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00:00Why don't we just run down the couch and you guys can introduce yourselves and say how you're involved in
00:05the show.
00:06I'm Liz Tuchillo and I am the showrunner and executive producer.
00:10Ben Silverman, executive producer.
00:13Josh Charles Actor, an executive producer.
00:21So in case members of our audience are not aware, Best Medicine is a remake of a British show called
00:28Doc Martin.
00:30Listen, Ben, would you guys mind talking about how you came up with the idea to remake this show in
00:36America and what kind of adjustments are required to translate that across the pond?
00:41Well, this is really Ben's baby.
00:44I mean, he's many, many years to get this to where it is, so you should be answering this.
00:48You know, I discovered the show through my parents who were watching it on a PBS feed in New York
00:55City and fell in love with it and thought it had so many beautiful elements to it in the original
01:03that could work incredibly well in America.
01:07And it was all conditional on an unbelievable voice and creative engine to bring it to life.
01:14And it wasn't until we brought Liz into the project and her vision for it that it really manifested.
01:22And I love the original.
01:24And people are always like, when you're trying to remake something, I remade a little show called The Office.
01:29I've never heard of it.
01:30When people are asking you, why would you do that?
01:33What would you go after something?
01:35It's perfect.
01:36Why would you remake it?
01:37It's like, do you want to start with crappy underlying material or do you want to start with the best
01:41underlying material?
01:42And just like people fell in love with the book on Da Vinci Code or the book on Social Network
01:47or whatever, you want to start with the best material.
01:50And Doc Martin, the original, is phenomenal and kind and nice but different than our show in a myriad of
01:59ways and not, as it currently exists, something that would have been appropriate for the scale of audience that we
02:05were able to deliver through Liz's incredible words and Josh and the actors' amazing performances.
02:10So it was great material to start with, and now it is its own thing and is best medicine.
02:18And Josh, how did you come to be involved?
02:24Let me just think for a second.
02:26Well, Liz and I sent the scripts.
02:29We called him.
02:29They called me.
02:30I read the scripts.
02:31I was not aware of the original show.
02:34I was one of the few people who had never heard of it.
02:37And so I watched some of those.
02:38I read Liz had written two scripts already.
02:41And then Liz and I knew each other.
02:43We had never worked together, but we knew each other.
02:44And we had lunch and talked, and she's incredible and just best egg ever.
02:50Just adore her.
02:51So immediately I was like, this could be really great.
02:53This could be really fun.
02:54I think to Ben's point, you know, one of the things I remember we discussed at that lunch was the
03:00idea, I mean, you can speak about this, obviously, Ben.
03:03But, like, you know, the original Office is one of my favorite shows ever, right?
03:07And I would say the American Office is also one of my favorite shows ever.
03:11So to be able to, like, you know, you can't take that show, like, you know, I mean, Ricky's character
03:15is from Slough.
03:16It's very specific.
03:17And yet, you know, here is Michael Scott.
03:19And he made it his own thing that the show still works.
03:22Even though there's a lot of similarities, they're also unique to themselves.
03:25And so I felt like it was important for us to make sure we put our American stamp on this
03:29because, you know, even just being a doctor in America is very different than being a doctor in England, obviously.
03:35So I think we've done that.
03:37I think Liz has done that.
03:39So I have a – I feel like I know the answer to this, but why Maine?
03:42Why was that the place to go?
03:43Well, so this was one of the few times it wasn't something that I had developed on my own.
03:48It was something, a job that I was, like, trying to get.
03:50So when I was told, like, you know –
03:53You played hard to get.
03:53I did.
03:54I played hard to get.
03:56But so I – so they – I had to sort of come with my take.
04:00And so I'd spent – I spent four months in Maine during COVID with my friends.
04:05So Maine was sort of on my mind.
04:06And then I asked them, it's like – because it just felt very New England, you know, the transfer.
04:11And so when they said – you know, when I was like – when I asked my friends, where's, like,
04:16a small town in Maine?
04:17And they told me about this place that's very dear to them called Korea, Maine.
04:20Which is an odd name for – anyway, it's called Korea, Maine.
04:22It starts with a C.
04:24And so then I really did a deep dive there.
04:26And I talked to two men who ran a bed and breakfast there that I then – not just took
04:34their information to get the job,
04:37but then I made characters out of them that are Greg and George.
04:41And they gave me a lot of, like, really just, like, sort of, like, real detail and color for the
04:46thing.
04:46And that was really inspiring me as well.
04:48And then I ended up getting the job.
04:50So – and then they obviously enjoyed that it was from Maine as well.
04:54Josh, if I'm not mistaken, this is your first leading role in a network broadcast show since The Good Wife.
