Call The Midwife Barbara

[Puffycat]

Sorry to bring more pain but.......BARBARA!!!

I think that the actress who plays Phyllis should win an award of some sort for that breakdown on the steps outside. Her slipping away from the circle of "family" as they clustered about the grieving curate (who is a complete plank, I agree) and then breaking her heart outside, completely alone and - presumably - with her absence unnoticed by the others...

She and Barbara were supposed to be good (?best) friends, for goodness sake! She was sitting with her as she died! She was the one who noticed she was ill in the first place! All woodentop Tom did was go "oh, dear... you've still got that chill you caught the other week..." and then disappear off to a party! It was Phyllis who noticed the rash/symptoms, it was Phyllis who called Dr Turner, it was Phyllis who organised everyone's five minutes visit with her, and it was Phyllis who was with her and woodentop Tom when she died - actually, it was Phyllis who realised that she'd died, and told her complete plank of a husband! And yet where was the support from the Sisters and the other nurses for Phyllis in her grief?!

Tom and Trixie had their baby a while ago, it's about 6 months old now.

I cried about Barbara too. But it got me thinking, I don't think I've ever made it through an episode without crying.

It was Phyllis who got me too. She’s one of the stand outs for me in that show, even more so last night.

I’ve been pondering this a lot. Always been a big CTM fan, but I think I liked it as it was gentle Sunday night viewing.

It’s got too gritty, I don’t want to see any more sadness or doom. Enough of that on telly already.

Taffeta- I have been thinking that too- a little too gritty, I know it's only a TV programme but it put a real downer on me.
Not sure I can watch the next episode with the funeral.
It will be a complete pity party.

It was a very sad episode.

Contrary13 I agree. I love Phyllis and the actress playing her is brilliant.

I think we'll see support for Phyllis in the next episodes, we did see sister Julianne

Damn, tapped the wrong button, *Sister Julienne show concern. Phyllis also strikes me as someone who'd take a moment but then want to be composed for others.

Love that plank has caught on for Tom!

Ah Tom the Cuprinol Curate.

I was still in floods so bad the cat came to see if I was ok.

@hesterton - it's the last one this coming Sunday.

Perhaps Valerie will lead everyone in a nice rendition of the hokey-cokey in Barbaras memory as Timothy Turner plays the piano and Dr T urges them all to be uplifted and join inso he won't have to sort out their grief . Meanwhile, Fred, Shelagh and Sister Julienne forcibly remove Sister Monica Joan from the funeral tea and a furious Violet, Lucille and Phyllis look on aghast as Angela Turner picks the funeral flowers and Sister Winifred comes back from collecting a still pissed up Trixie and drives into the back of the hearse in Phyllis's car.

Tom attenpts to look sad.

Have you seen a sneak preview @DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops

@iklboo no, but this seems to combine everyone nicely. Phyllis would lamp Lucille for attempting to make her sing amazing Grace and get hauled off by Sergeant Wolff to complete the bingo card.

That would be worth the licence fee on its own

I’ve just caught up on this episode and I was in floods of ugly crying. Phyllis at the end really dug in the knife. Amazing acting from her and Charlotte Ritchie. Can’t stand Tom though! What a useless limp noodle.

contrary to be fair, Phyllis is the the nurse while Tom is a curate. Would be a bit ridiculous for Tom to be saying "I'm worried about Barbara; I think she's actually very unwell and needs medical attention," and Phyllis going "Don't be daft lad, she's just getting over a cold."

Just stumbled upon this. As an avid Archers listeners AND Call the Midwife fan I am gutted that I have had to see two characters I liked die within a week of each other because it is sepsis awareness week. It’s an important cause but Waaaa.

On a separate note, since so many are praising the Phyllis actress, if any of you have preschoolers you may be familiar with the Twirlywoos.....she’s the narrator! Amused me a lot when I found that out.

@Wineandpyjamas Tom veers between being a useless limp noodle and a plank

I CRIED HYSTERICALLY AND AM STILL CRYING BUT TBH I CRY AT ADVERTS BAHHHHHHHHHH

I always found barbara insufferably wet as a character, but even I must admit I shed a tear. Mostly because poor Phyllis was so upset!

I don't want Trixie and Tom to get back together, she's far too sparkling and delightful for him. But I do hope she returns to the series soon.

The actress who plays Trixie - her baby is called Wren

I too cried my eyes out and then my mother texted me to say she was crying her eyes out too. This series has been very sad. I need light entertainment on a Sunday evening not end up like a blubbering wreck.

I'm going to let my DD watch it and let me know how it was ( without spoilers)- I can watch it in bbci on Monday.