Call the midwife

[NimbleHiker]

The Christmas special of call the midwife is on bbc 1 in 2 parts again. The first part is on at 20:15 on Christmas day and the second part is on at 20:30 on boxing day. I am not a fan of the Christmas special been in 2 parts. I wonder how doctor Turner and his simpering wife will save the world.

Stephen McGann (Dr Turner) and Heidi Thomas (the writer) are both from Liverpool themselves.
Does anyone remember the series Lillies?
It only had one season. It was based on Heidi Thomas's family apparently.

@ Needmorelego

And have also been married for many years

I am a fan of CTM. The Christmas episodes are not I think the best. They entertain me, but feel quite contrived. We have had Africa, Scotland and Now Hong Kong amongst others. I think probably we will get another season after the coming one, but naturally then the series would be up towards the later part of the 1970s when this kind of nun run midwife service would no longer have been provided.

Yes...that too 🙂

I wonder if the forceps escapade will lead to consequences for Trixie's licence to practise midwifery.

Otherwise, so many unlikely coincidences. But I still laughed at the lads in nurses' uniforms and sniffled at the old man's deathbed.

The real nuns moved out of Poplar in '76 (I think) so it will have to end soon.
Sister Monica Joan (who I don't think was a real person) was supposedly born in 1871.
They could have her turn 100 and then wind down the series.
But what year was this Christmas meant to be?

Ok I just Googled....
Apparently we have just had Christmas 1970 and the next series (starting in January) is 1971.
So lets plan the party for Sister Monica Joan 🎂🙂

The Hong Kong storyline was really poor. I didn't mind the Poplar scenes. But nothing really special or exciting or shocking.

That properly made me chuckle in a way very few things do on MN these days 😂

Having only just watched the first part tonight- I found myself wondering who was paying for all the flights for all those last minute bookings for HK and covering the cost of a backfill GP and ‘freelance’ Trixie to cover too? Maybe Trixie’s frequent traveller points for her NYC>LDN journeys have added up to cover some of the sisters costs or at least given them lounge access as upgrades?

Lillies was brilliant. I thought I was the only one who remembered it.

What was that acting by Derek? I can't believe he was the best person that auditioned for that part.

That Liverpool Chinese accent was also something else.

Aye, well maybe the Geordies were visiting Poplar that year? 💪

What an awful thing to say. He does "patronising stare with head tilt" as well!

@NotMyRealAccountI think so, as there seems to be no need for any of that storyline. It added nothing. She’d definitely get struck off for it. I was expecting her to break the babies neck.

I liked when Dr Turner showed up when the young Hong Konger was giving birth, and did a patronising finger wag at a labouring woman.
Cherry on that cake was “I think it’s fitting that one of the sisters does this birth as it’s the first in a new mother house” (ie “Fuck off Dr Turner, nuns/midwives still assist births here and we’ll have none of your mansplaining thanks”).
The Turners still managed to fly back from HK in less than a day, looking fresh as daisies with makeup done, presents wrapped, and kept a very poorly toddler from his urgent life-or-death cancer treatment so they could show him to their own kids then walk him through the snow to attend a Carol concert.

But he was conveniently nowhere to be seen when the women were confronted by Triad member after they rescued abandoned baby! I don't think his pained expression would have prevented the key handover though.

On plus side, it was nice (for a change) to see the BBC showcasing the Jewish faith.

@InMySpareTimehe also seemed to take being separated from his mum and flown across the world very well. Can’t imagine most two year olds being happy with that.

It's that, or she is inspired to train as a doctor.

What’s really bugging me is I recognise the Army guy and cannot remember where from (I have face blindness so recognising him is a massive step - placing him is impossible 🤣)

I found the most believable bit of the whole thing to be Timothy, Harry and WhatsHisName dressing up in the nurses uniforms.

I just realised the toddler that needed a cardigan to keep warm in Tropical HK while everyone else was sweating in sundresses, was also fine in snowy Poplar without even a hat.

Anyone else impressed by the sheer size of the Turners’ advent calendar?

I’ve gone from watching CTW for the plot to watching it purely for the production choices. The aggressive tweeness and commitment to its self-made clichés - I'd have been disappoint if the locum had been compent!! How could be have a non-Turner doctor that was any good?!! These threads just enhance the experience.

Timothy was meant to be looking after his siblings (the Turner kids) but where did Trixie's stepson suddenly disappear to?
She said she and Jonty had returned to England as he was starting school and we briefly saw him sat on the sofa - and then never seen or spoken of again in the episodes.
Poor kid. You'd think they would have bunked him in with the Turner clan or something.

Jonty made no sense... he's starting school at Easter so they bought HIm HOme BEFORE Christmas apparently without his father?