A year after resigning his medical license, Martin finally admits he wants to be a doctor again when a woman with serious symptoms refuses to allow him to examine her.
With Martin and Louisa sharing office space, the surgery isn"t running very smoothly, so Louisa is keen to consider moving when her childhood dream home goes up for sale.
When a park ranger with a history of delusions takes Al and Penhale on a test run of his survival course in the woods, Al fears the man is having a mental health relapse.
Martin spars with an herbalist who is dispensing dubious treatments to the villagers. Meanwhile, Penhale tries to rekindle his romance with Janice.
Louisa"s father makes an unannounced visit, but when it becomes clear that he is unwell, the Doc is torn between professional duty and family loyalty.
The news of Martin"s invitation to be the dean of Imperial College spreads through Portwenn like wildfire, before Martin and Louisa have even decided if he"ll accept it.
As the Ellinghams prepare to leave for London, Ruth counsels Mrs. Tishell on overcoming her Doc obsession, while Penhale anxiously arranges their goodbye party.
Portwenn is full of festive cheer--until Martin cancels the Santa, prompting his portrayer to show "Doc the Grinch" the magic of Christmas, with unintended consequences.
Martin's medical career remains under scrutiny as a GMC representative comes to assess him and his surgery; Al accidentally proposes to Morwenna; Mrs. Tishell has a new lease on life.
Martin's GMC report requires that he pass three refresher courses, starting with phlebotomy; Louisa is focused on her new career as a child and adolescent counselor; much to Bert's dismay, Al hires Caitlin, and confesses to his accidental proposal.
Martin has his second GMC assessment; Buddy is missing; Ken's arrival doesn't bring good news for Al and Bert; Penhale isn't happy with the arrival of his predecessor.
Doc Martin's medical career is still under scrutiny because of his pre-existing blood phobia, and he has to pass three new courses; Louisa focuses on her new career.
Martin and Louisa attend their first fertility consultation; Penhale investigates a case of vandalism at a local surf school; Louisa prepares for her first supervised counseling session.
Mrs. Tishell's young cousin shadows her at the pharmacy for some work experience; Al decides to move in with Morwenna; Angela visits Martin's surgery and notices something wrong with Buddy.
Martin rushes to Ruth's for a medical emergency, but quickly realizes the problem is him; wedding bells are ringing in preparation for Morwenna and Al's wedding, but all doesn't go to plan, and neither does Martin's final GMC assessment.
Preparations for Janice and Penhale's wedding continue, sending Portwenn into a frenzy; Louisa and Martin are living together again.
Martin and Louisa look for a nursery suitable for James; Louisa entertains the idea of a career change; Mrs Tishell is shocked to find that Al has high blood pressure.
With Louisa gone sailing, Martin is left to look after James; Al and Morwenna organize an event to save the pub.
Morwenna's parents surprise her with a visit from Kenya, but their bad news threatens to ruin the trip; Martin intervenes when Louisa's first Skype call goes off track.
Martin and Louisa are desperate to stop James' biting, so the try Mel's suggestion of amber beads.
It is the annual Portwenn versus Port Carran race and Morwenna needs to find a replacement rower.
Awaiting his hearing, Martin has not been able to practice, but this does not stop patients from asking for medical advice.
Rachel may be able to help Martin change his ways; Louisa's return raises questions about her and Martin's relationship; Al welcomes his first fishing guests; Bert decides to try to rejuvenate trade at the restaurant.
Martin decides to move out of the surgery and allow Louisa the space she needs; Louisa is intrigued to meet Martin's therapist, but is less enthused when Rachel suggests they should have therapy as a couple.
Louisa and Martin have their first therapy session together, but neither of them expected to be given homework; Louisa is surprised when Martin agrees to let Peter Cronk do work experience at the surgery; Peter tries to boss Morwenna around.
Martin reaches a breaking point; Louisa and Morwenna persuade Martin to find Buddy a new home; Martin is not impressed by Angela's alternative approaches to medicine; Ruth finds out that Bert has been trying to make his own whisky.
Dr. Timoney advises Martin and Louisa to try to take things back to the beginning of their relationship and plan a date; Danny, Louisa's ex-boyfriend, arrives from London with seven children.
After Martin and Louisa tell Dr. Timoney about their failed date night, she questions their compatibility; Erica, the new art teacher at Portwenn school, moves in with her daughter; Louisa's happiness at finding a permanent teacher is short lived.
Martin finds himself trapped by Annie Winton, who desperately wants him to try to save her husband Jim; Louisa is worried about Martin; PC Penhale drives Louisa up to Winton Farm, where they discover Martin performing a life-saving operation on Jim.
Portwenn is buzzing with arrangements for the wedding of the Doc and Louisa; Ruth has a hard time taking care of James; the power goes out.
Martin has second thoughts about their nanny, who is constantly scratching; the nanny walks out; Penhale calls into a radio show to learn how to win friends.
