I warmed to Sister Monica Joan tonight.
The problem I've had with her in the past is that she speaks like a more extreme version of Dot Cotton in a language I don't always understand, with quotes from the bible, etc.
Retained placenta ..... I had that with my first and had to go back to theatre and lost loads of blood. had a blood transfusion and felt ill for several days. Horrid memories.
I missed the start of Midwife, so am wondering if I missed something.
The lady who had a little girl, when the husband wanted a boy - was that the only baby she was likely to have for some reason?
Couldn't work out why they were focusing on that one child, as surely she could have more after that first one?
It had taken them a long time to get pregnant and I think she was 'getting on a bit' to be a mother so she probably thought it unlikely that she would fall pregnant again.
It had taken them a long time to get pregnant and I think she was 'getting on a bit' to be a mother so she probably thought it unlikely that she would fall pregnant again.
Ah, thank you both for the answers. That explains that then.
Ah, I'm glad Sister Monica Joan was able to help with the birth.
But my heart breaks for Trixie.
I agree, it was nice to see Sister Monica Joan involved with the birth and how lovely to have the baby named after her. I really felt for Trixie too, underneath all that bravado she is actually quite sensitive and fragile.
Not enough Patsy in it tonight for me though, I guess i'll just have to re-watch last weeks episode
Totally disagree. Her experiences and wisdom, however confused, are part of the community in which she lives and is cared for. Or do the elderly have nothing to offer any more?
Absolutely.
SMJ is as integral to CTM as any of the characters, I reckon.
It's really not important to understand what she is or isn't going on about. She's descending into dementia and not as she poigniantly reminisced, at the top of her powers any more; quite the reverse in fact.
The essence of her being there was summed up by Sister Julienne (played so marvelously by Jenny A.): As long as SMJ is there, then she's important.
Perhaps some of the comments against the SMJ character above are, in some way, a testament to Judy Parfitt's acting as she has created a distance between SMJ's reality and what is going on around her. She's brilliant and I love it that the character had a moment in the sun in this episode - it certainly was a 'gulp' moment for me when the mum decided to call her baby after SMJ.
Retained placenta ..... I had that with my first and had to go back to theatre and lost loads of blood. had a blood transfusion and felt ill for several days. Horrid memories.
My mum did in 1959. She was told that she'd have to have all her babies in hospital because there was a chance it would happen again. I came along in 1963 (her third) but labour was so fast that she didn't have time to get to hospital (she was in a small village in north Wales about 50 miles from the nearest hospital) so the local midwife had to deliver me. She was fine though and went on to have another baby after me.
The baby born in the brothel was apparently cyanosed (blue) with a rapid heartbeat and then nothing else was said about it ! Struck me as being odd. Cyanosis usually needs oxygen treatment and tests. Never mind, it was the usual fare tonight. Soapy and warm.
I disagree with posters about SMJ - I love her. Nutty as a fruitcake but clearly an extremely competent midwife in her time and still has wisdom to pass on. I miss her sparring sessions with SE though!
I was incredibly upset about Trixie - the storyline's been building for weeks so we knew it would all come to a head. Hopefully she'll start to get some help but I really hope she's able to confide in Tom. I actually think they are good together - even if a little unconventional
Strangely, I found myself unmoved by Trixie's story in this episode. I had been concerned for her because it seemed they were setting her up for a drinking problem, and I guess I was right but the story seems so rushed right now. Actually, I thought the whole episode was rushed, and there were way too many stories. I loved the story line with Shelagh and Sister MJ delivering a baby, but that seemed rushed as well. The only characters who got decent screen time this episode were Barbara and Sister Winifred. It seems like they're trying to fit so many different stories in every episode now.
So far, I like series 4 better than series 3 (series 2 is still the best, IMO), but this episode disappointed me a little. It's a great show, but one of its great strengths has been that the writers are not afraid to take time with stories, and this one seemed just seemed too rushed.
Am I the only one who doesn't see Trixie and Tom as a good match at all?
Trixie Strikes me as an independent woman who is fully capable of looking after and providing for herself. One who would have assumed her marriage would be a partnership with each having equal say. Tom seems to be under the impression that when they marry she will give all that up and follow him wherever the church sends him. I don't see Trixie being very happy about basically having no say in her own life because someone higher up in the church decides her husband would be more help in a different part of the country. And then being told off for speaking out when she is displeased about that.
