everything you post for us, btw.

[NewPark]

Originally Posted by dcdmfan

I think you have something there.

The blogger is also making assumptions about the path to redemption. The Doc has a moral code that is based within his ability to use his medical skills to honor his obligations to the people of Port Wenn. His self image tells him that this is all he has to offer the world, and it is wrapped up in his surgical abililities. His self worth was destroyed when he was a child, and so he can only find worth through his actions. He can't discover self worth simply by "being". He is a man of science and logic, and bases his worth as a human on those abilities. The blood phobia has forced him to realize and recognize that he is an able and capable person even absent his ability to perform surgery. In my opinion, that is his redemption. The blogger makes an assumption that Martin can't be redeemed unless it is through a consiously religious experience. One could attribute the blood phobia as an act of God doing for Martin what he could not do for himself. But the blogger is looking for redemption that mirrors his own understanding of it.

Originally Posted by dmbesotted

Redemption - what has Doc done that he needs to ask for redemption - I think that is the wrong frame of reference. Redemption carries with it the stain of sin or some original misdeed. The Doc did not, as the story has told us, have any misdeeds that led to his phobia. If anything he is looking for restoration. I am sure there is some more correct psychological term for this but can't come up with it right now.

And while I am on a roll- the whole Aspergers discussion. In Doc's case It is a question of nature or nurture isn't it? How repressed socially might anyone be with the background as has been described? There is no indication that he had these issues as a child that led to him being unloved and/or abused by his parents - but rather, that he was simply the victim of them and later the boarding school environment.

Originally Posted by cc.cookie

“If you’d said ten years ago that I would be driving a seven and a half ton truck with my own two young Clydesdales taking them to hoof camp I’d have laughed in your face. But it is a reality and it’s very exciting,” says Martin.

People that knew MC before might say this isn't MC. He's made a commitment to change and although he breaks out occasionally (smokes & speeds in his car) he has made a radical and hopefully permanent change in his life because of PB and Emily.

I think this could happen to DM. As yet he still doesn't believe it is possible for him as shown in s5 he's really walking on eggshells with LG and going thru the paces but not really getting "involved". Getting involved is painful, especially for him with his background, it will require a huge leap of faith in LG and her willingness to commit to him and save him from what could be a very painful experience. In s5 he must be thinking "Can I survive if LG rejects me and leaves?"

His relationship with LG is so much more demanding of him emotionally than his relationship with Edith which was a comfortable meeting of two likeminded unattached souls.

Such an interesting discussion. I think maybe we are being led astray by the word "redemption" whether used by the blogger or PoorRichard. In my mind, we are watching the story of a closed-off, inhibited, man of science and logic, one who has attempted to live with minimal human connection and intimacy -- and his being thrust into a situation where his continued happiness requires him to acknowledge and integrate the more emotional part of himself, that desires (and deserves) connection with others and intimacy. The blood phobia is a reaction to the anxiety his encounter with an emotional reaction to a person, in this case, his patient and her family, provokes.

I think that his strong attraction to Louisa has always aroused a certain anxiety in him -- and in the first two series we see him longing for her but really afraid to act on it. And when he does get into an intimate place with her, he can only sabotage it with acts of spectacular clumsiness. But his growing, real relationship with a real Louisa, not an idealized one, and above all, his immediate and deep bonding with his son, is leading him to a place where he can reclaim parts of himself that he has had to shut down, for a variety of reasons rooted in his childhood.

As he is able to deal with his strong connection with Louisa and James Henry, he may become less anxious about experiencing emotional reactions to others, and his phobia gradually disappear.

As for the Asperger's versus bad parenting issue -- i think of this almost as chicken or egg issue. Some children are just more difficult for parents to bond with -- if indeed he was born with Asperger's -- and I am agnostic about this --- one could imagine that his selfish and narcisstic parents would have little tolerance for this and their emotional and physical abuse would have worsened or hardened the Asperger traits.

As cc.cookie has pointed out, Martin Clunes himself has gone through a radical life change, which he readily attributes to his relationship with his wife. I continue to feel that in some ways we are watching a mirror image of Martin Clunes, or an upside down version.

[Conniej]

Originally Posted by whale

Thks for recent YT's Connie. I don't suppose you have the full interview with MC regarding Staggered, that would be interesting to see as he had just met PB during the filming and the fact that he was naked, I can only imagine his comments.

Apparently the file was deleted from my computer. I can't find it. If I remember correctly, it wasn't a very long interview and the host made some really rude remarks about MC's looks.

