S13.E01: Episode 1

[purist]

Quote

Four new trainee midwives arrive at Nonnatus House in March 1969, including Rosalind Clifford (Natalie Quarry) and Joyce Highland (Renee Bailey), who will also be living there and find living among nuns something of a culture shock. Rosalind's first birth is complicated when the police arrive to arrest the mother's criminal husband, who is armed with a gun. Doreen, who has cerebral palsy, is heavily pregnant, which angers her mother. Doreen's patient records indicate that she was injured at birth and that Sister Julienne delivered her, a fact that the nun finds hard to handle. Nancy clashes with Phyllis over a new campaign for increased wages for nurses.

 

Edited January 10 by purist

[Height-Nonchalance]

In the US, S13.E1 is available on PBS Passport.  No spoilers, but I thought it was a very good, standard, installment.   Several new characters are introduced, which seems promising.  I look forward to the post about what was cut from the full UK version; one big gap is apparent.  Nevertheless, a good start for the season.

Edited February 19 by Height-Nonchalance

[jah1986]

I caught it through Passport and enjoyed it very much. So far I like the new characters. Just the right amount of Sister Monica Joan. There were obvious cuts though and that is so frustrating.

One question though: 

Spoiler

where did the baby Reggie had come from?

 

[Badger]

Spoiler

cut and deleted content from s13 ep1

They cut out some dialogue at the beginning.  Right after Sr. Veronica says that one midwife has not turned in her vaccination records and that they start tomorrow, she adds 
"That's one copybook already blotted." 

Shelagh asks her if she has spoken to Miss Higgins.  She answers that Miss Higgins is outside supervising Cub Scouts clean her windows and Nurse Crane is watching them wash her car.

Shelagh says they'll be finished soon enough and that it's always all hands to the pump on bob-a-job week.

In the next scene at Nonatus House, after Shelagh says they'll have to put the children on the floor like a picnic,she adds she hopes it won't give the wrong impression of district midwifery.

They cut out a short scene (no dialogue) of the Turner children feeding their pets.  Teddy is feeding Petula the rabbit, and Angela refills her water bottle. May feeds Clark the tortoise.

They cut a bit of dialogue of Patrick saying he was delighted when he heard about the new scheme.
 
They cut the beginning of the scene with The Buckles and Reggie. Violet tells Fred she has done his list for this dinnertime's cash-and-carry run.  She's underlined Handy Andys and they have had a run on pixie hoods.  She says people will just buy them at the hairdresser's unless they have them by the till.  Fred tells her she needs to stop with the seductive chitchat as there are young ears listening, "Right, Reggie?"  

Violet tells him she is glad someone is in a good mood because she has just gotten a call that the mini fairground she booked for Easter Monday has had to cancel. Reggie says "What" and Fred says they had a helter-skelter outside Nonnatus House and a roundabout for the kiddies.  Reggie says he came home especially.

In the scene of the midwives and student nurses, when the phone rings, Shelagh says it's a timely opportunity to demonstrate their phone drill. She says that as she approaches the board, she glances up to see who is first on call and it's Nurse Aylward.

They cut a scene with Cyril and Mrs. Wallace at his flat.  She points to Nigel who is eating and asks if he has found a new home for him.  Cyril says he's been trying to but the cat keeps coming back.  Mrs. Wallace says cats are ungodly and that there are no cats in the Bible.  She especially doesn't like that he rubs around people's legs during services.  Cyril says the problem isn't that Nigel is a cat but that the flat is too small for their growing church and that they will need to find new premises or stop evangelizing which Mrs. Wallace refuses.

They cut a scene of Joyce,Rosalind,and Nancy in Joyce and Rosalind's room.  Joyce reads from a paper that voting members of The Royal College of Nursing have given their approval for a new "Raise the Roof" campaign which aims to raise nurse's wages by up to 50 percent. She asks Rosalind if she knows about this,and she says that she does and that she is fully in support of organized protest.  Other professions and industries do them and besides, their salaries are paltry.  Nancy points out that she's trained for four years and still can't afford a home for herself and her daughter.  Joyce says it's not just about the money for her, but about respect. She says she wants to be a hospital Matron and that she wants a wage that reflects how hard she is going to work.

