Seasons 1 & 2 Discussion: Midwifery Memories

[maraleia]

A place to discuss particular episodes, arcs and moments from the show's first two seasons. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[BizBuzz]

Ok, so I love all things British, I am avid watcher of things like Doctor Who, Monty Python, Sherlock, Downton Abbey, and yes, I was even into Benny Hill for a while.

For some reason Call the Midwife isn't calling to me.  I can't figure out why because it would be natural for me to follow it.  So I ask you, peeps of this busy board, can you make me feel compelled to watch?

I don't mind spoilers, and since I chose to put my comment in a Season 1 & 2 thread, tell me why I should start watching.

::giggle::

[MaryHedwig]

It is all about the birth scenes.  If they strike as transcendent,  then the show will work for you.  If they do not, then the show will not.  For me, they work- the birth scenes fill me with gratitude for the life that I have and make me want to strive to be the best version I possibly can (a nice thought to have on a Sunday night with the work week ahead of me).  Some of the shows you mentioned are just too silly for me.  So, as with life, YMMV.

Edited April 22, 2014 by MaryHedwig

[Lillybee]

I am a fan of shows like Land Girls and the Canadian Bomb Girls. What I love about this and those shows is that they show women working and living and growing together without any nastiness.

[natyxg]

I am a fan of shows like Land Girls and the Canadian Bomb Girls. What I love about this and those shows is that they show women working and living and growing together without any nastiness.

 

I like those shows too. I love period dramas and female driven shows! And, like you say, it's nice to see female friendships for a change.

[Valny]

So after avoiding this series for a while, I've decided I'm going to start watching on Netflix.  I mainly avoided it because I didn't want to see a lot of those tv-child birthing scenes but I've been told by a friend at work who has watched it all that's it's more than that.

 

Anything I should know going into this show? Be prepared for? Look forward to?...and such.

[yeswedo]

Anything I should know going into this show? Be prepared for? Look forward to?...and such.

 

Based on my experience, be prepared to not be able to stop watching until you run out of episodes! 

[dcalley]

Anything I should know going into this show? Be prepared for? Look forward to?...and such.

You might cry. Look forward to Chummy! And the story quality seems to be best at the beginning, when the show was matching up with the books (which I haven't read, and I don't know what you know about the series, but the books are nonfiction). Eventually they run out of book stories and start making up their own.

[ethalfrida]

Go to YouTube and play The Dying Swan.  Then that one episode will not catch you by surprise. But then prepare to laugh, gasp and be amazed at the excellent writing of each show. I am new to the series too and just started this week. Up to season 2 now.

[cheeztoast]

I finally finished watching all up through the current season.  I don't think Jenny will be missed in the future, frankly.  She was a bit stiff and is almost always a wet blanket. 

 

For newbies who are afraid of birth scenes: there must be at least 4 births in every episode, and I, who generally hates "the birth scene" in most shows, am not bothered in the least by it.  It's kind of like breathing on this show and is almost used the same way that "Six Feet Under" used deaths to highlight various parts of life.

[SweePea59]

Yeah, but it feels like four. ;D

Edited November 26, 2014 by SweePea59

[spottedreptile]

I knew nothing about this until I stumbled over it on Netflix, and the premise didn't sound all that thrilling, but I was bored one night and clicked on it. I'm still on Season One but I absolutely adore it. It really grows on you, and now I am hooked on the lives of the nurses, sisters and patients. Chummy is my fave, she is just so beautifully original and interesting.

[Beezella]

RI PBS is rerunning season one. Yay! Maybe others will follow.

[operalover]

I watched the last season and a half on PBS but now Im starting at the beginning on Netflix. I will get to know who Chummy is as a character. So episode 3, Ted is SO excited that his wife, who already has 3 kids, is expecting. It turns out she had sex with a black sailor and knows the baby will be black. In any case, they found the darkest skin baby they could find when in actuality the baby would have been half white and even black babies when born are lighter than they will be later. It's just funny to me that to hit the point home that it was half black, they found the darkest baby possible!!

