Call the Midwife

[ilovecarbs90]

Is back 18th April. I'm so glad we are getting a series this year, I find it such great escapism.

Is anyone else a fan?

We decided immediately that poor Fiona was going to make a rapid exit, leaving Very Handsome Widower for Trixie one day.
Sister Julienne just gets better, if that’s even possible.
The evicted family, that was awful.

We don't hear Vanessa Redgrave now do we???

@Elderflower14

We don't hear Vanessa Redgrave now do we???

Is that not her voice at the end? Bit older and croakier now. I assumed it was her but maybe not?

On another note did anyone find the scene with the dying woman's parents a bit odd? They came in in silence, didn't acknowledge the husband, didn't say a word, then 2 minutes later when she died they had disappeared. Were they ghosts or something?

@MyOtherProfile

On another note did anyone find the scene with the dying woman's parents a bit odd? They came in in silence, didn't acknowledge the husband, didn't say a word, then 2 minutes later when she died they had disappeared. Were they ghosts or something?

If actors say something they get paid more, also they have to be members of equity. If they are a real couple, to allow for closeness, it was possible that one of them wasn’t an actor and therefore not an Equity member. But the person who was could have still said something to the husband.

@EastWestWhosBest we did wonder if it was because they don't get paid as much. It just seemed very odd and didn't add to the storyline at all. In fact it was detrimental because I focussed on that more than the sadness of her death!

Must have been to do with SD as it just felt so odd. I’d noticed while watching it but forgot to say something!

Well done Patsy! Emerald Fennell just won a best screenplay oscar!

I’m just watching it now and I’ve enjoyed it

Trixie was a very good actress. She portrayed her anger very well.

As soon as I saw the D&C though, I knew it would be an abortion.

Love this so much. So glad they managed to film during covid so we still get to see it. They've done well. Love the Buckles. Hope we see the homeless family again as I want things to improve for them

The film Vera Drake contrasted that when abortions were illegal rich women could still have them but the poor had dangerous back street abortions too. Good film. Jennifer Worth said you can't ban abortions you can only ban safe ones, because of what she'd seen through her work. Safe ones get made legal a year after this is set in 67

I don’t think Trixie’s reaction worked for me.

She has worked as a midwife for ten/fifteen years. She would know private clinics did abortions. She would have seen the aftermath of illegal abortions. She would know change was coming. I don’t feel like her reaction would have been to shout at the surgeon. It makes no sense to me.

You're right. I remember a harrowing storyline where they had to deal with the aftermath of a backstreet abortion. It was grim. Sr Julienne did not report the young woman to the police. She said Midwife means "with woman" and that was their duty.

I’m trying to remember who Jacinta was

I can’t remember her in previous episodes

I agree NewLynHill that her reaction didn't really work

Agree Trixie's reaction with the doctor felt off. He certainly was sure she knew what was going on. And given her work in family planning, she should have known some women got the money together for a posh clinic sometimes.

But now it feels weird that the clinic approached the nuns in the first place.
Still it was nice for Trixie to have a storyline.

Throughout all the previous series, it always seemed to me they would clear up after the abortionists without judgement. They must have known there were 'better' places.

Trixie did say to Dr Julienne she was angry that poor women got a kitchen table and rich women got a clean hospital. That sums it up.

Apparently one of my ancestors went to prison for being an abortionist. About 100years ago now. Since the family also has a long history of Doctors, I do wonder if he was one of the good ones. Unfortunately not a story that can be tracked down, my grandmother told me (it was her uncle I think?) And she knew second hand, and her generation is all gone now.

I was a bit that the husband of the woman who cheated, was just supposed to accept and be happy with the situation.

I couldn't work out how the arrangement with the Lady Emily would benefit Nonnatus. The nuns wage would be paid directly to the order, but that would leave them short staffed and needing to pay another nurse a full wage. Let alone that it goes against the charism of their order. I don't think the writers. Have any idea of religious life.

Does anyone know how do they film births with newborn babies? I find it fascinating..

I think the dh was angry that his wife cheated but realised it wasn't the baby's fault so came round to the idea of not giving him up. I did wonder if we were supposed to think a girl baby would have been given up for adoption as the fact he was a boy seemed to be a factor in swaying him!
Did anyone see the recent Long Lost Family about a boy who was a product of an affair while the dh was away at war. The dad came back after 18 months and said "It's him or me!" so he was given up at 18 months and in barnardos til age 7 and then given to a not very loving family? At least he'd had a 50 year happy marriage

Well some here grabbed the storyline and ran with it eh?

Trixie may well be about to be wooed by the widowoooooer.

If SMJ doesn’t regain her faith after this then there is no faith to be had.

For Trixie has found the only rich handsome bloke with no sense of smell...

Praise be.

And young nun has found her baws swinging under her habit. Thank the lord that the short pinafore did not reveal them to the world.

Praise be.

And I have an appointment with a cheese and onion flan too which makes me just like my heroine Phyllis.

Praise be.

Did anyone else notice that the baby the widowed husband was wheeling in the pram was the same baby that was born on the bed to the cheating wife?

Oooh, a stunt baby!

I thought that the unshaven version of Good Looking Widower looked like High Grant playing Jeremy Thorpe, especially with all the period furniture. Very distracting.