Trixie doesn't seem like she'd do well as 'the little wife'. And Tom doesn't seem like he wants someone as feisty and independent as Trixie at all. He seems to want someone who will assume the role of his wife and 100% commit to following the church because they're married to him.
Am I the only one who has thought this literally from the beginning of their story?
I'd personally much rather see Trixie with someone who allowed her to be herself and didn't expect her to change who she is fundamentally. Someone who is happy to be her partner and share decision making equally.
I truly hope they don't reconcile and the end of the series sees Trixie giving up the life she has built for herself to be some little wifey in a run down part of Newcastle.
I knew about Trixie. The idea of an relationship whit a Vicar was too much for me. I just did not expected the drinking problem, that was a suprise for me.
I loved the SMJ part. It was so cute.
Great episode, too many stories, a little confusing, but a good one.
I think Trixie would be better with someone who could give her a nice house and appreciate how beautifully turned out she is.
I'm also thinking Nonnatus House is going to be a bit crowded if we have Sister Evangelina and Cynthia back, with Sister Crane still there. So who's leaving?
I think Trixie would be better with someone who could give her a nice house and appreciate how beautifully turned out she is.
I'm also thinking Nonnatus House is going to be a bit crowded if we have Sister Evangelina and Cynthia back, with Sister Crane still there. So who's leaving?
Well Crane hasn't moved into Sister Evangelina's room. Was't there 4 lay midwives living there at one point in series 1? So I assume there is room for 4 of them. Evangelina will still have her own room. As for Cynthia, they'll chuck her in the "box room" or something like they did with Jenny when she got annoying.
I enjoyed the episode but found it a little preachy in terms of the women issues, last week as the same with gay issue. I don't disagree with anything they were saying but it seems a little out of step with the style of Call The Midwife. Every scene seemed to have some directly talking about how treated in the period...We have had 3 years of show these competent and together women proving their worth...its strange for them to now having to be stating how important they are. We already know that.
Also, Patsy is gay. Great but if I was the writers I'd slow down a little on her no a fan of men angle. Also, why is she laughing at Trixie's drinking? It's not as if Trixie is shown drinking alone after from the last episode.
Trixie and Tom are a terrible pairing, he wants a little woman to follow him around and Trixie is not that woman, nor should she be. Trixie is right about how she was shushed by Tom. He's not even admitting he wants to control her, he's laying it all on the church. He doesn't even see the issue at hand. I hope they don't reunite.
She's too naive but there is something so sweet, genuine and earnest about Barbara that I can't help but warm to her in a way I never did with Jenny.
I know that the armed forces ran campaigns during WW2 to encourage soldiers to use condoms to stop the spread of sexually transmitted infections, but it jarred a bit for me in this episode to see the conservative nun so unselfconsciously extolling the benefits of safe sex. Would this really have been the case?
I do think that CTM suffers a bit from ascribing contemporary progressive attitudes to the "good" characters, when I suspect that this sort of forward-thinking was probably quite rare.
I know that the armed forces ran campaigns during WW2 to encourage soldiers to use condoms to stop the spread of sexually transmitted infections, but it jarred a bit for me in this episode to see the conservative nun so unselfconsciously extolling the benefits of safe sex. Would this really have been the case?
I do think that CTM suffers a bit from ascribing contemporary progressive attitudes to the "good" characters, when I suspect that this sort of forward-thinking was probably quite rare.
I'm surprised that the locals didn't tell Trixie and Patsy where to go for lecturing them about homophobia last week. P/T were right but I doubt most people of that era would want to hear it. At least the clients and prostitutes reaction to Winifred's message seemed realistic.
I agree with other posters regarding not liking the Trixie and Tom pairing. I don't buy into their relationship at all. Not happy about the writers giving Trixie a drinking problem either.
Comments
ah, thank you. I knew there was something.
my memory must be shot!
The problem I've had with her in the past is that she speaks like a more extreme version of Dot Cotton in a language I don't always understand, with quotes from the bible, etc.
I missed the start of Midwife, so am wondering if I missed something.
The lady who had a little girl, when the husband wanted a boy - was that the only baby she was likely to have for some reason?
Couldn't work out why they were focusing on that one child, as surely she could have more after that first one?
But my heart breaks for Trixie.
It had taken them a long time to get pregnant and I think she was 'getting on a bit' to be a mother so she probably thought it unlikely that she would fall pregnant again.
Ah, thank you both for the answers. That explains that then.
I agree, it was nice to see Sister Monica Joan involved with the birth and how lovely to have the baby named after her. I really felt for Trixie too, underneath all that bravado she is actually quite sensitive and fragile.
