The cast of Best Medicine is led by Josh Charles as Dr. Martin Best, Abigail Spencer as Louisa Gavin, Josh Segarra as Sheriff Mark Mylow, Annie Potts as Aunt Sarah and Cree as Elaine Denton. FOX’s new medical comedy-drama premiered on January 4, 2026, and quickly earned a second season, which is scheduled to premiere on September 22, 2026. The series is an American adaptation of the much-loved British show Doc Martin, but it moves the action to the fictional fishing village of Port Wenn, Maine. You can see the current show information on the official FOX Best Medicine page.
Best Medicine Cast Quick Overview
| Actor | Character | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Josh Charles | Dr. Martin Best | Brilliant but difficult town doctor |
| Abigail Spencer | Louisa Gavin | Local schoolteacher |
| Josh Segarra | Sheriff Mark Mylow | Port Wenn sheriff |
| Annie Potts | Aunt Sarah | Martin’s aunt |
| Cree | Elaine Denton | Martin’s medical assistant |
| Stephen Spinella | Greg Garrison | Co-owner of The Salty Breeze |
| Jason Veasey | George Brady | Greg’s husband and restaurant co-owner |
| Didi Conn | Geneva Potter | Town councilwoman |
| Clea Lewis | Sally Mylow | Local pharmacist |
| John DiMaggio | Bert Large | Handyman |
| Carter Shimp | Al Large | Bert’s son |
| Cindy De La Cruz | Jeannie | Schoolteacher |
| Martin Clunes | Dr. Robert Best | Martin Best’s father |
| Jack Cutmore-Scott | Parker | Season 2 medical monitor |
| Wattson | Copernicus | Martin’s unwanted but lovable dog |
FOX identifies Josh Charles, Abigail Spencer, Josh Segarra, Annie Potts and Cree as the principal stars. Its official material also lists Didi Conn, Clea Lewis, Stephen Spinella, Jason Veasey, Cindy De La Cruz, John DiMaggio, Carter Shimp and Wattson among the recurring performers, with original Doc Martin star Martin Clunes appearing as Dr. Robert Best.
What Is Best Medicine About?
Best Medicine follows Dr. Martin Best, a highly skilled surgeon who suddenly leaves his prestigious Boston career.
Instead of working at a major city hospital, he returns to the small East Coast fishing village where he spent summers as a child.
There is one problem.
Martin may be excellent at medicine, but he is terrible at making people feel comfortable.
He is blunt.
He can sound rude.
And he would often prefer patients simply explain the problem, accept his diagnosis and leave.
The residents of Port Wenn do not work that way.
They want to talk.
They gossip.
They become involved in one another’s lives.
Martin quickly discovers that becoming a small-town doctor means treating far more than illnesses.
There is another secret too.
Martin is dealing with a serious phobia that makes his medical career much harder than people realize.
That hidden struggle gives the comedy a more emotional side.
Josh Charles as Dr. Martin Best
The most important member of the Best Medicine cast is Josh Charles.
He plays Dr. Martin Best.
Martin is intelligent enough to solve difficult medical problems very quickly.
Social problems are another story.
He often says exactly what he thinks without worrying about whether it hurts someone’s feelings.
FOX describes Martin as a brilliant Boston surgeon who leaves his career to become the local general practitioner in Port Wenn.
Josh Charles is already familiar to television audiences.
Many viewers know him as Will Gardner from The Good Wife.
Others remember him from Sports Night, We Own This City and numerous films.
In Best Medicine, however, he has to carry both the comedy and the emotional story.
Martin can be frustrating.
He can also be funny without trying to be funny.
That combination is central to the show.
Martin Best Has a Secret Fear
Why would an experienced surgeon suddenly abandon a successful career?
That question hangs over the first season.
Martin is dealing with a debilitating fear connected with blood.
That is obviously a serious problem for a doctor.
Imagine being excellent at medicine but becoming physically unable to deal comfortably with something doctors see every day.
The secret forces Martin to depend on Elaine more than he wants to admit.
It also becomes increasingly difficult to hide from the people around him. FOX specifically describes Martin as masking a serious phobia beneath his harsh personality.
