document_title: List of Doc Martin episodes

question_text: doc martin how many episodes in season 7

text: List of Doc Martin episodes

text: Series overview[edit]

text:
Series
Episodes
Originally aired
DVD release
Avg. UK Ratings

Series premiere
Series finale
Region 2
Region 1

1
6
2 September 2004 (2004-09-02)
7 October 2004 (2004-10-07)
31 October 2005 (2005-10-31)[1]
12 June 2007 (2007-06-12)[2]
9.32 million

2
8
10 November 2005 (2005-11-10)
5 January 2006 (2006-01-05)
3 April 2006 (2006-04-03)[3]
28 July 2009 (2009-07-28)[4]
8.68 million

TV film
25 December 2006 (2006-12-25)
29 September 2008 (2008-09-29)[5]
28 July 2009 (2009-07-28)[4]
5.88 million

3
7
24 September 2007 (2007-09-24)
5 November 2007 (2007-11-05)
18 February 2008 (2008-02-18)[6]
2 February 2010 (2010-02-02)[7]
9.12 million

4
8
20 September 2009 (2009-09-20)
8 November 2009 (2009-11-08)
1 March 2010 (2010-03-01)[8]
6 July 2010 (2010-07-06)[9]
9.15 million

5
8
12 September 2011 (2011-09-12)
31 October 2011 (2011-10-31)
5 March 2012 (2012-03-05)[10]
5 June 2012 (2012-06-05)
10.60 million

6
8
2 September 2013 (2013-09-02)
21 October 2013 (2013-10-21)
24 March 2014 (2014-03-24)
10 December 2013 (2013-12-10)
8.97 million

7
8
7 September 2015 (2015-09-07)
2 November 2015 (2015-11-02)
16 November 2015 (2015-11-16)[11]
8 December 2015 (2015-12-08)
7.61 million[A]

8
8
20 September 2017 (2017-09-20)
8 November 2017 (2017-11-08)
TBA
TBA
TBA

9
8
September 2018
November 2018
TBA
TBA
TBA

text: Episodes[edit]

text: Series 1 (2004)[edit]

text:
No. overall
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Viewers
(millions)[12]
Original airdate

1
1
"Going Bodmin"
Ben Bolt
Dominic Minghella
9.93
2 September 2004 (2004-09-02)

Martin attends an interview for the post of general practitioner (GP). Having unwittingly offended local teacher Louisa Glasson, he spontaneously diagnoses her glaucoma. Although pleased to renew his acquaintance with his Auntie Joan with whom he spent holidays as a boy, he is less than enamoured of the other locals he encounters and the state of his predecessor's surgery. He also inadvertently uncovers an affair between a teenager and the wife of the Lieutenant Colonel, leading to threats of a divorce, a reconciliation and then a punch on his nose. Disillusioned, Martin decides he has made a mistake and plans to return to London.[13]

2
2
"Gentlemen Prefer"
Ben Bolt
Dominic Minghella
8.98
9 September 2004 (2004-09-09)

Martin's surgery officially opens for business, but patients continue to treat it as a drop-in cafe. Former teacher Roger Fenn is hoarse and has a lump on his neck, so Martin refers him to a specialist for a biopsy. He is diagnosed with cancer and must have surgery which may cost the former singer his voice. Martin also sacks Elaine as his receptionist for her general attitude and incompetence after she inaccurately takes down the name or phone number of a boy with suspected appendicitis.[13]

3
3
"Sh*t Happens"
Ben Bolt
Dominic Minghella
8.91
16 September 2004 (2004-09-16)

A stomach bug sweeps the village, filling Martin's surgery with patients. Martin appears on the local radio station in an attempt to alert the village to a potential health scare, but his efforts misfire. Bert Large and his son have an argument over college and the future of their family businesses.[13]

4
4
"The Portwenn Effect"
Ben Bolt
Dominic Minghella
9.31
23 September 2004 (2004-09-23)

Louisa buys two tickets to the Portwenn Players Dance and invites Martin. He doesn't want to go so Louisa offers the ticket to Mark instead. Peter Cronk, a boy at Louisa's school, causes trouble on a wildlife trip and Martin meets the Park Ranger Stewart, who believes he lives with a 6 foot squirrel named Anthony.[13]
Special Guest: Ben Miller

5
5
"Of All the Harbours in All the Towns"
Ben Bolt
Kirstie Falkous & John Regier
9.45
30 September 2004 (2004-09-30)

John Slater, an old flame of Joan's, returns to the village hoping to rekindle his love affair with her, but Martin discovers he has a life-threatening heart condition. Fifteen-year-old Melanie Gibson (Stephanie Leonidas) has a crush on the doctor after he mends her dislocated shoulder.[13]
Special Guest: John Alderton

6
6
"Haemophobia"
Ben Bolt
Dominic Minghella
9.31
7 October 2004 (2004-10-07)

Martin is forced to confront his fear of blood, first when the town plays a prank on him involving ketchup as a fake injury, and then when Peter, a young lad of the town, suffers a ruptured spleen that needs an urgent operation.[13]

text: Series 2 (2005–06)[edit]

text:
No. overall
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Viewers
(millions)[12]
Original airdate

7
1
"Old Dogs"
Ben Bolt
Dominic Minghella & Edana Minghella
8.86
10 November 2005 (2005-11-10)

Louisa's old flame, Danny Steel, comes to Portwenn hoping to rekindle their romance. He is furious with Martin for interfering with his mother's move to a nursing home. A man who has a habit of inexplicably injuring himself consults Martin. Elaine has resigned and moved away with her boyfriend Greg and has been replaced by her cousin, Pauline Lamb.[14]

8
2
"In Loco"
Ben Bolt
Richard Stoneman
8.19
17 November 2005 (2005-11-17)

Louisa interviews for a position as headmistress and crosses Martin by insisting that children with a highly contagious disease should still come to school against the doctor's wishes. Peter stays with Martin after Peter's mother suffers serious burns. Bert Large steps in to maintain the chip shop whilst Mrs Cronk is hospitalised, only to find his "experience in the catering trade" is a little wayward.[14]

9
3
"Blood is Thicker"
Ben Bolt
Jack Lothian
9.26
24 November 2005 (2005-11-24)