Not enough Patsy in it tonight for me though, I guess i'll just have to re-watch last weeks episode
Absolutely.
SMJ is as integral to CTM as any of the characters, I reckon.
It's really not important to understand what she is or isn't going on about. She's descending into dementia and not as she poigniantly reminisced, at the top of her powers any more; quite the reverse in fact.
The essence of her being there was summed up by Sister Julienne (played so marvelously by Jenny A.): As long as SMJ is there, then she's important.
Perhaps some of the comments against the SMJ character above are, in some way, a testament to Judy Parfitt's acting as she has created a distance between SMJ's reality and what is going on around her. She's brilliant and I love it that the character had a moment in the sun in this episode - it certainly was a 'gulp' moment for me when the mum decided to call her baby after SMJ.
My mum did in 1959. She was told that she'd have to have all her babies in hospital because there was a chance it would happen again. I came along in 1963 (her third) but labour was so fast that she didn't have time to get to hospital (she was in a small village in north Wales about 50 miles from the nearest hospital) so the local midwife had to deliver me. She was fine though and went on to have another baby after me.
I was incredibly upset about Trixie - the storyline's been building for weeks so we knew it would all come to a head. Hopefully she'll start to get some help but I really hope she's able to confide in Tom. I actually think they are good together - even if a little unconventional
So far, I like series 4 better than series 3 (series 2 is still the best, IMO), but this episode disappointed me a little. It's a great show, but one of its great strengths has been that the writers are not afraid to take time with stories, and this one seemed just seemed too rushed.
Trixie Strikes me as an independent woman who is fully capable of looking after and providing for herself. One who would have assumed her marriage would be a partnership with each having equal say. Tom seems to be under the impression that when they marry she will give all that up and follow him wherever the church sends him. I don't see Trixie being very happy about basically having no say in her own life because someone higher up in the church decides her husband would be more help in a different part of the country. And then being told off for speaking out when she is displeased about that.
Trixie doesn't seem like she'd do well as 'the little wife'. And Tom doesn't seem like he wants someone as feisty and independent as Trixie at all. He seems to want someone who will assume the role of his wife and 100% commit to following the church because they're married to him.
Am I the only one who has thought this literally from the beginning of their story?
I'd personally much rather see Trixie with someone who allowed her to be herself and didn't expect her to change who she is fundamentally. Someone who is happy to be her partner and share decision making equally.
I truly hope they don't reconcile and the end of the series sees Trixie giving up the life she has built for herself to be some little wifey in a run down part of Newcastle.
I loved the SMJ part. It was so cute.
Great episode, too many stories, a little confusing, but a good one.
I'm also thinking Nonnatus House is going to be a bit crowded if we have Sister Evangelina and Cynthia back, with Sister Crane still there. So who's leaving?
Well Crane hasn't moved into Sister Evangelina's room. Was't there 4 lay midwives living there at one point in series 1? So I assume there is room for 4 of them. Evangelina will still have her own room. As for Cynthia, they'll chuck her in the "box room" or something like they did with Jenny when she got annoying.
I enjoyed the episode but found it a little preachy in terms of the women issues, last week as the same with gay issue. I don't disagree with anything they were saying but it seems a little out of step with the style of Call The Midwife. Every scene seemed to have some directly talking about how treated in the period...We have had 3 years of show these competent and together women proving their worth...its strange for them to now having to be stating how important they are. We already know that.
Also, Patsy is gay. Great but if I was the writers I'd slow down a little on her no a fan of men angle. Also, why is she laughing at Trixie's drinking? It's not as if Trixie is shown drinking alone after from the last episode.
Trixie and Tom are a terrible pairing, he wants a little woman to follow him around and Trixie is not that woman, nor should she be. Trixie is right about how she was shushed by Tom. He's not even admitting he wants to control her, he's laying it all on the church. He doesn't even see the issue at hand. I hope they don't reunite.
She's too naive but there is something so sweet, genuine and earnest about Barbara that I can't help but warm to her in a way I never did with Jenny.
I do think that CTM suffers a bit from ascribing contemporary progressive attitudes to the "good" characters, when I suspect that this sort of forward-thinking was probably quite rare.
I'm surprised that the locals didn't tell Trixie and Patsy where to go for lecturing them about homophobia last week. P/T were right but I doubt most people of that era would want to hear it. At least the clients and prostitutes reaction to Winifred's message seemed realistic.