They cut part of the scene where Matthew picks up Trixie at the police station. She says it has happened before and it will probably happen again.  She says Nurse Crane has picked up poor Rosalind and taken her back to Nonnatus House for a lie down. She says that "baptism of fire" comes to mind.  Matthew says it's not funny and Trixie says she wasn't joking, today might have been exceptional in many ways, but they work with patients in extremis all the time.  He says he doesn't like her putting herself at risk and that maybe she could go back to work at the Lady Emily which is private, nearer their flat and also safe.

In the scene of Joyce and Rosalind in their room, after they speak for a while, Nancy comes in and tells Rosalind that,  Nurse Crane has scrubbed her shoes, that they have been stuffed with paper and are now drying on the draining board. Rosalind jokes that she hopes they are dry by morning as she doesn't want to go to work in her slippers or party slingbacks.

Joyce offers her a cup of tea with a bit of rum in it.  She says she's never had rum but agrees to it and quite likes it. Joyce says she has a full bottle and asks Nancy if she wants some.  She says "Oh go on" and says that she also had a very hard day as they still have a flaming pram to decorate.

Spoiler

Reggie is holding Robert, the baby who was born with Down Syndrome in the Season 10 finale.

 

Edited February 26 by Badger
deleted content and put in spoiler

[txhorns79]

I enjoyed the episode.  I felt bad because there were points during the episode where I had real trouble understanding what Doreen was saying, and had to run it back a few times. 

[purist]

Doreen is played by the wonderful Rosie Jones, a highly successful UK comedian. I saw her last year at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and she was superb.

[Height-Nonchalance]

There were two bits that I loved.

Spoiler

A lucid Sister Monica Joan going off about the hypocrisy of jigsaw puzzles.

Spoiler

Trixie outside the bedroom where Nancy and the two new residents were playing music and laughing, and Trixie realizing that she's older and no longer the fun one at Nonnatus House.

 

Edited February 28 by Height-Nonchalance

[marceline]

FYI, episode 2 is up on PBS Passport now.

 

[Ancaster]

Episode 1 airs tonight on my regular PBS station.

(Followed by Nolly, the bio-drama about popular soap-opera star Noele Gordon.  I haven't heard anything about it, but it could be good.)

[dancingdreamer]

On 2/25/2024 at 9:51 PM, txhorns79 said:

I enjoyed the episode.  I felt bad because there were points during the episode where I had real trouble understanding what Doreen was saying, and had to run it back a few times. 

Yes, me too. I used the CC as well

[JudyObscure]

I didn't understand anything Doreen said and missed some of the other's lines.  I don't have very good sound on my TV and it's really hard when the background music over plays the dialogue, so I'm best off watching it on my computer the next day.

Good story with the young woman having cerebral palsy and her nice boyfriend alongside the abusive husband.

[Daff]

9 hours ago, Ancaster said:

Episode 1 airs tonight on my regular PBS station.

(Followed by Nolly, the bio-drama about popular soap-opera star Noele Gordon.  I haven't heard anything about it, but it could be good.)

In spite of her time as a horrible, evil witch, I’ve loved everything HBC has done (especially The King’s Speech). I’m betting this will be good, even though the soap was notoriously lousy.

1 hour ago, JudyObscure said:

I didn't understand anything Doreen said and missed some of the other's lines.  I don't have very good sound on my TV and it's really hard when the background music over plays the dialogue, so I'm best off watching it on my computer the next day.

Good story with the young woman having cerebral palsy and her nice boyfriend alongside the abusive husband.

One or two clicks to turn on the cc. I have to because of Shealah.

[Daff]

The parallel between the discussed 1944 delivery and the police involved delivery was a good plot device. Sr. J probably put it out of mind because of the terror and the newbie held it together admirably until it was over. FWIW, the “broken” clavicle wasn’t an issue as it could only have been a greenstick fracture. It did, however, lead to the CP, as the stuck shoulder delayed delivery and prevented O2 getting to the baby. Nothing Sr. J could have done differently.

Interesting reading about those “doodlebug” missiles.

[JudyObscure]

1 hour ago, Daff said:

 

One or two clicks to turn on the cc. I have to because of Shealah.

 My dumb TV puts the close caption inside a tall black box and runs it right across the middle of the screen covering the actors' faces.

[Daff]

2 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

 My dumb TV puts the close caption inside a tall black box and runs it right across the middle of the screen covering the actors' faces.

That is sad (and kind of sick, Ada-wise). However, it might be a default setting (dumb, if so). You might search in menus to see if you can move the box. One or two more layers and you might find it.

