Call The Midwife

[Homethroughthepuddles]

Surprised there's no thread on this. Did anyone watch it last night or has the series reached its natural end and is no longer attracting viewers?

I think the Turner's represent a 'type' of middle class of the 1960's. The era was half a century ago. I was around then...aged 12 ...and I can remember doctor families a bit like them in working class areas. Sheila having previously been a nun who marries a professional serving the community fits in with the type ...'do gooders' who definitely meant well in that particular era but would be considered patronising now.

This episode really really hit me. When I was young my Nan told me my great Nan was a midwife. She explained she had no training but delivered babies, she also eluded that then they both delivered and prevented babies. I’ve only just really sunk in what she meant. She had 14 children herself, very poor, my Nan seemed to describe it as a kindness. It’s only really sunk in with CTM what this all meant. I’ve found it very very emotive

Sister Frances was amazing!! I was watching that and thinking of MN. We all need a sister Frances!

Also well done MN for calling the abortion storyline. Her thwarted dreams of nursing and Sister Julienne mentioning the same infection was the final puzzle piece for me. After that I just waited for the inevitable showdown. I liked the way it was left to us to join the dots to some extent, too. The infection, the price, the aunt being in on it etc. The argument was so well done, too. The irony is that despite being on different sides in this instance, they were both essentially advocating for or at least proving the need for legal abortions. You do wonder where Val thought Nans cash came from though, especially after some of her references to "things she's seen".

The Pughs storyline was of the time I think. He used prostitutes because his army sergeant told him to and he just kept going. Plus divorce was less common and less acceptable then so Heather probably would have stayed IRL. I also thought the counselling was for both of them- presumably to sort him out and help her to see why he did it.

I don't get the Turner hate, I love them! I love that they're happy! I find Lucille so boring though, I'm glad they've given her lovely Cyril to liven her up, I just find her so twee. Is Trixies descent into Bet Lynch mode going to officially signal that she's past it?

I can't recall how much the husband said his wife (the one who died) took from the savings pot.

Though it will turn out to be the nan won't it. Too much laid down laying the road to it. The type of infection, the not being clean and the sending them home to bed usually.

Pretty sure it was £7. More details fit, too. The aunt in the pub is a well placed go between- the "friend" who can help out with a location.

Glad Miriam M is going, I found her character very irritating.

It was definitely £7.

Clawdy, I am not generally a Miriam M. fan but found her character in CTM warmed to me.

Same as NewModelArmyMayhem18

I found her character ok . Still, different strokes for different folks as they say

That white and orange dress Lucille had on was beautiful and really suited her.

Agreed, it was a fab outfit and she even had the exact shade of orange basket and a little orange cardigan / jacket over her arm.

Also wanted to mention how beautiful Jenny Agutter is. There was one scene last night and she gave this absolutely radiant smile. She is so perfectly cast as Sister Julienne - the picture of serenity - not to mention that wonderful voice of hers.

That white and orange dress Lucille had on was beautiful and really suited her. A real contrast between her beautiful (but maybe slightly dated?) frock and what Val and Trixie were wearing 'down the Bingo'.

Haha I thought it was definitely NOT Trixie's usual style .

The woman who died had taken £7 from the pot on the mantle piece. When they said they had nothing to go on, the husband said “well I know this lady charges £7” so it was definitely Val’s Nan that caused the death of their dancing friend. Val obviously worked it out too.

Brilliant acting from both actresses in that scene. Very emotive.

"Trixie looked like Dick Emery at the bingo."

They really signposted about it being Val's nan though didn't they-when Val was talking at the table about someone being hit & having a tooth knocked out.

Then the nan saying she would have liked to have been a nurse.

Bit deflated that I had read it here first,
how did you call it?

I’ve spent too many years watching bbc dramas HoraceCope and they often follow a similar pattern (I now feel old).

They rarely introduce things for no reason too. Val's nan was obviously there for a storyline of some sort and things fitted the abortion one, which seems to be the long running "theme" this series along with women's health in general.

They wouldn’t introduce a relative without it being for more than a quick visit to treat a boil.
It first occurred to me when they showed a close up of the money in the oven so that combined with the infection she had (tied with the fact that women have started getting infections after the abortions) is what tipped me off

I won't hear a bad word about Lucille , she's lovely. Her accent is lovely too.

That's what they wore in those days; Dick Emery in his ( " You're awful but I like you " sketch) was looking glamorous!!. We dressed up to go out in those days

OMG I feel like a dinosaur

I called it early because Val was so filled with anger over the young woman who died after an abortion and the very next week her gran (I was sure it was going to be her mum) was introduced. I just knew the abortionist would turn out to be close to home.

I had an inkling in the last series for some reason - they didn’t give much about Val’e backstory , I knew she had to have something else than just what was said . Have been waiting and waiting for something to have come out , her having some connection to the abortions just made sense somehow .

Incredible acting all round - I was brought up in a very very catholic environment, was told abortion was one of the few things that could you get thrown out of church altogether . I even wrote a horrendous pro life paper at 17 for a school essay .... Eleven years on I’m thankfully a great deal more enlightened and understand the world in a way that nothing can be black and white , nothing can be 100% right or wrong and I think they demonstrated that amazingly last night . There’s absolutely nothing pleasant about terminating pregnancies in the back room of the pub and it being your granny with the tools , it’s horrific, but left in no doubt that it was necessary unfortunately ... given that the government wouldn’t allow for safe and legal abortion at the time , stigma around unmarried mothers , divorce , no real benefits to speak of etc ...

This one hit me hard and I am a tough old bird. I was in the East End doing my paediatric nursing, in the mid sixties, a colleague fell pregnant and had an abortion in a grotty hotel. After the deed was done she started to haemorrhage and the 2 women fled and left her to die. She was 20.Thank goodness for the abortion act.

can anyone fill me in on the doctors children.
is the oldest boy the doctors from his first wife, is angela adopted, i get that may is fostered and what about the youngest boy is he fostered as well
i missed alot of ctmw

Timmy is with Dr T's first wife and Angela is adopted. Teddy (?) was a surprise natural pregnancy for Shelagh.