S06.E08: Episode 8

[caitmcg]

32 minutes ago, jschoolgirl said:

I wonder how much a carousel would have cost and how much time it would take to order and set up.

While I found the carousel a very sweet and romantic gesture by Tom, I thought it was beyond unrealistic that he could have arranged it in a single day, with his "ill-gotten" winnings from the horses (I mean, come on, it's not as if he would really have been betting big, even with a few pints in him). 

[jschoolgirl]

16 minutes ago, caitmcg said:

While I found the carousel a very sweet and romantic gesture by Tom, I thought it was beyond unrealistic that he could have arranged it in a single day, with his "ill-gotten" winnings from the horses (I mean, come on, it's not as if he would really have been betting big, even with a few pints in him). 

I agree!

[AZChristian]

19 minutes ago, caitmcg said:

While I found the carousel a very sweet and romantic gesture by Tom, I thought it was beyond unrealistic that he could have arranged it in a single day, with his "ill-gotten" winnings from the horses (I mean, come on, it's not as if he would really have been betting big, even with a few pints in him). 

Wasn't it a dog race, not a horse race?  (I've been known to miss details, so I could be wrong.)

[gigiann]

18 hours ago, Ohmo said:

Yeah, I do think that the writers could have fleshed out a bit more that Wilma was taking the pill incorrectly.  That point got kind of lost...it wasn't just that she smoked.  It was that she was taking more than one pill at a time and the way the scenes were shot made it seem like she was taking pills more than once a day.

I thought I saw one scene of her taking 3 pills at one time in her hand.

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Question to all:  Was this birth Sheylah's first child?  Isn't the little girl hers and Dr Turner's also?  I got lost.  Thanks for your help.

[ItCouldBeWorse]

9 minutes ago, gigiann said:

Was this birth Sheylah's first child?  Isn't the little girl hers and Dr Turner's also?

Shelagh and Dr. Turner adopted Angela.  Shelagh couldn't get pregnant due to damage from tuberculosis. The new baby is a miracle that wasn't supposed to be possible.

Edited May 22, 2017 by ItCouldBeWorse

[gigiann]

I loved this episode too!  I smiling like mad during the ending with the carousel and everyone was there riding it.  BUT I was sooooooo disappointed when I realized it was the finale for this season.  I don't want it to end.  I absolutely love this show and can hardly wait for next season.

[caitmcg]

14 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

Wasn't it a dog race, not a horse race?  (I've been known to miss details, so I could be wrong.)

It may have been. Either way, my observation holds (probably all the more so if it wasn't horses, as I have to assume that would command more bets).

3 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Shelagh and Dr. Turner adopted Angela.  Shelagh couldn't get pregnant due to damage from tuberculosis. The new baby is a miracle that wasn't supposed to be possible.

I knew someone who was the eldest of three; she and her younger brother had been adopted because her parents had tried for some time and couldn't conceive (I don't remember the why, but it was thought to be related to a health issue of her mother's), and a few years later, her mother got pregnant.

[gigiann]

1 hour ago, jschoolgirl said:

I wonder how much a carousel would have cost and how much time it would take to order and set up.

It did seem a bit far fetched to have a carousel there on such short notice and all set up and ready to go and my guess it would be pretty expensive despite the collection of the menfolk.  BUT it WAS a wonderful  scene and warmed the cockels of my heart.

33 minutes ago, ItCouldBeWorse said:

Shelagh and Dr. Turner adopted Angela.  Shelagh couldn't get pregnant due to damage from tuberculosis. The new baby is a miracle that wasn't supposed to be possible.

Ohhhhh OK....thanks so much for the information.  I missed some episodes from previous seasons....or I just plain forgot.  Appreciate the information ItCouldBeWorse 

[SunnyBeBe]

I know that the county fairs travel around a lot and they can set up a carousel pretty quickly, like within a day.  I suppose that you would have to get a permit and close the streets too.  Lots of impractical things, but, I'm just focusing on the joy and magic of the event and not the details that might have made it too impractical. lol  If I ever get married again, I might look into it.  I'm not kidding.  It might be blowing a lot of money, but, I just think it's super cool. 

Here you go.......the party goes to the carousel.  It's $1000.00 per hour.

https://janescarousel.com/assets/private-events-at-janes-carousel.pdf

Edited May 22, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[TVForever]

17 hours ago, Ohmo said:

Dim bulb is a great way to describe Delia.  Patsy being a lesbian is not the part of the story that I find implausible.  It's the fact that she would supposedly choose Delia as her partner.  I know that opposites attract and all that, but Delia's about as dull as dishwater, and I agree about her childishness.  I think Valerie (the new midwife) would have been a better match for Patsy.