Abigail Spencer as Louisa Gavin
Abigail Spencer plays Louisa Gavin, a local schoolteacher.
Louisa quickly becomes one of the people most willing to challenge Martin.
That is important because many people might simply walk away after one unpleasant conversation with him.
Louisa does not.
She sees the intelligent and damaged person hiding behind his rude behavior.
At the same time, she is not willing to excuse everything he does.
FOX describes Louisa as the schoolteacher whose interactions with Martin become central to the story.
Spencer is already well known from shows including Suits, Timeless and Rectify.
Her warmth works well against Charles’ colder version of Martin.
Put the two together and the show gets its main will-they-or-won’t-they relationship.
Will Martin and Louisa Get Together?
That question became one of Season 1’s biggest hooks.
Martin clearly develops feelings for Louisa.
The problem is that expressing feelings may be even harder for him than performing surgery.
Louisa also has history with Sheriff Mark Mylow.
By the Season 1 finale, those relationships had become even more complicated.
Season 2 is expected to continue that romantic confusion when the show returns on September 22.
And there is another new man arriving in town.
More on him shortly.
Josh Segarra as Sheriff Mark Mylow
Josh Segarra plays Sheriff Mark Mylow.
Mark is one of Port Wenn’s most likable residents.
He is also closely connected with Louisa.
That naturally makes him important to Martin, whether Martin wants to admit it or not.
FOX lists Segarra as one of the five principal stars of the series.
Segarra has appeared in shows including Arrow, The Other Two, Abbott Elementary and Sirens.
His character gives Best Medicine another kind of energy.
Martin tends to make simple conversations difficult.
Mark tends to make people feel comfortable.
That difference creates an obvious contrast around Louisa.
Annie Potts as Aunt Sarah
Annie Potts plays Aunt Sarah.
She is one of the biggest familiar names in the cast.
Potts has spent decades in film and television.
Audiences know her from Ghostbusters, Designing Women, Toy Story and, more recently, Young Sheldon.
In Best Medicine, Sarah is Martin’s aunt and one of his strongest connections to Port Wenn.
FOX officially identifies her as Aunt Sarah among the principal cast.
Sarah understands Martin better than most people.
That does not mean she lets him behave however he wants.
Family members often know exactly where to push.
And Sarah is capable of pushing.
Cree as Elaine Denton
Cree, also known from earlier credits as Cree Cicchino, plays Elaine Denton.
Elaine works as Martin’s medical assistant.
At first glance, putting someone like Elaine beside Martin looks like a recipe for disaster.
But that is exactly why it works.
Martin wants everything done his way.
Elaine has her own personality and opinions.
She also becomes especially important because Martin’s blood phobia creates situations where he needs help with procedures he should normally be able to perform himself.
FOX lists Cree as one of the series’ five main stars.
Elaine gradually becomes much more than simply “the person at the front desk.”
She knows Martin’s secret.
That gives her an unusual amount of power inside the practice.
Stephen Spinella as Greg Garrison
Stephen Spinella plays Greg Garrison.
Greg and his husband George Brady operate The Salty Breeze, an important Port Wenn gathering place.
They started as recurring characters.
But viewers clearly responded to them.
For Season 2, Spinella and Jason Veasey have been promoted to series regulars.
That is a major change.
It means Greg and George are becoming even more central to life in Port Wenn.
Small-town shows often work best when the community itself feels like a character.
Greg and George help create that feeling.
Jason Veasey as George Brady
Jason Veasey plays George Brady, Greg’s husband.
Together they run The Salty Breeze.
Their restaurant becomes one of those places where everyone knows everyone.
That naturally makes it perfect for gossip.
And Port Wenn has plenty of gossip.
Like Spinella, Veasey was promoted to series-regular status for Season 2.
Showrunner Liz Tuccillo said the pair had become essential to the fabric of the town.
That is a good description.
Martin may technically be the main character.
But a show like this needs people who make the town feel alive.
Didi Conn as Geneva Potter
Didi Conn plays Geneva Potter, a Port Wenn councilwoman.
Fans of classic movies may instantly recognize Conn.
She played Frenchy in Grease.
Decades later, she is now part of another quirky ensemble.