05:01What was it like getting back into that working rhythm?
05:05Wow.
05:06That's a good question.
05:08Just to be prepared to be exhausted daily.
05:12Have very little sleep.
05:14See your family.
05:16You know, just in brief moments.
05:19No, it's a lot of sacrifice, but one that I'm happy to do because I love working.
05:23You know, I love just digging into the work.
05:27And I think the crew that we've assembled is fantastic.
05:29The group of actors that I get to work with are guest stars that come, you know, having done this
05:34on The Good Wife.
05:35We have this great base in New York of just the finest theater actors who get to come and play
05:39with us.
05:40And so it's a joy to come to work, but it is a lot.
05:43You know, it's hard.
05:44It's a lot of travel.
05:44We're doing it every day.
05:45But I think it's just the stamina, you know, the stamina and forgetting what that's like that you finish one
05:51and you're just right onto the other one.
05:52And last year we were block shooting, so you'd be, you know, shooting one and it's going, you know, and
05:57then doing like split days and figuring it out and going to the next unit very quickly.
06:02And just keeping that all in your brain and learning your lines and trying to keep your sanity, basically.
06:08I mean, that's the biggest thing.
06:09I would say just about Josh and television in general, when you're top of the call sheet, the responsibility you
06:16have to be a player coach.
06:18And I remember talking to Josh about it and because he and he delivers on that.
06:23You know, he's one of those people who hangs around with the extras, who sits and connects to everybody on
06:30the set.
06:30And I think you elevate the ambition of all your fellow players by leading that way.
06:36And it's unique, but a show like this requires that because if there's any fracture in that, everybody else kind
06:44of splinters around and you do it.
06:47But I mean, that's kind of how I think I've always done it.
06:49And I've always viewed, you know, just making sure everybody feels really welcome, you know, especially for our guest stars.
06:56Like I want all our actors to feel welcome.
06:57I know that as an actor, I do my best work when I feel safe, you know, when I think
07:03it's an environment that I can fall on my face and make a bad choice.
07:06And it's, you know, not going to be laughed at.
07:08We can just do another one.
07:09And I think a lot of times when you come in and you're guest stars and everybody knows each other
07:13and you can tighten up.
07:14And so it's really important to just make sure like we're all and we do.
07:16We have a very light group.
07:18Everybody loves each other.
07:19It's a lot of laughs and our crew is great.
07:21And it is a big part of the job.
07:22It's not just acting.
07:23It is kind of working with the crew and keeping everybody's spirits up and on those long days.
07:29And I like that part of the job.
07:31I did hear the original Doc Martin was at least briefly on set to give you guys counsel and guidance.
07:37What kind of feedback or input or constructive criticism did he have for you all?
07:42Well, you know, he was giving us like helpful hints of like, well, you know, you know, if you need
07:46to get the, you know, the doctor to move across the set to go like from one,
07:50from the office to the examination room, it's always good to give him like, you know, a record that he
07:55has to pick up and go over there or like, and he was teaching Josh about how to, well, you
07:59can talk about how to use the gloves.
08:01But it was like he was giving actually like very specific, helpful, like best practices on how to do things,
08:07which is really, really helpful.
08:08And then he also made a joke actually about how, you know, you know, Doc Martin, the character, and this
08:15is also about the difference between British and American,
08:17but that the, that Doc Martin, the characters can be considered very mean.
08:22And there was always a lot of talk on the set and in scripts and in notes that, you know,
08:27like, oh, is he too mean?
08:28Can he say this?
08:29In the British version, he can say, shut up.
08:31But can we say that in America?
08:33Shut up.
08:33It's like, just comes off different.
08:35Like they'd call HR, like, you know, what?
08:37So, so it was just like, like all those things.
08:39And he said, and I thought, oh my gosh, well, and you know, the Brits, they let you do anything.
08:43You can be as mean as you want.
08:44He's like, no, actually, when we started, all I got were notes like, I'm too mean.
08:49I'm too mean.
08:50So that was really interesting to hear that he also, they were also worried there that he might be coming
08:55off as too mean.
08:56But what I realized is that you have to have that edge.
08:59Otherwise, it becomes like a little, you know, sort of get super sappy kind of like, I want to say
09:05Hallmark movie.
09:06Not there's anything wrong with them, but you know what I mean?
09:08And so you wanted to keep like, just like it does, he does need to have that to have the
09:12edge.
09:12So it was really interesting to hear him say that.
09:13I don't think the Hallmark panel's in here yet, so you're not offended.
09:16Listen.
09:17It's our little secret.
09:20No, he was, I mean, having him was, was just a joy.
09:23I mean, once I signed on to do the show and people that, then I realized everyone else knows about
09:29the show except me.
