Yay...even better

Then let's hope the movie is that way too!

I hope they also feature Arthur Conan Doyle's mother. She had a very strange, almost Oedipal, relationship with her son.

Just to let you all know - the Portwenn Survivor vote is going to be really tight this week. Voting is all over the place and there are a lot of episodes in the running, so make sure to get your vote in by midnight Friday.

Just a note - I will have to disqualify multiple votes this week because it is so close. So please just vote once!

Although "Arthur Conan Doyle, A Life in Letters" is based on ACD's actual letters and am assuming more accurate, Julian Barnes' "Arthur & George" is loosely based on the true story of ACD and George Edalji and how they eventually meet. George (a solicitor) had been wrongfully accused and jailed for maiming horses. I am at the point in the book where ACD meets George after his release, who by this time is well known for writing the Sherlock Holmes stories, and George seeks his help to get his name cleared as the appeals process is not available to George. I think the movie that MC & CC are making needs to put the early background of A & G in the storyline, but how to do this within the time constraints of a movie will be a task. Based on this book, the platonic relationship between Arthur and Jean is already 8 years before the death of his wife Touie (who was ill for 13 years). This part of the story can be believably pulled off by MC & CC! Sorry I exposed some of the plotline but tried to keep it as vague as possible.
Last edited by marchrand : 21-02-2014 at 18:09

Portwenn Survivor

This week's episode thrown out of the surgery:

S3E3 City Slickers

Complete survey results: http://portwennonline.com/SurveyResults.html

New survey: http://portwennonline.com/SurveyCurrent.html

Episode title survey: http://portwennonline.com/SurveyEpisodeTitles.html

Be sure to check out the new Trivia page that is being created for each episode as we eliminate them!

Last week's episode trivia page: http://portwennonline.com/TriviaS5E7.html

Several new trivia pages:"Martin & James", "Nice Martin", "Mrs Tishell", "Louisa Standing Up" (for Martin), "Medical Speak" (when Martin is trying to deny his emotions). I've also added a lot of new hyperlinks - look for the blue text.

If you are having trouble deciding each week on your vote, here is something that
might help I have added something to the "Episodes" page (just click on the green
episodes page button at the left). It is a list of all the episode titles and includes the
alternative titles. All of the titles have hyperlinks, so if you click on it, you will be
taken to that episode's page with a short synopsis at the top of the page. This is
what I used this past week to make my decision after looking at about 3 or 4 different episodes. Hope this helps!

Something I've been wondering about. The only "official" type thing I have seen is the comments from the Radio Times party that MC and CC were doing this movie. I'm trying to figure out how people know that CC is playing the mistress/second wife? I know that's what we would hope, but is there the possibility that she could play the first wife? Or is there another likely character in this book?

I have never watched Sherlock, but I know a lot of people love it. I don't think I have ever actually watched a Sherlock Holmes movie all the way through, so after hearing about this I did a little research about the character. So now I have read the first short book and partly into the second - found them both online in PDF form. After I have read whatever I can get my hands on, I will have to check out the series.

Sex sells. No one is going to watch a movie with gorgeous Caroline Catz transformed into an aged consumptive (Touie Doyle) or a ditzy mother (Mary Doyle).

I have found other people's pipe dreams about characters returning to be entertaining. The DM powers that be do an incredible job with the supporting cast. Almost all of them are superb. The issue, though, is they tend not to recycle them because they usually go off and continue their careers. Katherine Parkinson, who was Pauline, is an enormously busy young actress, so she won't be back. Some people are pining away for Michael, the manny....not going to happen. Somehow, I wonder if Mrs. Tishell will be there. If she is, I wonder about Jennifer as a child care person...if Louisa and Martin are together. Characters to return are possibly terry Glasson and Elinor....lots of lessons there. And, as much as I hate to think about it....I don't know about Margaret Ellingham....although I wish she'd end up in the projects somewhere as a destitute pensioner. It's just funny to see who wants who back and why?

Characters I would like to see back:

The girl he gave vitamins to in series 3.
Lorna, the shell jewelry lady from series 6.
Stewart the park ranger.
Morwenna's blond friend from series 6. I think she is funny.
I liked Marigold from series 4.
I would like to see the strange brothers back, happy and healthy with their own business or something like that.
Mike Chubb from series 5.

There are probably others but that is all I can think of at the moment.

Roger Fenn!

Roger and Maureen, Stewart James, and PC Mylo. Perhaps also the Colonel and Lady Brading. I have had enough of Martin and Louisa's parents and don't wish to see them again. Same goes for Sally Tishell---her behavior had deteriorated so badly by the end of last season, it was nauseating.

