‘Best Medicine’ Season 2 Episode 7 Recap and Ending Explained: Martin and Louisa Kiss as Parker Shows His True Colors
Port Wenn rarely needs much of an excuse to go a little mad, and the ‘Best Medicine‘ season 2 episode 7 recap starts with one of the town’s strangest traditions. The Fox comedy-drama aired the episode, titled ‘Love Is a Battlefield’, on Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. It also sets up the most romantic turn of the season so far.
The setting is a Revolutionary War reenactment that, according to Fangirlish, happens every other year and runs for two days with period-accurate costumes and food. Dr. Martin Best (Josh Charles) is not a fan of the chaos, especially because he is still dealing with Louisa’s (Abigail Spencer) new relationship with Parker (Jack Cutmore-Scott), the medical monitor assigned to review his work. When some residents start showing tremors and odd behavior, Martin has a real case to solve.
The Medical Mystery and Martin’s Personal War
Fangirlish reports that the cause is ergot poisoning from the period-accurate food, which means Martin has to treat several sick townspeople at once. The reviewer found the range of symptoms fascinating, and the case gives the episode its ticking clock. It also keeps Martin busy while the real conflict builds around him.
That conflict is Parker. TVLine’s sneak peek showed Louisa, dressed as a colonial soldier, pretending to be hurt, with Martin racing over only for Parker to get there first. As the episode goes on, Martin notices that Parker is quietly trying to edge him out as Port Wenn’s doctor and confronts him about it.
The showrunner telegraphed this tension before the season began. Executive producer Liz Tuccillo told TVLine that Parker’s “very existence is a thorn in Martin’s side in many ways.”
What Happens With Parker
TV Fanatic describes Parker’s move as a calculated piece of blackmail. Since Parker is the one reviewing Martin, the threat appears tied to that role, though the coverage I found doesn’t spell out the details. Martin physically stops Parker, and the two men erupt into a brawl as Parker’s charming mask slips. SpoilerTV’s reviewer noted that Louisa confronts Parker over his threat, and that she seemed sure Martin would never lie to her about it.
Earlier in the hour, Martin had insisted he was happy for Louisa and Parker. Aunt Sarah (Annie Potts) called him out for denying his feelings in front of Mark (Josh Segarra), who has plenty of reasons of his own to stare Parker down. Mark considers Martin his best friend, and he takes Martin’s side.
The Ending Explained
The episode ends with Louisa telling Parker to leave. When she then asks Martin what he wants, he answers with a kiss. Fangirlish says the moment echoes their first kiss in season 1, with Martin initiating it in response to something Louisa said during an escalating back-and-forth, and fireworks appear.
The kiss matters because Martin has spent the season hesitant and insecure about whether he could be what Louisa wants, especially after ending things with Eden. It also answers the previous episode, where Louisa ended up in tears after confronting Martin about his history with Parker and naming “a good listener” as what she likes about him. This time, Martin stops hiding and acts.
Parker, Bert and What Comes Next
The ending does not settle everything. Parker still holds a review that could affect Martin’s career, and SpoilerTV’s reviewer doubts his story is over, predicting he is unlikely to give Martin a good review after the fight. That prediction is speculation, but it follows from the setup.
Spencer previewed Louisa’s approach to Parker before the season. She told TV Insider that Parker “sweeps her off her feet” at first, and added that when Louisa finds out there is more to the story, she goes straight to Martin, which is a good summary of how this episode plays out.
Meanwhile, Elaine (Cree) and Al (Carter Shimp), who are leaving for New York soon, try to set up Al’s dad, Bert (John DiMaggio), with a woman they never bother to vet. That subplot supplies much of the episode’s comedy and hints at a changing Port Wenn.
The next episode, ‘Back to the Suture’, finds Martin and Louisa racing to identify a patient with a brain tumor, according to Bleeding Cool’s preview. That gives the new romance an immediate test.
Were you happy to see Martin and Louisa finally kiss in 'Best Medicine' Season 2 Episode 7?
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