Al discovers that Bert is not his natural father; Martin diagnoses food poisoning for a rural family with a mysterious unseen mother.[14]

10
4
"Aromatherapy"
Ben Bolt
Dominic Minghella & Edana Minghella
8.99
1 December 2005 (2005-12-01)

An old man, inexplicably emanating a horrible stench, consults Doctor Ellingham; and the local radio host, Caroline, seems to have a serious drinking problem. Julie Mitchell arrives in Portwenn and immediately catches the attention of PC Mark Mylow.[14]
Special guest: Hugh Lloyd

11
5
"Always on My Mind"
Ben Bolt
Richard Stoneman
8.56
8 December 2005 (2005-12-08)

Martin examines Helen Pratt, but she collapses and dies. Her husband, Phil, is angry with the doctor and blames him for his wife's death. A feud develops between Phil and Helen's long-time friend Joan after Phil becomes convinced that Joan knew something secret about him. Joan encourages Martin to explain the circumstances of Helen's death to Phil, having previously been extremely cold and insensitive following her death. Pauline begins training to become a member of the lifeboat crew, flirting with her instructor, Ross, in the process, causing Al to become jealous.
Special guest: Roger Lloyd-Pack [14]

12
6
"The Family Way"
Ben Bolt
Dominic Minghella & Edana Minghella
8.83
15 December 2005 (2005-12-15)

Martin's cold and difficult parents come to stay with him. He hasn't seen them for seven years, and is puzzled as to why they should turn up out of the blue. Mark and Julie get engaged. Danny Steel's lung collapses whilst renovating a house and Martin examines a woman with what she claims is a thyroid, but the results turn out to be rather different.
Special guests: John Woodvine & Claire Bloom[14]

13
7
"Out of the Woods"
Minkie Spiro
Jack Lothian
8.11
22 December 2005 (2005-12-22)

PC Mark Mylow plans to spend his stag night sleeping rough in the woods with Al Large, but gets bitten by an adder. The doctor doesn't have a clue where they are and his only hope lies with the area's park ranger – Stewart.[14]

14
8
"Erotomania"
Minkie Spiro
Dominic Minghella & Edana Minghella
8.60
5 January 2006 (2006-01-05)

Martin tries to persuade Mrs. Tishell, the pharmacist, to remove her collar, which she has worn for years. Louisa breaks up with Danny after career disagreements. A man from the Salvation Army arrives in Portwenn trying to trace a girl who left her home. Whom could he be after?[14]

text: TV film (2006)[edit]

text:
No. overall
Title
Directed by
Written by
Viewers
(millions)[12]
Original airdate

15
"On the Edge"
Ben Bolt
Jack Lothian
5.88
25 December 2006 (2006-12-25)

Martin learns that he is under investigation for rude and condescending behaviour with the end result that he may have to go on a 2 week course to improve his people skills. Pauline advises him that he will have to find a new receptionist as she is returning to university to study nursing. Bert Large thinks he's struck gold when word gets out that a rare bird is nesting in the local cliffs so he borrows the police van to offer guided tours. Louisa Glasson's father Terry suddenly re-appears in the village accompanied by his friend, Jonathan. Terry had left the village under a cloud when he was accused of stealing money from the lifeboat fund but he has always maintained his innocence and Louisa remains his staunchest defender. Things get serious when Jonathan stops taking his medication and takes Martin, Louisa and Pauline prisoner and the problems in the town heat up.[15]

text: Series 3 (2007)[edit]

text:
No. overall
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Viewers
(millions)[12]
Original airdate

16
1
"The Apple Doesn't Fall"
Ben Bolt
Richard Stoneman
8.10
24 September 2007 (2007-09-24)

Martin believes Louisa may be anaemic after she passes out in front of her class. A young girl is treated for hyperactivity and it's suspected that she's been taking her Mum's diet pills. After the horror and shock of discovering his fiance Julie's secret, Constable Mark Mylow has left — PC Joe Penhale (John Marquez) arrives in Portwenn to replace him, arousing attention from the doc, who discovers him unconscious at the wheel of his police car.[16] Titled Tick Tock in American release.

17
2
"Movement"
Ben Bolt
Nick Vivian
8.58
1 October 2007 (2007-10-01)

Bert Large abandons his plumbing business in favour of running a restaurant. Following the restaurant's opening, several cases of food poisoning occur with Louisa being one of the victims.[16] Titled The Morning After in American release.

18
3
"City Slickers"
Ben Bolt
Richard Stoneman
8.84
8 October 2007 (2007-10-08)

A couple and their son move in next door to Louisa causing problems for her, Martin and the local people. Residents also begin to discover something unusual about PC Penhale[16] Titled Love Thy Neighbor in American release.

19
4
"The Admirer"
Ben Bolt
Jack Lothian
8.81
15 October 2007 (2007-10-15)

Hotel owner Carrie Wilson has her sights on Martin much to Louisa's chagrin. Joan has an admirer in painter Edward Melville, who is 30 years younger than she.[16] Titled The GP Always Rings Twice in American release.

20
5
"The Holly Bears a Prickle"
Ben Bolt
Ben Bolt
9.21
22 October 2007 (2007-10-22)

Pauline's gambling addiction finally comes to a head after an explosive confrontation in the surgery. Martin and Louisa go out on a date, but it is ruined by an inappropriate remark, and Louisa ends their relationship. Louisa's friend, Holly (Lucy Robinson), injures her back while walking in Portwenn. The episode ends with Martin proposing to Louisa, telling her he can't imagine life without her. [16] Titled Breaking Up Is Hard to Do in American release.

