Best Medicine Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Heated Rivalries, Crushed Dreams, and New Friendships

Critic’s Rating: 4.4 / 5.0

4.4

I hope more viewers continue to watch Best Medicine because each week it improves as we learn more about these quirky characters and Port Wenn.

It was time for the yearly baseball game between Port Wenn and Bar Harbor on Best Medicine Season 1 Episode 3, and you would have thought it was the World Series with all the fuss the town made.

They hadn’t won in twelve years and had placed all their hopes in Junior, so the entire town blamed Martin when he contributed to the teenager breaking his arm.

Part of the comedy and the frustration lay in the fact that no one allowed Martin to explore why the teen might have brittle bones, and the old-fashioned filing system didn’t help matters.

Besides the baseball drama, “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” explored Elaine’s family dynamics and why Louisa needed better friends. Surprisingly, the two of them hit it off swimmingly.

Port Wenn Baseball Was Like the World Series

Martin was still learning small-town local traditions, such as the fact that Port Wenn baseball games mattered and the rivalry between Port Wenn and Bar Harbor remained strong.

While it’s not my favorite, even I know baseball is an American pastime.

In Port Wenn, baseball was a huge event, with fans cheering as they strived to beat their rival, from the crowds to the gear.

While he’s entertaining, Sheriff Mark still acted like the town idiot. Pitching that fastball and throwing Martin under the bus spelled trouble.

It would’ve angered any parent, but learning that Junior’s father was Glendon only worsened matters, especially when Martin and Junior crashed into each other, causing the teen to fall and break his arm.

Everyone in town blamed Martin, but he was convinced the teenager shouldn’t have such brittle bones at his age. Proving it was more complicated than he thought, with everyone against him.

It Was Hard to Decipher the Truth Among Rivarlies and Lawsuits

I laughed hysterically each time Sheriff Mark sued Martin because he acted so innocent, like they were friends and brought him treats, but he knew what was inside those papers.

I suspect Mark knew what a bully Glendon was, but his hands were tied.

I felt for Martin because, just as in his previous medical mysteries, he was sure there was more to Junior’s condition, and he was frustrated with the old-fashioned filing system.

It’s difficult to know whether Junior forgot to tell Martin he only had one kidney, didn’t think it was important, or knew he was his father’s nemesis.

I loved that Louisa didn’t care about lawsuits or restraining orders and practically ordered Martin to help Junior when he was screaming at school.

I’ve had kidney stones. They will make you double over like that, and I can’t believe he was well enough to play in the game.

That kid looked more afraid of not playing and disappointing his father than being injured. Family pressure is a big one, especially with someone like Glendon.

Truthfully, I never knew you could abuse protein powder, but that shouldn’t surprise me. I’m glad Junior finally admitted that Martin tried to protect him, even though it cost them the game.

Sometimes, safety is more important than winning.

Will Glendon keep their truce, or will another thing set him off?

Everyone Needs an Aunt Sarah

Everyone needs an Aunt Sarah, someone who is feisty and would fight their battles for them. She’s my favorite on Best Medicine.

While we’ve seen Sarah offer to hurt Glendon for Martin before, we hadn’t seen her engage in her own rivalry before, which was entertaining.

I’ve never witnessed a grown woman stabbing a man’s tires as a prank just because he was her biggest competition, but Sarah and Eddie brought levity to the episode.

When Martin worried that his aunt would get hurt or in trouble, she only offered to go after Glendon, too, saying someone needed to put him in his place.

She’s probably the only one who could get away with excitedly embracing Martin like that. She truly wants him to be happy and would scream it from the rooftops.

She’s the kind of woman who doesn’t care about audiences or consequences, as proved by the fact that she and Eddie fought and then kissed passionately in front of everyone after the game.

It’s their game. More power to her. Whatever keeps the passion alive.

Introducing Elaine’s Family Dynamics Gave Her Some Layers

While I enjoyed Elaine’s quirkiness, it became annoying when she constantly ignored Martin’s requests to record her show.

However, I felt for her when she slept on Martin’s office couch because she fought with her mother. Elaine had many followers but not many true friends.

As a child of divorced parents, I sympathized with her in having to meet and accept her mother’s boyfriend that quickly.

Perhaps Elaine didn’t feel welcome, and that’s why she wanted to leave Port Wenn when she could, since she thought no one cared if she stayed.

I wished that Martin hadn’t mentioned that Elaine might have been a twin, since that only made her more eccentric.

Sometimes, both babies don’t survive in utero, but Elaine blamed herself and assumed her mother resented her; her mother only wanted them to be close again.

Elaine became more interesting once we learned her backstory, and she wasn’t just a witty, entertaining character. I’m more invested in her story now.

Louisa Needing Better Friends Was So Relatable

Louisa was the most relatable character of Best Medicine Season 1 Episode 3. We’ve all been there, needing better friends, but wondering where to find them in adulthood.

So many people are like Jeannie, who care more about partnering up and having children than finding emotional friendships. She was perfectly fine with offering fashion advice, but kept things surface-level.

Jeannie barely cared that the Port Wenn Day School might close, since she saw it only as a tool to meet men.

It wasn’t her lifelong dream like Louisa, who all she ever wanted was to teach school and help others, and she might lose it all in one swoop.

That’s relatable because she wanted someone to understand that, and she longed for someone to confide in, since for years she had devoted most of her time to Mark.

We often forget our girlfriends while partnered up, so I loved how Louisa and Elaine just hit it off. They both need a friend right now, and Elaine was the only person who understood what that job and school meant to Louisa.

It even took Martin a long time to understand why having her job in flux would affect her so much.

I can’t wait to see what kind of adventures these two have and how they’ll bring out Martin’s fun side when they gang up on him.

Over to you, Best Medicine Fanatics. What did you think of “Take Me Out To The Ballgame? Do you believe Glendon will ease up on Martin? Did you like Louisa and Elaine’s new friendship?

Let us know in the comments.

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