Spoilers ahead for Season 2, Episode 2 of Best Medicine.
Best Medicine continues its second season with “Breakin’ In Is Hard to Do,” an episode that once again demonstrates why the show’s small-town setting works so well. The September 29 episode combines a medical mystery, eccentric Port Wenn personalities, and increasingly complicated romantic relationships into another entertaining chapter for Dr. Martin Best and the people around him.
The episode centers on a robbery at the Port Wenn pharmacy. The situation becomes considerably more serious when Louisa’s time-sensitive medication is among the stolen items. Rather than treating the crime as simply another small-town mystery, Martin quickly recognizes that there may be a medical reason behind the theft.
That allows the episode to play directly to Martin’s greatest strength: solving medical problems even when his personality makes virtually everything else more difficult.
Martin Gets Another Complicated Case
Josh Charles continues to make Martin one of the show’s most fascinating characters.
Martin’s bluntness remains intact, but underneath his often abrasive exterior is a doctor who genuinely wants to figure out what is happening. The pharmacy robbery gives him an opportunity to put his medical instincts to work, and the episode gradually turns the theft into something much more personal and urgent.
The case also reinforces one of the show’s central ideas: Martin may struggle with people, but he understands medicine.
That contradiction remains one of the strongest sources of both comedy and drama in the series.
Louisa’s Situation Raises the Stakes
Abigail Spencer’s Louisa receives a particularly important storyline as her medication becomes central to the episode.
The situation isn’t simply about replacing a stolen prescription. The medication is time-sensitive, creating an actual deadline and forcing the characters to act quickly. That gives the episode more urgency than some of the show’s lighter stories.
Louisa’s storyline also keeps her firmly connected to the larger emotional arc involving Martin and Eden.
Eden Starts Seeing More Clearly
The Martin-Louisa-Eden situation becomes increasingly complicated in this episode.
Eden, played by Eliza Coupe, is Martin’s current romantic partner, but Martin’s connection with Louisa continues to complicate their relationship. Episode 2 gives Eden important information that makes it harder for her to ignore the chemistry between Martin and Louisa. Producers Liz Tuccillo and Rodney Ferrell have discussed the complicated dynamic and the significance of Eden becoming more aware of what is happening between the two.
This is where Best Medicine succeeds beyond its medical-comedy premise. The show understands that its characters’ personal relationships can be just as messy as the medical cases Martin encounters.
Sarah and Eden Provide an Unexpected Pairing
Annie Potts’ Aunt Sarah gets her own storyline when she attempts to bond with Eden.
The pairing creates plenty of opportunities for the show’s trademark awkward humor, particularly because Sarah approaches relationships with the same unconventional energy she brings to almost everything else in Port Wenn.
At the same time, the storyline gives Eden another connection to the town and its eccentric residents.
Greg and George Face New Competition
The episode also spends time with Greg and George, who find themselves dealing with competition from a rival food-truck owner.
Their storyline provides a welcome change of pace from Martin’s medical investigation and the complicated relationship drama. It also continues the show’s running interest in the business side of Port Wenn following the success surrounding the town’s sea-urchin boom.
Stephen Spinella and Jason Veasey remain an entertaining combination, and their scenes help maintain the show’s quirky ensemble feel.
Why the Episode Works
“Breakin’ In Is Hard to Do” works because it doesn’t rely on a single storyline.
The pharmacy robbery provides the episode’s central mystery. Louisa’s medication gives that mystery real urgency. Martin’s investigation delivers the medical component, while the Martin-Louisa-Eden triangle supplies the emotional drama.
Meanwhile, Sarah, Greg and George keep the episode from becoming too heavy.
That balance is important for Best Medicine. The show is at its most effective when it can move from a serious medical situation to a ridiculous small-town conflict without feeling like either side belongs in a completely different series.
The Verdict
Season 2, Episode 2 is another solid installment of Best Medicine. “Breakin’ In Is Hard to Do” pushes Martin’s medical instincts to the forefront while continuing to develop the increasingly complicated relationships surrounding him.
Josh Charles remains the center of the series, but Abigail Spencer and Eliza Coupe are becoming increasingly important to its emotional engine. Meanwhile, the supporting characters continue to give Port Wenn the eccentric personality that makes the show distinctive.
The result is an episode that delivers mystery, comedy, medical drama and relationship tension without losing the warm, quirky tone that defines Best Medicine.
Final Take: 8.5/10
Best Medicine continues to find the right balance between medical cases and small-town chaos. With Martin’s personal life becoming increasingly complicated, the second season appears to be setting up some significant developments in the episodes ahead.
