S11.E08: Episode 8

[OtterMommy]

UK Air date: February 20, 2022

Quote

Nonnatus House faces its darkest day after a tragic incident in the heart of Poplar. As the community rally together, the team must overcome personal anguish to help the injured.

 

[MissLucas]

That was a very satisfying end to the season and I liked the last shot with the whole set - incl. Hot Widower and a photo of Trixie.

I'm a bit surprised that the person I was most impressed by over this two episodes was Violet. She was so great last week when she made sure Fred could take care of his rescue service job by telling Reggie she needed him by her side because she was so frightened. And she did it again this episode - comforting Reggie and helping him over his trauma by finding something he could help with. I loved their little convo in the kitchen. And then she handled that reporter deftly and gave Reggie a spot in the headlights.

And the other behind-the-scenes MVP was Miss Higgins who rushed to get supplies, helped Sister Hilda breaking the horrible news to Mrs Corbett and when faced with all the defeated faces around the dinning table she silently moved to make the one phone call that would bring what was desperately needed to Nonnatus House. And last but not least using her 'connections' to let Mrs Corbett know about the Coroner's findings and helping her move on from her feelings of anger and guilt.

On the other side of my appreciation scale is once again Shelagh. What she said to Timothy before running out of the house was really cold. I might have been able to accept that had she rushed to Nonnatus House and dived right into helping folks. Instead it needed Cyril to snap her out of it.

On to the Christmas Special and next season!

 

Edited February 23, 2022 by MissLucas

[katisha]

On 2/23/2022 at 10:26 AM, MissLucas said:

That was a very satisfying end to the season and I liked the last shot with the whole set - incl. Hot Widower and a photo of Trixie.

I was a bit worried there for a while with the whole "slum landlord" bit but I now feel he's a totally appropriate partner for Trixie.  He can stay! 

On 2/23/2022 at 10:26 AM, MissLucas said:

And the other behind-the-scenes MVP was Miss Higgins who rushed to get supplies, helped Sister Hilda breaking the horrible news to Mrs Corbett and when faced with all the defeated faces around the dinning table she silently moved to make the one phone call that would bring what was desperately needed to Nonnatus House. And last but not least using her 'connections' to let Mrs Corbett know about the Coroner's findings and helping her move on from her feelings of anger and guilt.

In the last couple of seasons I've really come to like and appreciate Miss Higgins.  I mean, let's face it - give her a couple of cats and she could BE me if I'd been her age in the 1960s. 🤣 I would never use the term "spinster" to describe myself but if the shoe fits...

On 2/23/2022 at 10:26 AM, MissLucas said:

On the other side of my appreciation scale is once again Shelagh. What she said to Timothy before running out of the house was really cold. I might have been able to accept that had she rushed to Nonnatus House and dived right into helping folks. Instead it needed Cyril to snap her out of it.

That's a fair point but I have to give credit to Laura Main because she does tragic scenes so well.  I think more than anyone on this show, she has the ability to reduce me to tears (and that's saying something among a cast of champion heartstring-tuggers!)

As always I'm going to miss this show but Christmas will probably be here before we all know it.  Meanwhile, I think maybe an early season rewatch is on the cards!

Edited February 25, 2022 by katisha

[Badger]

Another round of "What they cut out:"

Right before the scene with Violet and the reporter, she and Reggie are separating napkins (I think, I couldn't really tell) which Reggie finds boring.  Violet agrees, but says it is normal life.

In the scene where Violet is talking to the reporter, he asked her about the accident and whether or not she knows what caused it and whether or not it was driver errort.  She got very angry and said not to put words in her mouth and that anyone scandalmongering would be shown the door. He tells her he's from the East End too, and that's when she tells him that he ought to know there are ordinary people doing what they can to help and that there are heroes everywhere.

After that scene, Srs. Monica Joan, Hilda and Frances, Nurse Crane and Nancy are sitting around the table talking.  Nurse Crane says she's never heard of the condition Carole had and Sr. Monica Joan says that her career has been about revelations and discoveries and that a woman's flesh is as full of secrets as a pomegranate is with seeds.  

