This series has been better than series 6 thats for sure.
I still think it needs a gentle kick up the backside though..after all we have had 6 episodes and still no real sense of problems being solved or an 'end' in sight...maybe thats the plan. Next week looks like more of the same without giving much away....
I would like to have seen more of bert and al, remembering their 'chemistry' in the first 4 series....buddy had as much air time in the last 2 shows as ruth, al, bert and morwenna put together! Yes, penhale is stupid but still funny...
I don't mind the therapist...she has added something to a story that is borrowing from past series when everything was brighter, sharper....danny,cronk, etc..
Anyway I'm still watching along with 6million others!

To those with hope, I am with you. The writers have taken us to many unexpected places over the last 6.5 series. I have loved some of it, been horrified by some of it, laughed at it, and squirmed at some of it. I did all of this in last night's episode as well. It is a story worth telling, and everyone can like it or not. I am not ready to give up. I want to see what happens next, no matter what.

A few random thoughts.

Anybody on here know who made that lovely birthday cake? That was massively beautiful.

Drew Peacock. Patient called just before he saw Clive Tishell.

I liked that he hollered at her to leave and she didn't react or take umbrage with it. That is the way he is. I think she is more accepting of him.

He has told her some things in therapy that she has never really heard. It's clear that he loves her and wants to be with her as much as possible. She knows this now.

He wanted to take James to have the bath. She got her dig in with the line about cutting articles out of the Lancet. But he wasn't hurt about it.

DM loved it when she told off Danny about the name thing. It helped Martin to see he is number one in her world. I think that put any doubts to rest.

She said she called Danny about the boy, and Doc mentions that he had called the hospital. DM is secure enough in his relationship with her now to not react to her contacting him.

Louisa knows now that Martin isn't going to consult her if there is a medical emergency, even at his own son's birthday party. She didn't get upset about the way he broke up the party. That's new!! Her breakdown was powerful, though, and not petty in the least.

About Louisa's breakdown and the birthday party. Why was the party so important to her? She and the child's father are living apart, so was it to show that she is a good mother despite the estrangement from her husband? Is that why every detail had to be perfect?

Louisa outsourced some of the work: Janice had to pick up the supplies, Aunt Ruth provided the cake, Janice suggested her friend as the pirate. I think it is perfectly reasonable for a busy working mother to do the outsourcing, but Louisa is finally taking help from others. Is this how she envisioned her life as a single mother before she and Martin reconciled?

I originally thought Janice was flaky., but she is growing on me. She seems to be the helper Louisa needs with Martin absent from the house. Plus she has great priorities for trekking to Truro to have her eyebrows done.

In the earlier discussion with Dr. Timoney, Louisa said something to the effect that she hadn't planned to fall in love with Martin, a man she thought wouldn't last 5 minutes (speaking of Drew Peacock and a double entedre). Now she seems to want to control her life more, staring with James' birthday party.

Once again, she has found things happen and she has no control, just as she had no control over falling for Martin.

Lots of good stuff in this episode to consider.

I absolutely loved that Martin could be his annoying self about that appointment and it didn't get her ire up. That is the only way they can survive. They have to pick their true battles. Louisa was entirely rude with taking the call from Danny during their dinner. She would know whether the call was from Janice...but she had to take it anyway. But Martin went with her. And WTF was Danny doing playing guitar...so very weird.

The end of an over the top party for a one year old and Louisa didn't blame Martin and chastise him in the end. The pirate lady was a threat to everyone and there was no argument. Louisa sort of let her control of things flutter off into the wind. Let's see if that surrender hangs over into what's to come. It should be interesting.

Watch Jonathan Ross on ITV Saturday night...I'm wondering what Martin Clunes has to say....such fun...

Too bad Louisa always complains of being knackered...one day soon she won't be...wait and see.

All the above is valid

BUT

nothing else is happening.....

all the other cast members are surplus to requirments
Al's BnB story has vanished
Mowena has no life (or lines)
Penhail was chasing the babysitter but has now vanished
The babysitter sits with the baby
the school kids or the girls that walk around have vanished
Bert is doing nothing (qualified plumber)
and his aunt tells Martin to cheer up
have I missed anyone
Oh yeah the Chemist....well who didn't know that he would take viagra and boom....heart attack.
for season six it feel like a lost show?

As someone who is a casual viewer of this series (eg, I take the story as presented as 'literal'), I totally agree with this.

I mentioned earlier in the thread that I thought all this had been resolved once Louisa had the baby and they both had the 'Eureka' moment. Ever since then it's as if that didn't happen. We're now supposed to believe that the child is one year old, and the parents are still in that will-they/won't they, dynamic.

The subsequent couple of series would have much better served either finishing the series on a happy ending or resolving the DM /Louisa thing. That way the series could concentrate on developing side characters while DM and Louisa do their everyday work.

