Originally Posted by CADMFAN:
“I would like to share my take on the history of the show. As I see it, there have been two threads to the show: 1. The love story between Martin and Louisa. This began in the opening scene in the show, on the plane. Martin was smitten at that moment, while, for Louisa, it was a short time later when he diagnosed her acute glaucoma and she realized he wasn’t a creep but an amazing doctor. Their story has been the major theme throughout the show, one that has been progressing in fits and starts and has come to this point in time because of the second thread. 2. Martin’s odd behavior has also been evident from the opening scene on the plane when he stares inappropriately at Louisa. We were given some clues to his issues right from his first visit to Aunt Joan, when she ‘teases’ him about crying at a splinter and wetting himself. He said, “I was 7”, but she corrected him that he was 12. One had the sense from that information that we were dealing with a sensitive child. We had Joan’s memories reinforced in the episodes with John Slater and Mrs. Steele. This drip, drip, drip of information has continued throughout. In S2, we meet his parents, who give us some insight into how he was raised. Also in S2 Martin reveals some of the abuse he suffered as a child during a conversation with Louisa about Delph (sp?). We began getting more information in S5 with the photos of a sad little Martin that were discovered at Aunt Joan’s. Aunt Ruth’s comments about his being happier at school than at home added to our understanding. In S5 we also had the dream scene of Martin as a child that gave us a view of his relationship with his father. So, all during the entire show, we are given bits of information about the origins of his dysfunction. So, we arrive at S6 in a natural progression. His suit of armor has been pierced by his love for Louisa and James, and he is finally feeling the losses he never grieved. We don’t know how this will all turn out, but it seems he is finally hitting rock bottom. Maybe Aunt Ruth and the presence of Mommy Dearest will finally begin the healing process. But to me, that is the history many of us are talking about, and it is in that history we are invested.”
Really nice summary! It helps to understand the Doc's back ground.
I do not think that BP created this slow unwind to "rock bottom" just to create drama. They did this to demonstrate the importance of childhood emotional health.
All through the Doc Martin series, they have tried to introduce basic health concepts: immunizations, wear seat belts, babies should be in car seats, clean drinking water ETC. Here we have just an extension of their theme: the importance of mother's love in a child's life, child play and having a supportive partner as a role model. Together these are critical in a child's development health.
Doc Martin's character disclosure provided the vehicle for the emotional consequence of dis-ease occurring as a direct result of parental neglect and abuse.
Just like Louisa, we the viewers,(since the day we all became hooked on Doc Martin, the character) had no idea how bad Doc's his life was when he was growing up. Yet, we all knew something was not quite right.
Now as we see him in such pain, like Louisa, we want to run after him and ask why?
If we took a string, tied it to the why in Doc's life, and followed it back to it's origins, who would it lead to? Of course, "Mummy" would be holding the string. (Freud)
If we had not followed the series, we would be incredulous, just like Louisa was before meeting Margaret Ellingham. We
would never believed the Doc was ever treated so badly. He's smart, and lovable, was an excellent surgeon and clinician. How can a person with a successful career ever had had been treated badly?
On the outside he is successful, but on the INSIDE he still craved for the very utterance of love that brought him into the world.
People who have heard those words whispered into their ear, understand love. Here lies the difficulty. There are two groups, those who have heard the words and those who have not. Both groups have difficulty understanding the other's perspective.
It is those people who blame themselves as defective or problematic, whose ears were closed, to figure out, the words were never whispered.
For others, who have difficulty understanding friends and family who are in such emotional pain, it would mean accepting that person's story as TRUTH.
I would like to inform everyone here that those of us who like S6 aren't mentally ill or lacking in intelligence. Sorry, I guess I've reached a limit and feel the need to express myself.
).
