[ggo85]

Originally Posted by Bloodphobia

The key to season 6 is what happens with the "blood thing." If he can't overcome that, there is no need for them to go to London and they could stay in Port wenn. Does anyone think he is over the hemophobia?

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see it return. If you watch carefully when he's first handling AR's bleeding finger, he is decidedly uncomfortable. However, he has no such problems when dealing with the head wound in S5E1. Ditto with Eleanor's surgery.

This has led some to theorize that the phobia will return when he's emotionally invested in the patient. Or, maybe even worse for DM, it will come back at unpredictable moments. But I definitely expect it to be back . . .

[ReneeBird]

Originally Posted by dcdmfan

I am not trustful of their future just because the S5 ending was nice. He said "I will always" and then was cut off. "I will always WHAT? Love you? Be in your life? Be a part of James' life?

"I will always love...fish".

[GordonSetter]

Originally Posted by dcdmfan

I think that might be suicide for the reruns here in the US. We would all know how it ends. The purpose would be to watch their struggle. People might be turned off to know that they are watching a doomed relationship. I think I would be after a few years. To have the relationship fail, even if it were bittersweet, made sense with the plot and characters, etc., could be a great risk to the longevity of this program.

But, BP has done crazier things, and I am sure they are considering the effects the ending will have on the long-term life of the show. Reruns of the show could be very lucrative. If it were just a UK show, I would have no idea about this, so I am speaking from my point of view here in the US. This is the sort of thing the big networks use focus groups for to find out viewers' reactions to a program. I was in a focus group for a tv show one time.

But it does seem that separate ways for DM & LG is what BP is leading up to. The two of them did not get along well in series 5. But....I am hopeful this new idea MC talked about freshens things up, and they go in a different direction from the will they - won't they plot.

I’m not sure what to make of the impact of series 6 on rerun revenue, Netflix rental income, etc. But the ending of the series will define how all of us, including future viewers, will feel about and define the entire series. BP has ended up creating a love story - I don’t care what they started with, it is what they ended up creating!

By the end of series 3, here is where they had brought us: DM and LG both had desperately complicated upbringings, had never found true, long term love before, were passionately attracted to each other, couldn’t keep themselves apart from each other, and were struggling but sincerely committed to doing the thing that was in the best interests of their beloved. I found series 3, in particular, winsome and, if I may say so, even enchanted.

So…. BP can’t bring us to this point – a clear love story, with a winsome, engaging story line, where two attractive, interesting but difficult people find the one (and only?) person that they honestly need and with whom they can discover true love, and then basically drive it off a cliff! If that is how it ends, the whole series will feel like a sham – that both our emotions and intellect have been messed with.

[ReneeBird]

Originally Posted by statesidefan

You know, I just watched S2E2 last evening and I have a new - so far unchecked - theory. We know we lost the stares, the longing looks, DM and LG checking each other out as they walked away. There was also something else that brought us into the character and made us so sympathetic to DM/MC: the prolonged close-ups where we saw him thinking - many times wrestling with what had just happened or what, if anything, he should say. I think these may have diminished or been largely lost in S5, so the Doc seemed more closed, brittle, predictably reactive. Even with him getting angrier and grumpier, these moments of reflection (like the one with the clock after Louisa leaves him) make him much more sympathetic. Haven't had the time to research this!

How true! What a good observation. It's so hard to put into words to other people and even ourselves what draws us to this show and DM. But, I do think a lot of it is MC/DM internal dilemma's playing out on his face.
I really enjoyed "About Schmidt" with Jack Nicholson. Watching his facial expressions throughout this movie was priceless! Haven't we all been in situations where we're with people (or future in-laws!) that we can't stand? And, we're stuck with them through dinner (or a whole weekend) while they're grossly eating and saying, or doing, embarrassing things? And, we plaster a smile on our faces, but we just-can't-wait to get away from these people!

[NewPark]

Originally Posted by GordonSetter

I’m not sure what to make of the impact of series 6 on rerun revenue, Netflix rental income, etc. But the ending of the series will define how all of us, including future viewers, will feel about and define the entire series. BP has ended up creating a love story - I don’t care what they started with, it is what they ended up creating!