21
6
"Nowt So Queer"
Ben Bolt
Keith Temple
9.92
29 October 2007 (2007-10-29)

The news of Martin and Louisa's engagement spreads like wildfire through Portwenn. A mysterious respiratory infection breaks out in the village. Martin becomes concerned about a patient who lives with her domineering and sinister sister, a biochemist. Al Large is concerned about his finances. [16]Titled The Two of Us in American release

22
7
"Happily Ever After"
Ben Bolt
Jack Lothian
10.37
5 November 2007 (2007-11-05)

On the day of their wedding, Louisa's bridesmaid is hit in the eye with a party popper; the local florist gets arrested and his shop shuttered. Bert Large has to make contingency plans for the wedding party. Martin suggests the vicar has a drink problem and later catches him with a bottle of whiskey. The vicar ends up in hospital after falling over and fracturing his hip. Martin has to find a replacement, and pays a high price for his services. Louisa's maid of honor has another emergency.[16] Titled In Sickness and In Health in American release.

text: Series 4 (2009)[edit]

text:
No. overall
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Viewers
(millions)[12]
Original airdate

23
1
"Better the Devil"
Ben Bolt
Jack Lothian
8.30
20 September 2009 (2009-09-20)

Life in the beautiful Cornish village of Portwenn has become ever more infuriating for Dr. Martin Ellingham since his and Louisa's heart-wrenching decision to call off their wedding. Louisa has left the village, and Martin has begun to question what keeps him in Cornwall. It's certainly not his relentlessly annoying patients. Mrs Tishell's husband Clive returns to his wife and concerns the doctor with his lack of hearing. Martin's ex-girlfriend Dr. Edith Montgomery aids a patient of his, and the pair immediately come to a disagreement over the patient's need for an operation. The episode ends with the return of Louisa and her surprise news.[17]

24
2
"Uneasy Lies the Head"
Ben Bolt
Ben Bolt
8.03
27 September 2009 (2009-09-27)

Dr. Martin Ellingham struggles to deal with Louisa's news, and is conflicted over what action to take. But Louisa is adamant she does not want Martin involved. Auntie Joan, however, is highly insistent that she help Louisa through the pregnancy. Louisa takes a job back at Portwenn Primary School, where the headmaster is creating suspicion and public concern over his increasingly erratic behaviour. Martin realises the schoolmaster is unwell when he evacuates blue urine. Things come to a frightening turn when he takes a class of schoolchildren to the beach.
Special guest: David Haig[17]

25
3
"Perish Together as Fools"
Ben Bolt
Richard Stoneman
8.71
4 October 2009 (2009-10-04)

Dr. Martin Ellingham is shocked to find Louisa and Aunt Joan knocking at his door before the Surgery has opened. Louisa has had a medical scare and wants Martin's reassurance that everything is fine. PC Joe Penhale's big brother Sam comes to Portwenn. Louisa moves in with an old man who wants to move to a nursing home but Martin refuses his request. The doctor is less than pleased when he hears the surgery needs to be re-decorated. Al Large goes to lengths in order to convince Pauline he is good enough for her.[17]

26
4
"Driving Mr. McIynn"
Minkie Spiro
Richard Stoneman
9.21
11 October 2009 (2009-10-11)

Dr. Martin Ellingham is called to Louisa's new home after she has a dizzy spell while shifting furniture. Martin urges her to slow down, but is shocked to learn that Louisa has applied to be her school's headteacher again, with the previous one getting porphyria and having to leave. Martin refuses an application to an elderly couple for a disabled parking badge when the wheelchair bound man refuses to prove he is indeed disabled, thus when Martin tries to gain proof anyway, he ends up stabbing the man in his hand with a surgical pin.[17]

27
5
"The Departed"
Minkie Spiro
Jack Lothian
9.49
18 October 2009 (2009-10-18)

Dr. Martin Ellingham is in London to meet Robert Dashwood, who is leading the selection process for the prestigious Imperial College London surgeon's job that Martin has applied for. Robert can tell that Martin is excited to be back in the world of surgery, and is pleased when Martin says he has finally conquered his debilitating blood phobia. Robert is confident that Martin will get the job. Meanwhile, a family sues Joan after she traps their highly troublesome child in her chicken coop, after which he develops a mysterious malaise.[17]

28
6
"Midwife Crisis"
Ben Bolt
Ben Bolt
9.23
25 October 2009 (2009-10-25)

Dr. Martin Ellingham meets Portwenn's new midwife, Molly, who will be looking after Louisa. Martin is dismissive of her profession and irritated by her prejudiced attitude towards him and by her insistence that men aren't needed to help pregnant women. Thus the two of them do not hit it off. In the meantime, Bert hires Marigold to work in the restaurant kitchen. She responds by bringing him game to use in the restaurant. Her husband Michael becomes deathly ill, Marigold shows some milder, but similar symptoms, and when Bert calls in Martin to look at Michael, the Doc finds spoiled roadkill (the very same game Marigold has been supplying Bert) in the kitchen cupboard. He determines that they both are suffering from toxoplasmosis from eating bad meat. [17]

29
7
"Do Not Disturb"
Ben Bolt
Richard Stoneman
9.95
1 November 2009 (2009-11-01)

Dr. Martin Ellingham seeks out Louisa to talk about his new surgeon's job at Imperial College London, but they are interrupted by Bert, who wants to plan a baby shower for Louisa. Joan opens up her house to the public as a B&B, and her first guest is an old friend with disgusting breath and a constipation issue. Martin and Pauline exchange angry words when she discovers a letter offering him a job at Imperial College London, with Martin incensed that she opened his mail in the first place.[17]

30
8
"The Wrong Goodbye"
Ben Bolt
Jack Lothian
10.28
8 November 2009 (2009-11-08)

Dr. Martin Ellingham and Pauline are surprised by the number of patients coming to see him on the last day before his Surgery closes and he moves to London, but after a series of mishaps, including the taxi driver crashing his car with Louisa inside it, Louisa goes into labour and the Doc is facing a dilemma; should he move away or stick around to support Louisa and their newborn child?[17]

text: Series 5 (2011)[edit]

text:
No. overall
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Viewers (millions)
includes ITV1 HD and ITV1 +1 broadcasts[18]
Original airdate

31
1
"Preserve the Romance"
Ben Bolt
Ben Bolt
10.24
12 September 2011 (2011-09-12)

Curmudgeonly Martin Ellingham's plans to resume his career as a consultant in London are put on hold with the birth of the son he fathered with his now estranged partner, Louisa Glasson. At the surgery, new doctor Diana Dibbs is excited to begin work, but Martin begins to have serious doubts about her competence after she misdiagnoses patients, dishes out prescriptions for totally inappropriate drugs and advises patients to up dosages if problems persist. Pauline has left and got a job in Bristol, and replaced as receptionist by the new doctor's husband, much to Dr Ellingham's shock. Later, Ellingham receives some devastating news: the day previously when driving over Bodmin Moor to visit Louisa in hospital with the new baby, Aunt Joan had a heart attack and died at the wheel of her parked car.