[Sarah 103]

5 hours ago, Daff said:

The parallel between the discussed 1944 delivery and the police involved delivery was a good plot device. Sr. J probably put it out of mind because of the terror and the newbie held it together admirably until it was over. FWIW, the “broken” clavicle wasn’t an issue as it could only have been a greenstick fracture. It did, however, lead to the CP, as the stuck shoulder delayed delivery and prevented O2 getting to the baby. Nothing Sr. J could have done differently.

Interesting reading about those “doodlebug” missiles.

@Daff-That answers a question that I had and confirms one of my suspicions. Somethings things go (horribly) wrong and there is nothing the midwife can/could do to fix it. Sometimes despite all the best intentions and training, things happen beyond their control and ability to fix. 

I liked the younger midwives asking for a fair wage/salary. I am interested in seeing where the plot line goes. They are trained professionals with advanced/training degrees and they deserve to be paid accordingly (at least enough to live on comfortably). While the nuns made a vow of poverty, that should not have to apply to the secular nurses. It's a shame that so many caretaking/stereotypical women's jobs are not paid as well as they should be. (hope that last sentence isn't too political).

I liked that Trixie was able to maintain her cool in a crisis and set an excellent examples for the new midwife. 

 

 

 

[libgirl2]

1 hour ago, Sarah 103 said:

I liked that Trixie was able to maintain her cool in a crisis and set an excellent examples for the new midwife. 

 

 

 

I liked the comment the new midwife made something about no one wants a bald baby! 

[Daff]

9 minutes ago, libgirl2 said:

I liked the comment the new midwife made something about no one wants a bald baby! 

 But did you see the look Trixie shot her for that? Priceless!

[kwnyc]

Aww. New blonde midwife is being set up as NuTrixie. 

And Cyril saying he can mend his clothes...have they ever addressed why Lucille didn't come back?

And NuLucille is definitely NOT NuLucille, what with her smokin' and not going to church! ;-)

It was a stark reminder about the long-running effects of the Blitz/WW II when they described how the baby Sr. Julienne delivered was in an overcrowded shelter when the doodlebugs were coming down.

[libgirl2]

2 minutes ago, Daff said:

 But did you see the look Trixie shot her for that? Priceless!

OMG! Yes, that was just as funny! 

3 minutes ago, kwnyc said:

Aww. New blonde midwife is being set up as NuTrixie. 

And Cyril saying he can mend his clothes...have they ever addressed why Lucille didn't come back?

And NuLucille is definitely NOT NuLucille, what with her smokin' and not going to church! ;-)

It was a stark reminder about the long-running effects of the Blitz/WW II when they described how the baby Sr. Julienne delivered was in an overcrowded shelter when the doodlebugs were coming down.

She does have that sense of sass about her. I liked both of the new midwives. 

They need to address Lucille. Say something about the marriage not surviving the distance. Or if not, have them talk on the phone or go visit her. 

[caitmcg]

2 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

I liked that Trixie was able to maintain her cool in a crisis and set an excellent examples for the new midwife. 

No surprise, in that we've seen her maintain her cool in past crises plenty of times, but I also like that the trainee, who initially was not so successful or confident in calming the patient, found her mettle in dealing with the husband once he fired the shots.

[Blackie]

I liked the episode but didn't turn the cc on until half way through so I will go back for a rewatch. Lots of dramatic moments which could be better if they let the scene play out and not immediately cut to the next 3 sec scene (my usual CTM complaint) . I hope someone posts the missing scenes, maybe that will explain the baby buggy parade at the end.

 

Although I didn't really understand why they had to dig up Doreen's birth history. Also was was Miss Higgins being extra bitchy

[chitowngirl]

10 minutes ago, Blackie said:

I hope someone posts the missing scenes, maybe that will explain the baby buggy parade at the end.

They are under the spoiler tags in Badger’s post dated February 25….

[Blackie]

Thanks @chitowngirl and @Badger  those were some major scenes that were cut!!! Esp about the pay protest because that will probably be a runner through this season. Damn you PBS!!!!

I guess I wasn't really paying attention because I missed what the husband was flushing down the toilet. If it was heroin and his wife was screaming in pain in the next room!!!  LOL!

[kwnyc]

15 minutes ago, Blackie said:

If it was heroin and his wife was screaming in pain in the next room!!!  LOL!

