Call the Midwife, I love Sunday night telly!!

[BrightnessFalls]

well, I will do for the next six weeks

maybe Susie.........

Its ages since I read Call the midwife but I read Shadows of the workhouse much more recently - The final third of that is devoted to Joseph Collett basically, no love interest mentioned in that book - she takes Mr Collett to the soldiers event by herself (and it seemed much more grand in her description than it did in the episode). Her descriptions also made his flat seem much more squalid than shown in the episode -also in truth he was almost blind which I didnt really pick up whilst watching the episode.

I seem to have been attacked by the word 'episode' there

watched it for the first time tonight and have now watched the other two episodes on iplayer - saddo that i am - thought it was, what was the expression, 'sentimental tosh'(!) - loved it

pranma where did you grow up? i am from the ne and we recently moved from there to the deep south. still a bit homesick so any connection with home still important to me

Perfect Sunday night telly - better not to deconstruct it though as I don't think it will stand up to much. Love Miranda in it! Some of the labour scenes have been a big close to home though - memories of my last one are still a bit too fresh!

Jimmy features in the first book, with another young male platonic friend. I didn't like the bits with them in TBH, they took away from the action.

IIRC Jimmy "got a girl into trouble" and had to give up his architect training to marry her. Thereafter Jennifer never saw him again except once many years later she bumped into him in a supermarket car park. He had a harridan of a wife with him and looked utterly defeated.

DH cried at last night! Mr Collet reminded him of his Mum!

Does anyone else remember in the book that Mr Collet 'visited' Jennifer years on - she awoke to see a much younger version of him by her bed and he spoke to her, something like what was said on TV last night, that she "knew how to love." I am not woo in the slightest but I love stories like that.

oh Balloon !

Harriet have you lost your broodiness now ?!

Not lost but I was asleep by the time dh got in. He's threatening to sue the bbc for child support if I get pregnant due to extreme broodiness due to this programme I'm not going to mention the fact he keeps talking baby names

balloon you are right I remember now

I cried watching this last night. I watched it on sky+ so I got peace when dc were in bed. I was texting my friend while it was on she had seen it and I kept saying babies not his was sobbing when he held the baby and said he'd never seen a more beautiful one and the bit at the end with him proudly taking his boy to the baby clinic

I thought they shaved at lesat when it started, because things like pubic lice were so common.

The account of Jenny's friendship with Mr Collett was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Roy Hudd was excellent casting I think - though as others have said, Miranda as Chummy is absolutely inspired - possibly the best casting in the piece.

Does anyone else think that the young Jenny is the spitting image of the Queen at that age?

I loved it so much last night. I though Roy Hudd was fantastic & I sobbed so much at his scenes. I've ordered the book now.

Really enjoyed it as usual but DH questioned Roy Hudds age as he said he went to war at 17 and if this was the 50s then he would have been born at beginning of century and therefore would have only been in his 50s whereas he looks a lot older.

I don't pick up on stuff like that but he does unfortunately. What does it say in the book?

I was born in 1959 and this prog makes me feel ancient; it all looks as historical (is that a word?) as Downton Abbey
I used to live in flats in E London just like those until we moved here about 10 years ago; it seems very accurate in that way.
As someone said ^, the NHS is very significant; deliberate mention because of the cuts?

inchoccyheaven

he said it was the boer war he fought in at 17 so he was the right age

(Not the first world war)

I think they said he had been a Scots Guardsman in the Boer War - my DH complained that he was introduced at the reunion as "Private" instead of "Guardsman" - are they all (DHS I mean) a bit pernickety about such things?

I loved the first episodes I saw, but not Top Gear is back on so I will be missing it as DH and 2 Dss want to watch that. Bugger. Can't be bothered to i-player it, as this would mean going into the COLD room! Blast Dh and his mean spiritedness. Won't let us have the central heating on!

Ah thanks for that who know and cat :)

Just finished watching it and cried all the bloody way through . In far too hormonal and post natal to be allowed to watch things like this. Not helped by spending my days catching up on all three series of OBEM.

And despite myself I'm becoming a firm Miranda fan, and I bloody hate her!

I am emigrating next week so will miss the last 2 episodes :( I asked dh last night if I coulld stay behind for an extra 2 weeks just so I wouldn't miss the rest of the the series. I was only half joking :)

i wasnt so keen on last nights episode. i would go so far as to say i was bored watchign it
I do hope next weeks goes back to the women centred stories.
I havent read the book, I am a qualified midwife though and thankfully no longer have to carry out many of their practices.

My old flat in islington was like that. It was lovely when I lived in it but I could imagine what is was like when it was built. No bathroom, shared loos etc.

I heard the director on R4. She doesnt usually work on adaptations when the author is alive (J.Worth only died recently). She said she couldnt bear to upset anyone but doing it wrong. She said they worked very closely and she hardly had to make any changes to the original stories.

I read all the books but maybe its time I re-read them.

This made me think last night,my great aunt,who is in her late 90's now,had a mixed race baby during the war.An African American platoon were stationed in the village during the war and were made very welcome by the locals,they held parties and concerts for them,invited them around for tea and they were treated like kings.Gt aunt gave birth to her baby,and when her husband found out,he shot himself.

The soldiers are still remembered fondly around here and there is more than one farmer with an African American father or grandad.

Don't know about Call the Midwife but Birdsong was brilliant. Eddie Redmayne is such a fantastic actor and I definitely felt like the TV licence fee was justified by this excellent adaptation.

birdsong is the best tv ive seen in ages,sobbing at the end.

Oh God I couldnt stand Birdsong. I was really looking forward to it too.
All that whispering and intense pauses and staring.

I am afraid it drove me bonkers.