32
2
"Dry Your Tears"
Ben Bolt
Richard Stoneman
10.66
19 September 2011 (2011-09-19)

Determined to get to grips with fatherhood, Martin asks Louisa to move into his house so he can help to raise their son. He even suggests that Louisa and 'baby' could move to London with him. Louisa is none too sure about the move to London. Meanwhile, Aunt Joan's sister Ruth Ellingham turns up at Portwenn for Joan's funeral. Aunt Ruth is a doctor like Ellingham and his father Christopher, but she is a psychiatrist. Aunt Ruth, Aunt Joan, and Ellingham's father Chris were all siblings. Ellingham turns Joan's funeral into a medical warning. Aunt Ruth has no intentions of staying until Martin reveals that Aunt Joan's farm is all Ruth's.

33
3
"Born with a Shotgun"
Ben Bolt
Jack Lothian
10.37
26 September 2011 (2011-09-26)

Ellingham has a new receptionist, Morwenna Newcross, an attractive teenage girl to replace Pauline. Morwenna fails to make a good impression on the doc by arriving late on her first day. Her grandfather William Winchelcy gives her some 'magic pills' to make sure she is on time, and bright as a button at work. Sleepless nights are taking their toll on Martin and Louisa. Tempers are frayed as they try to find ways to comfort their constantly wailing baby. Meanwhile, Aunt Ruth is dealing with an artistic intruder on the farm, Michael Dunwich, who has stolen the hub caps from her car and whose mother, Mrs Dunwich, is having mysterious abdominal and mental problems, and also believes her son is trying to poison her. Can Dr Ellingham and Constable Penhale solve the mystery?

34
4
"Mother Knows Best"
Ben Bolt
Chris Hurford, Tom Butterworth
10.43
3 October 2011 (2011-10-03)

It's Portwenn Fun Day and the village is buzzing with excitement about this major fund raising event. PC Penhale is in his element rallying the runners and whipping up support. The event sparks culinary rivalry between Bert Large who runs Large's restaurant with son Al and Mark, the landlord of the Crab and Lobster pub. They are both keen to take advantage of the day to boost their takings by providing food for the runners and spectators. Also, Louisa's mother Eleanor (played by Louise Jameson) arrives unexpectedly, and Martin and Louisa find their son is sleeping through usual feeds until they find out her mother gave him some of her brew to calm him down.

35
5
"Remember Me"
Paul Seed
Jack Lothian
10.66
10 October 2011 (2011-10-10)

PC Joe Penhale has an unexpected visitor in the shape of his ex-wife Maggie, who appears to have completely forgotten that they split up a couple of years ago. Joe takes her to Large's restaurant, where fellow diner Martin quickly spots that Maggie is showing symptoms of amnesia. Louisa's mother Eleanor catches up with her old school friend Paul, a local fisherman, who takes her out on a date. Morwenna arrives at the surgery with an injured foot and the doctor grimaces at the sight of the blood as he treats the wound. Ellingham notices that Morwenna avoids having an injection and realises she is frightened of needles. PC Penhale warns Martin and Louisa that if they do not register a name for their son soon, the state will be forced to step in. In the end they name their son James Henry Ellingham.

36
6
"Don't Let Go"
Ben Bolt
Chris Hurford, Tom Butterworth
10.86
17 October 2011 (2011-10-17)

In an effort to get Maggie to stay in Portwenn after she gets the all-clear, PC Joe Penhale tries to prove that he is the man for her – and even engineers situations where he can show off his macho side to impress her. Maggie does eventually leave but she and PC Penhale part on good terms. Martin steps in when school caretaker Mr Coley becomes confused after breathing carbon monoxide and puts the children of the school at risk. Tensions mount between Martin and Louisa as they find themselves unable to agree on anything, from schooling for their son to what to have for dinner. Feeling that things will never change, not wanting to move to London and that Martin is incapable of showing affection Louisa takes James and moves in with her mother.

37
7
"Cats & Sharks"
Paul Seed
Richard Stoneman
10.92
24 October 2011 (2011-10-24)

Bert Large's restaurant business is in financial trouble. He can't even afford the food and drink for a charity event to raise money for Florence Dingle's cat sanctuary. Mrs Dingle is distraught. She desperately needs the money to continue to look after the cats and kittens in her care. Bert is also being chased by loan sharks Alastair Tonken and his son Norman for the repayment of £1,000 they gave him to clear his debts, warning of repercussions if he doesn't pay up. Mrs Tishell's infatuation for Martin increases, encouraged by his continued separation from Louisa. Martin, assisted by Morwenna, performs an emergency hernia operation on Louisa's mother Eleanor and saves her life when the ambulance's arrival is delayed.

38
8
"Ever After"
Ben Bolt
Jack Lothian
10.65
31 October 2011 (2011-10-31)

Mrs Tishell discovers that she can no longer hide her infatuation with Dr Ellingham and she decides that she must take drastic action, fuelled by a cocktail of drugs that are affecting her judgment. Martin asks her to look after James for the day. Mrs Tishell mis-dispenses eyedrops to PC Penhale causing him to crash his Land Rover. Mrs Tishell mistakenly thinks that Martin has sent her a covert message through a young couple he has treated and vanishes with James to a nearby holiday home. The drugs, for a few hours, cause her to think that James is her and Ellingham's son. Martin, Louisa, Aunt Ruth and PC Penhale chase after her. To coax her out of the locked house, Martin pretends to profess his love for Mrs Tishell and a desire to stay in Portwenn, while actually aiming his remarks at Louisa. James Henry is rescued, Martin and Louisa profess their love, kiss and reconcile.

text: Series 6 (2013)[edit]

text:
No. overall
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Viewers (millions)
includes ITV HD and ITV +1 broadcasts[18]
Original airdate

39
1
"Sickness and Health"
Nigel Cole
Jack Lothian
9.51
2 September 2013 (2013-09-02)

Wedding bells are ringing for the Doc and Louisa. But will the marriage finally go ahead? The Doc is irritated by PC Penhale, who wrongly presumes he is best man, plus Louisa is late. The Reverend has his doubts as to whether she will turn up, putting Martin on edge. Meanwhile, Ruth is having a rough time looking after James. He refused to eat his dinner and he won't settle, crying continuously. To make matters worse, they have a power cut.