Sr. Frances says that what shocked her was how quickly the conversation turned from complications of Carole's pregnancy to ways to contol her fertilty and that she is being pressured to get a coil fitted.  Sr. Hilda remarks that Carole's life needs fixing, not her body.  Nurse Crane observes that all the coil will do is stop her getting pregnant, it won't stop her from looking for love and not in the right places.  Then Nancy blurts out "Honest to God! Sex, who needs it!" Then as she stands up to leave, she says that girls think they want sex when what they really want is to be wanted and that simple kindness would do the job just as well.

There's a cute scene of the Turner children visiting Dr. Turner in the hospital.  Angela says she is going to draw a sunflower on his hand.  Timothy says that May is going to draw a bird on it (only one child at a time is allowed, per hospital rules) and he doesn't know what Teddy is going to draw. When Tim leaves to take Angela back and to get May, Shelagh says she's going to make a rule about putting caps back on felt tip pens which she describes as "very new-fangled."

They cut a bunch out of that musical montage of "Elusive Butterfly."  Right before we see Nancy on her bike and Carole buying flowers, we see Lucille and Cyril in their apartment; Lucille is polishing their crucifix and Cyril is washing windows.  Mrs. Wallace who is wearing a bandage over her injured eye is polishing what looks like some kind of dish, Fred puts out a new poster board outside about the accident.  Reggie is on the front page and the headline reads: "Crash, Local Heroes"  Reggie cuts out his picture from the paper as the Buckles watch, drinking tea.  Shelagh takes what looks like a couple of pies out of the oven, while Timothy packs a medical bag. Patrick is in the living room and the children all dressed up as doctors and nurses are examining him. The montage ends with Fred at the Corbett apartment putting up the wallpaper in the nursery.  Bobbie holds a bucket for Fred, Sr. Hilda is ironing and Mrs. Corbett is holding Baby Benedict.

[anna0852]

Do the dvd sets sold from the PBS site have the full episodes? 

[emmawoodhouse]

Just now, anna0852 said:

Do the dvd sets sold from the PBS site have the full episodes? 

Pretty sure it's the PBS cut.

[Cetacean]

@Badger your input is much appreciated.  The montage sounds wonderful and I am so sad we miss all of these precious moments.

Quite a suspenseful ending but I had to laugh at both Lucille and Miss Higgins keeping their trusty hats firmly in place throughout the traumatic events.

[Capricasix]

33 minutes ago, Badger said:

Another round of "What they cut out:"

Right before the scene with Violet and the reporter, she and Reggie are separating napkins (I think, I couldn't really tell) which Reggie finds boring.  Violet agrees, but says it is normal life.

In the scene where Violet is talking to the reporter, he asked her about the accident and whether or not she knows what caused it and whether or not it was driver errort.  She got very angry and said not to put words in her mouth and that anyone scandalmongering would be shown the door. He tells her he's from the East End too, and that's when she tells him that he ought to know there are ordinary people doing what they can to help and that there are heroes everywhere.

After that scene, Srs. Monica Joan, Hilda and Frances, Nurse Crane and Nancy are sitting around the table talking.  Nurse Crane says she's never heard of the condition Carole had and Sr. Monica Joan says that her career has been about revelations and discoveries and that a woman's flesh is as full of secrets as a pomegranate is with seeds.  

Sr. Frances says that what shocked her was how quickly the conversation turned from complications of Carole's pregnancy to ways to contol her fertilty and that she is being pressured to get a coil fitted.  Sr. Hilda remarks that Carole's life needs fixing, not her body.  Nurse Crane observes that all the coil will do is stop her getting pregnant, it won't stop her from looking for love and not in the right places.  Then Nancy blurts out "Honest to God! Sex, who needs it!" Then as she stands up to leave, she says that girls think they want sex when what they really want is to be wanted and that simple kindness would do the job just as well.

There's a cute scene of the Turner children visiting Dr. Turner in the hospital.  Angela says she is going to draw a sunflower on his hand.  Timothy says that May is going to draw a bird on it (only one child at a time is allowed, per hospital rules) and he doesn't know what Teddy is going to draw. When Tim leaves to take Angela back and to get May, Shelagh says she's going to make a rule about putting caps back on felt tip pens which she describes as "very new-fangled."

