Call the Midwife - Christmas Special

[Maireas]

I have loved CTM for years, great characters and stories. Some nice parts last night, but is anyone getting tired of Sr Monica Joan? We jokes in another thread about how much teal there was, so I did laugh at Phyllis having a teal trapeze outfit!

I've heard before of labours being 'blocked' by something emotional - eg one woman only went into labour once her mum was back from holiday and she felt safer with her mum on call. Shelagh did refer to something blocking Gloria's labour so I assumed that's why she encouraged Gloria to speak about her lost babies. That rang true to me. Phyllis on the trapeze didn't ring true but I didn't care one bit - it was glorious!

I do hope Trixie and Cyril isn't a story coming along - that would leave Lucille very sad! Trixie needs a man of her own storyline, although I'd be sad to see her leave, which she inevitably would!

Yes I'm over-invested!

@Bowednotbroken I still think the dentist was a good option. I know he had the sproglet in tow but still

I agree!! But sadly the ex-wife didn't...

I thought the dentist was going to be one if Trixies dates. Was disappointed that he wasn't. I'm not a fan of Phyllis or Valerie. The nuns don't seem to be acting like the quite high church nuns that they should be anymore.

Maybe the no show date was the now widowed vicar and once fiancee who in real life is Helen's partner?

Ooh Maireas there's a tempting thought!

I bloody hope not. He was like a wet weekend in Walthamstow.

I did wonder about Rev. Herewood coming back and marrying Trixie. But it just wouldn't work imo. They tried and failed at a relationship. She isn't cut out to be a Vicars wife.

No, they just weren't suited. She's far to shallow.

Trixie's wealthy relative would certainly cut off her allowance if she married Cyril. I don't think she'd be able to cope and he wouldn't be able to keep her in the manner to which she is accustomed.

I was certain I had seen Rev Tom in the promotional stuff for the coming series. Could easily have been an old photo though.

Grinning at the Cherokee discussion - word for word, it happened in our house during the program. I said I didn't think they'd use that term. Mum pointed out the song 'Three Wheels on My Wagon'. I conceded the point

p.s. I want the dentist back for Trixie.

@Toddlerteaplease

I thought the dentist was going to be one if Trixies dates. Was disappointed that he wasn't. I'm not a fan of Phyllis or Valerie. The nuns don't seem to be acting like the quite high church nuns that they should be anymore.

Yes I was waiting for this too! I always thought their reason for splitting up was a bit odd, but then I suppose I'm looking at it from a different perspective.,.., divorce was much more of a big deal then.

Doesn't sister Monica Joan have dementia? No-one mentions it now, but I'm sure it was quite bad in series 1.
It annoys me that the portrayal of dementia patients on TV is always so whimsical. This is why it's such a struggle to get across to anyone without first hand experience what it's like to care for someone with this awful illness.

@Candleabra

Doesn't sister Monica Joan have dementia? No-one mentions it now, but I'm sure it was quite bad in series 1. It annoys me that the portrayal of dementia patients on TV is always so whimsical. This is why it's such a struggle to get across to anyone without first hand experience what it's like to care for someone with this awful illness.

Absolutely! They make out that it's just dotty old ladies and miss out the violence and double incontinence.

Yes, dementia is not charming, is it?

It was twee, schmaltzy and totally unrealistic. I loved it all 😂

It certainly isn't. I used to watch CTM with my mum when it started. Who knew what was in store for us. She is 70, in 24 hr care, barely eats, no speech, no recognition, unable to do a single thing for herself. Meanwhile SMJ is every bit the charming, slightly eccentric and wise older lady. I think this was a missed opportunity to show the reality of dementia in a prime time show.

What happened to the drug-addicted junior doctor? I’m hoping he’ll reappear in the new series.

I thought he would be Valerie's love interest.

Ah, so no longer needed. That’s a shame - could have been a good storyline.

@Dailyhandtowelwash

But Cherokee Indians is how people spoke in the 60s. The description ‘Indian’ or ‘American Indian’ is outdated at best, and considered offensive by many. The Cherokee tribe is extremely famous and has always been talked about. It struck me for the opposite reason to you; that it was an old fashioned expression.

Had they said ‘First Nation’ or even ‘Native American’, I would agree with you.

Depends on the tribe. I was talking to a Shoshone elder for work and said "Native American" and was swiftly corrected- he said "anyone born in America is native to it. We're Indians."

Really? How interesting. I guess like any other term, it’s about ownership. Indian certainly isn’t a newly coined politically correct term though!

Another interesting thing (I think) is that Navajo was used for coding messages in WW2. So it's not like different tribes were unknown.