Five months after Best Medicine ended its first season with a string of major cliffhangers, FOX’s small-town medical dramedy is preparing to bring viewers back to Port Wenn. The wait for more seaside charm, eccentric cases, and tangled relationships is almost over.
Liz Tuccillo’s feel-good series, adapted from the popular UK drama Doc Martin, left local doctor Martin Best (Josh Charles) facing the possible loss of his medical license after asking Elaine (Cree) to draw blood for him as he managed his phobia. At the same time, his former partner Eden (Eliza Coupe) had returned to town, while Martin grappled with his feelings for Louisa (Abigail Spencer), who was considering having a baby with her ex, Sheriff Mark (Josh Segarra). Greg (Stephen Spinella) and George (Jason Veasey) also married, and Aunt Sarah (Annie Potts) discovered “sea urchins for miles” that might make the entire community wealthy. Season 2 will reveal what comes next.
Ahead of Best Medicine’s Season 2 premiere on Tuesday, September 22, DECIDER has an exclusive preview featuring teases from Charles, Spencer, Segarra, Spinella, Veasey, Potts, and Cree.
Watch the three-minute clip at the top of this article for a glimpse at the returning cast, then read on for five major developments coming to Best Medicine Season 2—including new medical challenges, romantic complications, and a memorable guest appearance.
Martin’s Blood Phobia And Medical Career (Feat. Jack Cutmore-Scott)
“When we first meet Martin in Season 2, he’s got a lot going on,” Charles says in the preview. Although Martin remains Port Wenn’s doctor, he must confront his fear of blood while working under the supervision of Parker (Jack Cutmore-Scott), described as “a charming and friendly guy” who arrives as Martin’s professional monitor to ensure he complies with the terms of his medical oversight.
Martin is determined to stop allowing his phobia to define his career. “He doesn’t want [the blood phobia] being held over his head anymore,” Charles explains. Early in the season, Martin appears ready to tell the entire town about it—a confession that may come out with the force of, “I have a blood phobia! And now my entire medical career is in jeopardy.”
As the Maine State Medical Registry examines Martin’s situation, Eden pushes him to overcome his fear and return to Boston, where she believes he can receive “the respect” he deserves. But Martin’s friends and family, including Aunt Sarah, have their own concerns. As she puts it, “If he’s able to conquer [the phobia], we might lose him.”
Eden Returns For Best…Or Worst
Eden is officially back in Port Wenn, with Coupe returning for Season 2. “She’s now going back and forth between Boston and Port Wenn because of Louisa’s IVF journey,” Spencer says. “And her and Martin are together.”
Eden’s return does not exactly win over the town. She has rearranged Martin’s office and, according to Charles, upset several locals. “They certainly don’t like what she’s brought back out in Martin,” he says. Martin and Eden share a medical background and a long history, but their relationship still seems incomplete—and his bond with Louisa is a major reason why.
The trailer hints at trouble when Aunt Sarah accidentally reveals Martin and Louisa’s feelings to Eden. Later, Eden looks far from pleased when Louisa takes the microphone during karaoke night. The romantic tension is clearly about to intensify.
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Martin And Louisa’s Will-They-Won’t-They Continues
For viewers still hoping Martin and Louisa could eventually become a couple, Charles and Spencer are offering plenty of encouragement.
Charles has already suggested that Martin’s connection with Louisa helps explain why things with Eden remain unsettled. Spencer adds that Season 2 will explore the central question fans have been waiting to see answered: “Will they? Won’t they?” The story, she says, follows two people as they discover what might happen between them.
Before that possibility can be resolved, however, the show is adding even more complications. Mark’s feelings for Louisa may not have disappeared, and FOX teases that Parker will develop sparks with her as well—much to Martin’s annoyance. The result could be less of a love triangle and more of a full-blown romantic polygon.
More Quirky Medical Cases And Town Events
The unusual medical cases and eccentric town happenings remain central to Best Medicine’s appeal. Charles promises “really interesting, quirky medical cases” in Season 2, including a mermaid (Ellen Soraya Nikbakht), who appears in the premiere episode, “Be Careful What You Fish For.”
The season will also feature a neck-up amputation, three positive pregnancy tests involving men, and plenty of other surprises. Spinella says events repeatedly “go off the rails,” while Segarra promises more chaos in Port Wenn, including karaoke at The Salty Breeze—with Mark once again performing a song—and a major lobster crate race.
Welcome To Port Wenn, Andrea Martin!
Andrea Martin is among Season 2’s most anticipated guest stars. As previously reported by TV Line, she plays Judith, Aunt Sarah’s eccentric friend and another resident who tests Martin’s patience. When Judith’s smoking begins threatening both her health and the safety of the town, Martin and Sarah must step in.
Tuccillo told TV Line that Martin was already a major fan of the show and reached out by email in hopes of joining the cast. The actor brings nearly 200 film and television credits to the role, including Great News, Evil, the My Big Fat Greek Wedding movies, The Gilded Age, Only Murders in the Building, and Overcompensating.
“What’s beautiful about Season 2, is now we know all the characters,” Spencer tells fans, emphasizing the deeper familiarity viewers will have with Port Wenn’s residents.
Charles sums up the new season this way: “Best Medicine Season 2: It’s the best.” He encourages viewers to set aside everyday concerns and spend time with the town’s unforgettable residents.
Best Medicine Season 2 premieres Tuesday, September 22, at 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX, with episodes available to stream the following day on Hulu. Prepare your favorite Salty Breeze snacks and get ready for another round of Port Wenn drama.
Stay tuned for more Best Medicine Season 2 coverage from Decider.