They cut a bunch out of that musical montage of "Elusive Butterfly."  Right before we see Nancy on her bike and Carole buying flowers, we see Lucille and Cyril in their apartment; Lucille is polishing their crucifix and Cyril is washing windows.  Mrs. Wallace who is wearing a bandage over her injured eye is polishing what looks like some kind of dish, Fred puts out a new poster board outside about the accident.  Reggie is on the front page and the headline reads: "Crash, Local Heroes"  Reggie cuts out his picture from the paper as the Buckles watch, drinking tea.  Shelagh takes what looks like a couple of pies out of the oven, while Timothy packs a medical bag. Patrick is in the living room and the children all dressed up as doctors and nurses are examining him. The montage ends with Fred at the Corbett apartment putting up the wallpaper in the nursery.  Bobbie holds a bucket for Fred, Sr. Hilda is ironing and Mrs. Corbett is holding Baby Benedict.

I really dislike that PBS cuts so much. The show ended at 8.54 pm tonight, leaving a full six minutes before the start of the next one. Why couldn’t they leave some of those scenes in? I envisioned a couple of the sisters and midwives helping to finish decorating the nursery, so I’m glad to know that Fred did it! 

[Blackie]

I wish there was some kind of logical reason for the PBS edits, so frustrating.

 

[Capricasix]

Just now, Capricasix said:

I really dislike that PBS cuts so much. The show ended at 8.54 pm tonight, leaving a full six minutes before the start of the next one. Why couldn’t they leave some of those scenes in? I envisioned a couple of the sisters and midwives helping to finish decorating the nursery, so I’m glad to know that Fred did it! 

And I would have loved to see the kiddies examining their dad. Stephen McGann seems to have a real connection with little children.

[Blackie]

39 minutes ago, Badger said:

Shelagh says she's going to make a rule about putting caps back on felt tip pens which she describes as "very new-fangled."

OMG Shelagh chill out😄

[TVFAN]

Be still my Turner loving heart.   Tim to the rescue!  The look on Sister Julienne's face when she recognized his voice was priceless.

I don't think Shelagh's comment was cold.  It actually reminded me of something my own dad would have said.  I think what she meant was that this was not a moment to wallow in self pity.  And arguably Tim took it that way because he headed out to give his dad his white coat and bag.

And Matthew has completely stolen my heart.  He doesn't have to be there.  He just wants to do the right thing.  (It doesn't hurt hat he looks darn hot while doing so.)   Come home, Trixie!  We need another Christmas wedding.

[Driad]

46 minutes ago, Capricasix said:

I really dislike that PBS cuts so much. The show ended at 8.54 pm tonight

It's not just the end.  The opening sequence is much longer than necessary.  OK, we see the title of the show and families in a city, we get it, show us the episode already.

[Straycat80]

Great final episode of this season. I’m so glad everyone was OK. Well, except the train driver which was sad. 
I missed who was taking care of Carole’s little boy while she was in the hospital.  Also, I learned something new, that they would bury babies with someone else so they could be in consecrated ground. 
I would also love to see a Trixie and Matthew wedding on the Christmas special. 
 

[Sarah 103]

2 hours ago, TVFAN said:

Be still my Turner loving heart.   Tim to the rescue!  The look on Sister Julienne's face when she recognized his voice was priceless.

At first I thought, "This is great writing. They need Tim to be home sick, because if this took place during a regular school break, there is no way his mother would be able to convince him to stay home with his younger siblings. He'd want to be there to help." And the writers still found a way to get Tim to the scene and help out. 

2 hours ago, TVFAN said:

And Matthew has completely stolen my heart.  He doesn't have to be there.  He just wants to do the right thing.  (It doesn't hurt hat he looks darn hot while doing so.)  

This makes me feel so much better. Matthew is a great guy and easy on the eyes. Could someone explain how he ended up with some medical experience as a result of national service? Is this like people who join the military and end up serving as medics? 

Years of TV watching have paid off. I was able to correctly guess one of the characters who died. I liked that Carol found a healthy connection with people and a possible support system/surrogate family at the end. 

Overall, I thought this was a great season finale. 

Edited May 9, 2022 by Sarah 103

[emmawoodhouse]

Kudos to those who called the brain tumor and seizure. 

[caitmcg]

2 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

I missed who was taking care of Carole’s little boy while she was in the hospital.

She mentioned his being with her foster mother.

[rlc]

Wow, based on how cold Shelagh was to Timmy, perhaps neither nursing nor the sisterhood was the proper vocation for her.

