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.

Why couldn't they have written Sister Veronica like this from the start? She had tiny flares of Sister Evangelina in this episode, and I was Here For It. If they go back to The Lying Nun, I'm going to... pout. The domestic abuse storyline made me squirm. I was so proud of Sister Monica Joan for telling him to piss off in the most pristine way. I did a bit of research, and nowadays a hemophiliac male's life span is "only" 10 years shorter than the typical male, with proper treatment. Not sure what that translates to in the late 60's. But I can see why Ian's mother was upset. Leave it to Shelagh to bring the family together in her own gentle way. (She never comes off as saccharine. Sometimes a bit sticky, but never artificial.) There is always a role that takes the part of the soul of the series. Jenny started it, Trixie has had a turn, and now Phyllis. She's got all sorts of common sense, and sometimes has the lion's share. Speaking of Trixie, I think she was knocked down a peg tonight. But not in a bad way. In a "people don't expect the world from you, so relax" way. And her chemistry with Matthew was much improved this episode. Doesn't hurt that Helen George looks adorable when unkempt.

I also am seeing Augusta as more of an Elizabeth than a Lydia. If she gets even more of his backstory and starts seeing through his bulls**t, I hope she warns others off from him.

Lillian's story hit hard for me, personally, for reasons I won't go over because I'll start crying again. Let's just say I love her daughter's name. Lots of good callbacks - Sister Julienne's choice to become a nun, Lucille's newly done hair and yellow outfit while in the sidecar, even the dreaded marmalade Sister Veronica has "gifted" the House. And I'm glad they give Sister Monica Joan something to do! I'm not surprised she can put together a perfectly done Maypole dance. I'll miss Lucille. Her point of view was always a nice counterpoint. She was a bit on the conservative side at times, but never in a way that was hateful - it's just the way she was brought up. I hope Cyril is given something to do...

Best part: Olive and Jessie. I liked the Farm Girls backstory, the lodger/landlady cover-up, the prisms (even if the rainbows did paint with a heavier hand), the devotion to each other, and the ladies of Nonnatus going above and beyond. Worst part: the racism storyline. Just because blatant racism makes me uncomfortable, even in fiction. (Yes, I've had some rough years in the past personally, why do you ask?) The "suffered the most from cut scenes" story: Sister Veronica. Closely followed by the South Asian woman - I took it that she was Greta's neighbor? What made me cry: how Shelagh's face lit up when the little boy she helped deliver started to breathe on his own. Laura Main's face is made of sunshine, isn't it? Is Lucille's actress involved in another production? And is that why we're getting her exit story? (Heck, at least she gets one - poor Sister Winifred.)

That explains it. (To be fair, it's difficult to do a Southern American accent without coming across as a caricature. And he did try.)

As much as I enjoyed hearing my state's name come out of David Tennant's mouth... It would have been referred to as "Oklahoma Territory", maybe. More likely "Indian Territory" at the time, just because things were slow to change when this was set. Anybody else find the Confederate inmate's accent a bit jarring? Or is that my Oklahoman ear filtering it out? Other than that, this was a fun episode! And very nice to look at. Not sure where they really were (I will Google later), but they did get the Old West look down pat. And I'm glad everybody else is picking up that Estella is sending the postcards with the rude sentiments on them. Will she make an appearance so Fogg can make peace?

I got semi-spoiled on social media (they showed the bit with that silly *Expletive Deleted* spatula), but I was still wondering how each baker would pull it off. I would have been pleased to see any of the three win. Chigs would have made it closer if not for that *Another Expletive Deleted* technical. But! For someone who has been baking for a year and a half, he did quite well! I kind of knew Chrystelle was doomed when I saw how much *Slightly Mild Expletive Deleted* oil was going into her foccacia. Everything else looked good, and I'm glad she got a Technical win under her belt. Giuseppe and his dad made me cry. And then he won, and his happiness made me cry more. I will definitely buy his family recipe cookbook. So happy to see that everybody remained close after the season was done. Even Giuseppe was there in spirit, I bet. (Wow, I wish I could visit Milan, much less live there. Lucky *Halfhearted Expletive Deleted*.)

I was waiting for a four-baker finale, as well. They all deserved it. I was - kind of loudly - hoping for one. It breaks my heart to see Jurgen go home, but he seemed okay with it. Crystelle's bake could have gone wrong several times, so I think her reaction to being called "flawless" and being named Star Baker were legitimate. Plus, I like her little quips and her taste profiles (although I hate coconut, I would give her bakes a try for everything else). Guiseppe's bake was white and green, and I was unimpressed. It must have tasted good, but it looked bland. I thought Chigs and his interesting eyes were out (if somebody absolutely had to go) when his Technical went sideways, literally.

I'd like to know how they kept George over Amanda. Purely curious. I'm glad Chrystelle had such a good week. I think she might be the only woman in the Final Four (Jurgen, Guiseppe, and Chigs rounding it out... until next week when I'm proven wrong). My mom's across-the-street neighbor has a food truck featuring Middle Eastern food - gyros, falafel, shwarma, etc. He has brought over baklava, and while it wasn't half as fiddly as the technical, it was still darned tasty. No news on if he made the phyllo dough from scratch or, indeed, just how he insists on pronouncing it - just know it's gooey and decadent.

Baby Jonathan is the cutest! When he grins (which is often), my heart melts. Also, when his dad was talking about getting "wee in his ear", it took me back to my days working at a day care and all the diaper mishaps. I once had a baby boy get wee in his eyelash, and he giggled about it. Good times! I know they're probably aiming for a Trixie/Hot Widower endgame, so seeing it happen slowly - with genuine interaction and flowerless plants - makes me happy. If they didn't start truly dating until sometime next season, that'd be fine by me! The adoption storyline made me mad. They jerked that poor mom around with what was going to happen with the baby. What's even sadder is that it happened so often in real life. I had to look up PKU - I'm assuming with regular testing that it gets treated right away nowadays without any lasting effects. However, that poor little girl might be in for a struggle. Wonder if we'll see her again, like we did the handful of thalidomide babies. It was so good to see Tim again! Here's hoping he becomes more of a regular, and learns the ropes at the maternity home while he goes to medical school (although... didn't they mention he'd be in Edinburgh?).