Tonight's TV: The Indian Doctor - Series 3 (2013) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

This week I returned to THE INDIAN DOCTOR (2010-2013) for a third and final round of episodes.

All three seasons of this UK series are available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber in a single collection. I reviewed Series 1 from the set last fall and Series 2 earlier this year.

It's now 1966 in the small Welsh mining village of Trefelin. The "Indian Doctor," Prem Sharma (Sanjeev Bhaskar), and his wife Kamini (Ayesha Dharker) have now lived there for three years.

Via a letter Kamini writes to her mother, the viewer is quickly brought up to speed on the local goings-on. Receptionist Gina has relocated to London, so Prem is attempting to hire a replacement; young Dan (Jacob Oakley), son of miner Owen (Ifan Huw Daffyd), is doing well in school and still has a close relationship with Kamini; and the Sharmas, who lost a young daughter when they lived in India, are still hoping for a baby.

Pub owner Megan (Mali Harries) and Emlyn the police sergeant (Alun ap Brinly) are now married, but Megan is feeling poorly and seems depressed.

Into this mix arrive businessman Basil Thomas (Will Huston) and his brother, Dr. Robert Thomas (Rhydian Jones), who claim to have big plans to build a new subdivision in Trefelin, but something's not quite right about either man...

Series 3 is in line with the first two seasons in that the lead characters of Prem and Kamini are extremely compelling and the main reasons to watch the series. I also especially enjoy Kamini's motherly relationship with Dan. Dan's father was formerly an alcoholic but has mended his ways and become a better father, but unfortunately he's now in questionable health.

Also like the first two seasons, the Sharmas are up against cartoon villains in the form of the weird Thomases. I continue to find it odd that a show can have such interesting lead characters and a solid premise on the one hand, and cartoony, unbelievable bad guys on the other. It's a pattern for each of the three seasons, and I wonder if this issue had anything to do with the series not continuing further. Perhaps the writers simply didn't know how to draw enough interesting moments out of daily life in the village to sustain the series.

Despite the flaws, I'm sorry the show didn't last longer, especially as the last episode ends with a bit of a cliffhanger. I'd love to know "what happens next" for the Sharmas, Dan, Megan and Emlyn, but alas, it was not to be.

All in all, despite the flaws, I enjoyed this series and have found it memorable.  I'm glad to have spent time with these characters.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray set.

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