Page 6 | Call the Midwife

BooksAndGin · 30/12/2021 00:42

Anyone find the editing to unnatural with the babies? I get why it's done that way but it really annoys me.

Emmelina · 30/12/2021 01:22

The camera angles wound me up very quickly. So boring. Someone talking with the blurred shoulder of who they were talking to in the corner of the shot. Cut to other person, blurred shoulder of first person in the corner of the shot.
Literally every conversation used this. Ugh.

Clawdy · 30/12/2021 08:25

I think it's time they dropped the Vanessa Redgrave bit at the beginning and end - her voice is so quavery now I couldn't understand most of what she said. And her character has been gone so long it's a bit pointless.

TrashyPanda · 30/12/2021 08:42

Totally agree, Clawdy

Soubriquet · 30/12/2021 10:04

Lynette and her baby was Christmas 1

Mrs Jenkins and her workhouse children was Christmas 2

Then we’ve had the woman who’s daughter died and she thought she would never have children again have a surprise birth and the baby was used as baby jesus

The episode where the unwed mothers home was used

The African one

The one with the mother house

The circus one

The one where there was an unexploded bomb and the solider with PTSD

The measles outbreak

And now this one.

(Not in order)

Soubriquet · 30/12/2021 10:06

Hmmmm maybe not cos there’s also the episode where Valerie delivers the stillborn baby and it lives anyway.

According to google Lynette and Mrs Jenkins were in the same episode and I didn’t think they were

Soubriquet · 30/12/2021 10:07

There’s also the outer Hebrides episode

Sorry for the triple post

SantaClawsServiette · 30/12/2021 12:49

@Emmelina

The camera angles wound me up very quickly. So boring. Someone talking with the blurred shoulder of who they were talking to in the corner of the shot. Cut to other person, blurred shoulder of first person in the corner of the shot. Literally every conversation used this. Ugh.

I've noticed this more often on other shows as well, in particular it bothered me on Succession. If feels very one-camera early 90s.

Original poster

Toddlerteaplease · 30/12/2021 15:44

I loved the one with the lady who'd daughter died, and she discovers she was having another just before she gave birth.

OP posts:

Rockbird · 30/12/2021 15:47

According to google Lynette and Mrs Jenkins were in the same episode and I didn’t think they were

They were, yes. It was the 2012 Christmas special. The director won a BAFTA for it.

DurhamDurham · 30/12/2021 15:52

I loved the Mrs Jenkins one, it was so emotive and the music used was brilliant. If I hear Walk Hand In Hand it always makes me think of Mrs Jenkins and her sad story.

MorrisZapp · 31/12/2021 15:21

Sod it, I'm rewatching the whole lot! Wonderful to see great actors popping into guest roles each week.

But WHY WHY WHY did they pick two identical actors to play Trixies boyfriend and the Brylcreem Vicar?

I genuinely can't tell them apart. They even do the same three facial expressions.

Holothane · 31/12/2021 17:40

I love rewatching the whole lot.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 31/12/2021 18:13

When Fred said he never given away a bride... what about his daughter? (Who never seems to be mentioned now he has Violet and Reggie)
Violet really annoys me. Shes a lot more simpering than Shelagh.

I found the drunken hen party in the convent quite amusing....

Akire · 31/12/2021 18:52

Oh good call yes Fred daughters must be married she had least 3 kids!

I wonder if the nurses were really badly paid or something? All well staying there for night shift or on call but living still in shared room in your 50s? What’s Phyllis's expecting to do when she retires? Or are they all secretly saving loads of cash up?

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 31/12/2021 19:05

Didn't they mention accommodation is in short supply in the area at the time? (The trouble Mr Nurse Anderson had finding somewhere...)

MrsFionaCharming · 31/12/2021 19:11

The Vanessa Redgrave bit made sense when Jenny was still in it, it added to the story and explained how Jenny felt about things.

Now it’s just meaningless waffle about love.

JakeyRolling · 31/12/2021 20:22

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

When Fred said he never given away a bride... what about his daughter? (Who never seems to be mentioned now he has Violet and Reggie) Violet really annoys me. Shes a lot more simpering than Shelagh.

I found the drunken hen party in the convent quite amusing....

I have some memory of his daughter having been in Australia fit a while, so maybe got married there?

AtlasPine · 01/01/2022 08:18

Interesting that they are moving away from home births now and having more on the maternity home bit. Infer if this upcoming series will have more of the district nursing aspect of their work.

AtlasPine · 01/01/2022 08:18

Infer = wonder

Original poster

Toddlerteaplease · 01/01/2022 09:47

I wondered about Fred's Daughters. He's got two and they are both married. They've both been in episodes.

OP posts:

DockOTheBay · 01/01/2022 22:43

The social distancing bugged me no end. Maybe it was shot much earlier in the year but you would think they could have shot, for example the wedding scene, a bit later when it wasn't required. Also why would a husband need to put a gown and mask on to help his wife push in their own home?

Its all a bit convenient and contrived isn't it.
Heroin mum and baby, Doctor doesn't know what to do, oh conveniently the nun who only appears once a year knows the exact solution. And then Mrs Turner would help to nurse her in the children's hospital? She doesn't work there and how are they going to run the GP surgery without her one of the 3 only staff members. All done for the twee.

DockOTheBay · 01/01/2022 22:46

@Emmelina

The “kiss” on the bed between Cyril and Lucille was absolutely ridiculous! And they were so far apart at the altar. Are either of the actors clinically vulnerable? Is that why they’re so far apart? It’s just so awkward and weird.

So awkward. I do think it's particularly noticeable with the two of them because they would be getting close as a young couple in love, so it's glaringly obvious.

Akire · 01/01/2022 22:58

I thought it was mean of all the turner adults mum dad and big brother to all go on Xmas day. Surely one could stayed and another nun gone instead.

Mini note but the reading of Scrooge was still on the same page at the start as the end!! Detail people

I agree about some older ones past stories are more interesting. The student nurse is so young and yes had a baby but only so much you can do with that.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · 02/01/2022 08:32

@Aroundtheworldin80moves

Didn't they mention accommodation is in short supply in the area at the time? (The trouble Mr Nurse Anderson had finding somewhere...)

His difficulties had a lot to do with racism, which sadly would have been very realistic at the time.

It's not what it was, but I'm still looking forward to seeing it again tonight. From the trailers, it looks as if we're in for some sort of disaster hitting Phyllis. I'll be gutted if she gets written out. She's one of the best characters.