[Raingirlkm]

In fairness, the babies are "cast" before they are born based on interviews with the mothers and their due dates, so production may have been surprised to have such a dark baby.

[7-Zark-7]

4 hours ago, operalover said:

In any case, they found the darkest skin baby they could find when in actuality the baby would have been half white and even black babies when born are lighter than they will be later. It's just funny to me that to hit the point home that it was half black, they found the darkest baby possible!!

Some babies are also darker than their genes would lead one to believe. I saw an episode of "Finding Your Roots" on Condoleeza Rice that showed her to have 40% European ancestry, which some may say is not reflected in her complexion.

[operalover]

On 8/4/2016 at 1:04 PM, 7-Zark-7 said:

Some babies are also darker than their genes would lead one to believe. I saw an episode of "Finding Your Roots" on Condoleeza Rice that showed her to have 40% European ancestry, which some may say is not reflected in her complexion.

Yes. that is true,  but even a bi-racial baby whose genes would make them darker than their genes would lead one to believe, if truly biracial, would have been lighter that this child at birth. They did not cast a bi-racial baby and by some fluke it turned out to be darker than its genes would leave one to believe. This was definitely a producer choice to make sure the dad knew immediately this was NOT his baby. Usually in this scenario, the father might suspect and it would become clear possibly later on.  Most biracial babies and many fully black babies, look white at birth. I've seen enough Maury Povich to know this! ha ha ha

[proserpina65]

A friend has never seen this show so I've been getting the dvds from the library to watch together.  We just started season 2, and I discovered that I apparently missed an episode the first time around - the one with the ship captain's daughter.  A more depressing episode than usual, but we did see the first indication of Sister Bernadette's affection for Doctor Turner.

[Dejana]

During the S1 storyline with the elderly brother and sister who'd become intimate, I wondered why they didn't move to another part of the country and present themselves as a married couple? It seems like it wouldn't have been as difficult to fake in those days, even if they wouldn't have had VC Andrews as a guide...

[OnceSane]

3 hours ago, Dejana said:

During the S1 storyline with the elderly brother and sister who'd become intimate, I wondered why they didn't move to another part of the country and present themselves as a married couple? It seems like it wouldn't have been as difficult to fake in those days, even if they wouldn't have had VC Andrews as a guide...

Maybe they worried about finding work.  Plus, it didn't seem like anyone knew about their relationship (aside from the Nonnatans).

[caitmcg]

On 12/25/2016 at 2:38 PM, Dejana said:

During the S1 storyline with the elderly brother and sister who'd become intimate, I wondered why they didn't move to another part of the country and present themselves as a married couple? It seems like it wouldn't have been as difficult to fake in those days, even if they wouldn't have had VC Andrews as a guide...

 

23 hours ago, OnceSane said:

Maybe they worried about finding work.  Plus, it didn't seem like anyone knew about their relationship (aside from the Nonnatans).

Plus, people who were that poor and had always lived in the same area, may not have had the wherewithal for that kind of mobility, psychologically if not also economically.

[proserpina65]

On ‎12‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 5:38 PM, Dejana said:

During the S1 storyline with the elderly brother and sister who'd become intimate, I wondered why they didn't move to another part of the country and present themselves as a married couple? It seems like it wouldn't have been as difficult to fake in those days, even if they wouldn't have had VC Andrews as a guide...

A friend pointed out that just because they shared a bed, it didn't necessarily mean they were intimate.  I know that's how Jenny interpreted what she saw, and how viewers were likely to see it, but people used to share beds without any sexual connotation, especially when they were poor.

[Dejana]

On Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at 2:00 PM, proserpina65 said:

A friend pointed out that just because they shared a bed, it didn't necessarily mean they were intimate.  I know that's how Jenny interpreted what she saw, and how viewers were likely to see it, but people used to share beds without any sexual connotation, especially when they were poor.

