Josh Charles plays a reluctant small-town doctor in the new Fox dramedy Best Medicine, set in coastal Maine. The series follows a Boston heart surgeon who moves to the area after developing a fear of blood, navigating quirky local traditions and improving his bedside manner. It premieres on January 4, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
The Fox series Best Medicine draws inspiration from shows like Schitt’s Creek and the British series Doc Martin, centering on an uptight urban professional adapting to rural life. Josh Charles, known from The Good Wife, portrays Dr. Martin Best, a Boston heart surgeon who returns to his childhood vacation spot in coastal Maine following a work incident that triggers a fear of blood. With the local doctor recently deceased, Martin steps into the role, inheriting challenges beyond medicine.
Developed by Liz Tuccillo, who worked on Sex and the City and co-authored He’s Just Not That Into You, the dramedy avoids heavy medical plots. Instead, it explores small-town dynamics through episodes featuring local events like baked bean dinners, high-school baseball games against Bar Harbor rivals, and annual wilderness survival lessons from a hermit. Martin laments, “like the world is one giant doctor’s office,” as he handles not just illnesses but personal issues, such as a case of gynecomastia revealing infidelity via estrogen cream.
Supporting characters guide Martin through these rituals. His no-nonsense aunt Joan is played by Annie Potts, while Cree portrays his incompetent assistant Elaine. Abigail Spencer is Louisa, a teacher sparking flirtation, and Josh Segarra appears as her ex-fiancé Mark. Other locals include a gay couple running a restaurant with a pet pig and a father-son handyman duo. Former bully Glen, played by Patch Darragh, starts as potential conflict but reforms quickly.
Charles brings cantankerous charm to Martin, who admits, “I’m not meant to be a town doctor because I don’t like people,” and sighs, “I find the people demanding, irrational and far too chatty at supermarkets.” The show offers sunny escapism without delving into issues like the opioid crisis, though it nods to small-town decline. Like a milder Dr. House, Martin solves diagnostic puzzles amid communal sweetness, providing friction that keeps the series engaging through its first four episodes.
Best Medicine airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET starting January 6 after its January 4 premiere.
