JustDucky

Trixie has siblings? This is news to me. I really liked her brother - he had his own big personality, and you knew where it was coming from. I just wish we'd gotten to know him better beforehand. Maybe in future seasons? The Lizzie story was wrenching. In an episode where a wedding was occurring, it pulled the joy out of the air for a while. They had plenty of drama with everything going wrong regarding flowers, cake, reception area, etc... And I was really enjoying Lizzie's character. Her and Arnold pretending she was in the throes of labor so they could get away from both their mothers was delightful. Will I miss Nancy (and by extension Collette)? Well, yes. Nancy has grown on me as a character, and her character has grown on the others (as evidenced by Phyllis being weepy at the though of her leaving. (Also, what was with Collette and her nosebleeds? Nothing serious, I hope. My own kiddo had tons of nosebleeds at that age, so here's hoping it's a non-issue.) I'm glad they're giving Cyril things to do, even though I don't agree with him and Lucille being so far apart. And I enjoyed the poem Sister MJ read. Her addendum at the end to absent friends made me tear up and think of Matthew's first wife, Barbara, Sister Evangelina... Last thing: Jonsy is a little doll! His bit with Matthew and the "happily ever after" melted my heart. That's no great task - I cry at cat food commercials - but... those eyes!

Sigh. I don't know if I object to the fact that PBS edits their episodes - what I REALLY object to is HOW. All of a sudden Cyril's back from Jamaica, without so much as a by-your-leave beforehand? Pbbbhhbt. I did like what he did in this episode, even though it was just to keep busy and move other stories forward. And to make me cry when he visited Sister Monica Joan. By the way, I don't believe for a blue-eyed moment that it's SMJ's time. (Beg your pardon about the formatting...) Has Matthew's actor always talked out of the side of his mouth? It was very evident this episode. Can't tell you why I didn't notice before. It almost distracted me from his storyline in this episode (which was enjoyable, but not surprising). I'm not a fan of the "surprise son" storyline, but it was done well enough. Again, reminding the audience that not every baby was wanted. (I did notice that it kind of misled us at the beginning with Sister MJ - thinking her first baby was a son made me think the dementia line was back on, and I rolled my eyes for a hot second.) On a shallower note, Trixie was absolutely gorgeous this episode, and the Nancy/Collette picture was adorable.

We don't have "Mistakes" in our family. We have "Surprises". My youngest uncle was one (they were gonna stop at seven!). My kid was one. My mom's aunt (who is her age, so maybe she was one too) had one. We may make Mistakes with what we do as/with adults, but kids are always a Surprise. Not their fault.

Well, that was all tied up in a lovely satin bow. If there'd been a little more drama, a bit less tidiness, somebody not blissfully happy (Edward's 'calling' to the clergy notwithstanding), I might be a bit more satisfied. After all, even Lady de Bourgh in P&P got her just desserts in the end. Could've left off the "One Year Later" coda and been just fine. The Babies Ever After trope isn't one of my favorites. Xander Colburne's actor looks so much more pleasant when he smiles. He's no slouch in the looks area (Your Mileage May Vary), but he's better looking when he's happy. (Aren't' we all?) On to Tom Jones!

I'm sorry... they cut Cyril out completely?!? Fnarr... I could see the paper boy's illness coming a mile away. The absent mother was a bit of a twist, but seeing he was truly ill (and not just working himself to exhaustion) was obvious. Another story I'd like for them to return to - will he beat the odds and survive and become a doctor, perhaps learning under Tim's wing in the future? I know I was supposed to buy into Heather's parents coming around and redeeming themselves and her forgiving them for calling her a "Mistake"... but nope. I've seen people like Heather reach out for love/affection when they don't get it at home, with similar results, and I was kind of holding a grudge against them for that reason alone. (Although Mom was worse than Dad. Ugh.) As much as I like Sister MJ when they give her something to do... adopting a stray while she was feeling lonely was not it. Seeing how helpful she was during the dysentery episode, you'd think they'd hold her in higher regard. I did like how clever she was in regards with Nothing's name, though. And as much as I am on Team Just Elope Already when things go sideways in wedding planning (in real life as well as fiction), I want to see Trixie as a bride.

My first thought was "Wow, Shelagh and Patrick sure do like each other even after all these years!" (But then, there's over 15 years between my mom's oldest sister and their youngest brother, so I tend to think like that anyway.)

