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?

I read the books years ago before the tv show and loved them and enjoyed the first few series of CTM, but whenever I revisit it it’s like a pastiche of the 1960s. It’s gone on too long.

That Christmas edition when they went to Scotland was silly!

@Tittybittybangbang

I read the books years ago before the tv show and loved them and enjoyed the first few series of CTM, but whenever I revisit it it’s like a pastiche of the 1960s. It’s gone on too long.

I loved loved the books. Could feel, smell the east end just by reading them. I had family in Elephant & Castle & Stepney that we used to visit in 60’s & 70’s & the books just remind me of those times. I know they are earlier in time but hope you understand what I mean!

Teal overload - this blog from 11 years ago explains why. The writer is talking about Hollywood films but it's endemic in UK TV now as well. I hate it. Apparently it's all to do with digital colour alteration to make flesh tones stand out better, but it's gone ridiculously over the top.

theabyssgazes.blogspot.com/2010/03/teal-and-orange-hollywood-please-stop.html

to everyone who has experienced the loss of a baby. So very sad.

I have to agree with everyone else. This programme is way past its best now. I still like it, but it's nothing like it was - so formulaic. It's getting like Casualty. I haven't watched that for a long time, but when I did, half the fun was spotting what this week's odd accident/illness was going to be. The nursing home storyline is particularly dreadful. The Carry On/Barbara Windsor reference is spot on.

Oh, and finally - I attended a state primary school in Edinburgh in 1966, aged 5. I had a full blazer and tie uniform with a hat. I dimly remember being instructed what to do with the hat when we were rehearsing for a visit by the Queen Mother to open a new building.

To those of you who want SMJ writing out, why? She's old yes but the lovely point of this programme (in the books) is that it reflected real life in the East End in the 50s and 60s and old people didn't die when convenient or when those caring for them got bored. They still don't! I think the programme is doing a wonderful job of showing from both sides the devastation of getting old, losing ones marbles and mobility and how distressing it can be for all concerned.

I stand corrected over the blazer and boaters! But possibly because I was at primary school in inner city Manchester, we had no uniforms at all! Maybe Poplar was posher than I thought.

Didn't the Turner's move to the suburbs a few years back?

Yes they moved to a big house in series 6 (I said I was an obsessive 😏). It was implied they moved out of Poplar but not where. He's doing well, big house, owns the maternity home, shitloads of kids. It's a wonder he doesn't keel over from a heart attack with the stress please God

@blobby10

To those of you who want SMJ writing out, why? She's old yes but the lovely point of this programme (in the books) is that it reflected real life in the East End in the 50s and 60s and old people didn't die when convenient or when those caring for them got bored. They still don't! I think the programme is doing a wonderful job of showing from both sides the devastation of getting old, losing ones marbles and mobility and how distressing it can be for all concerned.

I don’t want her written out but I do want some better storylines for her.

Wasn’t there one where she had to fire up the bathing tub for two horribly neglected children, and the scene drew on all of Sister Monica’s years looking after the very poorest children? That was quality.

The problem with SMJ is there is no consistency with her character development. She's been edging towards Alzheimer's, then just a bit eccentric, incredibly frail but then remarkably robust. Close minded and then randomly liberal. She's just used as a plot device most of the time and it's getting boring. She'll have a miraculous recovery in an episode or two and then hang around in limbo until the next time they run out of ideas.

I had also blanked from my memory the awful fashion show for the nuns new uniforms. God. How has Sister Julienne gone from conniptions over Trixie's leotards to hosting a fashion show for nuns? Updating the uniform was all well and good, but come on!

Those new nun uniforms were awful...no wonder Sister Frances looked so uncomfortable

@Rockbird

Yes they moved to a big house in series 6 (I said I was an obsessive 😏). It was implied they moved out of Poplar but not where. He's doing well, big house, owns the maternity home, shitloads of kids. It's a wonder he doesn't keel over from a heart attack with the stress please God

🤞

*I don’t want her written out but I do want some better storylines for her.

Wasn’t there one where she had to fire up the bathing tub for two horribly neglected children, and the scene drew on all of Sister Monica’s years looking after the very poorest children? That was quality.*

I agree with this. I really enjoyed this storyline. I really like the actress and think the character could have lots to give the series. I've loved the bits where she's shared information about how things used to be done, or older viewpoints etc. And where her lifetime of experience and compassion, coupled with her spare time now, has meant she can give great emotional care to some patients and other characters.

I just get frustrated that, in the more recent series, she is just asked to be Old rather than really contribute to the other storylines. It's a real shame (imo).

I do think it's completely unrealistic that Trixie isn't married by now. She would definitely have bagged herself a husband even if it was just to move out of nonatus house!!

Just catching up. It was ok. But the fashion show was ridiculous. Nuns would never have done that. And still wouldn't now. Well none of the ones I know would!

Sr MJ is probably the only person who has recovered from
Dementia and managed to get rid of her glasses post cataract surgery!

@Toddlerteaplease

Sr MJ is probably the only person who has recovered from Dementia and managed to get rid of her glasses post cataract surgery!

My Mum a retired optician hates it when people don't wear thick glasses after a cataract operations. She couldn't stand Mrs Pattmore the cook in Downton Abbey when she wore glasses confit like one episode after her operation

I remember that episode with bathing the children who were neglected and then the sent them to Australia on the child emigration programme where they faced more neglect and abuse. Heartbreaking.

@3CCC yes, it really irritated me as well. My grandma had her cataracts done in the 70's and was blind without her glasses!

These days though they replace the lens in your eye with a prosthetic when you have your cataract removed. My mum had had every poor sight all her life and with the replacement lens was corrective so she only wears glasses for reading now.
(This is of course these days and not back then)

Love it and caught up this evening.

The Dr is the worst actor on the planet, I agree. It's all part of the charm tho.

Just watched tonight. I've watched ctm since the start. I love it but I wish they had did more episodes in the 1950s. I preferred it then. Not as keen on the late 60s.

No I’ve already decided if the magic doesn’t return next week I w0nt be buying this series, and I’ve got all of them.

Possibly unpopular but I can't stand Angela and May Turner. They are just so, so staged. Everything they done has to be in unison and it looks as if they've rehearsed it hundreds of times but to the extent where there's nothing natural about it. I know they're young kids, but the actor who played Timothy for example, must've been about their age in series 1/2 and he was brilliant.