FOX lists Geneva among the recurring Port Wenn characters.
A town councilwoman can create plenty of trouble for a doctor who hates bureaucracy and dislikes being told what to do.
Martin is very good with medical rules.
Community politics?
Not so much.
Clea Lewis as Sally Mylow
Clea Lewis plays Sally Mylow, Port Wenn’s pharmacist.
The surname tells you something immediately.
She is connected with Sheriff Mark Mylow.
FOX includes Lewis among the series’ recurring performers.
A pharmacist is a useful character in a medical comedy.
Martin diagnoses patients.
Sally deals with medication.
And because everybody in town knows everybody else, even ordinary health problems can become part of Port Wenn’s social drama.
John DiMaggio as Bert Large
John DiMaggio plays Bert Large, the town handyman.
DiMaggio is famous for his voice work.
He is the voice behind characters including Bender in Futurama.
Here, audiences get to see him in a live-action role.
FOX describes Bert as Port Wenn’s handyman.
Bert is exactly the kind of character a small-town comedy needs.
Something breaks?
Bert appears.
Someone has a ridiculous plan?
Bert may somehow become involved.
Carter Shimp as Al Large
Carter Shimp plays Al Large, Bert’s son.
Al is another recurring member of the Port Wenn community.
FOX specifically identifies him as Bert Large’s son.
Father-and-son relationships create another layer of comedy away from Martin’s medical practice.
That is useful because Best Medicine cannot spend every scene inside an examination room.
The wider town has to keep moving.
Cindy De La Cruz as Jeannie
Cindy De La Cruz plays Jeannie, another teacher in Port Wenn.
FOX includes her among the recurring cast.
Because Louisa works at the school, characters such as Jeannie help develop that side of her life.
This matters.
Louisa needs to exist as a person outside her relationship with Martin.
Her school and community connections give her that independence.
Martin Clunes as Dr. Robert Best
Here comes the most entertaining casting decision.
Martin Clunes, the actor who played Dr. Martin Ellingham in the original British Doc Martin, appears in Best Medicine as Dr. Robert Best—Martin Best’s father.
Yes.
The original Doc Martin becomes the father of the American Doc Martin-style character.
That is a clever way to connect the two shows.
Clunes does not simply walk into the American remake playing the exact same man.
Instead, he becomes part of Martin Best’s family.
His Season 1 appearance gave longtime Doc Martin fans a major crossover moment.
Why Martin Clunes’ Appearance Matters
Without Doc Martin, Best Medicine would not exist.
The original British series became an international success through its story of a brilliant but socially difficult doctor in a small coastal community.
FOX confirms that Best Medicine is directly based on the Doc Martin format.
Casting Clunes therefore feels almost like saying thank you to the original.
New viewers can enjoy the character without knowing his history.
Old fans understand the joke immediately.
Wattson as Copernicus
We also need to talk about perhaps the hardest-working actor in Port Wenn.
Wattson the dog plays Copernicus.
FOX describes Copernicus as the stray but lovable dog who refuses to leave Martin alone.
Naturally, Martin is not exactly thrilled.
That makes Copernicus perfect.
A man who desperately wants personal space gets adopted by a dog who does not care about personal space.
Josh Segarra even joked before the premiere that Wattson might be the best actor on the set.
Sometimes the scene-stealer has four legs.
Jack Cutmore-Scott Joins Season 2 as Parker
Season 2 introduces another important character.
Jack Cutmore-Scott will appear in multiple episodes as Parker.
Parker comes to Port Wenn as Martin’s professional monitor after the medical board begins watching Martin’s practice more closely.
That alone would make Martin dislike him.
But Parker creates another problem.
He and Louisa have chemistry.
So Martin suddenly has a man watching his professional behavior while also becoming possible romantic competition.
That sounds like exactly the kind of situation Martin Best will handle calmly and maturely.
Or probably not.
Why Is Martin Being Monitored in Season 2?
Season 1 ends with Martin facing serious professional trouble.
His secret dependence on Elaine for blood draws becomes an issue for the medical board.
Season 2 picks up with the consequences.
Parker is sent to oversee whether Martin follows the board’s requirements.
