8 Global Versions of ‘Doc Martin’ & the Key Differences
For almost two decades, Martin Clunes inhabited the role of Dr. Martin Ellingham, better known to the people of the Cornish village of Portwenn as Doc Martin. In the series Doc Martin, the brilliant but socially inept former London vascular surgeon who suffers from hemophobia does his best to treat the eccentric locals while struggling to adapt to rural life. Attempting to remain civil proves to be a challenge for the famously curmudgeonly doctor, whose blunt honesty and lack of bedside manner often create as many problems as they solve.
The dramedy was a hit and, for 10 seasons, ran on ITV, along with several spin-off specials, as it inspired remakes around the world. Like any good adaptation, each version keeps the core elements of the original, including the central premise and recognizable characters, while diverging in tone, themes, and setting to give each series its own distinct identity.
Here is a look at how the good doctor fares across the world, from his original location in Britain to his revamps in the Czech Republic, Spain, Germany, the United States, and more.
Doc Martin, Streaming now, Acorn TV
Doc Martin
United Kingdom (2004 – 2022)
The original that inspired the rest stars Martin Clunes as Dr. Martin Ellingham, a brilliant London vascular surgeon who develops a sudden fear of blood and relocates to a small seaside Cornish village. Despite his medical genius, Doc Martin lacks social graces and any semblance of bedside manner, and his blunt honesty and deadpan delivery create plenty of entertainment for viewers and endless exasperation for the locals.
The series ran for 10 seasons and set the template for which the other Doc Martins would follow: Brilliant but grouchy doctor with a fear of blood is forced to suddenly move from a big city to a small town filled with quirky locals, and chaos ensues. For him.
Doktor Martin
Czech Republic/Slovakia (2015–2016)
Starring Miroslav Donutil as Dr. Martin Elinger, the Czech version of Doctor Martin follows the same basic fish-out-of-water premise: a rude, socially inept doctor who moves from a big city to a small, community. Here, Dr. Elinger moves from Prague to the village of Protějov, near the Beskydy mountains in the east of the Czech Republic.
Also, while in the Brit version, Doc Martin has several receptionists that help and/or hinder his business, the Czech version features Irena Bezáková (played by Gabriela Marcinková), who serves as the consistent foil to Dr. Elinger throughout the series.
Doktor Martin
German (2007 – 2009)
For the German version of the show, the story leans into themes of city life versus country life, centering on the clash between Dr. Martin Helling’s (Axel Milberg) fast-paced Berlin background and the slow-moving, tea-drinking peculiarities of the villagers.
Helling is often portrayed as more melancholy about his social failings and inability to fit in than other versions of the character, a tone that has drawn comparisons to similarly misanthropic television doctors like House or socially awkward sleuths such as Monk.
Doctor Mateo
Spain (2009–2011)
Another wildly successful adaptation that ran for five seasons, Doctor Mateo centers on Dr. Mateo Sancristóbal (Gonzalo de Castro), a New York City physician who abandons his prestigious career in the United States and returns to his home village of San Martín del Sella in Asturias after suffering a nervous breakdown. During a high-stakes operation, he suddenly develops hemophobia, making it impossible for him to continue his work in the operating room.
Seeking peace of mind, Mateo retreats to the village where he spent his childhood holidays. While he still clashes with the locals and maintains a somewhat grumpy demeanor, this version of the doctor is less pompous than other incarnations and is portrayed as more naive, giving the series a lighter, more whimsical tone.
Doc Martin
France (2011 – 2015)
Set in the small provincial town of Port-Garrec, France, Doc Martin stars Thierry Lhermitte as the stoic Dr. Martin Le Foll, a brilliant physician whose blunt manner and lack of social graces make him an awkward fit in the tight-knit community.
While the British original relies on dry, observational wit, the French adaptation leans more heavily into farce and slapstick, reflecting Lhermitte’s comedic background. The town’s colorful residents are also portrayed with a distinctly French sensibility, giving the series a broader, more playful tone than its British counterpart.
Kliniki Periptosi (Clinical Case)
Greece (2011–2012)
Set in the sleepy seaside town of Lydia, Greece, the series follows Dr. Markos Staikos (Yiannis Bezou), a top surgeon from Athens who develops a sudden fear of blood. When he relocates to the countryside, he struggles to adjust to rural life, reacting with mounting frustration at the town’s laid-back pace and relaxed Mediterranean work ethic.
The adaptation greatly benefits from its lead actor, Bezou, a well-known Greek actor famous for playing highly neurotic yet charismatic characters. In his hands, Dr. Staikos feels less stoic and detached and more like a man perpetually on the verge of an exasperated outburst.
Dokter Tinus
Netherlands (2012 – 2017)
Considered one of the most successful adaptations of Doc Martin, the Dutch series stars Thom Hoffman as Dr. Martinus “Tinus” Elsenbosch, who practices medicine in the tiny riverside town of Woudrichem on the Waal. The show leans into themes of class difference, portraying Tinus as an aloof city doctor who often looks down on the locals, whose customs and traditions strike him as quaint and outdated.
While he shares the original character’s fear of blood and lack of empathy, the Dutch version leans heavily into his intellectual arrogance, playing him as a brilliant but socially tone-deaf outsider whose sharp tongue and superiority complex frequently put him at odds with the tight-knit community.
Best Medicine
United States (2025 – present)
Debuting in May 2025, Best Medicine stars Josh Charles as Dr. Martin Best, a skilled physician whose childhood trauma left him with a debilitating fear of blood. Forced to abandon his career in Boston, he relocates to the small coastal town of Port Wenn, Maine, where he reconnects with his Aunt Sarah (Annie Potts) and begin treating the local population.
The series takes on a slightly more whimsical tone than other adaptations, with Charles portraying the good doctor as ironic and wry rather than purely robotic in his social awkwardness. In a perfectly meta moment, original Doc Martin star Martin Clunes makes a guest appearance as Dr. Robert Best, Martin’s cold and snobbish father.
In terms of tone and small-town charm, Best Medicine has often been compared to the 1990s hit Northern Exposure for its whimsy and thematic elements.
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