‘Best Medicine’s Josh Segarra Teases A Love Triangle Between Dr. Best, Louisa, And Mark: “Spoiler Alert: Mark Is Devastated!”

They say that laughter is the best medicine, so as Josh Segarra giggled his way through the script for FOX’s Doc Martin adaptation he knew it was “an easy sign-on.”

“If I’m laughing when I’m reading, I know that I’m going to have fun at work. And if I can have fun at work, that’s my main goal,” Segarra told DECIDER during a recent in-studio interview about his new series, aptly titled Best Medicine.

After bringing his beloved comedic flair to streaming shows like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, The Other Two, and The Big Door Prize, the 39-year-old actor kicked off an iconic network TV streak with roles in Abbott Elementary and Animal Control. Next stop? The small seaside village of Port Wenn, Maine, where he plays the charming Sheriff Mark Mylow alongside a stacked cast, including Josh Charles as Dr. Best (the hamlet’s new GP) and Abigail Spencer as Louisa (Mark’s ex fiancé).

When chatting about the small-town charm and eventful episodes that await in Liz Tuccillo’s series, you’d better believe Segarra teased a unique love triangle on the horizon for Mark, Louisa, and Dr. Best. “I know that Mark is devastated. That’s his girl! That’s the love of his life,” the Best Medicine star explained. “But the fun part of this love triangle is that probably the strongest bond ends up being between Dr. Best and Mark.”

In honor of Best Medicine‘s January 4, 2026 premiere, Segarra spoke with Decider about what to expect from Season 1, his dream Best Medicine guest stars, what it means to incorporate aspects of his personal life into the series, his love of shows like Survivor and Paradise, and much more.

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DECIDER: You’re on quite the iconic network TV comedy streak right now. Abbott Elementary. Animal Control. Best Medicine. I feel like you’re just going down the alphabet and checking off all the letters. What drew you to this adaptation of the British series, Doc Martin?

JOSH SEGARRA: Oh, man. If I’m reading something and I’m giggling my way through, I’m going to want to do it. I heard Michael Keaton say a while ago, and it’s always stuck with me, that if he laughs twice in a script, he wants to do it. And I’ve just adapted that. If I’m laughing when I’m reading, I know that I’m going to have fun at work. And if I can have fun at work, that’s my main goal. So this one was an easy, easy sign on. 

Best Medicine has such a stacked cast led by Josh Charles, who plays Dr. Best, a very funny straight man who has vastly different energy than your character. What’s it like working with him and developing that contrasting dynamic? 

It’s the best. That’s my guy right there. I’d follow him into battle any day of the week. I’m a big fan of his, so going from fan to friend has been very cool. It’s been my honor. I was a big Sports Night guy, so once we started the project, I had to tell him that I’m definitely doing a Sports Night binge. I flew through a bunch of those, and my wife is watching The Good Wife right now. It’s her third rewatch. So I think I spend every day with him and night with him, happily. Going to bed with him is my last thought. [Laughs] I’m waking up and working with him. It’s been awesome.

Are people constantly breaking on set? I can’t imagine how tough it is to be as straight-faced and sadboy as Charles is while you’re light up the room.

Oh yeah. We have a good time trying to make each other break. I’m breaking all the time. Josh makes me break all the time. And when he catches that I’m trying to make him break, he throws it back at me. If he were sitting here, he would tell you that when he’s trying to make me break, he usually breaks first. So it’s kind of tit for tat. But I will tell you that Stephen Spinella (Greg Garrison) and John DiMaggio (Bert Large) make me die laughing at work. Big John is so funny. We have a lot of big group scenes, and there’s nobody like John DiMaggio, just cracking jokes from like the fifth row. He has nothing to say in the scene. But you better believe that John’s going to make up something hilarious. And the way that Spinella just delivers every line of his, I’m cracking up. 

We meet Mark straight out of a break up with his high school sweetheart, Louisa. When I last saw Abigail Spencer she played a throat-slashing kidnaper on 9-1-1. So this warm role reminded me of her incredible range. What’s it like having her as an on-screen ex/best friend?