It may not be a coincidence that Valerie entered AFTER Patsy left. There might be some sparks when the three of them are in Nonnatus house together next season. 

[jschoolgirl]

12 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I know that the county fairs travel around a lot and they can set up a carousel pretty quickly, like within a day.  I suppose that you would have to get a permit and close the streets too.  Lots of impractical things, but, I'm just focusing on the joy and magic of the event and not the details that might have made it too impractical. lol  If I ever get married again, I might look into it.  I'm not kidding.  It might be blowing a lot of money, but, I just think it's super cool. 

Here you go.......the party goes to the carousel.  It's $1000.00 per hour.

https://janescarousel.com/assets/private-events-at-janes-carousel.pdf

Perhaps for the curate the regulatory wheels and set-up might have moved a bit faster.

[DHDancer]

Tom's stag party included a trip to the greyhound race track.  Dog racing attracts many many more people because most working class folks can afford to go (not like thoroughbred racing).  Betting is fierce and can be very lucrative, as Tom proved (although choosing runners by name is an amateur move lol...)

[MissLucas]

I did not find the carousel that unrealistic since we're in London. Getting the carousel to some village in the countryside within one day would require magic logistics. But in the middle of London with enough cash in your hands - why not? Tom may have known a Carny who was willing to move his carousel from its (winter) location for one day.

[jschoolgirl]

51 minutes ago, DHDancer said:

Tom's stag party included a trip to the greyhound race track.  Dog racing attracts many many more people because most working class folks can afford to go (not like thoroughbred racing).  Betting is fierce and can be very lucrative, as Tom proved (although choosing runners by name is an amateur move lol...)

"Galilee Lad" was a great name for a curate to pick! That cracked me up! What was the second name? I'm pretty sure it had "nurse" in it.

[jschoolgirl]

I was hoping to see Sister Julienne taking a ride!

She was radiant after the birth. Jenny Agutter is brilliantly cast.

Edited May 22, 2017 by jschoolgirl
Jschoolgirls should use correct spelling.

[Kohola3]

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 What was the second name? I'm pretty sure it had "nurse" in it.

Yep, it was Hello Nurse.

I was so delighted to see Reggie!

[Ohwell]

Yes, I hope Reggie visits more often and becomes a regular cast member.

[savannah31401]

  On 3/13/2017 at 9:39 AM, Gulftastic said:

I actually gave Tom a little burst of applause for the Carousel. Superbly done, that man.

I may have given him a burst of applause when he appeared at the door all disheveled and hungover and looking very well indeed! ;-)

Super hot! I couldn't believe how hot he looked.

[txhorns79]

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But did you think his positioning (behind her in the bed) was odd?  If he was barely allowed in the room, having him in bed with her just seemed unrealistic to me.  I can see allowing him (especially as a doctor) crouched next to her, holding her hand, and perhaps holding her up a bit to help with pushing.  But in the bed???  That seemed anachronistic.  What's next?  Water births???

I thought his positioning was very weird (and would be weird today), and I'm surprised Sister Julienne allowed it.  Honestly, I was reminded a little of the "ceremony" from The Handmaid's Tale where the wife positions herself in a similar position behind the handmaid before the husband then rapes the woman. 

I was so confused about the woman's death.  I thought the issue was she wasn't taking the birth control appropriately (i.e. taking three pills at once after having sex), but they kind of ignored that to just suggest her issues would have occurred anyways.   

I was happy that Delia and Patsy got a nice moment, but I don't think the show has done that great of a job in making Delia seem real.  She doesn't really seem to have much of a personality beyond "forlorn secret girlfriend of more interesting character." 

[savannah31401]

  22 hours ago, BooksRule said:

It was before my time, but I remember reading something bout the Pill being much stronger (not sure if that's the right word) in the beginning.  As, Calvada stated, Wilma was a little overweight, she smoked and we saw her take three pills at once at least one time.  I'm hoping they'll revisit the topic next season and we'll get more about what people thought about it back then.  

My mother was one of the early users of the first birth control pills in 1960/1961.  She was THRILLED to have a reliable way to prevent pregnancy after five children and four miscarriages over the course of 16 years.  She, like Wilma, developed blood clots in her legs and had to stop using them.  Fortunately, the blood clots were discovered and treated before anything catastrophic happened. 

P.S.  I was born in 1962!

I got a pulmonary embolism in 1993 at 18. I had to say goodbye to Marlboro Lights.

