S03.E01: Episode 1

[Tara Ariano]

Sister Winifred arrives from the Mother House; Sister Monica Joan solves a medical mystery; after helping to deliver a neighbour's baby, Chummy decides she wants to return to midwifery.

[lucindabelle]

Oooh! Has this aired on PBS yet? I thought it was coming on March 30. Apologies if I'm dense, I only landed here today. Also, does anyone know how to get the Season 2 Christmas special? I caught up to this show on Netflix on the Roku, and that episode wasn't there. So far, my record is complete in that I cannot watch this show without weeping.

[MountainMomma]

You can get the Christmas Special on Amazon Prime (if you have it). It's not free, but it's only like $2.99, or something like that. And yes, it made me cry. Dammit. And according to my DVR schedule, yes, the first new episode is March 30.

[DeeJayKay]

PBS has already shown the Christmas episode.  I just checked and, sadly, it is no longer available to watch on the PBS site.

[panthergirl13]

If you haven't watched this season yet Through Methods, do NOT read the Buzzfeed article about why it's such a great show. They have very spoilery screencaps from the series finale. Jerks.

[JudyObscure]

I can't believe how much I'm looking forward to this season starting tonight. It never sounds like it's going to be very exciting and then by the time it's over I'm all crying and strung out from the emotion. 

[dramachick]

Oooh! Has this aired on PBS yet? I thought it was coming on March 30. Apologies if I'm dense, I only landed here today. Also, does anyone know how to get the Season 2 Christmas special? I caught up to this show on Netflix on the Roku, and that episode wasn't there. So far, my record is complete in that I cannot watch this show without weeping.

My PBS station here in Los Angeles is broadcasting the Season 2 Christmas special immediately before the premiere. 

[Tara Ariano]

I wrote about a pivotal moment in the S3 premiere!

[Curtsy]

Gosh, it's a lovely show, isn't it? So nice to spend time with these characters again. I was a little worried about little Freddy in his pram when Chummy ran to the aid of the woman in labour-it would have been nice to hear her ask one of the crowd to keep an eye on him.

The scene with Shelagh embroidering crosses on a baby dress just got to me, emotionally. If this were a different kind of show, I would worry for her. But I'm sure the baby will come, and will be healthy. Right?

[dramachick]

Gosh, it's a lovely show, isn't it? So nice to spend time with these characters again. I was a little worried about little Freddy in his pram when Chummy ran to the aid of the woman in labour-it would have been nice to hear her ask one of the crowd to keep an eye on him.

The scene with Shelagh embroidering crosses on a baby dress just got to me, emotionally. If this were a different kind of show, I would worry for her. But I'm sure the baby will come, and will be healthy. Right?

You have to remember the year was 1959, and it wasn't unusual for babies to be left unattended in their prams outside.  It's still the practice today in some countries.

I loved how they highlighted the value of Sister Monica's knowledge in this episode.  As soon as she spoke of babies tasting of salt and not living past age 5, I knew it was cystic fibrosis.  What a heartbreaker. 

Nice to see Chummy back in the saddle again!

[PRgal]

You have to remember the year was 1959, and it wasn't unusual for babies to be left unattended in their prams outside.  It's still the practice today in some countries.

 

Even for an "outsider" like Chummy?  I can understand if Chummy did that in her OWN neighbourhood, but where she was seems a bit sketchy.

Edited March 31, 2014 by PRgal

[JudyObscure]

I think Chummy had her baby tucked into it's own crib.  That was Chummy's red sofa where the bingo lady was giving birth.  I recognized the doilies she was using as puddle pads.  Chummy's baby must be the best baby ever for her to have so much extra time while carrying for him, cooking meals from scratch, washing diapers, etc.  I was sleep deprived and exhausted the entire first year. These midwives all seem to have super human energy.

I had no idea that CF wasn't diagnosed until the 1950's.  I kept thinking, it seems like that, but the doctor said he tested for all the obvious things.  How sad for the women of those days who thought they just weren't good enough mothers when their children died of rare diseases.

[PRgal]

I missed parts of it - did both the kids end up having CF?  How sad.

