Page 37 | Call the Midwife

GreenClock · 31/01/2022 18:36

The pregnant woman’s use of the word “grabby” during the conversation with Lucille about bookkeeping seemed out of context in 1967.

Dr Tuner must be accustomed to wheelchair-bound patients and those with frames etc. Numerous patients will have fought in wars or been involved in the bombing, there will have been plenty of disabilities about in 1967 London. Weird then, that the protocol involved a teenager hoiking folk up the steep steps.

I live Phyllis and Millicent and Sister Hilda. Sister Julienne is brilliant. I’d like more airtime for Timothy - maybe he’ll arrive home from university with a wife or something (my Dad’s friend did just that as a 20yo in the 1950s).

They could have cut the injury/jumble sale stuff and made more of the domestic violence. I thought the husband and wife were well-acted, the boy too, and that little girl is outstanding in everything she does. Seemed a bit of a waste of a good crop of actors.

Pregnancy suits Helen George, she looks wonderful.

Akire · 31/01/2022 18:42

There must been better way in can’t tell me
Someone in Labour who’s unconscious needs c section and rush to hospital has to be carried out by stretcher down massive flight of stairs?

Having said that Im a wheelchair user and struggle get in my surgery can’t fit in half the rooms, or have to have consultant with door open and if I need blood test I can’t get done at local nhs testing place near surgery because it has a step so I have nice 45min round trip to my hospital

TheBestofTimesTheWorstofTimes · 31/01/2022 19:27

I’d like more airtime for Timothy - maybe he’ll arrive home from university with a wife or something (my Dad’s friend did just that as a 20yo in the 1950s)

I get the impression we are being prepared for Timothy to be coming home with a partner...but not a wife... Luckily his father Dr Mansplain has already showed us his acceptance so we know it will be a one episode plotline of him sorting out of everything remotely negative from other people even though that is how it would have been in the 60's

blyn72 · 31/01/2022 19:43

@Snorkmaidenn

I totally agree. Love this show but would stoic Phyllis cry about a windfall?

Yes.

iklboo · 31/01/2022 19:57

@TheBestofTimesTheWorstofTimes - oh yes. Shelagh will ask the nuns to arrange a lovely big Coming Out party for Tim & all the Poplar residents will come along for naughty cake and a sing-song.

Fred will have a minute's grumble about it Not Being Right but Dr St Och Patrick of Poplar will make a long mansplaining speech - probably with a tear in his eye - that society has been Wrong All Along, making Fred see how bigoted he's been.

SantaClawsServiette · 31/01/2022 20:12

@Abraxan

Pregnant female actors have been in many shows, often using the same filming techniques to shoot it.

Probably one of the most well known times was in Friends, when Courtney Cox was pregnant in the later series. Currently washing. Brooklyn 99 and one of the women are pregnant in real life, but not in the show. You can always tell to an extent but for most viewers it really isn't that big a deal.

But yes, I believe that women actors should be able to continue filming whilst pregnant and reasonably adjustments made should they wish. How they film this show and other shows would come under reasonable adjustments and don't really have that much bearing in the show overall, even less so in times of covid and distancing.

The person making the tweet claimed to continue to work/act when wanting to become.when pregnant was unprofessional. I disagree entirely.

I'm not disputing that it happens or is possible, but it isn't compatible with all roles - there are cases where it couldn't be hidden.

In those cases it might make more sense for the actor to take a leave of absence, and that should be accommodated just like in any other job where that is necessary.

Original poster

Toddlerteaplease · 31/01/2022 20:21

Tim must be superman, how on Earth did he manage to get that bloke, who was twice the size of him up the stairs!

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SantaClawsServiette · 31/01/2022 20:24

It might be nice to have more Sister Hilda. I think she's been underused.

MadisonAvenue · 31/01/2022 20:31

@Toddlerteaplease

Tim must be superman, how on Earth did he manage to get that bloke, who was twice the size of him up the stairs!

I know! And I dread to think how he got him back down again!

0blio · 31/01/2022 20:52

No idea what those pants they were talking about were. Does anyone have a clue? Unless they meant dark coloured knickers?