[savannah31401]

  19 hours ago, GaT said:

Not sure if this should be a spoiler or not, so just in case I'll make it one.

  Reveal hidden contents

Bryony Hannah has left the show, so Sister Mary Cynthia won't be coming back. http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2017-05-20/call-the-midwife-stars-bryony-hannah-emerald-fennell-and-kate-lamb-wont-be-returning-for-series-seven

Well that's going to make things interesting.

Nooooo!!!

[Ohwell]

I loved Dr. Turner singing "Secret Love" to Shelagh.  I used to sing that song as a kid and I was surprised that I remembered the words.  I used to love hearing Doris Day sing it.

[steff13]

On ‎3‎/‎13‎/‎2017 at 7:59 PM, Ceindreadh said:

I may have given him a burst of applause when he appeared at the door all disheveled and hungover and looking very well indeed! ;-)

Amen! 

 

20 hours ago, jschoolgirl said:

Having read of them in a novel, I was glad to see what a Knickerbocker Glory looks like -- yum!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone? 

[jaybird2]

13 hours ago, mbutterfly said:

I was married in 1962 and my father, a doctor, suggested I take the pill. I didn't because I wanted to have a baby right away. And sure enough I did. 

after posting i when on line and read that it was released in 1960....in was just 14.    i know that i never heard of them until the the late 60's.  i was definitely sheltered 

[jschoolgirl]

29 minutes ago, steff13 said:

Amen! 

 

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone? 

No, a Maeve Binchy book. Either Circle of Friends or Scarlet Feather; maybe both.

Trixie was, IMO, not doing so well with Alexandra: telling her about the bunny in a closet, and that the nail polish was the color of squashed tomatoes. Alexandra didn't seem to mind, fortunately.

[LittleIggy]

I hope next season they'll show us more about Sister Winifred. She has to have a backstory. For a nun, she is awfully bubbly.

[Sarah 103]

On March 13, 2017 at 6:16 AM, MissLucas said:

And I may have laughed a bit too much about her mishap in the bathroom because almost the same thing happened to a good 'friend' of mine *cough*

On May 21, 2017 at 6:43 PM, Kohola3 said:

I laughed out loud when Barbara was juggling the diaphragm!  Springy little devil, wasn't it?

I loved that little bit, but I'm also a big fan of physical comedy.

On March 13, 2017 at 4:59 PM, Ceindreadh said:

I may have given him a burst of applause when he appeared at the door all disheveled and hungover and looking very well indeed! ;-)

4 hours ago, savannah31401 said:

Super hot! I couldn't believe how hot he looked.

I may have squealed a little. Who knew Tom was that hot in an undershirt? I hope now that Tom and Barbara are married, maybe we'll get a scene of two of them in a domestic setting and can get another glimpse of Tom in an undershirt or even shirtless. 

On May 21, 2017 at 6:38 PM, BooksRule said:

It was before my time, but I remember reading something bout the Pill being much stronger (not sure if that's the right word) in the beginning.  As, Calvada stated, Wilma was a little overweight, she smoked and we saw her take three pills at once at least one time.  I'm hoping they'll revisit the topic next season and we'll get more about what people thought about it back then.  

The first version of the pill had hormone levels that were much higher than later versions. Maybe that's what you're thinking of.

On May 21, 2017 at 7:36 PM, jaybird2 said:

i thought the pill came out later than '62.  i thought it came out about the time abortions were legalized.

The pill was approved by the FDA in 1960. I'm guessing what you're thinking of is Eisenstadt v. Baird, a 1972 Supreme Court ruling which established that unmarried couples had a right to possess contraception. 

4 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

I was so confused about the woman's death.  I thought the issue was she wasn't taking the birth control appropriately (i.e. taking three pills at once after having sex), but they kind of ignored that to just suggest her issues would have occurred anyways.   

This is somewhat accurate. Embolisms were a common side effect of the pill during it's first few years. Even women who were taking it correctly could still develop embolisms, and I think smokers were at a higher risk than nonsmokers. 

17 hours ago, abbyzenn said:

Loved that everyone chipped in to help her buy a wedding dress.  And it was so sweet that she asked Phyllis to be her bridesmaid.

As soon as I saw her having trouble making the dress, I knew that was going to be their gift to her. 

9 hours ago, jschoolgirl said:

I wonder how much a carousel would have cost and how much time it would take to order and set up.

I don't think cost was an issue, because I don't think he paid full/market price for it. For all we know, the owner had a connection to Nonnatus House, maybe the carousel owner was delivered by one of the Nonnatus Midwives, or maybe one of them helped his sister, another relative, or a good friend through a difficult birth.  

