Ep 6. The Family Way

Doc Martin season 2 episode 6, titled "The Family Way," follows the story of Dr. Martin Ellingham, an uptight and socially awkward surgeon from London who moves to a small village in Cornwall to be a GP. In this episode, Dr. Ellingham is tasked with caring for a pregnant patient who is about to give birth. But as he attends to her, he finds himself dealing with a whole host of other issues within the family.

The episode opens with Louisa Glasson, a primary school teacher and the doctor's love interest, attempting to help a pregnant patient named Caroline Bosman. Caroline is experiencing contractions, but her husband, Oliver, is nowhere to be found. Louisa takes Caroline to the doctor's surgery to get checked out. Dr. Ellingham performs a physical examination on Caroline and determines that she is in the early stages of labor. He orders an ambulance to transport her to the hospital in Truro.

As the ambulance departs, Dr. Ellingham is confronted by Caroline's teenage stepdaughter, Holly, who tells him that Oliver is not coming home because he is having an affair. Dr. Ellingham is taken aback by this news and sets out to find Oliver. Meanwhile, Louisa decides to accompany Caroline to the hospital. Along the way, they stop to pick up Holly, who is willing to help with the delivery.

At the hospital, Dr. Ellingham tries to call Oliver, but there is no answer. He leaves a message telling him to come to the hospital. Back in the village, Dr. Ellingham's receptionist, Pauline, is trying to track Oliver down. She calls around to all the pubs and hotels in the area, but cannot locate him. Later on, Pauline takes a call from Oliver, who tells her that he is leaving Caroline for his mistress. Pauline relays this information to Dr. Ellingham, who is shocked and angry.

At the hospital, the delivery is progressing slowly. Dr. Ellingham calls in a backup doctor to assist. The other doctor arrives and takes charge of the delivery, much to Dr. Ellingham's relief. However, he is soon called away to deal with another issue. Holly, Caroline's stepdaughter, has collapsed in the waiting room. Dr. Ellingham performs a medical examination on Holly and discovers that she has a serious medical condition. He orders her to be admitted to the hospital for observation.

As the episode progresses, Dr. Ellingham finds himself juggling multiple medical emergencies, all while dealing with the news of Oliver's infidelity and the fallout for Caroline and her family. He is forced to confront his own views on relationships and the role of the doctor in people's lives. In the end, he comes to a realization about his own situation and takes action to move his relationship with Louisa forward.

Overall, "The Family Way" is a classic episode of Doc Martin, combining medical drama with complex interpersonal relationships and a dose of humor. It showcases the show's strengths in balancing multiple storylines and creating rich, fully-realized characters. Fans of the show will not be disappointed by this gripping and emotional episode.