By the end of series 3, here is where they had brought us: DM and LG both had desperately complicated upbringings, had never found true, long term love before, were passionately attracted to each other, couldn’t keep themselves apart from each other, and were struggling but sincerely committed to doing the thing that was in the best interests of their beloved. I found series 3, in particular, winsome and, if I may say so, even enchanted.

So…. BP can’t bring us to this point – a clear love story, with a winsome, engaging story line, where two attractive, interesting but difficult people find the one (and only?) person that they honestly need and with whom they can discover true love, and then basically drive it off a cliff! If that is how it ends, the whole series will feel like a sham – that both our emotions and intellect have been messed with.

Amen, brother. I refuse to believe that the people who created this series are that cynical.

[Biffpup]

Originally Posted by NewPark

Why do you think that BP is leading up to this? I think you're right that it would really put a damper on repeat viewings etc if people knew that the ultimate outcome was a downer. I know that MC is hellbent that this isn't a "fairy tale" with a happy ending -- (although, since he has a "happy ending" himself, I've never understood why he thinks this is so unrealistic) but really, would he and BP do this to their fans? It seems tom e that it would be rather, oh, self-indulgent, done just to prove a point of some obscure kind.

After the ending of S3 MC may have said this wasn't a fairy tale, but I wonder if some of that was in self-defense because so many fans were irate. Fact is, they use the fairy tale motif a lot in this show. Look at the beginning of S3 with LG reading the fairy tale-type story to the kids as DM, "the handsome prince she was destined to marry", walks through the streets of PW with his "faithful hound". Look at where S5 ended up, at a cliffside castle, and Mrs. T. even said, "This isn't how the fairy tale is supposed to end. The handsome prince and the..." Seems like there are some other moments throughout the years when we hear some character or another drop a fairy tale reference. I wish I could remember. It seems there were other moments when my ears perked up at a reference. I'll watch for that kind of thing when I rewatch (all of 'em) again (and again).

As for the possibility of an unhappy ending, assuming S6 is the last, I don't believe it will happen. S4 and 5 both had happy endings of a sort. And MC has already let slip where they'll start DM and LG from in S6, and that's a happy event. I definitely think somewhere around the middle things may look bad for them. That's part of the formula. But there will be a final, big, emotional happy ending to it. There must be. There will be. There has to be. Or I might need counseling. Well, maybe I do already.

[Biffpup]

Originally Posted by GordonSetter

So…. BP can’t bring us to this point – a clear love story, with a winsome, engaging story line, where two attractive, interesting but difficult people find the one (and only?) person that they honestly need and with whom they can discover true love, and then basically drive it off a cliff! If that is how it ends, the whole series will feel like a sham – that both our emotions and intellect have been messed with.

Ditto!

[Biffpup]

Originally Posted by ggo85

I wouldn't be at all surprised to see it return. If you watch carefully when he's first handling AR's bleeding finger, he is decidedly uncomfortable. However, he has no such problems when dealing with the head wound in S5E1. Ditto with Eleanor's surgery.

This has led some to theorize that the phobia will return when he's emotionally invested in the patient. Or, maybe even worse for DM, it will come back at unpredictable moments. But I definitely expect it to be back . . .

I think they may be setting us up for the return, at least to a small degree, of the blood phobia. I see hints of it in DM's behavior toward Morwenna when she freaks out at needles. He's completely unsympathetic toward her and says, "Nonsense," when she tells him about it. That he seems oblivious to the fact that a short while ago he too had a crippling fear is a big, fat hint, IMO, that his phobia will return. And, in fact, his problem did already return once, when JH was born. Here he is literally on his way to London to resume his surgical career, when he's diverted by the taxi crash & birth of his son, & he's out in the bushes throwing up again!

So, yes, maybe it will only happen when there's an emotional event involved, or it's the blood of someone he truly cares for. You're right. He did show discomfort when washing AR's finger. At that stage, he did care for AR, but she was no AJ, not someone he loved at that level. So, vomiting when his son was born. Mild discomfort when the "new" aunt's finger was bleeding. No problem when it's anyone else.