7 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I know that the county fairs travel around a lot and they can set up a carousel pretty quickly, like within a day.  I suppose that you would have to get a permit and close the streets too.  Lots of impractical things, but, I'm just focusing on the joy and magic of the event and not the details that might have made it too impractical. lol  If I ever get married again, I might look into it.  I'm not kidding.  It might be blowing a lot of money, but, I just think it's super cool. 

Here you go.......the party goes to the carousel.  It's $1000.00 per hour.

https://janescarousel.com/assets/private-events-at-janes-carousel.pdf

Getting the permit wouldn't be too hard. I'm guessing Noakes would have helped. As for impractical wedding ideas, go for it. I'm not a girly girl, and I have no interest in dresses or big name designers. If I ever get married, I would be totally okay with a $200 dress from David's Bridal. However, I want a zoetrope cake. http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2015/10/andre-duboscs-newest-animated-zoetrope-cake-melting-pop/

6 hours ago, MissLucas said:

I did not find the carousel that unrealistic since we're in London. Getting the carousel to some village in the countryside within one day would require magic logistics. But in the middle of London with enough cash in your hands - why not? Tom may have known a Carny who was willing to move his carousel from its (winter) location for one day.

I agree. Tom may know the Carny from a church or street carnival, and the Carny may have been happy to donate the carousel to a worthy cause for a night, especially since it was probably in storage and not in operation making money for him. 

8 hours ago, caitmcg said:

I knew someone who was the eldest of three; she and her younger brother had been adopted because her parents had tried for some time and couldn't conceive (I don't remember the why, but it was thought to be related to a health issue of her mother's), and a few years later, her mother got pregnant.

I've heard about couples who are told it will be very difficult for the mother to give birth, so the couple adopts, and within a year or two the wife is pregnant.

43 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

I hope next season they'll show us more about Sister Winifred. She has to have a backstory. For a nun, she is awfully bubbly.

Me too. I'm a big fan of backstory. 

[txhorns79]

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I don't think cost was an issue, because I don't think he paid full/market price for it. For all we know, the owner had a connection to Nonnatus House, maybe the carousel owner was delivered by one of the Nonnatus Midwives, or maybe one of them helped his sister, another relative, or a good friend through a difficult birth.  

I didn't get the impression we were supposed to think Tom got a deal on the carousel.  Wasn't that the whole purpose of them showing us that Tom won a very large amount of money?  It was a sweet gesture on his part, but I didn't think it was realistic that the whole thing could have been ordered and set up in what must have only been a few hours time.

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I've heard about couples who are told it will be very difficult for the mother to give birth, so the couple adopts, and within a year or two the wife is pregnant. 

I'm sure it happens anecdotally.  After all, the odds of winning the main jackpot in the lottery are such that the vast majority of people who play will never win, but there are obviously people who do end up winning.  It would be similar for a woman who is told that her chances to conceive are very low.  It doesn't mean she can't conceive, it just means it is more likely than not that she won't conceive. 

I did wonder why Phyllis seemed to take it so personally (from what I recall, she got teary when the choice was made) that Shelagh chose Sister Julienne to be her midwife.  I didn't get the impression Phyllis and Shelagh were close, or that Shelagh had particularly relied on Phyllis during her pregnancy.   

Edited May 23, 2017 by txhorns79

[sigmaforce86]

48 minutes ago, txhorns79 said:

I did wonder why Phyllis seemed to take it so personally (from what I recall, she got teary when the choice was made) that Shelagh chose Sister Julienne to be her midwife.  I didn't get the impression Phyllis and Shelagh were close, or that Shelagh had particularly relied on Phyllis during her pregnancy.   

I think Phyllis thought they were close - she was the one Shelagh cried with at the clinic and she helped at Dr Turners practice when Shelagh was in the hospital including charming the inspector.  Plus (and I had to go double check this because it seems like some of these characters have always been there)...........Phyllis didn't join the midwives until after Shelagh left the order and married Patrick, so she never saw her as a Nun and probably had no idea how close the bond between Shelagh and Sister Julienne really is.  

I loved so much about this episode and hate that it's the final until December.  Shelagh finally got her moment to become a Mom, the singing from both sides of the door, Trixie bonding with Christophers daughter.  But as sad as the Mother with the blood clot was the crying moment hit for me when Reggie came into the shop with those flowers for Violet and called her Mum.

