Call the midwife- brand new series starts tonight!!

[Soubriquet]

At 8pm

Who's ready for it?!

Ah, OK, I misremembered that bit. Shame, I thought they were well suited and nicely different from each other. I feel Barbara and the Rev are just too similar. Sweet, smiley and rather boring.

They were good together yes but he wants the more conservative life style as a person of god wants, and she wants more elaborate lifestyle as Trixie is. They were never going to work out

Sweet, smiley and rather boring.

They are. That's why she didn't want to marry him because she isn't rather sweet, smiley and boring!

I was just thinking,

who makes all the cakes, sandwich and food?

Baking and catering to all the nuns and midwives must be a full time job. Do they have a house keeper? Everyone is too busy working to cook aren't they?

The nuns we only see at pray must do it given everyone else just shows up 5min to go. But it does look good

They have mrs B the housekeeper, who is hardly ever mentioned and never shown.

Is it just my poor recollection of earlier series, or is Sr Monica Joan becoming sprightlier and in possession of more of her marbles with the passing of time? I seem to remember her being less capable and more in need of watching in the first few series.

Sr. Monica Joan's mental powers vary according to the needs of the plot.

Everyone on Call the Midwife is rather stunning aren't they? I mean Shelagh and the vicar and the annoying nun are dowdied up, but they are obviously seriously beautiful. The red headed nurse is jaw droppingly attractive.

Whatever happened to the v timid nurse (maybe or was just a tea lady...my memory is hazy :o )...Jane I think...who arrived when chummy went off somewhere foreign...the first time!

Was she the one who became a nun (now mentally ill after being raped)?

Tinkly, I agree. I like the middle aged midwife (with the car) particularly.

Anyone got view on if they are Catholic or Protestant (C of E) nuns?

No, she was older with dark blonde and v timid and quiet...maybe she wasn't a nurse and more an extra pair of hands!

I remember Jane. She was in the books - didn't she suffer horribly in the workhouse as a child? I can't remember her story in the series or how she came to be offered the job at Nonnatus House though.

I think Jane was a housekeeper/cleaner.

No, a quick google shows she was an auxiliary nurse who left to become a registered nurse. She had a close friendship with a reverend and became pen pals with him.

They are Anglican nuns.

Yes Mornington and Tinkly Sister Monica Joan's problem does seem to wax and wane strangely. I thought she was toast when she 'ran way' to that old house (was it the old convent?) with squatters and fell asleep there, but she's soldiered on and on …..

Sister Monica Joan is way too compos mentis for someone suffering with dementia for so many years. I find it quite annoying.

Judy Parfitt's husband had dementia for a long time. I'm pretty sure she's got a fair idea how it runs.

Judy Parfitt doesn't write her character though.

I understand why Sister Monica Joan hasn't been written out of the show, because she's a good character. I just don't think the progression of her dementia - or lack of - is especially realistic.

No but she has significant input into how it's portrayed. I guess it's in line with her experience of it.

Everyone's different I suppose.

I am not sure about the dementia, I did wonder this as well - she almost seems better than she did in the first series, but perhaps she's only in the early stages still and it only 5 years have passed in the show since the first series (1957-1962).

I'm not that familiar with the progression of dementia, luckily it's not something any of my loved ones had suffered from yet, so I read some information about the stages of dementia here... not sure which stage Sister Monica Joan would be at!

My grandad has had dementia for at least 10 years probably longer before official diagnosis. Only in the last 3 years has he done rapidly down hill and only the last year or so that he really doesn't have many "good" days anymore. If sister Monica Joan is about five years down the line then she could well be quite with it still and have good days and bad days. Also as my grandads medication has been adjusted over the years he has had made improvements and then worsened again iyswim. Not sure what sort of medication there was around then.

I think everyone tends to be good looking when they take care of their skin and hair which people who work in TV obviously do. Even if not really conventionally attractive there's a kind of beauty in the uniqueness of all people and when you spend a lot of time looking at someone's face you definitely see it.

I don't think Sister MJ has changed that much. I think we've just got used to her.