Martin Clunes returns to Doc Martin for new US remake – but not in the way you might think
The reimagining arrives early next year.
Martin Clunes has been cast in a US remake of his popular comedy-drama series Doc Martin, although he won't be taking the lead role this time around.
Best Medicine reimagines the premise of the long-running ITV series, casting The Good Wife star Josh Charles as Martin Best, a curmudgeonly doctor who relocates to a quaint coastal town from a big city – in his case, Boston.
There, he'll reluctantly serve as the local GP for its eccentric locals, channelling the same bluntness that made Clunes's incarnation of the character so beloved for almost two decades on screen.
As for Clunes himself, he takes a supporting role in Best Medicine as Martin's father, Robert, a fellow doctor specialising in gastroenterology, whose bedside manner is even worse than his spiky son (via Deadline).
In other words, fans of Doc Martin can hopefully look forward to seeing Clunes return to the concluded show's popular sense of humour – that is, if American writer Liz Tuccillo (Alaska Daily, Sex and the City) has delivered a faithful adaptation.
Charles and Clunes aren't the only big names in Best Medicine, with Ghostbusters icon Annie Potts starring as Robert's sister, Joan, while Abigail Spencer (Grey's Anatomy), Josh Segarra (Sirens) and Cree (And Just Like That) have also boarded the project.
The original Doc Martin series came to an end in late 2022 with its 10th season, which saw the character celebrate another Christmas in Portwenn, while grappling with the death of his mother, Margaret (Claire Bloom).
In an interview with Radio Times, Clunes described the finale as "really lovely, really cosy" and "perfect for Christmas Day", adding to British Comedy Guide that he felt he would "never get a job as good as this again".
Could Best Medicine disprove that statement? Only time will tell. The series does not yet have a confirmed premiere date, but is expected to arrive midway through the American television season – i.e. early 2026.
Doc Martin is available to stream on ITVX. Best Medicine is coming soon to FOX.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