Interesting about S6 is that while DM had his mother Margaret and Aunt Ruth in the episodes, apparently his two remaining relatives, Louisa had none. Elinor was supposed to come back to Portwenn in the warm months and did not, and I am assuming Terry is still in prison. I was amazed at how they wrote Sally Tishell back into the series, given that she kidnapped James and was strung out on drugs. Say what you may, she is a very strong character in the role of the chemist. I can't see a replacement for her in S7. In S6E2 we saw a fleeting glance at MC's daughter, Emily. I would have thought that in E1 in the church, MC's wife Philippa would have been one of the guests, but I didn't spot her. While we are on the subject of returning characters, Edith Montgomery!!
Last edited by marchrand : 23-02-2014 at 10:34

Edith...interesting but not particularly threatening in the fact that Martin is dedicated to saving his marriage. Frankly I saw no chemistry there. I was shocked when she was so presumptuous to have booked them a room together. Sally Tishell....a toss up between loyalty to the actress and the utility of the character. I think the character has had her run, myself, but we'll see. Elinor would be intriguing...and had promised to return when summer came...Louisa was obviously in contact with her. Roger Fenn...an enormous loss in the early series, but I don't see his coming back now as particularly useful. Emily Clunes....a fleeting glance...but if she'd like to try her acting chops....a patient or a bit part. She's always been in some shot. Maybe more surprises...who knows?

Chris Parsons. He played a big role in helping Martin get the GP post, was helping him with the post at Imperial and appeared at Aunt Joan's funeral

We never see their relationship, but I think Chris has always been Martin's only friend, however loosely

More than any psychologist or psychiatrist, Martin needs someone in Series 7 who can offer support to him. My second choice would be Roger Fenn but Chris Parsons would be much better because of age, medical background and unwillingness to fall for Martin's attitude

Louisa needs the same type of friend. The actress who played Isobel has finished Sherlock Holmes and could be available. Caroline Bosman and school friend Holly are not warm enough.

The problem with Isobel is that she wasn't too bright as written in that particular episode. The more I think about it...I don't think BP will write any protracted scenes of Martin seeking out therapeutic help. Maybe one or two in some early episodes but the story will be the events that happen as a result of efforts that Martin and Louisa make to figure out their future. I still believe that the therapist will have to be a cracker jack actor or actress. I think Dame Judi Dench would be incredible because the contrast in size and behavior. I love when a woman puts Martin in his place. Others have suggested other possibilities....some very impressive men. In any case, one can hardly know what will happen in S7. Those writers and producers always have something up their sleeve.

Yes, yes, absolutely we need Chris to come back!!!!!

OK....here's a question for some old timers.....perfect for Shop Girl. During MBB, Gary's employee George keeps an extensive cactus garden which he is frequently watering. In Doc Martin there are a bunch of cacti, a VW and a strange arrangement that looks like something similar to an arrangement in Dirty Tricks. OK..what's with the cacti? There are so many strange things. People criticize the observations, but I think there is something to them. What's up?

Cacti are prickly, no?

I haven't a clue. There was a whole assortment of stuff on that file cabinet and the small windowsill behind. While Eileen was there it was mostly the cactus plants. When Pauline arrived more stuff kept appearing. There was a ceramic cat, a ship in a bottle, a tropical bird, the little VW, an old radio. It seemed like every time there was a shot of that area you could see something new - or the stuff was moved around.

Old radios are Martin's thing...most everyone listened to an "old" radio. For a while there was a print of the Wimbledon windmill in the reception room. Mary was the original screen saver for the reception room computer.......I love all that stuff....adds a bit of personality to the show

You're right about the radios. Several old ones in the surgery and in other people's houses and businesses in Portwenn. I had thought about that awhile back and then forgotten it - I'll have to add a "Radios" section to the Trivia area to go with the "Clocks".

I just reread my post and realized that it sounds like I called you an"old timer" Shop Girl. I meant old time fans.....like more than 1 year......sorry...it just was funny

Wasn't one of the old radios actually used in S6 while L was fixing supper and asked M to feed JH? It was playing Looney Toons music (at least in the Brit version, not Acorn release) and M turned it off when he came in the room, and then L turned it back on again.

It's the same scene where I think someone must have gotten back at MC for flinging the milk at JH in E2. This time M got a face full of oatmeal.

If you don't know what I'm talking about (because you think L flung the milk at JH), see the video interview from fall of 2013 on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKJPROHa-EM

Today on C4 there was a repeat of 'the Shell Seekers', starring Vanessa Redgrave. I didn't watch it first time round.....but the Cornish parts were set in PI! It showed the Old Boathouse by the 'school' with a RED FRONTAGE....the date at the end credits was 2006, I thought the show was made before then. Anyone else catch it??