Edited March 31, 2014 by PRgal

[Milz]

I guess CF too. Salty babies.

I love that Trixie's hair is beginning to look like Marilyn's hair circa 1963.

[attica]

I continue to love how woman-centric this show is without being shallow or frivolous. The drama of the difficult birthing scenes never fail to make me hold my breath.

I wish I could go and sit in Chummy's lap for a bit. I bet I'd feel better. About everything.

[olivia1]

I loved Chummy's burned pies, how she calls her son young sir, and teared up after the baby was safely born. Miranda Hart plays her beautifully. She told little Fred she would take him to the mirror and show him what a naughty monkey looks like. Ha!  I need to remember that one. 

[AllAboutMBTV]

Is Call The Midwife just the "goodest" show on TV now? (This from someone who loved and owns The Sopranos, The Wire and Breaking Bad, nightmares of human indecency.) Sure, most of the characters have their foibles, but in the end they all pull together about helping their community and each other. It's a tea cozy of a show without crossing the line into saccharine (although it gets very close), beautifully produced, designed and acted. I always feel better for having watched it, and it's educational, too (that episode about the siblings from the workhouse killed me -- who knew they were still extant in the '30s? -- never mind all that I've learned or relearned about pregnancy and birth). But, yeah, basically I just want to hang with Chummy. She's a Daphne Manners who got out of The Jewel in the Crown's India before the Raj went down in flames.

Serve on, ladies!

[Milz]

 

She's a Daphne Manners who got out of The Jewel in the Crown's India before the Raj went down in flames.

 

I love this.

It can get a little too close to the Saccharine Line for me, but it manages to hold off----at least the first seasons did......from what I've been hearing about this season, not too much.

What I didn't like about the episode is the Royal Visit from HRH, The Princess Margaret. Sure Chummy's dad is/was some governor general in India but Chummy writing to the Palace then getting an almost immediate response was too contrived. And the line about Princess Margaret being royality and like a Hollywood celebrity was lifted right out of a BBC documentary. I don't think Chummy or anyone in 1950s UK would have said that.

[zivadanielle]

First post!  Just found my way over here...wheeeeee there are character threads and everything! 

I missed parts of it - did both the kids end up having CF?  How sad.

I watched the whole episode and was confused by that. 

The actress playing the mom was quite good--her growing despair and depression were palpable. 

And sorry, but  *UGH* to the dirty diaper water. 

 

I think Chummy had her baby tucked into it's own crib.  That was Chummy's red sofa where the bingo lady was giving birth.  I recognized the doilies she was using as puddle pads.  Chummy's baby must be the best baby ever for her to have so much extra time while carrying for him, cooking meals from scratch, washing diapers, etc.  I was sleep deprived and exhausted the entire first year. These midwives all seem to have super human energy.

I had no idea that CF wasn't diagnosed until the 1950's.  I kept thinking, it seems like that, but the doctor said he tested for all the obvious things.  How sad for the women of those days who thought they just weren't good enough mothers  when their children died of rare diseases.

I thought they were in the mom's abode...it was not until reading here that I realize they were @ Chummy's!  I guess need to lay off the wine while watching. 

[Tara Ariano]

Yeah, Mrs. Torpy didn't want to stay at her own house because her kids were being loud and annoying, so Chummy brought her back Chez Noakes.

[panthergirl13]

As someone who did real life labor support for several years, I love love love how real these births are. And how, most of the time, these women have healthy babies in a home setting with a midwife who spends the entire labor and delivery with them. I've always hated how TV characterizes birth (the infamous ER episode being the most egregious) so in addition to all the lovely character work on CTM, the genuine portrayal of low-intervention birth is just great.

[missmontyp]

That's nice to know Pantergirl. I have kids of my own so I know the general drill but I was hoping the home birthing proccess was true to life and that all you current and former midwives would not be dissappointed.  So many times when watching a process with which you are familiar you are dissappointed because TV gets it wrong. 

I will have to ask my mum about the enemas.  I didn't have any with my kids in the 1990's.  When did they stop doing them?