Good season finale. Loved how Miss Higgins quietly did what needed to be done (especially getting Nurse Crane back to Poplar).

Sisters Hilda and Frances were both wonderful, and it was nice to finally see Violet not being unpleasant. 

All in all, a very satisfying season finale.

[JudyObscure]

10 hours ago, Badger said:

They cut a bunch out of that musical montage of "Elusive Butterfly."  Right before we see Nancy on her bike and Carole buying flowers, we see Lucille and Cyril in their apartment; Lucille is polishing their crucifix and Cyril is washing windows.  Mrs. Wallace who is wearing a bandage over her injured eye is polishing what looks like some kind of dish, Fred puts out a new poster board outside about the accident.  Reggie is on the front page and the headline reads: "Crash, Local Heroes"  Reggie cuts out his picture from the paper as the Buckles watch, drinking tea.  Shelagh takes what looks like a couple of pies out of the oven, while Timothy packs a medical bag. Patrick is in the living room and the children all dressed up as doctors and nurses are examining him. The montage ends with Fred at the Corbett apartment putting up the wallpaper in the nursery.  Bobbie holds a bucket for Fred, Sr. Hilda is ironing and Mrs. Corbett is holding Baby Benedict.

That's exactly what I would have liked to see in a season finale, a look at everyone in Poplar, safe and happy until we meet again next season.

Instead it was too many stories told too quickly, then ending with a feeling that all was still in chaos. I should have trusted that Nurse Crane would get it all back in order even if it meant no sleep for those who desperately deserved it.  I also should have guessed something was cut.

[Daff]

7 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

Could someone explain how he ended up with some medical experience as a result of national service? Is this like people who join the military and end up serving as medics? 

As a part of any “basic training”, he would have had a round of (what was then known as) first aid training. The real first responders in war are the fellow soldiers who would need to know how to staunch bleeding, when and how to inject the morphine every soldier carried, while yelling for the medics. 

7 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

Kudos to those who called the brain tumor and seizure. 

Yes, Ellawycliff called it. 

[Daff]

There were so many truly touching scenes here, but my very favorites were the scenes between Sr. Frances and the hospital nurse. Leave it to Sr. Frances for turning callous to caring every time. I felt so bad for her when she had a slip of faith at the end, discussing what would happen if Sr. Julienne did not fully recover. I like to think it was merely the exhaustion speaking, especially after turning that nurse into her ally so marvelously. 

[Mermaid Under]

Quote

I wish there was some kind of logical reason for the PBS edits, so frustrating.

I don't know this for sure, it is just a guess.  But in most instances, I remind myself of that old trope "follow the money".  I wonder if there is some way this is financial?  That getting a 45 minutes of  British import is cheaper than the whole show.

[Dehumidifier]

57 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

That's exactly what I would have liked to see in a season finale, a look at everyone in Poplar, safe and happy until we meet again next season.

Instead it was too many stories told too quickly, then ending with a feeling that all was still in chaos. I should have trusted that Nurse Crane would get it all back in order even if it meant no sleep for those who desperately deserved it.  I also should have guessed something was cut.

Too much time for philosophizing and praying while slowly getting it together to help train victims. Took forever for sirens to be heard too. Isn't Poplar in the middle of London? You'd think they were out in the boondocks.

[anna0852]

2 hours ago, rlc said:

Wow, based on how cold Shelagh was to Timmy, perhaps neither nursing nor the sisterhood was the proper vocation for her.

Shelagh definitely has a cold streak. It's subtle because she usually says the right words but it's there. I really thought it came last season with that poor teenager who's mother took her baby away. 

My theory is that ultimately Shelagh has had a charmed life and no real permanent knocks to show her that everything isn't always roses. You're leaving the convent and renouncing your vows? Remain a close friend of the sisters and with no judgement or anger from them. Infertility issues? Quick adoption and a miracle pregnancy. Biological mother has isses consenting to a second adoption? Mum is conveniently half a world away. Marrying a widower with a child? Child accepts you as his mother immediately with no turbulence (when is the last time there was ever any mention of Tim's mom, whom he surely loved and has memories of?). 

She's a married, working mother with three small children in the 1960's and *no one* is commenting? It was one thing for a poor family to have mom working or a widow needing a job but a doctor's wife with a nice house and a nanny would really be getting a lot more side-eye.