40
2
"Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"
Nigel Cole
Ben Bolt
9.05
9 September 2013 (2013-09-09)

It is Louisa's first day back at school and their new child minder, Mel, is late for work. When Mel finally does arrive Martin is dubious about handing James over to this woman who is constantly scratching. Martin insists the new nanny have a medical appointment to diagnose the cause of the itch. Meanwhile, Ruth has been roped into doing a phone-in programme on Radio Portwenn with Caroline the DJ, and a listener called 'Cliff' phones in saying he finds it difficult to make friends.

41
3
"The Tameness of a Wolf"
Nigel Cole
Richard Stoneman
8.36
16 September 2013 (2013-09-16)

Two fishermen wake the Doc and Louisa at the crack of dawn - they found a man collapsed on the beach. Martin examines the mystery man. His name is Robert Campbell. When Robert realises the Doc is Dr Ellingham, he starts to probe Martin about his family. Meanwhile, It's Mike's first day looking after James. Louisa is frosty with him. When she gets to school she can't help but feel uneasy and sneaks back home to check up on Mike. Al rents Morwenna's spare room.

42
4
"Nobody Likes Me"
Paul Seed
Charlie Martin
8.89
23 September 2013 (2013-09-23)

Louisa wants Martin to engage more with James, so she arranges for him to take their baby to playgroup, where he has to pair up with a mother and daughter and sing songs. Meanwhile, Al signs up to a dating website, Bert is suspicious when he catches Jennifer in the bathroom with a needle, and Ruth moves into a cottage in the village, but soon has a spot of trouble with her grumpy new neighbour.

43
5
"The Practice Around the Corner"
Paul Seed
Julian Unthank
9.17
30 September 2013 (2013-09-30)

Mrs Tishell returns to the village, and her affection for Martin quickly disappears when he refuses to pass her fit for work. As if he didn't have enough on his plate, Martin must also face his fear of blood when tests show that Lorna has a high level of ferritin, which is placing a strain on her heart and liver. Meanwhile, Penhale hopes to be selected for an elite police squad by taking part in a survival training course, which goes horribly wrong when he shoots himself in the foot.

44
6
"Hazardous Exposure"
Paul Seed
Charlie Martin
9.09
7 October 2013 (2013-10-07)

Bert pops the question to Jennifer, and Ruth finds fault with Al's business proposal. Hypochondriac Malcolm Rayner is struggling with his breathing and Martin asks him if he has ever worked with asbestos. Penhale then spreads pandemonium by putting up warning notices about the substance's harmful properties throughout the village.

45
7
"Listen with Mother"
Nigel Cole
Richard Stoneman
8.58
14 October 2013 (2013-10-14)

Mrs Tishell finds herself falling in love with Martin all over again. Al receives a visit from two military policemen who are trying to track down Baby James's babysitter, Mike Pruddy. Martin becomes convinced that something is wrong with him following a conversation with his mother. The school sports day ends up in disaster, and Louisa's attempts at getting him to open up about the loss of his father prove futile.

46
8
"Departure"
Nigel Cole
Jack Lothian
9.07
21 October 2013 (2013-10-21)

Louisa decides to leave for Spain with baby James and says an awkward goodbye to Martin, but when he finds the scan of her brain, he spots a malformation and realises she could suffer a haemorrhage if she gets on the plane. Will the doctor make it to the airport in time? Meanwhile, disaster strikes at Bert and Jennifer's engagement party.

text: Series 7 (2015)[edit]

text:
No. overall
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Viewers (millions)
includes ITV HD and ITV +1 broadcasts[18][A]
Original airdate

47
1
"Rescue Me"
Nigel Cole
Jack Lothian
6.64
7 September 2015 (2015-09-07)

With Louisa visiting her mother in Spain to get some perspective on their marriage, Martin knows he needs to try to change for the sake of their relationship, so he endeavours to keep his promise to her to see a therapist. Aunt Ruth arranges an appointment for him with Dr Rachel Timoney, but a lifeboat training exercise causes problems for the doctor.

48
2
"The Shock of the New"
Nigel Cole
Julian Unthank
7.33
14 September 2015 (2015-09-14)

Al welcomes his first fishing guests but an uninvited one means that a good review is definitely not guaranteed, while Bert decides to try to rejuvenate trade at the restaurant by joining an online voucher scheme. Morwenna asks Martin for a pay rise, and Louisa has to find a new babysitter to look after James Henry and reluctantly decides to offer Janice a trial. Penhale is excited to receive his new police issue Taser, but Portwenn does not exactly offer him plenty of opportunities to try it out.

49
3
"It's Good to Talk"
Nigel Cole
Charlie Martin & Jack Lothian
6.72
21 September 2015 (2015-09-21)

Martin decides to move out of the Surgery to give Louisa space, leaving Mrs Tishell concerned he will not be able to look after himself on his own. Penhale helps Janice babysit, and Al is very concerned when he finds out about Bert's behaviour and when he hears there are bailiffs at the restaurant.

50
4
"Education, Education, Education"
Charles Palmer
Richard Stoneman
8.26
28 September 2015 (2015-09-28)

Louisa and Martin have their first therapy session together - though neither of them was expecting they would be given homework. Morwenna is not amused when Peter Cronk, who is on work experience starts trying to boss her around in the surgery. Mrs Tishell is surprised when her husband Clive returns and tells her he wants to give things another go, and Louisa has to call Martin when one of her pupils collapses during a school excursion.

51
5
"Control-Alt-Delete"
Charles Palmer
Julian Unthank
8.06
5 October 2015 (2015-10-05)

Reaching breaking point with being followed around by Buddy, Martin resolves to find a vet to have the dog put down once and for all. Meanwhile, Ruth finds out that Bert has been trying to make his own whisky. Clive is suspicious of Mrs Tishell and who she might be cooking meals for, Penhale makes a hash of asking Janice out, and Louisa and Martin's therapy homework results in a picnic on the beach, where they are interrupted by local vet Angela Sim - who appears to be hallucinating.
Special Guest: Caroline Quentin

52
6
"Other People's Children"
Ben Gregor
Julian Unthank
7.82
19 October 2015 (2015-10-19)

Louisa helps out her ex-boyfriend Danny when he brings seven children from London to camp on Ruth's farm - supervised by Al and Bert - while she and Martin plan a date on the advice of Dr Timoney. However, their night at the restaurant is interrupted when Danny calls saying one of the youngsters has gone missing. Things get worse for the couple when Martin uncovers a health scare at James's first birthday party that makes all the guests leave very quickly.