I felt that if the viewers were meant to think nothing untoward was happening, another character would have been scripted to point out the alternatives, you know, something like: "Heavens, Jenny, not everyone grew up middle class: loads of siblings throughout history have shared a bed without any funny business involved!" At least have one person to voice the opinion that no, it wasn't really like that. But even the nuns were all, "Yeah, well, if they were more husband/wife than brother/sister, they suffered so much as children and aren't really hurting anyone!" which seems like an extremely understanding attitude from someone born during the Victorian era and living in a religious order. I honestly missed the line where Jenny specifically asked about the woman's brother and assumed from their interactions earlier in the episode that they were in fact a married couple and had to rewatch to see why CtM was making a scandal about a husband and wife sharing a bed.

Edited December 29, 2016 by Dejana

[proserpina65]

11 hours ago, Dejana said:

I felt that if the viewers were meant to think nothing untoward was happening, another character would have been scripted to point out the alternatives, you know, something like: "Heavens, Jenny, not everyone grew up middle class: loads of siblings throughout history have shared a bed without any funny business involved!" At least have one person to voice the opinion that no, it wasn't really like that. But even the nuns were all, "Yeah, well, if they were more husband/wife than brother/sister, they suffered so much as children and aren't really hurting anyone!" which seems like an extremely understanding attitude from someone born during the Victorian era and living in a religious order. I honestly missed the line where Jenny specifically asked about the woman's brother and assumed from their interactions earlier in the episode assumed that they were in fact a married couple and had to rewatch to see why CtM was making a scandal about a husband and wife sharing a bed.

That's probably true, but it could just be their assumption as well.  Anyway, it's a testament to how good this series is that I keep thinking about an episode from season one in this much depth.

[LeGrandElephant]

I just rewatched that one and after he died the sister also said “we we more than brother and sister, more than husband and wife, even”. So that did seem to imply something more like a married couple relationship. But I also wondered why they didn’t pass themselves off as a married couple, like in the book Middlesex. Not sure they even had to move; if their whole family was gone and they grew up alone in the poorhouse, who would notice if they changed their names and said they were married? 

[caitmcg]

2 hours ago, LeGrandElephant said:

Not sure they even had to move; if their whole family was gone and they grew up alone in the poorhouse, who would notice if they changed their names and said they were married? 

They seemed to be known in Poplar, though, so I doubt it would have been just that simple. Besides, even if that was their functional relationship, they might not have been willing (for themselves) to pass it off as such publicly.

[Rap541]

Not to get all "in the books" but....this storyline, the elderly couple who were really brother and sister was really meant to be a shocking incest reveal. There wasn't any quibbling, it was incest.

[zoey1996]

I've watched every episode, every season, though I missed Season 1 when it was originally broadcast.  Just started watching from the beginning on Netflix.  Sister Monica Joan was a trip from the first episode of the first season!  Love this show!

[RedbirdNelly]

I'm just now watching this (2 episodes into season 2) and just dropping by to say I love it. Chummy is my favorite.

[RedbirdNelly]

getting close to the end of season 2 and what I want to know is WHEN DOES CHUMMY COME BACK???? [don't actually answer that but I miss Chummy.

Edited October 7, 2019 by RedbirdNelly

[AZChristian]

We were searching around on Netflix for something to watch and realized they have Call the Midwife.

We've started rewatching from Episode 1.  So calming.

[OnceSane]

2 hours ago, AZChristian said:

We were searching around on Netflix for something to watch and realized they have Call the Midwife.

We've started rewatching from Episode 1.  So calming.

I'm doing my umpteenth re-watch.

[JudyObscure]

I wish I had Netflix right now, I thought the first few seasons were so wonderful.  What I liked best was the openhearted attitude of all the characters, with no judgment toward anyone. 

These later seasons, written by Heidi Thomas, are just too contemporary in attitude.  I really disliked the hatred and intense anger toward the priest on last weeks episode, while the woman wasn't expected to have any agency or responsibility for her own part in it all. 