 

[MissLucas]

11 hours ago, TVFAN said:

I don't think Shelagh's comment was cold.  It actually reminded me of something my own dad would have said.  I think what she meant was that this was not a moment to wallow in self pity.  And arguably Tim took it that way because he headed out to give his dad his white coat and bag.

I see your point, and I know for some people that sort of pragmatism works. It would not for me and it certainly did not in this case when the same character then does not stick to her own advice. Tim showed more mettle than Shelagh and he did it without anybody offering him kindness in a moment of distress.

[dubbel zout]

11 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

Also, I learned something new, that they would bury babies with someone else so they could be in consecrated ground. 

Is that an Anglican tradition? It's lovely (and slightly creepy at the same time, IMO). I thought that whole part of Carole's story was handled so sensitively. Really well done.

4 hours ago, rlc said:

how cold Shelagh was to Timmy

I didn't find her cold at all. Wallowing in self-pity wasn't going to help anything, especially since they didn't know what Patrick's status was.

It cracked me up that Phyllis ran into both Cyril and Matthew upstairs. That was a nice little joke. Too bad there wasn't one more man. The rule of threes! Hee.

Of course Sister Julienne doesn't have heart trouble.

[MrPissyPuppy]

2 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Of course Sister Julienne doesn't have heart trouble.

I think there's something shady going on there and she's lying about it all being due to her injuries and that it really was a heart attack.  

[EllaWycliffe]

2 hours ago, Daff said:

Yes, Ellawycliff called it. 

To be fair, I didn't think they wanted a plot where someone caused a lot of deaths thru sheer negligence. And that scene in the doorway last week really did look like a seizure.

3 hours ago, rlc said:

Wow, based on how cold Shelagh was to Timmy, perhaps neither nursing nor the sisterhood was the proper vocation for her.

I didn't find this especially cold. People are injured and maybe dying, including her husband and friends, and Tim is all about how he and Dad had an arguement and like "not the time, Tim!" would have come out of my mouth (although I probably would have included a charming English explicative)

1 hour ago, anna0852 said:

My theory is that ultimately Shelagh has had a charmed life and no real permanent knocks to show her that everything isn't always roses. You're leaving the convent and renouncing your vows? Remain a close friend of the sisters and with no judgement or anger from them. Infertility issues? Quick adoption and a miracle pregnancy. Biological mother has isses consenting to a second adoption? Mum is conveniently half a world away. Marrying a widower with a child? Child accepts you as his mother immediately with no turbulence (when is the last time there was ever any mention of Tim's mom, whom he surely loved and has memories of?). 

She's a married, working mother with three small children in the 1960's and *no one* is commenting? It was one thing for a poor family to have mom working or a widow needing a job but a doctor's wife with a nice house and a nanny would really be getting a lot more side-eye.

Well, to a point, a) this is how the show is written, there's a lot of rosy outcomes for a lot of main characters. Nurse Crane literally just won the lottery, Mrs. Higgins not only wasn't raped and assaulted when her house was robbed, she's now in a much nicer place apparently for free. Trixie, as one of the other longer running characters, has the same tendency to roll double sixes and Sr Julienne went from "heart attack, soon to die" to "I was just overreacting" in all of ten minutes in this episode. B) a lot of why certain problems don't arise is that you can only show people bitching about the doctor's wife still working when she has kids so many times. As much as it irritates me, I know this si why we don't see more East End racists refusing to let Lucille tend them. 

 

10 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

Could someone explain how he ended up with some medical experience as a result of national service? Is this like people who join the military and end up serving as medics? 

Because as the second nicest guy on tv ever, OF COURSE he just happens to have had medical training that has never been mentioned prior to this because yeah thats how we keep him in the plot line.

I admit, I sort of laughed when Nurse Crane entered the house when it looked like the nuns and midwives had pulled one of Sr. Hilda's keggars in the place. I am going to question how Nurse Crane got from Brussels/France/Spain to London in under eight hours. There's no Chunnel in this era and no casual flights. 

[dubbel zout]

2 minutes ago, EllaWycliffe said:

I am going to question how Nurse Crane got from Brussels/France/Spain to London in under eight hours. There's no Chunnel in this era and no casual flights. 