53
7
"Facta Non Verba"
Ben Gregor
Richard Stoneman
8.04
26 October 2015 (2015-10-26)

Louisa is not best pleased when her new art teacher Erica wants to try out some rather alternative ideas on the children, while Dr Timoney is involved in a car accident outside the school. Penhale is confused when he is offered a transfer to Exeter, Bert decides to go back to being a handyman, and Louisa and Martin are intrigued when Dr Timoney invites them for an additional therapy session.
Special Guest: Sigourney Weaver & Gemma Jones

54
8
"The Doctor Is Out"
Ben Gregor
Jack Lothian
8.03
2 November 2015 (2015-11-02)

Louisa worries Dr Timoney's suggestion that she and Martin aren't meant to be together might have prompted him to leave Portwenn for good. Calling on Ruth, Morwenna and Janice for help, she tries to track the down the missing GP, with no luck. However, what Dr Ellingham's friends and family fail to realise is that he is actually trapped up at the Wilton farm, where desperate wife Annie is trying to coerce him into curing her seriously ill husband Jim. Meanwhile, Ruth and Bert offer Al a proposition regarding the whisky and the B&B..
Special Guest: Gemma Jones

text: Series 8 (2017)[edit]

text:
No. overall
No. in series
Title
Directed by
Written by
Viewers (millions)
includes ITV HD and ITV +1 broadcasts[18][A]
Original airdate

55
1
"Mysterious Ways"
Nigel Cole
Jack Lothian
7.65
20 September 2017 (2017-09-20)

After successfully rekindling their relationship, Louisa and Martin are living together again, but Louisa finds herself juggling too many responsibilities at once. As Portwenn prepares for a wedding, Bert hopes to profit from the festivities.

56
2
"Sons and Lovers"
Nigel Cole
Richard Stoneman
6.67
27 September 2017 (2017-09-27)

With Janice's departure, Martin and Louisa need to find a day care for James, and they settle on Portwenn Tots. Ruth considers selling her farm, and Mrs. Tishell's pharmacy receives a new blood-pressure monitor.
Special guest: Art Malik

57
3
"Farewell, My Lovely"
Nigel Cole
Julian Unthank
6.58
4 October 2017 (2017-10-04)

Louisa's stress is compounded when she must take a group of students on a sailing trip. Ruth's decision regarding the farm causes trouble for the Large family enterprises, and so Morwenna and Al throw an event to help save their business.

58
4
"Faith"
Stuart Orme
Colin Bateman
6.75
11 October 2017 (2017-10-11)

Morwenna's missionary parents pay her a surprise visit and are taken aback by her relationship with Al. As Louisa starts her new counseling course, Penhale investigates a break-in at the school, in which nothing was stolen.
Special guest: Kevin Doyle

59
5
"From the Mouths of Babes"
Stuart Orme
Andrew Rattenbury
TBA
18 October 2017 (2017-10-18)

With James teething, Martin and Louisa are desperate for more sleep. In an unusual display of mourning, Mrs. Tishell closes the pharmacy, inconveniencing everyone. Meanwhile, Al needs Bert's help to get the whisky business back on track.
Special Guest: Caroline Quentin

60
6
"Accidental Hero"
Stuart Orme
Julian Unthank
TBA
25 October 2017 (2017-10-25)

Penhale decides to have a police open house to raise community awareness, but the turnout is not what he hoped for. James goes through a biting phase, and Morwenna leaves the surgery for a weekend away with Al.
Special Guest: Caroline Quentin

61
7
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
1 November 2017 (2017-11-01)

62
8
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
8 November 2017 (2017-11-08)

text: Notes[edit]

text: A. ^ Episode 1 is based on 28 day data from BARB for ITV and ITV+1. Episodes 2 and 3 are based on 28 day data from BARB for ITV and ITV+1 and 7 day data for ITV HD. Episodes 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are based on 28 day data from BARB for ITV, ITV+1 and ITV HD.


document_title: Conformity

question_text: when does conformity to peers tend to peak

root

text: Conformity

text: Peer[edit]

text: Some adolescents gain acceptance and recognition from their peers by conformity. This peer moderated conformity increases from the transition of childhood to adolescence.[5]

tag: p

text: Social responses[edit]

text: According to Donelson Forsyth, after submitting to group pressures, individuals may find themselves facing one of several responses to conformity. These types of responses to conformity vary in their degree of public agreement versus private agreement.

text: When an individual finds themselves in a position where they publicly agree with the group's decision yet privately disagrees with the group's consensus, they are experiencing compliance or acquiescence. In turn, conversion, otherwise known as private acceptance, involves both publicly and privately agreeing with the group's decision. Thus, this represents a true change of opinion to match the majority.

text: Another type of social response, which does not involve conformity with the majority of the group, is called convergence. In this type of social response, the group member agrees with the group's decision from the outset and thus does not need to shift their opinion on the matter at hand.[6]

text: In addition, Forsyth shows that nonconformity can also fall into one of two response categories. Firstly, an individual who does not conform to the majority can display independence. Independence, or dissent, can be defined as the unwillingness to bend to group pressures. Thus, this individual stays true to his or her personal standards instead of the swaying toward group standards. Secondly, a nonconformist could be displaying anticonformity or counterconformity which involves the taking of opinions that are opposite to what the group believes. This type of nonconformity can be motivated by a need to rebel against the status quo instead of the need to be accurate in one's opinion.

text: To conclude, social responses to conformity can be seen to vary along a continuum from conversion to anticonformity. For example, a popular experiment in conformity research, known as the Asch situation or Asch conformity experiments, primarily includes compliance and independence. Also, other responses to conformity can be identified in groups such as juries, sports teams and work teams.[6]

text: Main experiments[edit]

text: Sherif's experiment (1936)[edit]

text: Muzafer Sherif was interested in knowing how many people would change their opinions to bring them in line with the opinion of a group. In his experiment, participants were placed in a dark room and asked to stare at a small dot of light 15 feet away. They were then asked to estimate the amount it moved. The trick was there was no movement, it was caused by a visual illusion known as the autokinetic effect. On the first day, each person perceived different amounts of movement, but from the second to the fourth day, the same estimate was agreed on and others conformed to it.[7] Sherif suggested this was a simulation for how social norms develop in a society, providing a common frame of reference for people.