09:31But I'd see people like, God, you got big shoes to fill, you know.
09:33So it was a lot of the people, and I'm sure, you know, just to your point about The Office,
09:37like, why are you doing this?
09:38This show's perfect.
09:40But he, him coming to work with us and playing, you know, Martin's father was such a great blessing, I
09:48think, of just sort of gifting us with this.
09:50That I think the people who are maybe feeling protective of the original show, be like, all right, maybe I'll
09:54give it a shot.
09:54Yeah.
09:54You know, and he was so game and so funny and just so gracious and happy to be there and
10:02giggling at me and just seeing me going through.
10:04He was just having so much fun seeing me go through all the things.
10:07He's like, oh, yeah.
10:08Yeah, you're going to do that thing with the gloves and the thing that's hard, right?
10:12Did you try this?
10:13It was really fun.
10:15So the show's kind of an interesting hybrid in that it's partly a small-town show, but it is technically
10:20a medical procedural.
10:22I kind of describe it as, like, house times Schitt's Creek.
10:27When you're writing it, are you talking to, like, medical consultants to make sure you're accurate?
10:31How do you walk that line between the two halves of the show?
10:34I shat a man.
10:36It came directly from Ben's life.
10:38Who was the medical advisor that you talked to for that?
10:43There was no one.
10:44I was on set, and I was talking to the writers in New York, and we had someone just pitch
10:49that story.
10:50And I just remember I was sitting, like, by the railroad tracks, and the writers were pitching it to me,
10:55and I was, like, laughing so hard.
10:57And then I read it, and I was laughing so hard, and then I was on set, and I was
11:00laughing so hard.
11:00Anyway, you're just going to have to watch the whole thing to find out what happens with the little man.
11:06Anyway, wait, what was the question?
11:09Well, I was curious about how you walked the line between the medical half and the small town half.
11:13Okay, so last year what we would do is we would sort of come up with ideas and be like,
11:18oh, wouldn't it be nice if this symptom would be that symptom?
11:21Then we'd sort of look online, and then we'd talk to doctors after and sort of, like, does this make
11:26sense?
11:27And they'd be like, yes or no.
11:28This year, game changer, we actually have, imagine this, a doctor on our staff.
11:33And it is really so much more helpful to have a doctor, like, there telling us things.
11:40And he's also a TV writer.
11:43So he'll be like, well, you know, the esophagus and the burn, and then you can turn into a symptom
11:47of this and that.
11:48And he goes, but then a great act out right before act three will be this.
11:52And I'm like, oh, that is heaven.
11:55He knows how to do both TV and medical stuff.
11:57So he's been great.
11:58So season two, there's going to be a crossover with the pit is what I'm hearing.
12:01That's what I'm saying.
12:02It is going to be so intense medical.
12:04No, it's just perfect.
12:05It just was, like, really, it was just really helpful to have somebody there to help us.
12:10But also then sometimes he's still a doctor, so he has to, like, take off and be like, there's an
12:17emergency down the block that I have to go to.
12:19And, like, you're like, or are you just having lunch with somebody?
12:21We'll never know because I'm not going to stop you.
12:24Anyway, so he's saving lives and coming to work.
12:27It's the perfect excuse.
12:28You spoke a bit about this with the inn owners inspiring, the restaurant owners.
12:33But can you talk a bit about populating this small town with all of these really memorable characters and these
12:38really amazing supporting cast members?
12:41Well, you know what?
12:42It really does, and this is going to sound so corny.
12:44It really starts with the fact that I really love actors.
12:47And all my friends are actors.
12:49All my ex-boyfriends are actors.
12:50I just love actors.
12:54And so I want them to be happy.
12:57I want them to be as many of them as possible.
12:58I want to hire the people I know as much as possible.
13:01So you start from that place, and then you get so attached to them because they'll do such great work
13:08that you want them to come back.
13:09So then you give them back stories, and you think of reasons to come back.
13:14And there's always, it feels like in every episode, there's always people that have to sort of interject things because
13:19we really do use the town as sort of like the Greek chorus.
13:22So there's always opportunities to bring people back for these little tiny moments.
13:29And luckily, they're all so kind and happy to do it because they do feel so welcome, and they do
13:35feel like a part of a town.
13:38Like we have created, hopefully, this feeling of a community within a community.
13:42So it has worked out so well.
13:44And again, like the actors from New York are just incredible.
13:49So it has been great.
13:50And I give every actor that comes a little jam, a jar of blueberry jam, to welcome them.
13:58I know it's so corny.
14:00I didn't know you found them on Tinder, though.
14:06That's a different story.
14:07Also, wait, I'm still waiting for my jam.
14:09I don't think I ever got the jam.
