Series about an eminent surgeon who develops a phobia of blood and has to retrain as a GP. When a vacancy arises in the sleepy Cornish hamlet of Portwenn, Dr Martin Ellingham jumps at the chance, but later realises that adjusting to village life is not going to be plain sailing. In his sharp suits and flashy car, Martin is like a fish out of water, and his brusque manner does not go down too well with some of the locals.

Martin has decided to stay in Portwenn but realises that he will have to make some changes to the way in which the surgery is run. When he refers Roger the former teacher for a biopsy, the results bring bad news. Roger is also bitter because Louisa got his old job. Martin also fires Elaine for inefficiency - only to find that the entire village shun him.

Martin makes his debut on a local radio station - but doesn't make a great impression on the interviewer, Bert and Al argue over Al's plans to go to college, and a nasty stomach bug sweeps through the village - but is the swimming pool or the water to blame? Meanwhile, Louise is keen to make amends with Martin, but then Mark invites himself along too.

The Portwenn Players dance is being held in the village. Louisa buys two tickets and invites Martin along, but as dancing and social occasions are not his thing he turns her down. Louisa then invites Mark instead. He is over the moon and asks Martin's advice on his lack of success with the opposite sex.

An old flame of Joan's sails back into her life and sweeps her off her feet, then Martin discovers that the man is seriously ill. Elsewhere, schoolgirl Melanie develops a crush on the doctor and Martin fears her father's wrath when she keeps showing up at the surgery.

Martin doesn't take kindly to the influx of holidaymakers, and his attempts to point out the dangers of sunbathing to one woman don't come across very well. Elsewhere, gossip spreads about Martin's phobia of blood and he becomes the subject of a practical joke in the pub, and one of Louisa's pupils has an accident and an ambulance has to be called to take him to Truro for emergency treatment.