They were white and had a plastic lined gusset to help stop your pad (which was just thick cottonwool really) from leaking. The pad had loops front and back and was held in place with a belt with hooks. Normal pants were worn on top of these layers and it was all very sweaty and uncomfortable.

blyn72 · 31/01/2022 22:00

I remember those though I never used them.

Socialcarenope · 31/01/2022 22:20

SantaClawsServiette there was a show I watched years ago, but I can't remember what, where one of the main characters was pregnant in real life and they made no adjustments what so ever in the show, she was just obviously pregnant, but it was just ignored. Weirdly kind of worked once you got used to it.

Nevermindful · 31/01/2022 22:38

I love it when shows are working around pregnant actors. It never bothers me, I just enjoy playing “spot the bump”. Brooklyn 99 was clever as they had Amy fake being pregnant while the actor was pregnant. It’s such a ridiculous thing to get upset about, let the women work.

Original poster

Toddlerteaplease · 31/01/2022 22:39

Not sure why Trixie was getting so irate that nothing had been put in place for the paraplegic man. Of course it hadn't, he self discharged. There would have been no time to set up the support he would need!

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Snowisfalling33 · 31/01/2022 23:00

@Snorkmaidenn

I totally agree. Love this show but would stoic Phyllis cry about a windfall?

I think so yes. That was explained quite well, she's always seen herself as poor and assumed she'd struggle later on in life. She has a big issue with being illegitimate and struggling for money goes hand in hand. So a big windfall would be a huge shock to her and she'd need to change her whole mindset.

I was actually surprised that she cried at the miscarriage because that surely would be an unpleasant but common part of her work. I'd have expected her to be very kind but calm and unflappable.

Maybe she felt guilty because Lucille was so unlucky whilst she had been so lucky?

PriamFarrl · 31/01/2022 23:03

I thought it was out of character for her to go off at the last minute and leave them under staffed like that.

DePfeffoff · 31/01/2022 23:03

She was irate because she thought that was the reason for all his bruises.

Snowisfalling33 · 31/01/2022 23:07

@PriamFarrl

I thought it was out of character for her to go off at the last minute and leave them under staffed like that.

Me too! I actually thought she would cancel her trip and use the money to send Lucille and Cyril on holiday instead, was so surprised when she just went off.

Justkeeppedaling · 31/01/2022 23:10

@0blio

No idea what those pants they were talking about were. Does anyone have a clue? Unless they meant dark coloured knickers?

They were white and had a plastic lined gusset to help stop your pad (which was just thick cottonwool really) from leaking. The pad had loops front and back and was held in place with a belt with hooks. Normal pants were worn on top of these layers and it was all very sweaty and uncomfortable.

Nikini pants I think they were called. Horrible things, but my DM thought they were so modern. A step up from rags I suppose.

PriamFarrl · 31/01/2022 23:10

It was said earlier in the thread that Phylis’s £5k is worth £80 in today’s money. But also that she could buy a house. There isn’t many places where you could buy a house with £80k. That just goes to show the disparity with inflation and house prices.

Justkeeppedaling · 31/01/2022 23:11

www.mum.org/nikini.htm

CakeMonster001 · 31/01/2022 23:13

I'm confused why there was a random unexplored bomb plot put in the story for all of one minute, seems really thrown in there.

Also the cut from the miscarriage, to sudden laughing etc.

This hasn't been a good season.

SarahAndQuack · 31/01/2022 23:23

It was really weirdly plotted, wasn't it?! Such a shame. I thought the actual scripting was better this week, though. I am enjoying Sister Hilda much more than I did at first.

Something I noticed last week and forgot to ask about - do we think that the young writing team are accompanied by a very young set design team? I couldn't help noticing the Holocaust survivor man's bedroom was papered in a very lovely, very expensive William Morris design. It'd be worth a bomb! Didn't quite seem to fit with the property.

SarahAndQuack · 31/01/2022 23:23

Oh, groan, I only just noticed the bomb pun. Not intentional; apologies.

TrashyPanda · 31/01/2022 23:28

Timothy could be living in 1957, not 1967.

His middle-aged father is more hip than he is!

I’d love to see Tim get with it in an Afghan coat, with long hair, granny glasses and a zappata moustache. Oh, and a CND tshirt.