14:11I guess it's just the guest stars that are getting the jam.
14:13It's the new people.
14:14I'll wait.
14:14No, I'll wait.
14:15I'll wait.
14:16I'm an actor, too.
14:17Cut to giant jar.
14:19No, but I want to say this, though, because for all of us who work in this industry, it's like,
14:24you know, certainly there are a lot of showrunners who do like actors.
14:27But I've worked with a lot who do not.
14:28And so I think that's very rare.
14:30And it's something that you feel on the set with Liz.
14:34She's very collaborative.
14:35But the genuine love of actors, you know, it just feels so good because we're in an industry where that
14:41doesn't happen a lot.
14:42They're almost kind of like an annoyance to some people, you know?
14:45And so I really do appreciate that.
14:48And I think it resonates with the cast.
14:50And it was also even so there's like the people who come in for a couple lines.
14:54But then there are also the background actors that we also wanted that became part of the town.
14:58That's true.
14:59And we sort of like started giving them names and backstories, too, for people that didn't even have lines.
15:04Yeah, Ronnie.
15:05Anyway, and they're so excited to come back.
15:07It's also generational.
15:08We have a school.
15:09Yeah.
15:09We have a thing.
15:10You know, so you see it's literally the whole population.
15:12Yeah, so it really – yeah, it's a large group of people now that sort of feel like they have
15:15a sort of stake in this show and the town.
15:17It's really nice.
15:19But to that other question about the medical also, I just think what's incredible about what Liz and the writing
15:25team have done is like the architecture of the show, right?
15:29The amount of different boards you need to interconnect all these incredible storylines, this character-driven piece in this beautiful
15:39town that has this comedic and heartfelt energy, and then these procedural elements.
15:46Like it's just such a beautiful television show as all of you, and we're here obviously because we want to
15:52be part of this conversation.
15:54And I really watch the show as someone who's like a student and lover of television as well as a
15:59participant in the making of it, and I'm just like this has all the things.
16:03You know, this has all the things to lean into and fall in love with the show.
16:08It also has that ability to bring a different kind of audience to it, the comedy audience, the emotional audience,
16:15the romantic audience, and the medical audience.
16:18And I think that's why it did so well and also plays so well not only on Fox and its
16:25initial broadcast but also on streaming.
16:27And in this world where we're trying to figure out is it a streaming show, is it a broadcast show,
16:31is it a cable show, you know, what all that means.
16:32Is it a good show?
16:33And can it live across these regardless of where it premieres or not?
16:38And I think Best Medicine and Liz's brilliant hands and with Josh's incredible lead has really done that.
16:45And so we're so proud of all of that.
16:48But it is hard.
16:49You know, we watched an episode together last night.
16:52I mean, it's unbelievable the amount of stuff going on.
16:56Yeah.
16:58I think the scene that we just watched is probably a strong candidate for this.
17:01But, Josh, was there any particular scene where it was really hard to keep yourself together and avoid breaking?
17:09I mean, there's lots of scenes with Sigara.
17:11I mean, he just, him and I have developed a really great bond.
17:14And I love the guy.
17:16I mean, I think he's just such a talented actor but such a good dude, too, and just such a
17:20great team player and has the best energy.
17:24But there's times he'll do things that I just, like, I mean, I can't even look at him.
17:27You know, I just have to look down.
17:29And that one with Steven was definitely difficult.
17:31But, actually, I don't think I broke that much because it was, you had to kind of keep the focus
17:35in that one, you know, and just keep driving it and driving it.
17:38But there's lots of, we have, I mean, Clea, there's so many people that make me laugh on this show.
17:43I mean, consistently on a daily basis.
17:46And it's difficult because Martin's usually very irritated by them.
17:49But me, Josh, are really enjoying their performance.
17:52So, I have to kind of walk that line.
17:55But I love, I'm a giggler anyway.
17:57I love giggling.
17:58So, I, you know, it's one of my favorite things to do.
18:01You feel like a naughty little school kid.
18:03You know, you just sort of, everyone's mad.
18:05We got to shoot.
18:05We got to losing the light.
18:06And you're like, you know, I kind of love it.
18:09It's like your own little set of power as an actor.
18:12You're like, oh, sorry.
18:13Can't help it.
18:14Just laughing.
18:15Last question.
18:16You guys are getting a season two.
18:17I hear you're going back to set soon.
18:19Can we get, like, one sentence exactly?
18:25Can we get, like, one sentence on what people can expect?
18:29Oh.
18:33Deeper.
18:35Deeper and, yeah, deeper.
18:38Great.
18:39All right.
18:41Thank you guys so much for being here.
18:43Thank you, Elsa.
18:45Thanks, everybody.
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