[statesidefan]

Originally Posted by Conniej

Apparently the file was deleted from my computer. I can't find it. If I remember correctly, it wasn't a very long interview and the host made some really rude remarks about MC's looks.

I'm really tired of the negative comments about MC's looks. His ears, his lips, his ??? This is such a lazy approach from writers and interviewers. You'd think he was ringing the bell at the top if Notre Dame! Not only is he not hideous or funny-looking, he's a very attractive man. Now I have to blame Martin, too, for this. In case not enough of the British press poke fun at him, he continues to call himself odd-looking, and not worthy of being a leading man. I like Ben Bolt's description - that he is both attractive and eccentric-looking. Now today I read that Daniel Craig has always been sensitive about his sticking-out ears and is planning to pin them back. Don't people realize it's the imperfect features that make them distinct and exceptional? I know this as a former portrait artist. What if we were all perfectly the same - we'd be boring! There is something wonderful about embracing our differences and the play of years upon on bodies. And there's something compelling about someone who accepts and embraces their physical "flaws." We all have a story that makes us "us." The misguided quest to be perfect or young has created a new inbred family of trout pouters.

[cc.cookie]

For those of you with expat shield (I guess you may need that but don't know for sure) you can get Doc Martin France on the website below. Go to the website and type "Doc Martin France" in their search line near the top of the page.

Episode 1 is available for 3 more days and Episode 2 available for 10 more days.

Each week they will have another ep up. They have them on their site for 2 weeks after they've aired.


http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/

[Conniej]

http://presscentre.itvstatic.com/pre...ess%20pack.pdf

This is an additional PDF file with more info. He says that his driving ban is for 6 months.

[SusieSagitarius]

Originally Posted by Conniej

http://presscentre.itvstatic.com/pre...ess%20pack.pdf

This is an additional PDF file with more info. He says that his driving ban is for 6 months.

Absolutely adorable picture of him and the Clydesdales. All three are fantastic! What a great interview and great press pack as a whole to read. Thanks, conniej, once again.

[cc.cookie]

Originally Posted by Conniej

http://presscentre.itvstatic.com/pre...ess%20pack.pdf

This is an additional PDF file with more info. He says that his driving ban is for 6 months.

Must have been a bit of radical speeding if the UK laws are anything like ours. You usually only lose it for 3 months in Oz. I know this because I confiscated my son's car for three months just Incase he felt tempted to drive it : )

[cc.cookie]

Only a few more months and they'll be filming in Port Isaac!! Can't wait.

[cc.cookie]

This week: s3 e6 Nowt so queer

The news of Martin and Louisa's engagement spreads throughout Portwenn quickly, courtesy of Dave the postman. The couple find that the only date open at the local church is three weeks away and there is much to do. Pauline really wants to be a bridesmaid. There's a sudden outbreak of a respiratory infection in the village. Martin treats a patient who recently received a knee replacement but is refusing to take antibiotics. She lives with her domineering sister a biochemist that, according to village gossip, was fired from her research job when she experimented on humans. Al Large has a look at the restaurant books and discovers several discrepancies.

[cc.cookie]

Originally Posted by cc.cookie

This week: s3 e6 Nowt so queer

The news of Martin and Louisa's engagement spreads throughout Portwenn quickly, courtesy of Dave the postman. The couple find that the only date open at the local church is three weeks away and there is much to do. Pauline really wants to be a bridesmaid. There's a sudden outbreak of a respiratory infection in the village. Martin treats a patient who recently received a knee replacement but is refusing to take antibiotics. She lives with her domineering sister a biochemist that, according to village gossip, was fired from her research job when she experimented on humans. Al Large has a look at the restaurant books and discovers several discrepancies.

Written by: Keith Temple
Directed by: Ben Bolt

[dmbesotted]

Originally Posted by cc.cookie

For those of you with expat shield (I guess you may need that but don't know for sure) you can get Doc Martin France on the website below. Go to the website and type "Doc Martin France" in their search line near the top of the page.

Episode 1 is available for 3 more days and Episode 2 available for 10 more days.

Each week they will have another ep up. They have them on their site for 2 weeks after they've aired.


http://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/

Thanks for the info. Seems like the expatshield software is the answer to also being able to see DM S6 when it airs this fall instead of the yearlong wait for US DVD. Without it, the content for the French version is unavailable - at least for me.

I did Google (actually Yahoo) Doc Martin France and there was a trailer for the Greek version. Even not knowing Greek it was obvious who some of the characters were - DM looks older and the LG character much younger and hotter