 

[panthergirl13]

I had my first baby in 1985 and they had already stopped (depending on where you gave birth... I used midwives in hospital setting but they were in charge, so everything was done their way. In other hospitals they were probably still doing enemas.) 

My friends who are midwives also love the show. :)

[Lillybee]

I got the god awful enema with my son who was born in 1976 and it was a natural birth. It was horrible and I went  from 3cm to 10cm in less than 30 minutes. There is a reason why the enemas aren't given anymore.

If I were pregnant, which is impossible these days, I would like to have Chummy deliver my baby. There is something so calming about her.

[Swedish Chef]

About the "crosses" on Shelagh's baby dress, surely she meant cross stitches, since they represented "kisses"? That was how I heard it.

So happy that Chummy will be back in action two days a week! And I really like how the series is capturing the gradual changes in health care and how childbirth is handled. Here in season three, women are beginning to expect ambulance transport (and, of course, last season we saw the increasing popularity of pain killers).

[Portia]

About the "crosses" on Shelagh's baby dress, surely she meant cross stitches, since they represented "kisses"? That was how I heard it.

That's how I took it.

[Milz]

 

How sad for the women of those days who thought they just weren't good enough mothers  when their children died of rare diseases.

Not only for women of those days. When I worked at a Children's Hospital, there was a baby with a relatively rare genetic disorder. Both parents carried the trait. Anyhow, the mom was at the baby's bedside all day and most of the night during the baby's hospital stay. One evening the baby stopped breathing and while the docs treated the baby, the mom sat at the nurse's station in tears, muttering over and over again that she's a horrible mother,  that the baby's genetic disorder was all her fault, etc. the social worker happened to be there for another child and together we had to reassure the mom. I noticed that about moms in general: whenever their children are ill they believe it's their fault because they aren't being good moms and they feel very, very guilty about it.

[panthergirl13]

There are so many amazing issues that get addressed this season!! I have to be super careful here not to slip and mention them. But keep watching... 

I might just read the book next. Has anyone read it?

[smrou]

There are so many amazing issues that get addressed this season!! I have to be super careful here not to slip and mention them. But keep watching...

I'm having the same issue, having watched the whole season already.  Plus, my memory is kind of poor when it comes to recalling exactly what happened in each episode, so I will likely not be able to participate much in episode-by-episode discussion.

 

 

I might just read the book next. Has anyone read it?

I read the book--just the first one--a couple of years ago and enjoyed it.  A lot of what's in the book is in the series, so I don't think it's really necessary to read, but if you find the subject matter interesting (which I assume everyone who enjoys the show does) then it's worth reading, I think.  For a little while after I read it I find myself constantly bringing it up in all sorts of conversations with friends and family, talking about some of the patients/cases described in the book.  I just find it all so fascinating whether in book or series form.

Edited April 1, 2014 by smrou

[Milz]

I read all three books last year. The third book gave more information about Sister Monica Joan's background and I hope they include that in the series at some point

[Portia]

And sorry, but  *UGH* to the dirty diaper water. 

God, that was horrible. I did cloth diapers for a couple of years and believe me, it's a struggle to keep the house fresh, healthy, and habitable even when you have your own toilets and washing machine to assist in the process. There were several moments during that episode that my husband and I noted CTM isn't the best show for us to watch while eating.

I've avoided the books because I was afraid they'd be too much like the narration, which is the only part of the show that I don't like.

[PRgal]

Question:  "Breast is best" was thrown around at least once or twice in the premiere.  Was that term used back then?  It sounds kind of late 90s/early 21st century (when nursing became a "thing" again) to me.  I'm 34 so I didn't exist back when the show was on. 

[feminaformosa]

You have to remember the year was 1959, and it wasn't unusual for babies to be left unattended in their prams outside.  It's still the practice today in some countries.

My husband was born in the UK in 1978, and moms were still leaving babies outside shops in their prams then. Most stores didn't have aisles wide enough for them. My MIL said there was a baby snatching not too long after that, so building code changed to make stores have room for people to bring their strollers in. 

I love this show. I sobbed at the very end, which is par for the course for this show of course. But I love it and I am so glad that it is back!