[ReneeBird]

Have any of you ever received a reply from BP? Or, know anyone who has? I wonder if they answer any of their mail? We know that they read some of it, because MC sometimes refers to the type of letters they get. For example: he said that doctors in America write and say they like "Doc Martin", but they don't like "House". (or, something to that effect)

[statesidefan]

Originally Posted by ReneeBird

Have any of you ever received a reply from BP? Or, know anyone who has? I wonder if they answer any of their mail? We know that they read some of it, because MC sometimes refers to the type of letters they get. For example: he said that doctors in America write and say they like "Doc Martin", but they don't like "House". (or, something to that effect)

I wrote some time ago to PB at BP and so far no response. I wrote to authenticate when the DM suit was used in the series.

[ReneeBird]

Originally Posted by statesidefan

I wrote some time ago to PB at BP and so far no response. I wrote to authenticate when the DM suit was used in the series.

I hope they answer and let you know about the suit! Sometimes people send requests to celebrities for signed photos. I think you have to buy a photo yourself, then send the photo, and include a self-addressed envelope with return postage. I wonder if PB/MC answers these requests?

[mmDerdekea]

Originally Posted by Biffpup

I think they may be setting us up for the return, at least to a small degree, of the blood phobia. I see hints of it in DM's behavior toward Morwenna when she freaks out at needles. He's completely unsympathetic toward her and says, "Nonsense," when she tells him about it. That he seems oblivious to the fact that a short while ago he too had a crippling fear is a big, fat hint, IMO, that his phobia will return. And, in fact, his problem did already return once, when JH was born. Here he is literally on his way to London to resume his surgical career, when he's diverted by the taxi crash & birth of his son, & he's out in the bushes throwing up again!

So, yes, maybe it will only happen when there's an emotional event involved, or it's the blood of someone he truly cares for. You're right. He did show discomfort when washing AR's finger. At that stage, he did care for AR, but she was no AJ, not someone he loved at that level. So, vomiting when his son was born. Mild discomfort when the "new" aunt's finger was bleeding. No problem when it's anyone else.

Please let me medically clarify his washing AR's finger--it was by no means the blood that he was reacting to. It was that AR did not in ANY way react to the antiseptic spray he used which is, as we've seen, obviously very painful on wounds. The fact that she didn't react struck him, as she obviously had nerve damage/lack of feeling in her finger, and his concerned eyebrows are solely related to that. The lack of feeling in fingers and her lack of saliva and tears, gave the diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome, without her having advanced and fatal lupus.

I would say his blood phobia resolved. To go back to that, to slide backwards would be a great disservice to me, and disappointing in the writing. I would like to see their relationship move forward and them have to make decisions as a couple with options available to them. I would not like to see DM stuck in PW because we are back to the blood phobia again. With him not being disturbed by the blood, but by the lack of feeling, and with him operating on LG's mom, to have the blood phobia recur would not be the right way to go, to me.

[mmDerdekea]

Originally Posted by ReneeBird

But, we had a happy ending in the finale of Series 5, "Ever After"! So, surely, BP isn't opposed to "Happy Endings"?

I believe S4 finale was definitely happy! So, was S5. And the fans are very supportive of the show. I think MC and BP realize that continuing that happy ending makes good sense all around. At least I hope they do!

[DCcurlygirl]

Originally Posted by mmDerdekea

Please let me medically clarify his washing AR's finger--it was by no means the blood that he was reacting to. It was that AR did not in ANY way react to the antiseptic spray he used which is, as we've seen, obviously very painful on wounds. The fact that she didn't react struck him, as she obviously had nerve damage/lack of feeling in her finger, and his concerned eyebrows are solely related to that. The lack of feeling in fingers and her lack of saliva and tears, gave the diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome, without her having advanced and fatal lupus.

Um, I think you should watch that part again, mmDerdekea. It is very obvious that DM reacts to the blood a few times along the way to dressing the wound:
* When AR first walks into the waiting room with Al and DM sees the blood-stained towel around AR's hand, he grimaces a bit as she walks past him
* When he tells her to come over to the sink, he puffs his cheeks and blows out his held breath
* And then when he removes the towel, he groans at the sight of the blood and gags a little

That is all before he notices AR's lack of pain to the washing or antiseptic.