Oh my god, she did? I’m gonna watch that! It’s been so fun. I love Abigail to death. We call her our set mom. She’ll make sure to always get the photo of the group, anything we want memories of, she’s ready to go. She plans all the cast dinners. She was the first one to shoot the group text and say how proud of everybody she was after the premiere. I just love her to pieces. And it’s been so fun to play what it’s like to be heartbroken. Getting to play this guy who’s going through his stages of grief, it’s fun to have such a companion and a partner in Abigail to bounce things off of and figure out their journey together, because there’s still a lot of love there between these two characters. So we’re trying to figure out how to paint that relationship with as many colors as we can.

I love Mark so much, but I have to admit, I am already deeply invested in this will-they-won’t-they energy between Martin and Louisa. What can you tease about that slow burn? And if they do cross that line, how do you think Mark is going to react?

I know that Mark is devastated. Spoiler alert: He is devastated. That’s his girl! That’s the love of his life! They’ve been together for so long. But the fun part of this love triangle is that probably the strongest bond ends up being between Dr. Best and Mark. They don’t know that they need each other at that time in their life, so they become very, very close buddies.

Cleo Lewis plays your on-screen mom, who is a pharmacist. And I was so moved to hear that your parents are pharmacists in real life! I shrieked when I saw that childhood photo of you behind the pharmacy counter. What does it mean to get to incorporate aspects of your personal life into a show?

It’s something where you don’t know how much it means until it happens. With Sally being a pharmacist, I found out how much it meant to me. And it means everything. Just getting to shoot my mom and dad text and tell them, “Hey, guess what? I’m a kid of a pharmacist on this show!” They’re geeking out. They’re very proud. When I grew up, my after-school daycare was at the Walmart pharmacy. I’d get picked up, and I’d hang at the pharmacy for three, four hours, and I’d play in the toy section. And everyone knew that Demers, his son, was running through the toy section, playing with whatever it was I was playing with that day. And then I’d go to the food court. I’d get a grilled cheese with bacon and a slushie, and when I was done, if I couldn’t find my mom, I’d go to the customer service counter and they’d say, “Gary, your son is waiting for you at the customer service desk. Your son is waiting for you at the customer service desk.” And that was my routine at every department store I went to after that. I grew up getting lost in every theme park and department store I could, because I knew that at the end of the day, I could just go to the customer service desk. So that is the son of a pharmacist right there.

Oh my god, that’s so precious! I also heard that Martin Clunes, who played the OG Doc in Doc Martin is playing Dr. Best’s father in Best Medicine. Did you get a chance to work with him? 

Oh man. It really was like The Godfather was coming to work that day. I think we just all wanted to make sure he was happy with us, and try to impress him as much as we could. He was just such a sweet and gracious dude. We had so many good laughs, and he told us a bunch of stories. One thing that I found out later on was I believe they pitched him to come on and guest star, just kind of a cameo, pop in, pop out. And he told them, “No, I want to be a part of your show.” And to me, that is the coolest thing he could have done. He came and he really took in the Hudson Valley and was there for a few weeks with us, and we sat and ate lunch together every day. And he peppered us with questions and we peppered him right back. It felt so good. I felt like we wanted that blessing, for him to say, “Go off and fly, children.”

Oh, yeah. That’s the most resounding approval. Go off and fly, and also I want to come with you!

Yes, exactly!

Abigail Spencer has listed everyone from her friend Busy Phillips and Nina Dobrev to Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and even Severance stars Jen Tullock and Michael Chernus as some of many dream guest stars. Are there any friends or former costars you’d love to welcome to Port Wenn? 

That’s a good question. Oh man, who would I love to come play? Man, I’d love it if Mary Holland, who plays Nat on Big Door Prize, came. Maybe Giorgio and Nat could open up a rival restaurant to The Salty Breeze and cause a little town friction. I’d love it if Quinta Brunson came and guest-starred. Maybe the Big Teagues and Manny can start a little situation out in Port Wenn, maybe we have to get out of Philly so they can start their thing out in Maine. I’d love it if Melissa Barrera came and played for a little bit, bring a little of that Scream world over here. I don’t know if Heléna Yorke would come. Maybe she’ll pop up! Maybe we’ll see Heléna around there, see if Lance and Cook Brooke can figure it out.

