Call the Midwife.

[Toddlerteaplease]

What is going on with Mother Mildreds make up?

Shelagh is their most experienced midwife and administrator. Would have made more sense to leave Dr T wat urner with the kids.

The .midwives were going to convalesce or something after their flu

But they're in CTM, surely they knew that there'd be a spike in pregnancies and births as soon as they turned up, and that it was inevitable that they'd end up rowing themselves through a storm at least once.

This is very true as soon as there is a sniff of nonatus midwife they pop out 10 to the dozen.

I agree wasn’t my favourite, and only one birth? With one baby seen afternoon being born in car on the way. Normally a good few babies.

Why did Fred go? When Nurse could drive the van perfectly well? The whole point was the top nun had thought they were called there. I thought maybe by the end she would have seems differently need but they all came back to normal day to day.

Totally hoping expecting MJ to die after he stag. Surely the mother house would have made her go out of the way by now?

It was all very heart warming but still the worst CTM ever. The crap lack of research about island life in those days and the stereotyping eg the Merida lookalike really cheesed me off.
I wonder if the inspiration came from a documentary last year about the single midwife covering a large part of the islands. I can't remember what channel it was on.

Some of it reminded me of The Hills Is Lonely, the book by Lilian Beckwith. She portrayed the Scottish islanders as a bunch of silly peasants, and they were furious at her depiction of their lives. This wasn't as bad as that, but the scene with the boatman was ridiculous.

They had car ferries in the Hebrides in the 60s. I grew up listening to my Grans tales of her life in the Hebrides from 50s-70s. I watched with my DM last night, she said some bits were plausible (not all of it!). But a Nurse and GP covering a whole island etc.

The sheer number of staff was implausible. And DM had a Christmas tree growing up. Smuggling was big business.

Also my DM had a friend called Islay.

I'm currently watching the Christmas 2017 Christmas special, I had actually not seen it before. It's in Poplar set in December 1962-whenever 1963. Snow and the big freeze. I remember that, it started snowing where I lived (SE London) just before my thirteen birthday which was new year's eve and there were still patches of snow around in April! I naturally find this episode interesting.

One bit I have found a bit - not spooky but worrying - about a baby thought to be stillborn but turns out not to be, another story which has a very, very sad history but I'm hopeful of a happy ending. Adverts on at the moment.

Certainly a better Christmas effort than this year's but we can get over that, the series is good generally.

Yes I watched the 2017 special too. Excellent. Lovely that if brought back memories for you too.

I agree it wasn't the best CTM Christmas special. I think it's well acted with some great characters but the plot wasn't especially exciting or Christmassy. Reggie (I think he's fab) saved the day with his paper chains otherwise it would have barely been Christmas at all. I would have liked to see Effy move to Poplar too. Hopefully the new series will bring some better story lines.

I wonder whether Heidi Thomas envisaged it going on for so many series when she was commissioned to do the first series? I suspect not? I bet they brainstormed lots of interesting storylines at the off but probably finding they have to do much more research now to find them.

Have the nine seasons covered nine years of chronology or more? I guess the mid-50s to late 60s was a time of huge change, particularly in terms of medical care.

Was it season 7 when Barbara and Tom got married or was that the previous one? I seem to recall swirling snowflakes and someone getting married?

End of series 6. Shelagh had just given birth to miracle baby.

She didn't envisage it, no. Yes it has covered, or will have covered 9 years chronologically. And they've always done shedloads of research, that's one thing they're good at. I think it should have ended after series 6 though. It went skidding downhill after that.

Trixie must be mid 30s at least? I know she's had a few love affairs, but would a woman of her age still be living that lifestyle?

(Phyllis is different, it's been mentioned she lost someone in the war)

It feels as if it's been around for more than eight (with the next being the ninth) seasons. A lot of water under the bridge.

So which season was it in that Barbara died? Seven?

I don't quite understand why Phyllis is still a normal nurse. Someone oh her age, character and experience would have been a sister/ matron by then.

Phyllis may not have wanted that type of role though? I do actually think she fulfills the management role amongst the midwives. She's certainly in charge, isn't she?

Phyllis is a senior nurse though she wasbrought it to take over from Sister Evangelinne (Rip) . I was in hospital a lot in the 70s/80s a lot of nurses like nurse Crane they make patients feel safe and reassured especially a sick child I have a soft spot for Phyllis.

Phyllis is one of my favourite characters. So sad and yet poignant when she nursed Barbara through her final illness. She's one of those characters who seemed brusque and a bit hard to start with but is a treasure and has a heart of gold.

Trixie is annoying - where does her money for clothes come from? As somebody else said, she must be in her mid 30s by now.

Where does the money come from? Who are the nurses paid by? Or are they NHS funded now?

PlomBear Trixie has a private income.

Has it actually been stated she has a private income though? I know she has a rich godmother who perhaps purchased a couple of outfits for her.

Why is somebody who loves manicures and Parisian fashion working as a midwife in the East End?

I cant remember exact details but she was talking about her fathers alcoholism and spoke about his money and caring for him put her towards nursing she felt guilty about not being able to save him.

Tricia is annoying. The comment about the cocktail dress was ridiculous. She just needs to get married to the dentist.