[dcdmfan]

Oh wow. This is a good one. WETA Telly Visions blog: S5 eps 5 & 6

http://blogs.weta.org/tellyvisions/2...isodes-5-and-6

[dcdmfan]

We're having a Doc Martin Fan Meetup group today for the DC area fans. We are meeting @ 6pm at the British pub in the 7 Corners section of Falls Church.

http://www.meetup.com/The-Washington...-Meetup-Group/

If you would like to come, sign up on the site, or send me a private message through digital spy.

[mazzieblue]

Originally Posted by mmDerdekea

I would say his blood phobia resolved. To go back to that, to slide backwards would be a great disservice to me, and disappointing in the writing. I would like to see their relationship move forward and them have to make decisions as a couple with options available to them. I would not like to see DM stuck in PW because we are back to the blood phobia again. With him not being disturbed by the blood, but by the lack of feeling, and with him operating on LG's mom, to have the blood phobia recur would not be the right way to go, to me.

I, too, sincerely hope that the blood phobia is gone. I don't want DM to stay in PW because he has to or because he can't go to London. Then it might seem like he is choosing to stay as a means of making the best of a bad situation. I don't think he could ever be happy in PW if he's there because he has no where else to go.

If he's over the "blood thing", then he would be choosing to stay in PW and choosing his family's happiness over his career. It would also bring him closer to some level of acceptance for the people of the village. (Acceptance as opposed to tolerance. Not that I want him to ever really fit in.)

[Biffpup]

Originally Posted by mazzieblue

I, too, sincerely hope that the blood phobia is gone. I don't want DM to stay in PW because he has to or because he can't go to London. Then it might seem like he is choosing to stay as a means of making the best of a bad situation. I don't think he could ever be happy in PW if he's there because he has no where else to go.

If he's over the "blood thing", then he would be choosing to stay in PW and choosing his family's happiness over his career. It would also bring him closer to some level of acceptance for the people of the village. (Acceptance as opposed to tolerance. Not that I want him to ever really fit in.)

My suspicion that the blood phobia isn't completely gone for good doesn't mean I think the plot will take us to DM staying in PW because there's no choice. Obviously I have no crystal ball (but I want one). I just think we've seen some hints that it may recur on some level. I do hope that he'll stay in PW due to his love of his family, his desire for LG to have happiness by being able to continue in her work at the school, etc. If the phobia returns, I figure it would be after he's made the decision to definitely stay (which he said in S5 he would do) and I bet it will only be linked to emotional moments or to those he cares deeply for. IF it happens at all.

As I said, no crystal balls here, and it could be that his behavior toward Morwenna and her needle phobia is a hint about a completely different plot direction. Maybe it will lead to DM becoming more accepting of the foibles of others. We'll see.

[ggo85]

Originally Posted by DCcurlygirl

Um, I think you should watch that part again, mmDerdekea. It is very obvious that DM reacts to the blood a few times along the way to dressing the wound:
* When AR first walks into the waiting room with Al and DM sees the blood-stained towel around AR's hand, he grimaces a bit as she walks past him
* When he tells her to come over to the sink, he puffs his cheeks and blows out his held breath
* And then when he removes the towel, he groans at the sight of the blood and gags a little

That is all before he notices AR's lack of pain to the washing or antiseptic.

Agree. He definitely has an uncomfortable moment when he sees the blood -- THEN he reacts to the fact that she doesn't flinch at the pain she should feel.

I believe it's the only time in S5 that he reacts negatively to blood. He handles it well in several other eps (shotgun woman, cat lady, ladder guy, Eleanor).

I don't think a return of the phobia will be the reason he stays in PW; however, I do expect we'll see it again in S6. If done well, it could be quite interesting.

[mmDerdekea]

Originally Posted by DCcurlygirl

Um, I think you should watch that part again, mmDerdekea. It is very obvious that DM reacts to the blood a few times along the way to dressing the wound:
* When AR first walks into the waiting room with Al and DM sees the blood-stained towel around AR's hand, he grimaces a bit as she walks past him
* When he tells her to come over to the sink, he puffs his cheeks and blows out his held breath
* And then when he removes the towel, he groans at the sight of the blood and gags a little

That is all before he notices AR's lack of pain to the washing or antiseptic.

