For 10 seasons and two decades of content, fans became accustomed to Doc Martin's (Martin Clunes) brusque way of treating his patients. "Doc Martin" is comfort food for the soul, following a surgeon from the big city who has an aversion to basically everyone around him. And still, he finds emotional touchstones despite his rigid personality. The series had a successful run until its end in 2022, but not until Conleth Hill had a chance to guest star.
In typical fashion for the show, Hill appears as an antagonist to Doc Martin and a source of irritation. Already put on the defensive when they first meet because of Martin's social skills, the doctor has little time for Hill's character, Dr. Edward Mullen, who arrives to give Martin's GMC assessment. Martin will have to go through the rigamarole of attending to fake patients as part of the test.
Mullen is an apt contrast to Martin. The outsider has no experience with Martin's personality and is just going by the book of surgeon procedures. But Martin treats him no different than anyone else, highlighting his quirks. At the end of the day, Martin's real patients are more important than fake ones, effectively pausing the play-acting Mullen is asking for. Though Hill's time as Dr. Mullen was fleeting, his appearance is another notch in relevant pop culture.