Not saying I like Josephine, but I respect her game. The girl can get what she wants. The "miscarriage" bit was a bit brutal, but quite genius. "Catch!"

A-welp. It wasn't a carriage full of nuns, and it was totally unexpected, but Edward kind of redeemed himself. In a twisted, sad kind of way. Augusta went full-on Matrix with the bullets she dodged. And things are coming along nicely - the Mistress and the Barrister are getting along nicely, Georgianna found her mother (or did she?), Arthur showed his backbone and his pride, Charlotte and Ralph are no longer a thing... Wait. Mary? MARY?!

It was good to see Shelagh in a spotlight this episode, even if it was a bit distressing for her. The show has never shied away from "unplanned, unwanted" pregnancies, and to see one of the regulars looking at one was a new take. That said, I'm glad nothing else is being added to her plate - she's admirable with what she does, but boy does she do a lot! Hey Dr. Turner, you spoke of vasectomies quite warmly... The schizophrenia story was heartbreaking, too. Especially with Sister Veronica trying to tell the new mother "it's gonna suck to be you" and Nancy stepping in to say "how?" I kind of hope they come back to that family to follow up - that was a brave couple of women, and a very pretty baby. Speaking of babies, how cute was the new boy that the heart patient delivered? Well done, casting! Five stars, no notes. The old coot gleefully aiming to close Nonnatus House can go to Jamaica without sunscreen. And send back Lucille, perhaps? Cyril had a job to do, and did it admirably, but it hurts to see him so lonely, especially after the phone call. And as meh as I've often been about Matthew (a bit boring, even when he tries not to be), I felt for him. Glad his dad wasn't a complete hardass - just mostly so. That made Dad's relationship with Trixie believable to the last.

Arthur and The Duke made me feel as if a rug was pulled out from under me. From giddy joy to resignation in less than an hour. (Although, was that comment that The Duke's sister gave about "getting around their mother" a hint on her own orientation?) Unless Edward saves the lives of a wagon full of nuns, I see no redemption towards him. Poor Augusta - resigned to the Lydia storyline. Oh, and! The Littlest Colburne is my favorite - she'd be embraced for her gender-defying ways in our time, but having a Cool Uncle to spar with will have to do.

Ah. I was wondering if the term was used in the 60s or not.

I know that Sister Monica Joan hasn't been written with a whole lot of continuity (does she have dementia or not?), but I like it when they give her something to do. Her helping out at the maternity home and telling the board that Phyllis, despite working past retirement, is younger than all of them (and making Phyllis smirk!) was one of the better parts of this episode. Hi Tim! Speaking of giving people things to do, he was quietly invaluable during the e.coli infection. I want him to have a moment in the sun soon, but I suppose we'll have to wait until after he's out of school. Loved the twins' parents giving updates on the babies via open window. It just charmed my socks off. And I'm glad Sister Veronica had less to do this episode, although I enjoyed how she told the reporter on the phone to go to Hell (in a nicer way, of course). After the last episode, I want to enjoy and continue liking her... I was truly concerned about Reggie. He wasn't lying or being lazy, so I knew something was wrong, but I was starting to wonder if they writers would give him something that would take him off the show. Good to see the malady was relatively mild. And now I want to see the correlation between hypothyroidism and Down Syndrome. (Why didn't they say Down Syndrome? Why "his condition"?) As long as they keep renewing this series, I will take threats against Nonnatus House with a grain of salt. The finale of the entire show won't even show the closing, I think - just a "what happened after" scene and end it all happily (although we'll all cry buckets).

I saw this, and my mind went immediately to Rochester in Jane Eyre. (I know, wrong author we're stealing ideas from, but...) A disfigurement would make or break the character. (Kinda feel awful suggesting somebody needs to be disfigured, even if it's a fictional character!)

Anybody pick up shades of "Pride and Prejudice" in Xander's asking his brother to help Ms Lambe for the sake of Charlotte? And in his meeting with Charlotte at the end of the episode... I am gloriously happy that Georgianna's trial was over so quickly. I kind of dreaded a long storyline.

I was curious about this, so I did a bit of Googling myself, and... Heh indeed. Edit to add: it looks like Marie has realized her husband is a different bird, and she needs to get to his level. I found their last scene rather sweet.