Good points! Thanks!

It seems that DM has had a little gagging with his own family members, but not with anyone else's such as Mike's head wound or LG's mother's surgery, in S5. That enables him to do surgery on other people. In medicine we are, of course, not supposed to treat family members; objectivity is not always that good that way and emotions are involved. DM may now be feeling normally the way a doctor does--he has emotional responses to family members, but can keep those emotions at bay for others. That shows a normal state of affairs for docs in general and still, I think, supports his being able to return to surgery.

It's like he had no emotions for anyone in surgery, and then had emotions for everyone out of control, and then regained mental/emotional balance that way--avoid loved ones but okay with non-family members. That's the best any doc can do.

[Biffpup]

Originally Posted by mmDerdekea

Good points! Thanks!

It seems that DM has had a little gagging with his own family members, but not with anyone else's such as Mike's head wound or LG's mother's surgery, in S5. That enables him to do surgery on other people. In medicine we are, of course, not supposed to treat family members; objectivity is not always that good that way and emotions are involved. DM may now be feeling normally the way a doctor does--he has emotional responses to family members, but can keep those emotions at bay for others. That shows a normal state of affairs for docs in general and still, I think, supports his being able to return to surgery.

It's like he had no emotions for anyone in surgery, and then had emotions for everyone out of control, and then regained mental/emotional balance that way--avoid loved ones but okay with non-family members. That's the best any doc can do.

That's a good point, Mona. And it does mean he would still have the option to return to surgery, or at least it would be one of his choices.

I have to say I miss the vomiting.

[Shop Girl]

Originally Posted by Biffpup

That's a good point, Mona. And it does mean he would still have the option to return to surgery, or at least it would be one of his choices.

I have to say I miss the vomiting.

Not sure that MC does! LOL!

[dcdmfan]

I have to say I loved the moments when he had a reaction to the blood but carried on anyway. It was a great demonstration of his personal integrity.

It would show strength of character for him to stay in PW despite the fact that he is over his phobia.

If the phobia returns, it will be compelling to see him reach a level of self-acceptance about his condition. To decide to be happy with the life and family he has created in PW, and acknowledge that the phobia is actually a blessing for him. The phobia opened up doors to emotions and feelings that he never would have experienced had it not happened. Even if he had married and had a child while still a surgeon.

But whichever way the writers go in regards to the phobia, I hope they fully address it in series 6.

[Shop Girl]

Got Dirty Tricks from Netflix yesterday and watched last night - I had watched it on pay per view a few months ago but wanted to see it again. MC is SO funny in this movie - I love it!

I was reading some reviews of the movie and a couple mentioned what a great acting job he did because he makes his character so adorable that you really like him but you dislike him at the same time. Very difficult to pull off I would think.

[mmDerdekea]

Originally Posted by dcdmfan

I have to say I loved the moments when he had a reaction to the blood but carried on anyway. It was a great demonstration of his personal integrity.

It would show strength of character for him to stay in PW despite the fact that he is over his phobia.

If the phobia returns, it will be compelling to see him reach a level of self-acceptance about his condition. To decide to be happy with the life and family he has created in PW, and acknowledge that the phobia is actually a blessing for him. The phobia opened up doors to emotions and feelings that he never would have experienced had it not happened. Even if he had married and had a child while still a surgeon.

But whichever way the writers go in regards to the phobia, I hope they fully address it in series 6.

That's a nice thought, to make him grateful the phobia developed as he got a love, wife, and child out of it. One wonders if he's ever conceptualized that blessing from his phobia.

Overall, though, I'd prefer that DM makes any big life decision wholly based on his being mental/emotionally healthy as much as possible, so it shows it's him indeed doing it, not some of his phobia speaking.

Plus, I can't imagine he'd ever be okay with having the phobia be there and active again. Who would be okay with such a intensely limiting fear of the career they love, and the professional restrictions it forces upon them? Staying in PW when he could return to London, because the phobia is gone, for the happiness of LG is a higher, purer state of mind, I think, for us to see. But, I'd rather they went to London!