text: Subsequent experiments were based on more realistic situations. In an eyewitness identification task, participants were shown a suspect individually and then in a lineup of other suspects. They were given one second to identify him, making it a difficult task. One group was told that their input was very important and would be used by the legal community. To the other it was simply a trial. Being more motivated to get the right answer increased the tendency to conform. Those who wanted to be more accurate conformed 51% of the time as opposed to 35% in the other group.[8]

text: Asch's experiment (1951)[edit]

text: Solomon E. Asch conducted a modification of Sherif’s study, assuming that when the situation was very clear, conformity would be drastically reduced. He exposed people in a group to a series of lines, and the participants were asked to match one line with a standard line. All participants except one were accomplices and gave the wrong answer in 12 of the 18 trials.[9]

text: The results showed a surprisingly high degree of conformity: 74% of the participants conformed on at least one trial. On average people conformed one third of the time.[9] A question is how the group would affect individuals in a situation where the correct answer is less obvious.[10]

text: After his first test, Asch wanted to investigate whether the size or unanimity of the majority had greater influence on test subjects. "Which aspect of the influence of a majority is more important – the size of the majority or its unanimity? The experiment was modified to examine this question. In one series the size of the opposition was varied from one to 15 persons."[11] The results clearly showed that as more people opposed the subject, the subject became more likely to conform. However, the increasing majority was only influential up to a point: from three or more opponents, there is more than 30% of conformity.[9]

text: Varieties[edit]

text: Harvard psychologist Herbert Kelman identified three major types of conformity.[12]

text:
Compliance is public conformity, while possibly keeping one's own original beliefs for yourself. Compliance is motivated by the need for approval and the fear of being rejected.
Identification is conforming to someone who is liked and respected, such as a celebrity or a favorite uncle. This can be motivated by the attractiveness of the source,[12] and this is a deeper type of conformism than compliance.
Internalization is accepting the belief or behavior and conforming both publicly and privately, if the source is credible. It is the deepest influence on people and it will affect them for a long time.

tag: ul

text: Although Kelman's distinction has been influential, research in social psychology has focused primarily on two varieties of conformity. These are informational conformity, or informational social influence, and normative conformity, also called normative social influence. In Kelman's terminology, these correspond to internalization and compliance, respectively. There are naturally more than two or three variables in society influential on human psychology and conformity; the notion of "varieties" of conformity based upon "social influence" is ambiguous and indefinable in this context.

text: For Deutsch and Gérard (1955), conformity results from a motivational conflict (between the fear of being socially rejected and the wish to say what we think is correct) that leads to the normative influence, and a cognitive conflict (others create doubts in what we think) which leads to the informational influence.[13]

text: Informational influence[edit]

text: Informational social influence occurs when one turns to the members of one's group to obtain and accept accurate information about reality. A person is most likely to use informational social influence in certain situations: when a situation is ambiguous, people become uncertain about what to do and they are more likely to depend on others for the answer; and during a crisis when immediate action is necessary, in spite of panic. Looking to other people can help ease fears, but unfortunately they are not always right. The more knowledgeable a person is, the more valuable they are as a resource. Thus people often turn to experts for help. But once again people must be careful, as experts can make mistakes too. Informational social influence often results in internalization or private acceptance, where a person genuinely believes that the information is right.[7]

text: Normative influence[edit]

text: Normative social influence occurs when one conforms to be liked or accepted by the members of the group. This need of social approval and acceptance is part of our state of humans.[7] In addition to this, we know that when people do not conform with their group and therefore are deviants, they are less liked and even punished by the group.[14] Normative influence usually results in public compliance, doing or saying something without believing in it. The experiment of Asch in 1951 is one example of normative influence

text: In a reinterpretation of the original data from these experiments Hodges and Geyer (2006)[15] found that Asch's subjects were not so conformist after all: The experiments provide powerful evidence for people's tendency to tell the truth even when others do not. They also provide compelling evidence of people's concern for others and their views. By closely examining the situation in which Asch's subjects find themselves they find that the situation places multiple demands on participants: They include truth (i.e., expressing one's own view accurately), trust (i.e., taking seriously the value of others' claims), and social solidarity (i.e., a commitment to integrate the views of self and others without deprecating either). In addition to these epistemic values, there are multiple moral claims as well: These include the need for participants to care for the integrity and well-being of other participants, the experimenter, themselves, and the worth of scientific research.

text: Deutsch & Gérard (1955) designed different situations that variated from Asch' experiment and found that when participants were writing their answer privately, they were giving the correct one[13]

text: Normative influence, a function of social impact theory, has three components.[16] The number of people in the group has a surprising effect. As the number increases, each person has less of an impact. A group's strength is how important the group is to a person. Groups we value generally have more social influence. Immediacy is how close the group is in time and space when the influence is taking place. Psychologists have constructed a mathematical model using these three factors and are able to predict the amount of conformity that occurs with some degree of accuracy.[17]

text: Baron and his colleagues conducted a second eyewitness study that focused on normative influence. In this version, the task was easier. Each participant had five seconds to look at a slide instead of just one second. Once again, there were both high and low motives to be accurate, but the results were the reverse of the first study. The low motivation group conformed 33% of the time (similar to Asch's findings). The high motivation group conformed less at 16%. These results show that when accuracy is not very important, it is better to get the wrong answer than to risk social disapproval.

text: An experiment using procedures similar to Asch's found that there was significantly less conformity in six-person groups of friends as compared to six-person groups of strangers.[18] Because friends already know and accept each other, there may be less normative pressure to conform in some situations. Field studies on cigarette and alcohol abuse, however, generally demonstrate evidence of friends exerting normative social influence on each other.[19]

text: Minority influence[edit]

text: Although conformity generally leads individuals to think and act more like groups, individuals are occasionally able to reverse this tendency and change the people around them. This is known as minority influence, a special case of informational influence. Minority influence is most likely when people can make a clear and consistent case for their point of view. If the minority fluctuates and shows uncertainty, the chance of influence is small. However, a minority that makes a strong, convincing case increases the probability of changing the majority's beliefs and behaviors.[20] Minority members who are perceived as experts, are high in status, or have benefited the group in the past are also more likely to succeed.