This "men are all evil predators and women are all innocent victims" seems like pandering to the modern audience to me and takes something away from both parties. 

Episcopal priests can marry so I was actually hoping the possibility might have been approached.  The earlier nuns and midwives seemed to understand that men and women can  have sex and produce babies  without either one being a terrible person.

[MissLucas]

1 hour ago, JudyObscure said:

The earlier nuns and midwives seemed to understand that men and women can  have sex and produce babies  without either one being a terrible person.

To play devil's advocate here: that was also anachronistic - at least to the degree it came up in the show. It's true that people who have to work 'on the front' of social issues can display a higher degree of compassion than their contemporaries but as the history of church-run orphanages or workhouses show that's by no means the standard.

[JudyObscure]

Oh I agree it was anachronistic, but at least not "straight from the headlines" of today with bad priests and men in power.  I also found the earlier ones more believable, knowing they were closer to the book.

[caitmcg]

7 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

Episcopal priests can marry so I was actually hoping the possibility might have been approached.  The earlier nuns and midwives seemed to understand that men and women can  have sex and produce babies  without either one being a terrible person.

(Using spoiler tags only because this is not about S1 or 2)

Spoiler

The priest in that episode was Catholic, not Anglican. In the scene where he comes to the hospital to see the baby, he tells Brenda he'll christen her. She says, “As a Catholic?” and he replies, “Of course as a Catholic.” That’s why he was adamant about not acknowledging the child (and presumably why Sister Hildegard was so judgmental).

 

[JudyObscure]

Ah, my mistake I didn't catch that.

[emmawoodhouse]

Bumping for 25 baby discussion. 🙂

[Redrum]

I'm rewatching season one. Some thoughts.

1. Everything seems so much more medical. I haven't seen a midwife or nun use one of those tummy listening stethoscopes in years. 

2. Sister Evangelina was a straight up classist bitch to Chummy. Yes, Chummy was something of a hot mess, but  Sr E started the bitchery as soon as she saw Chummy's full, clearly in the peerage, name while Chummy was very openly conscious of how she might potentially offend. 

3. There's a ton more rubble.

4. Frankly there's a ton more pregnant women with a bunch of bratty kids in tow. Everyone typically has four or five kids and they're mostly loud and bratty. 

5. There's a lot of straight up filth - There's at least one scene in the first few episodes where a kid under three is peeing on the floor of the clinic and EVERYONE just basically ignores it. 

6. Young Trixie was fun. Trixie has kind of turned into Jenny, character wise. 

7. The plots in general seemed harder core with people more likely to die

8. Sister Monica Joan was flaky on spiritual stuff from the very get go - she meets Jenny at the door with some astrology nonsense. 

9. In general the midwives seemed a lot chummier and together as friends. I can't see Trixie, Nancy, Lucille and Nurse Crane having a quiet sit down in the garden where they smoke and gossip about each other.  

[caitmcg]

2 hours ago, Redrum said:

In general the midwives seemed a lot chummier and together as friends. I can't see Trixie, Nancy, Lucille and Nurse Crane having a quiet sit down in the garden where they smoke and gossip about each other.  

To be fair, they were also a bunch of younger women, at an age when that is young women's MO. Even a few years later, when Val arrived, they no longer really did that.

[Redrum]

Still on the rewatch, up to season four.

Jenny just petered out as a character. The death of Alec was sad but also a bit convenient. 

To be honest, a lot of the midwife characters just petered out. Cynthia in particular.

While I get that Trixie didn't want to be a vicar's wife, I was really struck by how callous she was about it. Then I remembered that I didn't even like Trixie until season six or so.

Cynthia's jump to nun came out of no where.

Sister Monica Joan's intentional assholery to others isn't charming on a rewatch.

Nurse Crane came on like a dare I say it, bitch on wheels, with wanting everything done her way, worse than Miss Higgins.

Fred has a daughter and granddaughter that seems to be completely forgotten now that Reggie is around.