I think she was in Rye at some hotel. It was Miss Higgins who called her—she specifically asked the operator to connect her to a hotel there—and said Phyllis was needed back in London.

That bit confused me, because yeah, Phyllis was supposed to be on a European bus tour. 

[MissLucas]

Phyllis was already back in the UK, staying in Chelmsford (Essex) .

[libgirl2]

11 hours ago, Straycat80 said:

Great final episode of this season. I’m so glad everyone was OK. Well, except the train driver which was sad. 
I missed who was taking care of Carole’s little boy while she was in the hospital.  Also, I learned something new, that they would bury babies with someone else so they could be in consecrated ground. 
I would also love to see a Trixie and Matthew wedding on the Christmas special. 
 

Did they mention who the baby was buried with? 

Count me in for a Christmas wedding! 

[Rootbeer]

38 minutes ago, dubbel zout said:

Is that an Anglican tradition? It's lovely (and slightly creepy at the same time, IMO). I thought that whole part of Carole's story was handled so sensitively. Really well done.

It was a thing in Catholic cemeteries, too, back in the day.  They had a rule that, in order to be buried in consecrated ground (the cemetery was part of the church); the person had to be baptized in the faith.  Not baptized, no burial.  Catholic cemeteries often had a little non-consecrated corner of the cemetery where non-baptized, mainly infants, could be buried..  Not sure what the Anglican rule was, apparently post mortem baptism wasn't enough since Sister Francis and everyone else seemed to know about the burial with another person.  People who committed suicide were also refused burial in sacred ground because they had a mortal sin on their souls. They were also placed in the back, in the corner, with the stillborns.  Nowadays, as society has begun to understand mental illness, that is no longer the rule.  Same thing with stillborns, as far as I know, they can be buried in the main part of the cemetery wherever the parents choose.

Edited May 9, 2022 by Rootbeer

[Maisiesmom]

Pretty good ending for the show.Too bad about the train conductor but that baby was so cute! They were going to bury the wee one with the tea lady-the one with all the kids and grandkids. I also think that there is something going on with Sister Juliennes heart but they can tackle that next season. Love how Nurse Crane came in to save the day and get things in order. I will miss this show-it gave me something to look forward to on Sunday nights.

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, Maisiesmom said:

Pretty good ending for the show.Too bad about the train conductor but that baby was so cute! They were going to bury the wee one with the tea lady-the one with all the kids and grandkids. I also think that there is something going on with Sister Juliennes heart but they can tackle that next season. Love how Nurse Crane came in to save the day and get things in order. I will miss this show-it gave me something to look forward to on Sunday nights.

I was hoping that was the case. I must have missed that part. 

I agree, I worry that there is something more going on. 

All in all a satisfactory season finale. I'm going to miss this show. 

[Rootbeer]

11 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

I was hoping that was the case. I must have missed that part. 

I agree, I worry that there is something more going on. 

All in all a satisfactory season finale. I'm going to miss this show. 

I think Sister Julienne might've told the doctors she was going back to Nonnatus, no matter what and then told everyone the white lie about her condition so they wouldn't worry or treat her differently.  She's the type to want to make the most of her time.  I think we'll learn the true story next season.

[JudyObscure]

2 hours ago, anna0852 said:

My theory is that ultimately Shelagh has had a charmed life and no real permanent knocks to show her that everything isn't always roses. You're leaving the convent and renouncing your vows? Remain a close friend of the sisters and with no judgement or anger from them. Infertility issues? Quick adoption and a miracle pregnancy. Biological mother has isses consenting to a second adoption? Mum is conveniently half a world away. Marrying a widower with a child? Child accepts you as his mother immediately with no turbulence (when is the last time there was ever any mention of Tim's mom, whom he surely loved and has memories of?). 

 

 I think if Shelagh had experienced a charmed life, she wouldn't have made the wrong choice of vocation in the first place, resulting  in lots of angst and feelings of having failed as a nun.  She wouldn't have been infertile in the first place with more feelings of failure, but got pregnant easily as most women do.  Her adoption would have been closed with no worries about the birth mother and her issues. She wouldn't have married a widower with baggage, but a young single doctor.  She wouldn't have almost died of tuberculosis.