It was definitely drugs, and that guy's not going to see his kids for a LONG time.

[libgirl2]

9 minutes ago, kwnyc said:

It was definitely drugs, and that guy's not going to see his kids for a LONG time.

He is involved with the Krays.  That is a whole other thing to get into. 

[eel2178]

2 hours ago, Blackie said:

maybe that will explain the baby buggy parade at the end.

Earlier in the episode someone was handing out flyers for a pram decorating contest. It was supposed to have something to do with Easter; however, I didn't understand the connection. Maybe their version of the old-fashioned Easter Parade?

[eel2178]

2 hours ago, Blackie said:

 I didn't really understand why they had to dig up Doreen's birth history. 

They were looking for someone to blame for her cerebral palsy. 

[howiveaddict]

I am a nurse and was really interested in the pay increase scenes. Especially as this is a very real issue here in the states right now.  In fact my department has been fighting to make equal pay as hospital inpatient departments.  I was sad that Phyllis shut her down like that with being a midwife to help or something like that.  We had a meeting with some management   and the same thing was brought up that people go into nursing because it's a calling and not for the pay.  Of course my sassy mouth had to speak back.

Loved Sister Veronica during the stand off with the drug dealer husband.

The scene where the new midwife told that lady that no one likes a bald baby, reminds me of when my second was born.  When he was crowning, the nurse told me my baby didn't have any hair.  Which was fine because my daughter didn't either.  And they both ended up white blond for a few years.

Edited March 19 by howiveaddict

[CoyoteBlue]

37 minutes ago, howiveaddict said:

the same thing was brought up that people go into nursing because it's a calling and not for the pay.  Of course my sassy mouth had to speak back.

Is that what they used to call "exposure"? Neither Exposure Bucks nor Calling Cash pay the rent or feed the family.

[Orcinus orca]

55 minutes ago, howiveaddict said:

We had a meeting with some management   and the same thing was brought up that people go into nursing because it's a calling and not for the pay. 

I had a lifelong career as a nurse and when I started in 1971 the pay was pretty bad.  It improved somewhat over the years but it took forever for me to save up enough for a house. It wasn't until I got away from actual bedside nursing toward the end of my career that I made a decent wage.

Phyllis is an older spinster with no responsibilities so it's easy for her to blow off the money side of things.  But the young midwife with the child is an entirely different situation. She has a long way to go before she will be making enough money to support them both. 

There are a lot of taxing jobs out there but very few where people are supposed to work their backsides off just for the "calling".  Teachers come to mind in that category and it's no more fair for them than nurses.

[Driad]

1 hour ago, Orcinus orca said:

Phyllis is an older spinster with no responsibilities so it's easy for her to blow off the money side of things. 

What was the pension or retirement situation at the time?  If Phyllis becomes unable to work, will she have some income or support?  She is not a nun like Sister Monica Joan who can depend on the order taking care of her.

[Blackie]

10 hours ago, eel2178 said:

They were looking for someone to blame for her cerebral palsy. 

 

What was the point of that this stage of her life? And they made it seem like they needed this info to deliver her baby, which wasn't really necessary.(unless they were trying to get her some compensation, I don't know if law suits for CP were a thing back then ). It was an interesting story but didn't really make sense how they wrote it.

[JudyObscure]

20 minutes ago, Blackie said:

It was an interesting story but didn't really make sense how they wrote it.

I feel like they've been struggling for episode ideas these last few years.  For me, nothing is ever going to compare to those first few years, set in the fifties, in the midst of Poplar's extreme poverty.

 

[Daff]

17 hours ago, Blackie said:

I liked the episode but didn't turn the cc on until half way through so I will go back for a rewatch. Lots of dramatic moments which could be better if they let the scene play out and not immediately cut to the next 3 sec scene (my usual CTM complaint) . I hope someone posts the missing scenes, maybe that will explain the baby buggy parade at the end.

 

Although I didn't really understand why they had to dig up Doreen's birth history. Also was was Miss Higgins being extra bitchy

There actually was a quick exchange among the women a few scenes after the “crafts in the living room” scene. They had to come up with an Easter activity and the decorated prams were mentioned.

[Notabug]

4 hours ago, Blackie said:

 

What was the point of that this stage of her life? And they made it seem like they needed this info to deliver her baby, which wasn't really necessary.(unless they were trying to get her some compensation, I don't know if law suits for CP were a thing back then ). It was an interesting story but didn't really make sense how they wrote it.

