willowk

Yes to this. I work on a campus, and many faculty have "uniforms". One Psychology professor here wears tie-dyed t-shirts everyday, no matter what the occasion or season. An administrator I know wears long-sleeved white shirts everyday -again even in summer.

Yes, that was my teary moment too. I've wondered -will Val end up becoming a nun? I know they've done that storyline already, but she seems more interested in the religious life than the other midwives, even Lucille. I know Val grew up in Poplar, but are her parents around? siblings? I wonder if she is drawn to the community the nuns have at Nonatus House. Loved Phyllis playing matchmaker for the Sergeant and Miss Higgins -was so cute with Phyllis looking from one to the other realizing two difficult situations might be solved at once. I think this was the 1st season Trixie did not have any beaus, I wonder if they are going to try to have her reconnect with Tom next season? I actually think she fit best with the one that was divorced with the little girl.

I thought the courtroom scene was really strong, although from an American point of view was odd to see a prosecutor chide Trixie as "not being objective". I'm glad the other woman decided to testify so Val didn't have to. I thought for a few minutes they might be setting the scene for Granny to go free due to lack of evidence as they discounted Trixie's testimony and could have found a way to explain Val's testimony away. The reconciliation between Val and Gran in the jail cell was heartwarming but a little forced to me. One minute they are not talking, next Gran is taking her into her arms saying its not Val's fault (true but a fast turnaround for Granny). 6 years in prison, means she may die there.

I had Hodgkins as well, diagnosed in 1978, and have survived (considered cured) to this day. A couple of years ago my current doctor told me that when he started medical school in the early 1970s, 70% of Hodgkins patients didn't survive, while by the end of the 70s 70% were surviving. A dramatic change in a short time. As you did, I obviously related to this storyline.

Me too. I suspect that Raj will meet someone someday, but it was fitting that the most romantic of the group is still looking for his Ms. Right. I loved the scene last week where Howard told Raj to hold out for someone who understood his references to romantic comedies. So many finales that I've hated break the gang up, including Will And Grace -although they threw that out in the reboot, Roseanne having Dan die etc. Ending it with them all in the apartment having dinner was perfect.

If May does end up having to go, I expect we will see some turmoil in the Turner family afterwards. Tim said Angela won't understand, maybe she will run away to find her sister May.

Yikes you're right, its been renewed. Also Fresh off the Boat, not a terrible show, but really basic and not funny. I was an opportunistic watcher for a bit given its time slot and it was just meh.

just read Murphy Brown was cancelled. So sad to hear it. I know it didn't catch fire like the 1st time around, but if they could renew Will and Grace, and keep the creaky Modern Family going, you'd think we could get one more season of Murphy. Ah, well, at least we got to see how Avery turns out -a chip off the old block.

I agree. This episode shows some of Poplar's rough edges that are often sanded out on the show. Valerie was crushed. I liked Trixie standing up to Val's aunt on calling the ambulance. She wasn't going to let anyone die on her watch. I'm glad Gran has been on the show long enough that we saw her fun side during Bingo so we can understand why Valerie and she are close, as well as her steely toughness. Gran may have once wanted to be a nurse, but she obviously doesn't even know the basics of how germs are passed on. I agree that the Sister Frances story was a ray of light in a dark story, and know that PBS cut something there in the middle. Whoever does their edits is not good at it. And why the cuts anyway, they have time before the next show starts? I know, we've been over this many times, but PBS rolls on its merry way. I had to look up what lumbago is to see what was keeping Nurse Crane in the hospital so long -it is an old term for lower back pain -have to say its handier to say/write than our current term. I hope she softens towards Sgt. Walrus, his writing her a note about what the scouts are doing was really sweet.

Yes to all of the above. I'm so glad there are more nuns around this season, they add a different dimension to the plot. I didn't realize until last night that the Turners were only fostering May, I thought they had adopted her. I was sure when they had Valerie visit Granny and she was gently criticizing her for not visiting that G would die before the credits rolled! Glad I was wrong, and also that the anthrax victim survived.

I found the Nurse Crane and the Officer date a bit sad. I got the sense that Nurse Crane is protecting her feelings, while the Officer clearly would like to upgrade their friendship to dating. It was funny that the exhibit turned out to be racier than the Sargent thought. Which of the girls was it -Trixie or Val who was surprised that the gallery was in So Ho? They likely had a sense the area wouldn't be the usual haunt of folks like Nurse Crane and the Sargent.

yes to all this. You said it better than I did.

I had a hard time really empathizing with the woman who got the abortion as she didn't want a third child. I know the writers put her in there on purpose, as abortion as a choice for those who are married and with the means to support the child is another aspect of the debate. She mentioned not wanting to end up like her mom with 7 kids, but 3 is not seven. She could have switched to the pill or get her tubes tied (did they do that then?) after the baby was born. What surprised me was how guilty Dr. Turner felt, its not that he didn't help her, he offered all kinds of aid, just wouldn't lie about her circumstances so she could abort the baby. And it felt a little off to me that the husband wasn't angry at his wife for what she did, afterall he wanted the third baby. But all his anger was focused on the doctor who didn't terminate the baby. For me this is a case where they injected too much 2019 into a 1964 situation. I don't know about in the UK, but in the US the same story whether set in 1964 or 2109 likely would have stirred up more of a mix of emotions than it did in this episode.