I thought Shelagh was just giving Timothy something to focus on before he spiraled into a sobbing  heap over arguing with his father. Necessarily  stern in the moment, but not cold.

[libgirl2]

8 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

 I thought Shelagh was just giving Timothy something to focus on before he spiraled into a sobbing  heap over arguing with his father. Necessarily  stern in the moment, but not cold.

And if Tim wants to be a doctor, he has to learn to set aside those emotions in order to do his job. 

Edited May 9, 2022 by libgirl2

[MissLucas]

Tim has already lost a parent - even if he wants to become a doctor his step-mother could spare 5 seconds to say something kind before giving out character-building advice. To me her words did not come from a good place (i.e. wanting to prepare him for real life) but resentment because he had dared to lash out at his father in their prior discussion.

[caitmcg]

2 hours ago, anna0852 said:

She's a married, working mother with three small children in the 1960's and *no one* is commenting? It was one thing for a poor family to have mom working or a widow needing a job but a doctor's wife with a nice house and a nanny would really be getting a lot more side-eye.

I don’t know, both my middle-class grandmothers worked at least part-time through most of their children's childhoods in the 1940s, ‘50s, and in my paternal grandmother’s case, into the ‘60s. Many of their neighbors and peers may not have worked, but I don’t think they were necessarily giving side-eye. 

[Suzn]

1 hour ago, EllaWycliffe said:

I didn't find this especially cold. People are injured and maybe dying, including her husband and friends, and Tim is all about how he and Dad had an arguement and like "not the time, Tim!" would have come out of my mouth (although I probably would have included a charming English explicative)

Well, to a point, a) this is how the show is written, there's a lot of rosy outcomes for a lot of main characters. 

 

23 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

I think if Shelagh had experienced a charmed life, she wouldn't have made the wrong choice of vocation in the first place, resulting  in lots of angst and feelings of having failed as a nun.  She wouldn't have been infertile in the first place with more feelings of failure, but got pregnant easily as most women do.  Her adoption would have been closed with no worries about the birth mother and her issues. She wouldn't have married a widower with baggage, but a young single doctor.  She wouldn't have almost died of tuberculosis.

I thought Shelagh was just giving Timothy something to focus on before he spiraled into a sobbing  heap over arguing with his father. Necessarily  stern in the moment, but not cold.

17 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

And if Tim wants to be a doctor, he has to learn to set aside those emotions in order to do his job. 

I didn't think Shelagh was cold at all.  She was just being tough as the situation called for.  Tim didn't need comforting, he needed direction and focus on what was important at that moment.

I also don't think she has had a more charmed life than the other main characters.  Everything has ultimately worked out for her, but she has gone through very difficult and painful situations.

 

[Shermie]

54 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

if Tim wants to be a doctor, he has to learn to set aside those emotions in order to do his job.

Well yeah, for random patients. But you can’t fault someone for being emotional when it’s their own father.

1 hour ago, Rootbeer said:

It was a thing in Catholic cemeteries, too, back in the day.  They had a rule that, in order to be buried in consecrated ground (the cemetery was part of the church); the person had to be baptized in the faith.  Not baptized, no burial.  Catholic cemeteries often had a little non-consecrated corner of the cemetery where non-baptized, mainly infants, could be buried..  Not sure what the Anglican rule was, apparently post mortem baptism wasn't enough since Sister Francis and everyone else seemed to know about the burial with another person.  People who committed suicide were also refused burial in sacred ground because they had a mortal sin on their souls. They were also placed in the back, in the corner, with the stillborns.

And this is why so many people don’t respect organized religion. Yes, it’s changed (in some places and to a degree), but that cold-hearted judgment is the opposite of what the Bible teaches. Church and all its privileges are only for certain worthy people. Ugh. Glad it’s changing but for many people it’s too little, too late. 

The big drama was a little hokey. Of course, no main character died or was even close, in spite of how they tried to sell that possibility last week. The fire department seemed a bit incompetent; Tim had to discover that one of the cars had survivors, and that was quite a bit after the crash. Surely that should have been the FD’s first priority. I agree that PBS shouldn’t cut scenes. If they really want a money grab, just have a 3-minute break in the middle of the show to beg for donations. That leaves 57 minutes for the entire episode. 

This show is like the comfort food equivalent of tv. I’ll miss it, too bad the seasons are so short. 