For Martin, this is almost the perfect nightmare.
He already dislikes people interfering in his work.
Now someone is professionally required to watch him.
And that same person may become interested in Louisa.
Season 2 therefore gives Martin pressure at work and in love at exactly the same time.
When Did Best Medicine Premiere?
Best Medicine premiered on January 4, 2026, on FOX.
Season 1 contains 13 episodes, ending with “Norway No How” on April 7. FOX’s current streaming page lists the complete first-season episode run.
The series did well enough that FOX renewed it before Season 1 had even finished.
The network announced the renewal on March 2, 2026.
That was a strong vote of confidence.
Was Best Medicine Successful?
Yes.
FOX called it a breakout hit when announcing Season 2.
The network said the premiere reached 12.6 million multiplatform viewers and ranked among the season’s top new broadcast drama debuts with adults aged 18–49.
Those numbers explain why FOX moved quickly.
Television networks do not usually wait around when a new show performs strongly.
A second season was ordered while viewers were still watching the first.
When Does Best Medicine Season 2 Premiere?
FOX officially lists the Season 2 premiere for Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
That means the new season is very close.
Season 1 began as a midseason show in January.
Season 2 moves into FOX’s fall schedule.
That move usually shows confidence.
The network is giving the series a more established place in the television year.
Who Is Returning for Best Medicine Season 2?
The main group remains intact.
Josh Charles returns as Martin.
Abigail Spencer returns as Louisa.
Josh Segarra remains Sheriff Mark.
Annie Potts remains Aunt Sarah.
Cree returns as Elaine.
Stephen Spinella and Jason Veasey have received the biggest promotions.
After recurring as Greg and George in Season 1, both become regular cast members for Season 2.
Martin Clunes is also expected back after his memorable appearance as Robert Best.
And Jack Cutmore-Scott joins for a multi-episode arc as Parker.
Is Best Medicine a Remake of Doc Martin?
Yes.
FOX officially describes Best Medicine as based on the internationally successful Doc Martin format.
But it is not a scene-by-scene copy.
The central idea is similar.
A brilliant but socially difficult doctor leaves a bigger medical world for a strange coastal community.
The American version changes the characters, location and many story details.
Dr. Martin Ellingham becomes Dr. Martin Best.
Cornwall becomes Maine.
Louisa Glasson becomes Louisa Gavin.
The familiar ingredients remain, but the new series creates its own version.
Where Is Port Wenn?
In Best Medicine, Port Wenn is presented as a small fishing community in Maine. Netflix’s series description specifically calls it a coastal village in Maine.
The original Doc Martin also uses the name Portwenn for its fictional Cornish village.
That is another obvious connection between the shows.
The American series keeps the familiar-sounding setting while moving it across the Atlantic.
Is Best Medicine Actually Filmed in Maine?
The story takes place in Maine, but production has used locations elsewhere.
That is common in television.
What matters on screen is creating a believable small coastal town where everybody knows everybody else.
The setting is especially important because Martin comes from Boston.
The move takes him from a large, prestigious medical environment into a place where avoiding neighbors is nearly impossible.
For a man who likes privacy, Port Wenn may be the worst place imaginable.
For viewers, that is exactly why it works.
Who Created Best Medicine?
The American adaptation was developed by Liz Tuccillo.
FOX identifies her as showrunner and executive producer.
Tuccillo has a long television-writing background, including work connected with Sex and the City.
The executive-producing team also includes Ben Silverman, Rodney Ferrell, Howard T. Owens, Mark Crowdy, Philippa Braithwaite, Jay Karas and Tyson Bidner.
Mark Crowdy and Philippa Braithwaite have direct connections with the original Doc Martin, helping create a bridge between the British show and its American adaptation.
Why the Best Medicine Cast Works
The show succeeds because Martin cannot work alone.
Josh Charles provides the difficult central character.
Abigail Spencer brings warmth.
Josh Segarra provides charm and romantic competition.
Annie Potts brings experience and family connection.
Cree gives Martin a young assistant who can push back against him.
Then the recurring cast fills Port Wenn with people who constantly interrupt Martin’s dream of being left alone.
That is the joke at the heart of the show.
Martin wants isolation.