text: Another form of minority influence can sometimes override conformity effects and lead to unhealthy group dynamics. A 2007 review of two dozen studies by the University of Washington found that a single "bad apple" (an inconsiderate or negligent group member) can substantially increase conflicts and reduce performance in work groups. Bad apples often create a negative emotional climate that interferes with healthy group functioning. They can be avoided by careful selection procedures and managed by reassigning them to positions that require less social interaction.[21]

text: Specific predictors[edit]

text: Culture[edit]

text: Stanley Milgram found that individuals in Norway (from a collectivistic culture) exhibited a higher degree of conformity than individuals in France (from an individualistic culture).[22] Similarly, Berry studied two different populations: the Temne (collectivists) and the Inuit (individualists) and found that the Temne conformed more than the Inuit when exposed to a conformity task.[23]

text: Bond and Smith compared 134 studies in a meta-analysis and found that Japan and Brazil were two nations that conformed a lot whereas Europe and the United States of America did not as much.[24] Bond and Smith also reported that conformity has declined in the United States over time.

text: Gender[edit]

text: Societal norms often establish gender differences and researchers have reported differences in the way men and women conform to social influence.[25][26][27][28][29][30][31] For example, Alice Eagly and Linda Carli performed a meta-analysis of 148 studies of influenceability. They found that women are more persuadable and more conforming than men in group pressure situations that involve surveillance.[32] Eagly has proposed that this sex difference may be due to different sex roles in society.[33] Women are generally taught to be more agreeable whereas men are taught to be more independent.

text: The composition of the group plays a role in conformity as well. In a study by Reitan and Shaw, it was found that men and women conformed more when there were participants of both sexes involved versus participants of the same sex. Subjects in the groups with both sexes were more apprehensive when there was a discrepancy amongst group members, and thus the subjects reported that they doubted their own judgments.[26] Sistrunk and McDavid made the argument that women conformed more because of a methodological bias.[34] They argued that because stereotypes used in studies are generally male ones (sports, cars..) more than female ones (cooking, fashion..), women are feeling uncertain and conformed more, which was confirmed by their results.

text: Age[edit]

text: Research has noted age differences in conformity. For example, research with Australian children and adolescents ages 3 to 17 discovered that conformity decreases with age.[35] Another study examined individuals that were ranged from ages 18 to 91.[36] The results revealed a similar trend – older participants displayed less conformity when compared to younger participants.

text: In the same way that gender has been viewed as corresponding to status, age has also been argued to have status implications. Berger, Rosenholtz and Zelditch suggest that age as a status role can be observed among college students. Younger students, such as those in their first year in college, are treated as lower-status individuals and older college students are treated as higher-status individuals.[37] Therefore, given these status roles, it would be expected that younger individuals (low status) conform to the majority whereas older individuals (high status) would be expected not to conform [38]

text: Researchers have also reported an interaction of gender and age on conformity.[39] Eagly and Chrvala examined the role of age (under 19 years vs. 19 years and older), gender and surveillance (anticipating responses to be shared with group members vs. not anticipating responses being shared) on conformity to group opinions. They discovered that among participants that were 19 years or older, females conformed to group opinions more so than males when under surveillance (i.e., anticipated that their responses would be shared with group members). However, there were no gender differences in conformity among participants who were under 19 years of age and in surveillance conditions. There were also no gender differences when participants were not under surveillance. In a subsequent research article, Eagly suggests that women are more likely to conform than men because of lower status roles of women in society. She suggests that more submissive roles (i.e., conforming) are expected of individuals that hold low status roles.[38] Still, Eagly and Chrvala's results do conflict with previous research which have found higher conformity levels among younger rather than older individuals.

text: Size of the group[edit]

text: Although conformity pressures generally increase as the size of the majority increases, a meta-analysis suggests that conformity pressures in Asch's experiment peak once the majority reaches about four or five in number.[40] Moreover, a study suggests that the effects of group size depend on the type of social influence operating.[41] This means that in situations where the group is clearly wrong, conformity will be motivated by normative influence; the participants will conform in order to be accepted by the group. A participant may not feel much pressure to conform when the first person gives an incorrect response. However, conformity pressure will increase as each additional group member also gives the same incorrect response.[41]

text: Different stimuli[edit]

text: In 1961 Stanley Milgram published a study in which he utilized Asch's conformity paradigm using audio tones instead of lines; he conducted his study in Norway and France.[22] He found substantially higher levels of conformity than Asch, with participants conforming 50% of the time in France and 62% of the time in Norway during critical trials. Milgram also conducted the same experiment once more, but told participants that the results of the study would be applied to the design of aircraft safety signals. His conformity estimates were 56% in Norway and 46% in France, suggesting that individuals conformed slightly less when the task was linked to an important issue. Stanley Milgram's study demonstrated that Asch's study could be replicated with other stimuli, and that in the case of tones, there was a high degree of conformity.

text: Neural correlates[edit]

text: Evidence has been found for the involvement of the posterior medial frontal cortex (pMFC) in conformity,[42] an area associated with memory and decision-making. For example, Klucharev et al.[43] revealed in their study that by using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the pMFC, participants reduced their tendency to conform to the group, suggesting a causal role for the brain region in social conformity. In another study, the mPFC was linked to normative social influence, whilst the activity in the caudate was regarded as an index of informational influence.[44]

text: The amygdala and hippocampus have also been found to be recruited when individuals participated in a social manipulation experiment involving long-term memory.[45] Several other areas have further been suggested to play a role in conformity, including the insula, the temporoparietal junction, the ventral striatum, and the anterior and posterior cingulate cortices.[46][47][48][49][50]

text: More recent work[51] stresses the role of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in conformity not only at the time of social influence,[52] but also later on, when participants are given an opportunity to conform by selecting an action. In particular, Charpentier et al. found that the OFC mirrors the exposure to social influence at a subsequent time point, when a decision is being made without the social influence being present. The tendency to conform has also been observed in the structure of the OFC, with a greater grey matter volume in high conformers.[53]