The earlier seasons remind me that we didn't have a bitchy busybody in the form of Violet for many seasons and no one missed it.

Patsy was also almost intentionally abrasive upon first appearing.

She also heralded a sudden emphasis on gay plots that was fun.

Dr. Turner and Shelagh used to be so cute about their nonstop smoking and sharing of cigarettes.

The actress playing Sr Julienne is like... timeless as far as aging goes. 

[GaT]

47 minutes ago, Redrum said:

While I get that Trixie didn't want to be a vicar's wife, I was really struck by how callous she was about it. Then I remembered that I didn't even like Trixie until season six or so.

Funny how Trixie didn't want him, but Helen did :-)

49 minutes ago, Redrum said:

Fred has a daughter and granddaughter that seems to be completely forgotten now that Reggie is around.

I forgot all about them! I guess they decided to pretend that Fred & Violet were never married to other people.

[Redrum]

13 minutes ago, GaT said:

I forgot all about them! I guess they decided to pretend that Fred & Violet were never married to other people.

I was like wait , WHAT???

And Fred's schemes used to be funnier.

I think bringing in Nurse Crane kinda killed the evenings at "Trixie's bar"... more so than the actual alcoholism of Trixie.

Also not helped that Barbara was a goody good. 

[anna0852]

1 hour ago, GaT said:

I guess they decided to pretend that Fred & Violet were never married to other people.

There have been references to both of their deceased spouses. Violet even made sure to frame a picture of Fred's first wife.

However you would think that Fred never had his two daughters or Violet never had her son since Reggie came along.

[Redrum]

16 hours ago, anna0852 said:

here have been references to both of their deceased spouses. Violet even made sure to frame a picture of Fred's first wife.

However you would think that Fred never had his two daughters or Violet never had her son since Reggie came along.

There were references early on - I just saw the episodes but like... They basically sorta met and got married in three episodes. 

[LeGrandElephant]

So I know the early seasons were mostly pulled from the actual memoirs, but what about the episode where the girl whose baby was taken away two episodes previously came back and stole a newborn from a stroller? Did that really happen? It honestly just seemed a little too pat how the episodes connected up, to be real life. 

[anna0852]

1 hour ago, LeGrandElephant said:

So I know the early seasons were mostly pulled from the actual memoirs, but what about the episode where the girl whose baby was taken away two episodes previously came back and stole a newborn from a stroller? Did that really happen? It honestly just seemed a little too pat how the episodes connected up, to be real life. 

Yes it did. Admittedly the time-line in the show was played with (the real Mary committed her kidnapping several years later and in a different city, Jenny only read about it in the paper having left nursing) but Mary was mentally disturbed by losing her child. And did  take an infant from its pram.

[LeGrandElephant]

On 10/2/2022 at 9:16 PM, anna0852 said:

Yes it did. Admittedly the time-line in the show was played with (the real Mary committed her kidnapping several years later and in a different city, Jenny only read about it in the paper having left nursing) but Mary was mentally disturbed by losing her child. And did  take an infant from its pram.

Ok so yeah that’s sad but much less pat of a story than in the show. 

[limecoke]

Doing a rewatch before I cancel Netflix again. Oddly, I’m watching back-to-front which is an interesting way to do it. Anyway, what I have grown to hate is what they did to the character of Cynthia Miller. She was a delightful character, showing increasing maturity, growth and a shy sense of fun. Having her take the veil, be attacked then end up in a mental institution seemed so pointless.  Backwards or forwards it stands out as an awful storyline choice.  Just my take.

[limecoke]

Thank you, I’m glad to know this. I have the book on my iPad but haven’t finished it yet so missed that. Takes the sting out of it a bit but her story is still very sad. Coming from real life rather than a writer makes it all make more sense and tells me I need to finish the book(s).

Watching the first three seasons I miss the wonderful soundtrack of the early seasons.  I’m sure the rights to the songs became problematic but it gave such a sense of time and place.

Edited January 24, 2023 by limecoke