That little scene in the kitchen is how their marriage might really go, and that level of conflict is certainly manageable and tolerable for her. Much more than the funk he was in where he wasn't communicating anything.

And after all, many of us can imagine a scene like that in our own lives, where one spouse is very concerned about punctuality, and the other not so much.

Yeah series 5 would have made a good 'the end'..apart from mrs t's phsyscotic meltdown , which they could have explained away in an Xmas special or something...
as for continuing with minor characters...I just don't think that would sustain interest anymore. I though it would before, but have changed my mind.

I can't imagine the number of conflicts I see in 45 mins of DM going on during a month of my life. It would be a nightmare for me to be saddled with a grouch like DM as a partner. I like someone who makes me laugh, not someone with whom I'd always be treading on eggshells and second guessing myself. I've left that sort of thing behind with mooning around over teenage romances.

It is quite entertaining to watch from a distance though...much like the Jeremy Kyle Show.

Is that like our Jerry Springer show, I wonder?

Well, that's the choice they apparently face: if they want to be together, they have to accept a pretty high level of aggravation. Of course, if they're not totally masochistic, they could learn a tad more tolerance and compromise., over time. But I won't hold my breath waiting for it.

I'm guessing 8 episodes this series?
Will we be looking at 2016 for next series
Or that being too optimistic?

But what is to come for a 2016 series. Another eight weeks of them not getting on, nothing resolved. I don't think even the most loyal audience would stand for that any more. It's like groundhog day.

Martin was a grumpy man with no social skills and a fear of blood the day she met him !!!! This just didn't happen since the wedding. He was exactly the same person when she fell for him. She was the same person when he fell for her. They clearly love and adore each other… so just get on with it !!! Looking at them now it's difficult to understand how on one magic night they actually managed to procreate ! A hug now is an effort.

Procreation via IVF at Edith Montgomery's clinic??😄

I didn't see any "eagerness" in LE hugging DM until after he agreed not to have Peter Cronk arrested. The early hugs were very awkward for both of them.

1. Of course DM went with Louisa. He drove the car. She needs him to drive her to the camping area. I can't see why everyone is making such a big deal that "Oh, DM went with her!", as if that shows a positive relationship step.

2. Louisa didn't blame DM at the party; instead she had a breakdown a cried. The whole relationship is now more than she can bear. It's endless hassle, difficulties, and aggravation. DM could have handled the hepatitis pirate in other, gentle, less explosive ways. They could have pulled the pirate to the side, sent her home, and continued on to the birthday cake. The party could have been salvaged. Anyone seeing this as a big step in their relationship is mystifying me. DM screwed up, and ruined the party his aunt said 1) he should like and 2) his wife was SO emotionally invested in.

3. Danny playing guitar was not that weird. He was waiting for reinforcements to help him organize the search party. And, calming the rest of the kids made sense.

4. If Martin was concerned they only had 18 minutes to drive to Dr. T's, he could himself have arrived earlier, and helped get things ready to go with JH. Instead, apparently, he arrives late, and then nags LE to leave right then, when she is ensuring JH will be cared for.

I can see DM not knowing or care to know the names of all the patients he sees, and who he mostly dislikes, but nonetheless cares for. But, for him to not know the name of the woman who is caring for JH, his beloved son, was not funny to me. He doesn't know the name of the woman in charge of his son? Is he that checked out as a father?

Its still one of the funnier shows on TV. I just enjoy it for what it is and don't analyse too much

Hi New Park. Yes, the Jeremy Kyle show is like Jerry Springer, but just not as classy! It parades the fragrant underbelly of British society across ITV in the UK at 9.25am weekdays. Here's an example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6yXe2GIBVc Makes Portwenn's residents seem very normal.

I think that Britain's underbelly is far more classy than ours...and of course we grace your airwaves with "The Adventures of Honey Boo Boo" and "Duck Dynasty". It's embarrassing. LOL

Martin will always react to medical emergencies in explosive ways. Louisa normally would have been upset by him doing it that way. The progress is that she realizes he doesn't have to be a certain way for her to love him. I'm not calling it acceptance, but rather she has an understanding that this is how he is, and that she can handle it. He doesn't have to be different for her to love him.

She is coming around to seeing her own patterns of behavior. She is no longer in denial about how she has been approaching this relationship.

I know it's probably psychobabble. I believe this is what they have been getting at since her mother arrived in Series 5. There is a reason we have learned her mother abandoned her at a young age. We also witnessed Louisa's codependency with her mother. Despite the fact that her mother always let her down, Louisa would keep going back to her for help.

Louisa is a smart woman. Caroline Catz wouldn't play her if she weren't. Louisa is going to come around in the next couple of episodes. I think we will see big changes in the way she reacts to Martin.

