Call The Midwife anyone?

[Vivacia]

I'm at about an hour in, and don't think I can watch another minute.

[RoundYonPreMadonna]

Desperately sad isn't it.

[PurpleWithRed]

Both sad and boring to be honest. Downton soon thank goodness.

[Vivacia]

Ok, a couple of us crying now.

[Vivacia]

We haven't seen older Jenny before have we (like at the beginning of tonight's episode, oh and end).

[JazzAnnNonMouse]

So sad.

[limitedperiodonly]

I cried, though I can't remember at what point I started snivelling.

I have heirloom Christmas ornaments badly repaired with Bostik too

[flashystars]

Cheerful, wasn't it?!

[Vivacia]

There seemed to be a foreshadowing of a death every two minutes. "He's got a cough, he's going to die", "She cut herself, she's going to die", "She can't make a decision, she's going to die".

[hackmum]

Yes, it was quite the misery fest. I was pretty relieved when the fever and rash turned out to be chicken pox, not meningitis, as I'd feared.

Strange viewing for Christmas Day - at some points it feels like really powerful social commentary, but then it always retreats from that to something more sickly.

[ShelaghTurner]

I've been counting down to it since sodding March and what we get is a tossing Miranda-fest. I was beyond pissed off with it. If that's the way series 4 is going to go I might have to start watching Downton instead!

[limitedperiodonly]

I think you should definitely namechange as a protest.

Have you watched Downton lately? I feel you might be disappointed there too

[ShelaghTurner]

I'm considering name changing but it might be sweary :o

Never seen Downton but just been shown a clip of some bloke proposing to some woman and it had more romance in 30 seconds than the last series of CTM

[OodKingWenceslas]

The decision to become a Nun was the bit that tipped me strangely enough. Combination of the couple caring for each other. The lobotomy scene was v moving too, thought the facial expressions of not comprehending was moving.

I used to work with people who came out of institutions and it was so sad.

[limitedperiodonly]

a clip of some bloke proposing to some woman

If she was young and glacial that'll be Lady Mary of the Cursed Orifice and one of her many interchangeable swains.

If she was middle-aged and warm it'll be Isobel and she should have bloody well married him and moved into the stately home and spent his ungrateful sons' inheritance in the casinos of Monte Carlo.

[ShelaghTurner]

I would have loved to seen more of Cynthia. And she should have talked to Shelagh

Couple definitely middle aged. And something about a house. But very sweet in a restrained sort of way.

[ShelaghTurner]

Lady Mary of the What?? :o

[limitedperiodonly]

You are now hooked on Downton, aren't you? The Curse of Lady Mary's Front or Back Bottom begins in the first series, which is good.

The older couple and the house could have been Mrs Hughes and Carson. Sweet proposal even though he's a pompous old git.

[ShelaghTurner]

Carson! That was definitely mentioned.

[limitedperiodonly]

Ah! Carson. He has a secret past but it's not very exciting.

[dreamcometrue]

Can I just ask a quick question? Does anything happen with dr and exnun and their baby as I don't think I can watch if it does.

[limitedperiodonly]

The lobotomy scene was v moving too, thought the facial expressions of not comprehending was moving

To get back on track, I agree OodKingWenceslas except that I thought they did get it and that it was unintentionally brutal to force them to understand.

I thought it would have been kinder to leave Nancy to her dream that she might have a child. She didn't seem hell-bent on it but she would have liked one and wanted to give a child to her partner (can't remember his name).

To take away all hope in her situation seemed not only cruel but unrealistic.

I've only a folk memory of it but I thought that in 1959 HCPs were more patronising and didn't tell it like it is. Often to the detriment of their patients, though in this case I would thought that lying by omission would be acceptable. And Cynthia isn't cruel - it was Cynthia, wasn't it?

Now HCPs are more upfront and respectful of their patients but IME they still lie by omission or drip-feed information as they think you can handle it. I'm okay with that.

That's not my job. If anyone disagrees because of the ethics or the burdens of doing the job, I'll completely understand their POV.

On a pragmatic basis, I think it's better that a couple such as them weren't burdened with a baby. I realise that sounds awful and I don't mean it to come over that way. I would not have forcibly lobotomised and sterilised her and I think anyone who did that should be prosecuted for assault.

These days we have complicated court cases over that kind of thing which is right. We still make those decisions, though, don't we? But at least it can't be done on a wink and a nod.

I hope I'm making myself clear. I'm most definitely not for eugenics or loftily deciding to do things for or to other people for their own good. I just think that given the situation that was the best outcome and Cynthia should and would have kept quiet.

Call The Midwife has gone off the boil but it still has its moments. Not least that it enables me to bore on about medical ethics when I should be getting on with the Boxing Day dinner

[LiDLrichardsPistachioSack]

When they took the young blonde woman's baby away and she was sobbing and shouting "it's time for his feed, he'll wonder where I am!" as the car was pulling away...oh god, that killed me.

[OodKingWenceslas]

I knew that bit was coming (from the trailer) so intentionally distracted myself.

[SirChenjin]

Oh well, look on the bright side - at least it wasn't dead children and workhouses this year. I'm still scarred from that one . If you watch Long Lost Families last night's episode was a walk in the park.

And Peter did pass his sergeant exams, which means they can have a garden - hurrah!

[sailorsgal]

is Freddie going to be ok?
just watching on catch up.