 

I will have to ask my mum about the enemas.  I didn't have any with my kids in the 1990's.  When did they stop doing them?

I was born in 1978, and my sister in 1980 (here in the US), and my mom was shocked that I didn't have an enema when my daughter was born. 

 

Question:  "Breast is best" was thrown around at least once or twice in the premiere.  Was that term used back then?  It sounds kind of late 90s/early 21st century (when nursing became a "thing" again) to me.

Again with my MIL, but when my husband was born, they were encouraging breastfeeding in her hospital in the UK. At least, it wasn't this weird thing like it was in the US at that time period. My mom said that lots of people made fun of her for breastfeeding, and very few people did it when I was born the same year. It makes sense when you think about the time and place - the sanitation would have been so difficult, so it makes sense that the midwives would encourage breastfeeding. 

I read all 3 CTM books last year - they are terrific; I really enjoyed them. It is shocking how the writers of the TV show didn't have to make anything up. There are some really dire things in the book/TV show. This is the first season where the writers are writing original stories (apart from the romantic storylines).

Edited April 1, 2014 by feminaformosa

[formergr]

Why did the doctor' s son have leg braces on in this episode? I don't remember him having them previously. Or did something happen (I'm guessing polio if so) during the Christmas special? I haven't seen it yet, so feel free to answer under spoiler bar so others can stay spoiler-free, if anyone knows.

Overall, a good episode, and it was great to see Chummy back indeed.

Edited April 3, 2014 by formergr

[Tara Ariano]

Yes, he has polio, which he was diagnosed with in the last Christmas special.

[BetyBee]

This one was a heartbreaker.  Those boys probably didn't have a lot of treatments available to them and surely they had shortened lives.  So tragic!  It's funny, but as nice as the new Nonnatus hall is, I miss the old one.  Everything seems brighter and more vivid this season.  I think I prefer the more sepia tones of the past seasons.  Chummy's "problem" of too much time seemed pretty manufactured, but she will be happier keeping her hand in as a midwife.  And we need her to still be on the show!

[plurie]

 

Question:  "Breast is best" was thrown around at least once or twice in the premiere.  Was that term used back then?  It sounds kind of late 90s/early 21st century (when nursing became a "thing" again) to me.  I'm 34 so I didn't exist back when the show was on.

Janet Elizabeth Lane-Claypon (in the UK) published her study comparing breast fed babies to those fed cow's milk in 1912, and demonstrated more weight gain in the former.

I'm not sure what kinds of infant formulas were available in the UK in the 1950s, nor what they cost. The "good" ones may not have been affordable for the women of CTM.

[Charlotte Vale]

Chummy's "problem" of too much time seemed pretty manufactured, but she will be happier keeping her hand in as a midwife.

 

 . . . and she certainly did keep her hand in!

Edited April 3, 2014 by Charlotte Vale

[PRgal]

Re "breast is best":  I wasn't actually asking about nursing vs. formula, but the actual phrase, "breast is best."  Was that term used in the late 50s/early 60s?

[Tim McD]

What happened to Jane, the shy and withdrawn orderly who filled in while Jenny worked at the hospital last season?

[lavatea]

^^^ I just went through a whole thing of finding out TWoP has closed down and then moving over here, JUST to ask the question you asked. What happened to Jane??

[Kohola3]

What happened to Jane??

 

Good question.  They just sort of dropped her.

[feminaformosa]

I have some recollection of Jane getting married, but that might be from the books and I also might be confusing her with Shelagh.

She did go out on a date in the show, didn't she? Wait, yes, with that super talkative pastor. I think she did marry him in the books, or I might be making that up. I should go check.

Edit: no, I wasn't crazy. She married the Reverend Applebee-Thornton and they went off to be missionaries in Sierra Leone, where Chummy and her husband joined them later.

Edited April 18, 2014 by feminaformosa

[RedbirdNelly]

I am just now watching this show. I do find that the show makes being with a baby seem easy (Chummy) and that being on call as a midwife never leaves you tired. But I still love it. Chummy does seem like she has the easiest baby ever. But I enjoyed her effort to find something to make her feel more engaged.