It's not about placating Martin, and tiptoeing around him to not make waves. It's about Louisa understanding that she has the inner strength to love this man for who he is and the way he is. She can allow him to love her in the way he is able to love her. She's not dependent upon him to make her happy. It's a very feminist approach.

I understand all that.....BUT

1. DM originally was just very abrupt, didn't bother with small talk and was only interested in fixing a problem, the fact that the problem involved having to talk to people was the only downside to him being a very good doctor.
LM only found DM attractive when he saved someones life so instead of seeing the awkward man in front of her she could now see a brilliant doctor.

now for some reason not only have the writers turned DM into an arsehole that is not remotely like-able but Louisa has also forgotten what it is that she loves about him. she has to be told to hug him or go on a date???? basic stuff if you are trying to save a marriage.....anyway.....

2.Why does she need to put up with the doc if he is being such an arse?
she is a successful teacher, has respect in the town and has no shortage of possible male companions that will act how she expects, plus her husband is now acting like an idiot. I don't get it. leave him and move on.

The difference is that he is trying - he's more attentive and more aware of her needs as a woman and wife. Remember, in S6 he was slowly pulling away from her and the marriage. He was not happy. When she returned, he told her that all the things that bothered him no longer mattered. IOW, he appreciated what he had when he "lost" her.

Louisa isn't hoping for a personality transplant (as she told him once "I quite like the way you are"). The therapy and the silly hugs were a way for them to rediscover what was there in the beginning. She was holding onto some bitterness but is slowly thawing through this process.

At dinner she talked about the therapy "saying things we've never said." (paraphrasing) I wonder, was she also referring to the admission "I want to be with Louisa; I miss her."

(He doesn't believe its working...poor guy) This Louisa fan is convinced - its working. Just look at her...

DCDMFan and ASH2 - I understand each of your points. We have seen seven versions of Martin Ellingham from series 1 "fish out of water" to series 6 "depressed and hopeless." I have enjoyed each version of understanding this complex man.

What we are seeing now, as pointed out by DCDMFan, is the Martin Ellingham we saw in his brief return to the London hospital and discussion with his mentor. He was confident, engaged and his conversation was normal. This is series 7 Martin with more interpersonal dialogue than he may have used in the previous 6 series. My first hope for him was his immediate trust and willingness to talk to Dr. Timoney. His conversations with both Ruth and Louisa have been meaningful and caring.

We don't know everything that occurred in the typical 45 to 50 minutes of therapy, but it seems Dr. Timoney has gotten through to Louisa. I wonder if some of her "jealousy" over the exchange between Martin and Rachel about the Lancet article was more a sense that Dr. Timoney understood Martin more than Louisa. She does not like to be slighted, and I think she felt this more than jealousy.

Bloodphobia: but it seems Dr. Timoney has gotten through to Louisa.

The undertone of that is Martin didn't benefit or need her advice, as well?

Danny's visit may have been the bigger push for Martin. He jumped quickly to invite her to dinner and then without hesitating asked about "their" conversation. I haven't seen meaningful conversations between the couple - I'm hoping for one. I do see a thaw and a little more trust. DrT's influence is unknown, at this point.

The five-second exchange between Dr and Doc was a professional courtesy type exchange but Louisa might have felt like the outsider in that moment and the Doc was attempting to gain favor from the therapist. She didn't want to be judged and expressed that to Ruth earlier.
I have felt a little of that in just the few minutes that's aired. The therapist almost behaving as his advocate or defender. I wonder if Louisa feels the same way? Plausible.

Let me clarify Sarah. By saying that Dr. Timoney has gotten through to Louisa, I did not mean to imply that Martin did not benefit or need her advice. He saw Dr. Timoney first, and he has needed the advice of a psycho-therapist for a very long time, and he does seem to be benefitting from it.

I think Martin's conversations with Louisa have been meaningful and caring. He is much more aware of her and is kinder to her and helpful with James without being snippy. His conversation with Ruth during the cake walk to the birthday party was fairly sincere as were the conversations when he originally sought her help and when he retried her from the train station. We may just have a different definition of meaningful, but they felt that way to me.

Again, this is only me, but I think the therapist has been neutral between Martin and Louisa. It seems Dr. Timoney is more the defender and advocate of their marriage than either of them. I don't think Martin was trying to curry any sort of favor from Dr Timoney by giving her the article. I think he is quite literal: I am a GP who is seeing a psycho-therapist. Her is an article about the interface between GPs and psycho-therapist. Maybe the psycho-therapist would find it interesting.

I saw the slightest hint of discomfort from Dr Timoney when Martin gave her the article. Therapists strive to keep patients out of their lives, and it seemed as if Martin had breached that even with something as simple as the article. It goes back to the neutrality of the therapist, Martin should be concentrating on his marriage, not thinking that the therapist may find the article interesting.