Call the Midwife.

[Toddlerteaplease]

What is going on with Mother Mildreds make up?

When CTM first started it seemed quite gritty with a touch of sugar. But now its just beome a sickly sweet. Is it because it is no longer based on the diaries of Jennifer Worth?

And when did they start playing that annoying twee music in the background the whole time.

Its like the worst sort of children's tv from 50s with a Christian message being annoying waved around.

I am not sure which is worse that the writer now gives her actor husband all the really virtuous lines because she thinks that's good for his career, or that he asks her to.

What a shame.

It's early series were really informative and historically interesting.

Maybe all series should never go beyond 3 or maybe 4 at the most.

Oh I like the Turners! However my favourite people are the midwives, especiallly Phyllis Crane. She's a gem. The nuns are all great too, Sr Julienne is so kind and wise and the new nun, Sr Hilda is a real character.

I am just watching this, and have realised that Phyllis (Linda Bassett) is pretty much the only reason I watch.

I thought it was crap! Turned it off. Used to love it but was a ridiculous storyline!

One if the best moments on TV ever, was on last year’s CTM Christmas Special, when Phylis left the party to go outside and sob after Barbara died.

Whose going to deliver babies or look after the sick in Poplar. They wouldn't just let so many midwifes and what seems to be the only GP just go to the outer hebrides for a week. Very odd storyline?

The Isle of Harris FB page had a field day with the filming locations. Few comments about waiting for the tourist complaints about having to drive to the standing stones from the blackhouse village, and not seeing white stags.
I love Harris and Lewis but can't stand Call the Midwife so haven't bothered watching it.

Why did the sign say “Presbyterian Church of Scotland”? The Church of Scotland is Presbyterian - that’s a fundamental part of it. Think they got confused with the Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland, aka the Wee Frees.

Is the Free Presbyterian Church not the Wee Wee Frees?

The Free Church is the Wee Frees.

I think.

Yes, wondered why they felt the need to relocate so many of the main characters elsewhere. (Like how the shoe horned Fred in.

I was hoping that Dr Turner would fall out of the boat.

I find it very unlikely that they'd have just abandoned their mission in Poplar on a whim. The South Africa thing I can understand. But I doubt they'd have taken the only GP and Fred, and what seemed like the only vicar as well!

The Wee free is the reformed Presbyterian church

Besides, the order it's based on pulled out of the east end in the late 60's or 70's.

But it's set in the 1960s, so how is that a problem?

As far as I remember, they changed their focus from midwifery to helping drug addicts etc when hospital births became the norm. They were in Poplar till well into the 70s.

I used to love Shelagh but they've turned her into an insufferable PITA. I was a mega fan but it lost the plot several series ago. I only watch it for nostalgia's sake now.

I enjoyed it in a pleasant watching with a glass of wine way but it wasn't vintage stuff. I was actually worried the Turners were going to leave as they're one of the few connections left to the original series. I find louella and Valerie a bit boring. They ever really gelled with the series the way other incomers like Barb3and Patsy did.

I thought it was the poorest CTM Christmas special by a long way. Even Sister Monica Joan's escapades didn't do the trick! There just wasn't much substance to it really.

I'm wondering whether Heidi Thomas is running out of obs/gynae/social issues upon which to base plot lines. I'm assuming, judging by Trixie's clothes, that we're heading in the late 60s by now?

I think they are also downplaying the amount of racism that Lucille would have encountered.

Shelagh used to be a great, nuanced character, but now she's basically a prop for pain-faced doctor (thanks for that PP ) and a bit of a Mary Sue. And I agree about the new characters. Phyllis is great, Trixie is getting a bit dull but she's at least a link to old, but the newer ones don't have the same charisma and depth as the old ones. It feels like they're phoning it in a bit now.

It was set in 1964.

Gosh, I'm not sure Trixie's clothes were entirely 'of their time' were they? Weren't the Beatles still wearing suits in 1964? Everything was still quite 'prim and proper'. Trixie looked as if she'd been influenced by Jimi Hendrix!

Besides, the order it's based on pulled out of the east end in the late 60's or 70's.

This is the problem, the introduction of the pill in the 60s and the rising popularity of hospital births and the tearing down of the old slum housing made them redundant. They relocated and eventually turned to helping drunk addicts and later HIV sufferers. They are scraping the barrel in terms of stories now.

Trixie's wardrobe is just a joke, I doubt midwives were particularly well paid then (or now).

I thought Trixie also had a private income?

@CaptainMyCaptain, I agree about Trixie's wardrobe. I'm assuming though that she is from a wealthy background, so has additional funds to spend?

I thought it was a pile of nonsense why would a bunch of Anglican nuns and nurses traipse away to stornoway in the first place and then of course the first scottish person they see is her from Brave they really struggled and it was on for 90 bloody minutes !