Perhaps they wondered if she was born prematurely, which can increase the risk of cerebral palsy and can also run in families.  I don't know that that was common knowledge back then, though.  And there wasn't much to do about it other than tell the pregnant woman of the risk and make sure she knew the signs and symptoms and called promptly if she experienced them.

Weirdly enough, birth injuries are one of the least common causes of CP.

[Salacious Kitty]

58 minutes ago, Daff said:

There actually was a quick exchange among the women a few scenes after the “crafts in the living room” scene. They had to come up with an Easter activity and the decorated prams were mentioned.

Reggie and Violet passed out flyers.

[Orcinus orca]

Is there a reason why Trixie and Mr. Trixie are moving?  I can't remember if that was mentioned last season.  Didn't he have kind of a swanky place?

[Ceindreadh]

16 hours ago, Driad said:

What was the pension or retirement situation at the time?  If Phyllis becomes unable to work, will she have some income or support?  She is not a nun like Sister Monica Joan who can depend on the order taking care of her.

There would have been a state pension in place at that time.  Phyllis - having likely worked all her adult life - would have been eligible for it once she'd hit retirement age. 

But she did have a windfall a few seasons back and IIRC was going to put some of the funds away in a pension, so she would be more secure in her retirement than a lot of people in her place.

[DonnaMae]

42 minutes ago, Orcinus orca said:

Is there a reason why Trixie and Mr. Trixie are moving?  I can't remember if that was mentioned last season.  Didn't he have kind of a swanky place?

Was it so she would be closer to her work?

[JudyObscure]

I just realized that for the first time, when the baby was born, I didn't even tear up. Asking myself what would interest me at this point?  I would like to see Cyril and one of the young nurses fall in love.  Then we would get some conflict with the racism of the 60's and of course his marriage would have to sink or swim.

[Sarah 103]

2 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I would like to see Cyril and one of the young nurses fall in love.  Then we would get some conflict with the racism of the 60's and of course his marriage would have to sink or swim.

I'm not opposed to dealing with racism, but what if the couple is of the same race but there's another obstacle instead of racism, like something with religion or social class.  

[JudyObscure]

3 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

I'm not opposed to dealing with racism, but what if the couple is of the same race but there's another obstacle instead of racism, like something with religion or social class.  

Even better!

[Orcinus orca]

Is Cyril divorced?  As religious as he is, I can't see that happening.

[jschoolgirl]

10 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I would like to see Cyril and one of the young nurses fall in love.

IMO, a HUGE anvil has already dropped on that, when he oiled Joyce’s bike chain. 

[Salacious Kitty]

51 minutes ago, jschoolgirl said:

IMO, a HUGE anvil has already dropped on that, when he oiled Joyce’s bike chain. 

Is Joyce the one who said she didn't go to church? 

[purist]

3 hours ago, jschoolgirl said:

when he oiled Joyce’s bike chain

lol is that what the kids are calling it these days?

[JudyObscure]

10 hours ago, jschoolgirl said:

IMO, a HUGE anvil has already dropped on that, when he oiled Joyce’s bike chain. 

I saw that, too!  If he falls for her and gets a divorce, his little church would be very upset with him and may even "fire" him as pastor. Yet, they've all seen that he has essentially been deserted.  It would all be interesting to me.

[AZChristian]

3 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I saw that, too!  If he falls for her and gets a divorce, his little church would be very upset with him and may even "fire" him as pastor. Yet, they've all seen that he has essentially been deserted.  It would all be interesting to me.

We used to belong to a denomination where divorced people were not usually permitted to be church leaders.  When our pastor's wife left and divorced him, it was decided that he could stay on as pastor because he was the innocent party in the divorce.  But when he met someone else and became engaged, he was informed that the church wished him well, but that he would no longer be pastor upon his remarriage. 

That rule has now been relaxed . . . as have many of the other stringent rules (no dancing, no movies).  The denomination couldn't find many new people to join.  

[JudyObscure]

Interesting AZ!  As a person who is divorced and remarried I often wondered if there were still churches in which I wouldn't be welcomed.  My present husband and I were married in a Methodist church by a minister who was divorced and remarried. That was forty years ago.  These days the UMC is all shook up over the gay issue.

Cyril's church seems fundamentalist to me, plus it's the 1960's. London might be swinging but their churches weren't.