The entire cast exists to make isolation impossible.
Final Thoughts
The cast of Best Medicine is one of the main reasons FOX’s new medical dramedy found an audience so quickly.
Josh Charles leads the series as Dr. Martin Best, a brilliant doctor who can understand almost any medical problem but struggles badly with ordinary human interaction.
Abigail Spencer plays Louisa Gavin, the teacher who can see past Martin’s difficult personality.
Josh Segarra brings another layer to the romantic story as Sheriff Mark Mylow.
Annie Potts gives Martin a strong family connection as Aunt Sarah.
Cree’s Elaine Denton becomes essential inside his medical practice.
Then Port Wenn expands around them.
Stephen Spinella and Jason Veasey became popular enough as Greg and George to earn full series-regular status for Season 2.
Didi Conn, Clea Lewis, John DiMaggio, Carter Shimp and Cindy De La Cruz help make the town feel busy and unpredictable.
And Wattson’s Copernicus gives Martin one more living creature who refuses to respect his desire for personal space.
Perhaps the cleverest casting choice is Martin Clunes.
The original Doc Martin star appears as Martin Best’s father, giving longtime fans a direct connection between the British classic and its new American cousin.
Now another chapter is about to begin.
Best Medicine Season 2 premieres September 22, 2026, with the main cast returning, Greg and George promoted, and Jack Cutmore-Scott joining as Parker—a man who could cause Martin problems both professionally and romantically.
That means Port Wenn is about to become even more complicated.
And for Dr. Martin Best, complicated people may be exactly the medicine he needs.
FAQs About the Cast of Best Medicine
Who plays Dr. Martin Best?
Josh Charles plays Dr. Martin Best, a brilliant former Boston surgeon who becomes the physician in Port Wenn.
Who plays Louisa in Best Medicine?
Abigail Spencer plays schoolteacher Louisa Gavin.
Who plays the sheriff?
Josh Segarra plays Sheriff Mark Mylow.
Who does Annie Potts play?
Annie Potts plays Aunt Sarah, Martin’s aunt.
Who plays Elaine Denton?
Cree plays Martin’s medical assistant Elaine Denton.
Who plays Greg and George?
Stephen Spinella plays Greg Garrison, while Jason Veasey plays George Brady. Both have been promoted to series regulars for Season 2.
Is Martin Clunes in Best Medicine?
Yes. The original Doc Martin star appears as Dr. Robert Best, Martin Best’s father.
Who plays Parker in Best Medicine Season 2?
Jack Cutmore-Scott plays Parker, Martin’s professional monitor and a possible new romantic interest for Louisa.
Who plays Bert Large?
John DiMaggio plays handyman Bert Large.
Who plays Al Large?
Carter Shimp plays Bert’s son Al Large.
Who plays Geneva Potter?
Grease star Didi Conn plays councilwoman Geneva Potter.
Who plays Sally Mylow?
Clea Lewis plays pharmacist Sally Mylow.
Who plays the dog Copernicus?
A dog named Wattson plays Copernicus.
Is Best Medicine based on Doc Martin?
Yes. It is the American adaptation of the British series Doc Martin.
Where does Best Medicine take place?
The story takes place in the fictional coastal village of Port Wenn, Maine.
When did Best Medicine premiere?
The series premiered on FOX on January 4, 2026.
How many episodes are in Best Medicine Season 1?
FOX lists 13 Season 1 episodes, ending with “Norway No How” on April 7, 2026.
Was Best Medicine renewed?
Yes. FOX renewed it for Season 2 in March 2026 after a strong first-season launch.
When does Best Medicine Season 2 start?
Season 2 premieres on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
Are Josh Charles and Abigail Spencer returning?
Yes. Both remain central members of the Season 2 cast.
What is Martin Best’s medical secret?
Martin suffers from a debilitating phobia connected with blood, creating serious problems for a doctor who must regularly deal with it.
Is Best Medicine a comedy or drama?
It is a one-hour medical comedy-drama, mixing medical mysteries, romance, family stories and small-town humor.
Where can you watch Best Medicine?
FOX carries the series in the United States, and Season 1 is also available through major streaming services including Netflix.
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