Un Medico in Famiglia (English: A Doctor in the Family) is an Italian series that aired from 1998 to 2016, for a total of ten seasons. It was based on the format of the Spanish series Médico de Familia. Probably the ultimate cozy, family-oriented series in Italy, it's one of the longest-running Italian shows ever, surpassing the original Spanish series in longevity.
The main cast changes a lot over the years, but the heart of the show is always the Martini family. The original family in season 1 consisted of widower doctor Lele, his three children, teen nephew Alberto, eccentric maid Cettina, and especially his snarky father and Cool Old Guy Libero, better known as "Grandpa Libero". The original female lead, aunt Alice, was a Drop-In Character.
The show revolves around family issues, work, and romantic relationships. The family's antics are usually comedic, and several supporting characters serve as Plucky Comic Relief as well, but serious topics are also explored quite often.
The show contains examples of:
- Annoying Younger Sibling: In the first two seasons, Ciccio acts like an annoying bratty little brother to Maria's Bratty Teenage Daughter, frequently making fun of her.
- Best Friends-in-Law: In later seasons, Lele ends up married to Bianca, his best friend's sister.
- Catchphrase: Libero is known for some catch-phrases:
- "One word is too much, two words are a few"
- "Always remember: What I was, you are. What I am, you will be"
- "As poor Carmine said…"
- Contrasting Replacement Character: In later seasons, Cettina is replaced by her cousin Melina as a maid at Martini's house. Unlike Cettina, who was eccentric but nice and good at her job, Melina is lazy and incompetent.
- Cool Aunt: Alice is this to the Martini children in the first two seasons, especially Maria who has a particular admiration for her.
- Cool Old Guy: Libero is easily the most famous cool grandpa on Italian TV, with all respect to Nonno Felice.
- Only Known by Their Nickname:
- Gabriele Martini, who is only known as Lele.
- Two of his children are only known as Ciccio and Annuccia, even if their real names are Francesco and Anna. The latter outgrows the nickname in season 8.
- Cettina's real name is Concetta. Her cousin Melina's real name is Carmela.
- Maria's best friend Reby, who is short for Rebecca.
- Opposites Attract: Paternal grandfather Libero is a down-to-earth Deadpan Snarker, while maternal grandmother Enrica is a snobby Rich Bitch. They hate each other initially, but end up Happily Married in later seasons.
- Replaced the Theme Tune: Seasons 1-5 has "Ai Ai Ai" as the theme tune for the opening credits. In seasons 6-10, it's replaced by "Je T'Aime", a song with bilingual lyrics (Italian and French), due to Lele and Bianca's attachment to France, while "Ai Ai Ai" is only used in the closing credits. Both songs are upbeat and humorous.
- Revolving Door Casting: The only cast members remaining from season 1 to 10 are Milena Vukotic as Grandma Enrica, Eleonora Cadeddu as Annuccia/Anna (originally The Baby of the Bunch), and Paolo Sassanelli as Oscar. Others actors who come close are Lino Banfi as Grandpa Libero (who only missed season 7), original lead actor Giulio Scarpati as Lele (who missed seasons 3-4, and 9), and eventual lead actress Margot Sikabonyi as Maria (who only missed the final season).
- Second Love:
- Alice is this to Lele, after his late wife Elena. Bianca is the third.
- Marco is this to Maria, after Guido's death.
- Torello is this to Cettina, starting in season 3. Giacinto was her Love Interest in the first two seasons.
- Libero and Enrica are this to each other, since both have already been married to other people.
- Sara and Lorenzo, the main couple in the last two seasons, are also this to each other. Befere meeting, Sara was engaged and Lorenzo was still thinking of his ex-wife.
- Serial Spouse: Lele has been married three times, though the first wife is a Posthumous Character. He also had three children from his first marriage, two children from his second marriage, and a son and a step-daughter from the third. Also, the first two wives are sisters.
- Settle for Sibling: The first season is all about Lele's Will They or Won't They? with Alice, his deceased wife's younger sister who is also the aunt of his children, until they get married in season 2. In season 3, they are both Put on a Bus, but since Lele returns to the show in season 5 and Alice doesn't, they divorce.
- Straight Gay: Oscar Nobili, a gay doctor and recurring character who is not flamboyant and has no stereotypical mannerisms. While it's well-known he is gay since the first season (with Gay Aesop in his debut episode in 1999), we only see his first on-screen kiss with a man 17 years later, in the last season.
- Suspiciously Similar Substitute:
- After Lele, the titular doctor, is Put on a Bus in season 3, he is replaced by another doctor named Guido Zanin who moves in with the Martini family and becomes the male lead in season 3 and 4. Like Lele, he is The Ace, liked and respected by everyone, a good-looking nice guy, and great doctor.
- When Lele is Put on a Bus again in season 9, the new main "doctor" is Lorenzo, Libero's nephew coming from the USA.