[libgirl2]

Just now, Shermie said:

Well yeah, for random patients. But you can’t fault someone for being emotional when it’s their own father.

And this is why so many people don’t respect organized religion. Yes, it’s changed (in some places and to a degree), but that cold-hearted judgment is the opposite of what the Bible teaches. Church and all its privileges are only for certain worthy people. Ugh. Glad it’s changing but for many people it’s too little, too late. 

The big drama was a little hokey. Of course, no main character died or was even close, in spite of how they tried to sell that possibility last week. The fire department seemed a bit incompetent; Tim had to discover that one of the cars had survivors, and that was quite a bit after the crash. Surely that should have been the FD’s first priority. I agree that PBS shouldn’t cut scenes. If they really want a money grab, just have a 3-minute break in the middle of the show to beg for donations. That leaves 57 minutes for the entire episode. 

This show is like the comfort food equivalent of tv. I’ll miss it, too bad the seasons are so short. 

I think when it is a loved one, that is when one must be strongest of all. 

[Daff]

1 hour ago, libgirl2 said:

I was hoping that was the case. I must have missed that part. 

Not only did Sr. Frances arrange the burial with tea lady’s (probably eldest) daughter, she took Carol and Dean to the allotment to meet the rest of the family (Carol took the flowers, Sr. Frances took the pram).  The impression we’re left with is that Carol will develop a bond and friendship with the family and finally find supportive contacts. I’m confident they’ll look out for her going forward. 

[libgirl2]

1 minute ago, Daff said:

Not only did Sr. Frances arrange the burial with tea lady’s (probably eldest) daughter, she took Carol and Dean to the allotment to meet the rest of the family (Carol took the flowers, Sr. Frances took the pram).  The impression we’re left with is that Carol will develop a bond and friendship with the family and finally find supportive contacts. I’m confident they’ll look out for her going forward. 

Thank you! I really hope it works out for her. 

 

[MissLucas]

39 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

I think when it is a loved one, that is when one must be strongest of all. 

As we have seen with Shelagh when May had her accident.

[proserpina65]

Oh, thank god, thank god, thank god!!!!!

I was really worried about Dr. Turner when he kept having cognitive issues during that conversation with Sister Julienne.  Then she started having chest pains.  I was prepared for it to be more wrenching even than when Barbara died.

7 hours ago, rlc said:

ow, based on how cold Shelagh was to Timmy, perhaps neither nursing nor the sisterhood was the proper vocation for her.

I don't think she was cold at all.  I think she took exactly the right tone with Timothy, especially since they didn't actually know much at that point.

 

[3 is enough]

Good season ending- I wish they had not cut the closing montage.  Sounds like it would have tied thing a up a bit better.

 I think that part of the reason British TV is so good is that they do limit the number of episodes.  Better to have 8 excellent shows than to have the writers struggling to find material to put out 22 so-so episodes.

 

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, 3 is enough said:

Good season ending- I wish they had not cut the closing montage.  Sounds like it would have tied thing a up a bit better.

 I think that part of the reason British TV is so good is that they do limit the number of episodes.  Better to have 8 excellent shows than to have the writers struggling to find material to put out 22 so-so episodes.

 

Completely agree. It does seem that many of the streaming shows are finding that this works best too. 

[Blackie]

42 minutes ago, 3 is enough said:

 I think that part of the reason British TV is so good is that they do limit the number of episodes.  Better to have 8 excellent shows than to have the writers struggling to find material to put out 22 so-so episodes.

 

 

For example compare the British Ghosts (with our Barbara) to the American version of Ghosts.

I was trying to find if the train crash was based on a real incident, it doesn't seem like one happened in Poplar. There was a crash in the 60's in England where the engineer and 5 passengers died. Sounded like it wasn't due to a medical issue. Maybe it was loosely based on that.

It seemed too long that Sr Julienne and Dr Turner were just waiting for someone to find them. No one searched car to car???  Not until Tim called out? That was a bid unrealistic.

[LGraves65]

17 hours ago, Cetacean said:

@Badger your input is much appreciated.  The montage sounds wonderful and I am so sad we miss all of these precious moments.

 

Agreed.  Even though I'm in the US and have already seen this series (there are Ways) I couldn't tell you which scenes have been cut if you paid me.  Thanks, @Badger!