I agree its tricky. But what I worry about is that over time people will start to think how they portray it is historical truth and not fiction. But I agree that if they showed it the way it was, audiences today would either not like the characters or say the show is promoting those values. People are a lot more complicated than are often given credit for by history dramatizations.

Call The Midwife treats racism as they do homosexuality -- in a much gentler fashion than the likely true situations during the time period. For example last season they had a woman who by the end of the episode had not only accepted that her dad was gay but that he'd been in a long term relationship with someone she considered an uncle. And accepted that she and dad would have to let uncle move in as he was showing signs of dementia.

Actually its not ironic that the sickle trait is protective against malaria, that's why it likely has persisted so long in the gene pool, having one copy of the gene is protective, but two copies causes sickle cell disease.

I too loved the suffragette story, but I have a question. I got that the "packages" stuffed up the chimney flue were fecal matter but where they sanitary pads or something else? I was trying to figure out what that scene meant when the social worker used the poker to bring down a stack of the small white packages. And I know, its fiction, but it struck me as strange that she would have rewritten her will sometime after Lucille and Sister MJ started visiting her. Or was she in the nursing home a bit longer than they showed? I know PBS is famous for cutting small parts of the episodes out. I'm enjoyed the new office manager for the clinic, she's strict but in a good way. Violet running for office was great, hope she wins. Also love the relationship between her and Fred, that they have differences but work it out in the end. And loved Trixie's quip that Fred has the right not to vote, but then he shouldn't complain if say a communist candidate wins! That got him. Lucille is becoming a great character, they still don't seem to know what to do with Valerie.

Good point. Each date fitted the person.

I don't think the year leap suggested she had changed completely, and I'm not sure we were meant to think she was totally fulfilled by creativity during that time. I expect like the last time she "gave up" dating that there were times she was really lonely but she just doesn't know how to be in a relationship and focus on herself at the same time -I know they repeated this narrative decision from start of season 4, but think that's the way Bloom views Bunch. Snippets like her overenjoying the hot tub, her lack of understanding that learning the piano takes time or how to sing and blurting out Darryl's news were typical Rebecca. I don't think she will ever be "cured", she has a mental disorder that she manages with help. And that's realistic. One of the things I really loved about the show was showing that people with mental problems are valued and its possible to thrive with certain mental problems. I think the emphasis on romantic love not being the end is an important one, and something I don't think most men struggle with. They see marriage/romantic love as a step on the journey, compatible with their careers, while women have been trained in fairytales -where the story ends with the proposal or marriage. Another way CEG could have shown the ridiculousness of happily ever after would have been for Rebecca to marry and then have her creative burst. But I think they wanted to make clear that her success wasn't due to the presence of any one guy

I too adored the concert, am glad they showed an hour of that even though it meant one less hour with the characters. I loved Pete Gardner's exuberant into his Bisexual song -"Time to hang up my spurs but not just yet!". And Valencia doing the yoga song with such joy and gusto. The concert reminded me of how much the show has given me (all of us) over the past few years and how singular it has been. Not perfect, but most shows are not. Another moment I loved during the concert was when Rachel cued her parents to say "You're not a bad person" and her dad wiffed it -several times. Just precious!

Yes, I felt that way too, I loved Becs and Nathaniel, and will always hope she chose him in the end. I liked the 1 year fast forward, even though I usually hate the "how did they end up" because it felt like another step on the journey, not "The End". And have to say the Anti-depressant song was one of my favorites. Wish someone had sung it to me when I was put on one.

I totally loved it, I feel like a traitor for doubting my the incredible Ms. Bloom. It ended in just the right way, right before she started singing -it might have been fabulous, might have been cringe worthy. And the concert -I was smiling the whole hour. So glad I watche even with all my doubts. Sometimes hanging in there through the rough times (like most of this season) is worth it. An amazingly talented group.

I'm wondering if CEG is going to pull a "Dallas" on us and show that Rebecca has actually been in a mental hospital the whole season. I wouldn't like it, but just am having a hard time believing they are ending this on a "which guy will I choose" note.

They did have Tim get that crush on the nanny last season, and also he lied to go to a concert -or was it to play music with friends? Something like that, Dr. Turner found out and was terribly disappointed in him. But in general Tim loves his parents, is happy more siblings have come along and has a bright future ahead of him. If this were set in the U.S. they'd likely have him drafted and sent to Vietnam, that would screw him up in a hurry!

I think I'm with you at this point. For me, Greg as a husband would be a continual drag on Rebecca, he doesn't like going to parties, doing romantic stuff, or even -non romantic stuff. He's the type that sits at home or is at work. Rebecca may love him, but would she be happy with that kind of life? Her social and recreational life would have to be separate from his. I have trouble with even how Josh and Becs have become roommates after all that's happened. To me it was odd how Josh slipped back into being in love with her. Nathaniel makes the most sense, but somehow I think the show has moved away from him.