One show that I imagine you would love to guest star on is our shared favorite, Paradise. Season 2 is coming in February, are you excited, and what makes it a must-watch for you?

Oh man. That Episode 1 reveal that I’m not going to spoil, because I’m sure some folks haven’t seen it yet. They need to go see it. The end of that episode, it’ll stick with me forever. And honestly, I’d just love to work with Sterling one day. We’ve got mutual friends and they just speak so highly of him. And I’ll forever remember his performance from The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story. The Paradise cast, and the writing, and that world — any chance that I get to go work with good, smart people, I’m going to jump at. And that just seems like a crew and a show that’s really doing their thing. So if they ever need me. I’ll be there.

Last time we spoke was the final season of The Other Two.

*DABS* Anytime anybody comes up to me and says that they watched The Other Two, I gotta dab for them. 

[Laughs] Thank you! So do you think Lance and Brooke are still together?

Of course they are! They’ve got six babies together! They’re all rocking nice clothes! They got some sneakers that you could draw on with a dry erase marker. They got some with a coin pocket in there. I think Lance and Brooke are together forever. Nothing will break those two apart. 

I was also so thrilled when you joined Abbott Elementary back in Season 3. After your Season 4 storyline with Ava, do you think there’s a chance we’ll see Manny again? 

Absolutely. I can’t wait to go back and play with them. We were trying to figure it out, and it didn’t quite work out this past year, but he’ll be back for sure. I would love to see what Quinta comes up with over there. I just trust her so much, and I have so much reverence and honor for her. She’s just so good. And I wish people could see the way she maneuvers on set. We’ll be in the middle of a scene and they’d call cut, and you’ll have a producer walk in and be like, “In Episode 5 that we shot three months ago, which between these two edits?” And Quinta immediately pops her brain into it and is like “Let’s go with this edit!” And they call action and she’s right back in the scene, locked in. She’s got so much power, man. And so much strength. I have so much love and respect for her, so I would love to see what she comes up with. Any way she wants to use Manny, let’s go!

I know you’re also a die-hard Survivor fan because last time we talked you said you’d even go on the show. Who are you most excited to see in Survivor 50? And do you wish anyone else was on the roster? 

I don’t know the whole roster. Is Yam Yam back?

No, he’s on The Traitors.

Oh, that’s where I saw his face! I would love to see him. Yam Yam, papi, let’s go! Keep killing it. Whenever we go back to the island, Puerto Rico, the last time I was there I looked for his salon, and they have a giant poster of him outside that says “Survivor Winner.” That’s my guy. I can’t wait to meet him. When I see him, I will full fangirl on him, and we’re taking as many photos as he’ll let me. I’m pumped that Mike White is back on the series. I saw him on the trailer. Can’t wait to see what he’s going to do on there. We’re actually binging Season 49 right now.

Are you a Traitors fan?

Absolutely.

Would you ever go on?

100%.

Do you think you can cut it as a traitor? 

Absolutely not. [Laughs] I would be terrified on that show. But I love Traitors. I’m a sucker for any type of show where you’re putting people in scenarios that make it hard for them not to be as authentic as possible. Like Pilot Pete killed it. I watched him on The Bachelor and loved that dude on The Bachelor. But in the middle of the game you saw this whole other side of him, which made him a stud. I mean, look at a Dylan Efron. He killed it last season. And I love playing Mafia, that’s one of my favorite games at home. 

OK, Josh Segarra on The Traitors. We’re manifesting it right now. 

Come on, let’s go! You speak it into existence for me.

Before we wrap, what else can fans expect from Best Medicine this season?

There’s a lot of hi-jinx this season. I was always very excited whenever I’d read the new script, and I realized that they put Sheriff Mark in another hilarious predicament that he has to get himself out of, with the help of Martin. So there’s a lot of fun stuff that’s going to happen. I’m really excited for people to meet our cast. When we had such a good time shooting in the Hudson Valley, so also showing people a piece of New York that maybe they don’t know and they can come on vacation with us can get a lobster roll. Come have some good laughs. And every episode, you’re going to feel like you’re a smart doctor because you’re going to piece it together with us.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

New episodes of Best Medicine premiere Tuesdays on FOX.