Ruth has a mystery admirer who unnerves her; Louisa gets in trouble with Bert when one of her students writes about getting food poisoning at his restaurant.
Martin takes baby James to playgroup, where he is forced to sing along with the other moms; Al signs up for a dating web site; Bert finds Jennifer in the bathroom with a needle.
Mrs. Tishell returns to the village; Martin has to work out what is wrong with beachcomber Lorna; Al and Morwenna have Internet dating disasters.
Martin's mother returns to Portwenn; questions about asbestos cause panic; Bert has a question for Jennifer.
Louisa has news for Martin; disaster hits at Bert and Jennifer's engagement party; Al has a business proposition for Ruth.
Season 5 opens with Martin coming to terms with fatherhood while dealing with his GP successor, whose competency he comes to doubt. In other events, he's devastated by the death of someone near and dear to him.
Doc Martin has to deal with the death of his Aunt Joan, demands of fatherhood, and the arrival of his Aunt Ruth.
Martin's new receptionist makes a poor first impression; Louisa and Martin find sleepless nights are taking their toll.
Portwenn Fun Day has the villagers abuzz; Martin and Louisa are not happy when Louisa's mother arrives unexpectedly.
Joe Penhale's amnesiac ex-wife visits; Louisa's mother may find romance; Martin and Louisa still need to name their baby.
Joe Penhale is desperate to show Maggie he has changed; Martin has to rescue Mr. Coley from a rooftop.
Mrs. Tishell's crush on Martin takes a dramatic turn when, believing him to be her child, she leaves town with baby James.
Martin prepares to leave Portwenn when his relationship with Louisa fails; Martin's medical school girlfriend arrives.
Martin is unsure what to do when he hears Louisa's news, but Louisa does not want him involved; Louisa's new headmaster is exhibiting erratic behavior.
Louisa has a medical scare and goes to Martin for reassurance; Joe Penhale's brother Sam comes to town; Martin learns the surgery needs some updating.
Martin urges Louisa to slow down after he catches her moving furniture; Martin refuses a handicapped parking tag for an elderly couple when the man won't prove he is disabled.
The widow of one of Doc's patients believes her husband is trying to communicate from the grave; one of Louisa's students falls ill on a class trip.
Doc clashes with the new district midwife over natural methods; Bert becomes enamored with a new restaurant employee.
Pauline finds out Doc is leaving; Bert organizes a baby shower for Louisa; Doc and Edith go to a conference.
In the Season 2 premiere, Martin helps the new police officer, who suffers from narcolepsy, but can't do much for the village plumber, who's suffering from a midlife crisis brought on by his son's world travels.
Unhappy with his lot in life, Bert Large abandons his plumbing business to start his own restaurant, but the eatery's opening is followed immediately by several cases of food poisoning.
Louisa's new neighbors cause problems for her, for Martin and for other residents; townspeople notice something unusual about Joe Penhale.
Louisa has competition for Martin's affections in the form of a glamorous hotel owner.
Louisa ends her relationship with Martin, but when she needs him to treat her injured friend, he gets a chance to redeem himself.
Portwenn is buzzing with news; Bert's restaurant is in trouble so his son decides to take action to save the business.
Louisa's ex returns to Portwenn hoping for a reunion; Martin sees a patient who has a history of self-injury; Elaine's cousin, Pauline, takes a job at the surgery.
Louisa is up for promotion to head teacher, but Martin is on the board of governors and may go against her.
Martin's house call to the home of the Flint brothers leads to a diagnosis of food poisoning; Al learns that Bert is not his natural father.
Martin must treat an elderly man with a horrible smell; a local radio host appears to have a drinking problem; Julie Mitchell arrives in Portwenn.
Martin is surprised and puzzled when his parents suddenly arrive for a visit; Martin's examination of a woman leads to a surprise diagnosis.
Mark's stag night plans go awry when he is bitten by a snake, and rescue lies in the hand of Stewart, the park ranger.
Martin urges Mrs. Tishell to remove the collar she's worn for years; career disagreements lead Louisa to break up with Danny; a man from the Salvation Army arrives in Portwenn.
Birdwatchers descend on Portwenn in search of a rare species; Pauline gives her notice; Bert uses the police van to take the birdwatchers on tour.
Martin's first patient is a man who has grown breasts; Martin is forced off the road on his way out of the village.
Though Martin has opened his surgery, his patients seem to treat it more as a social hangout; Martin is forced to fire Elaine for incompetence.
Louisa invites Martin to the Portwenn Players Dance; Martin makes a house call to a park ranger who claims to have a six-foot red squirrel as a friend.
Martin's Aunt Joan wants to rekindle a romance with an old flame who is suffering from a life-threatening heart condition; Al tries to woo Elaine.
Martin tries to warn a woman about the dangers of sun bathing, but ends up offending her; gossip about the blood phobia circulates.