The small town of Port Wenn is about to serve Dr. Martin Best a very large helping of local tradition. Following its special advance premiere on Sunday, January 4, 2026, the new Fox series Best Medicine continues its regular schedule with Episode 2, titled “Bean There Done That.” The episode is scheduled to air on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at 8:00 PM Eastern Time on the Fox network. For viewers who missed the first episode or want to catch up before the new one, Best Medicine is available for streaming on Hulu and FOXNOW the day after it airs on Fox.
The show stars Josh Charles as Dr. Martin Best, a brilliant but socially awkward surgeon who leaves a high-profile career in Boston after developing a blood phobia. He takes over as the only doctor in the quirky coastal village of Port Wenn, Maine, where he spent summers as a child. The main cast includes Abigail Spencer as schoolteacher Louisa Glasson, Annie Potts as Martin’s Aunt Sarah, Josh Segarra as Sheriff Mark Mylow, and Cree as Elaine, Martin’s dental assistant.
A Guide to the Second Episode’s Release Schedule
Episode 2 of Best Medicine has a straightforward release pattern for viewers in the United States. The first airing is set for 8:00 PM ET/PT on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, on the Fox broadcast channel. For viewers in other U.S. time zones, this means the show airs at 7:00 PM CT and 5:00 PM PT.
For international viewers or those without cable, streaming is the primary option. New episodes typically arrive on Hulu at 3:01 AM ET on the morning after the live broadcast. This means Episode 2 should be available to stream on Hulu starting early in the day on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. The series is also available on FOXNOW, Fox’s own streaming platform, which requires a cable provider login for access.
Episode 2 Title and Possible Story Hints
The second episode is officially titled “Bean There Done That.”. This playful title strongly suggests the plot will involve a local Port Wenn tradition or festival, likely centered around food. In a review of the series, it was noted that every episode establishes a new beloved local custom to confound the anti-sentimental Dr. Best, with one example given being “a baked bean dinner”.
This sets the stage for Martin to be dragged into a town event he finds ridiculous, creating the core comedic conflict. The episode will likely explore how the doctor, who prefers to diagnose patients and be left alone, deals with being an essential part of a community celebration he wants no part of.
Main Cast and Character Roles for the New Season
The heart of Best Medicine is its cast of characters, who bring the quirky town to life.
- Josh Charles as Dr. Martin Best: A renowned surgeon forced to become a small-town GP after a traumatic incident gives him a paralyzing fear of blood. His blunt, no-nonsense personality constantly clashes with the warm, nosy community.
- Abigail Spencer as Louisa Glasson: A local schoolteacher who finds herself in a complex situation after calling off her wedding just two weeks before. She serves as a potential love interest and one of Martin’s guides to town life.
- Annie Potts as Aunt Sarah: Martin’s aunt, who provides him with a place to stay and tries to help him heal from his past mistakes.
- Josh Segarra as Sheriff Mark Mylow: The local sheriff and Louisa’s ex-fiancé. His words of encouragement at the end of the first episode are what convince Martin to give Port Wenn another chance.
- Cree as Elaine Denton: Martin’s enthusiastic but highly incompetent dental assistant, who adds to his daily frustrations.
Additional recurring townspeople include Stephen Spinella as Greg Garrison and Michael Potts as Gilbert Carlisle.
What Happened in the Series Premiere?
The first episode, “Docked,” established Martin Best’s difficult arrival in Port Wenn. Haunted by a past surgical error involving a young patient, Martin freezes at the sight of blood and has left his prestigious Boston career behind. He intends to keep to himself, but the town immediately pulls him into its drama. He unwillingly gets involved in a physical altercation, discovers a patient’s infidelity through a medical side effect, and generally offends everyone with his lack of bedside manner.
By the episode’s end, having been punched and deciding the town is not for him, Martin is ready to leave. A conversation with Sheriff Mark Mylow changes his mind. Mark points out that the town needs help and Martin can provide it. This leads Martin to decide, reluctantly, to stay and try to help the people of Port Wenn. Episode 2 will pick up with Martin attempting to navigate his new commitment while facing the town’s next peculiar challenge.
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Critical and Fan Response to the New Series
Early reactions to Best Medicine have been mixed but curious. A professional review noted that the show relies on a familiar “city professional in a small town” setup but is held together by Josh Charles’s performance, which provides a “necessary counterpoint to the sugar” of the overly sweet community. The review praised Charles for playing Martin not as mean, but as a man with “little patience or understanding of social niceties”.
On social media, fans of the original British series Doc Martin have been comparing the adaptation. Some viewers have chosen to enjoy the new show on its own terms. One fan commented, “Once I stopped comparing it to the Martin Clunes’ version, I enjoyed it. Josh Charles is always excellent”. Another viewer, unfamiliar with the original, said, “I thought it was pretty good, beautiful location and liked the townspeople”. A common note among fans is a hope that the American version will let its characters stand apart from their British counterparts.
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