As for Delia and the comments on her personality.  I get what everyone is saying - the weird thing is she wasn't like that before, she was more outspoken almost the leader in their relationship.  Like the time she and Patsy were on a date and some guys tried to pick them up; she was the one who snapped "We don't like cake" in a don't even mess with me tone and she was the one who talked Patsy into getting an apartment together.  She's definitely not like that now but where they failed was it's not clear why - is it an acting choice by Kate, is it the writers trying to change her character mid-stream or is it on purpose to show some personality change after the accident?

[txhorns79]

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Shelagh finally got her moment to become a Mom

I understand what you meant, but Shelagh already was a mom before she ever got pregnant with this baby. 

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I think Phyllis thought they were close - she was the one Shelagh cried with at the clinic and she helped at Dr Turners practice when Shelagh was in the hospital including charming the inspector.

I guess?  I mean, I understood exactly why Shelagh would choose Sister Julienne to be her midwife because of their history on the show.  I don't think the same could be said if Shelagh had picked Phyllis.  I did very much enjoy the moment between Phyllis and Barbara when Barbara asked Phyllis to be her bridesmaid.  That was very sweet.   

[PradaKitty]

My parents were going through the adoption process (twins!)  when my mother became pregnant with me.  It happens.

I know Barbara's father was at the altar as Barbara walked down the aisle, but I can't recall who gave her away (as they used to say).

[Mumbles]

Now that I have had a few days to digest this, I have concluded that I like this show for the individual stories about the patients, but the show itself has kind of lost its way. When it started, it was about Jenny's education and evolution as a midwife - her exposure to people and poverty, and our common humanity. And it was anchored by great characters like Sister Evangelina, and Chummy.

While the stories of the Poplar residents are still compelling, the framework of the Nonnatus House is just kind of sloppy. The only thing Patsy did this season was go away. Oh and Sister Winifred learned to drive a car. Oh and they found Mary Cynthia and sent her to a nicer hospital. Never mind the first few episodes where that mean nun took over, I suspect only to set up the premise of the show's ultimate conclusion - more women on contraception, more institutionalized medicine = no need for Nonnatus.

I like Barbara but she's a bit one note. The only characters with some complexity are Trixie and Phyllis. Maybe Valerie will bring something next season. And I understand that they've hired an actor to play a West Indian midwife so that could be interesting.

But all in all, this show has slid in quality.

[jschoolgirl]

6 minutes ago, PradaKitty said:

My parents were going through the adoption process (twins!)  when my mother became pregnant with me.  It happens.

I know Barbara's father was at the altar as Barbara walked down the aisle, but I can't recall who gave her away (as they used to say).

No one did. She walked by herself.

[AZChristian]

12 minutes ago, jschoolgirl said:

No one did. She walked by herself.

With - as it traditional in British weddings - her bridesmaid just behind her (instead of in front as we do in the USA).  

[txhorns79]

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While the stories of the Poplar residents are still compelling, the framework of the Nonnatus House is just kind of sloppy. The only thing Patsy did this season was go away. Oh and Sister Winifred learned to drive a car. Oh and they found Mary Cynthia and sent her to a nicer hospital. Never mind the first few episodes where that mean nun took over, I suspect only to set up the premise of the show's ultimate conclusion - more women on contraception, more institutionalized medicine = no need for Nonnatus.

I agree the season has been sloppy.  The Sister Ursula storyline went nowhere.  Sister Mary Cynthia was institutionalized only to return for ten minutes before being sent off to another institution.  Patsy left for a number of episodes only to return for two minutes in the final episode.  Trixie, Barbara and Sister Winifred were also there.  Delia was a non-entity.  Phyllis, Shelagh, Sister Monica Joan and Sister Julienne had meaningful moments, but ultimately it felt like everyone was treading water.  And seriously producers, rather than have a character vanish for five episodes, lock your actors down for the season with a contract.  It's bizarre to me that they don't do that, or if they do, they are way too willing to write main characters out to allow the actors to do other things.        

[Beldasnoop]

You can't make an actor stay if they don't want to. This show has been running for six seasons, which is a long run for a UK show. There are still 6 original cast members returning for series 7, and two of them (Jenny Agutter and Laura Main) have been in every episode of seasons 1-6. Two others (Judy Parfitt and Stephen McGann) have only missed one episode. Helen George had also not missed any episodes until season six (because she was in a touring play during the first part of filming). There are also three cast members (Victoria Yeates, Charlotte Ritchie, and Linda Bassett) who joined the show later, but haven't missed any episodes since joining. Yes, a few people have left, but I think the show has done a good job of introducing new characters who are interesting.

The show films from April or May until late October/early November every year. That's a long time commitment. Some performers have been able to film other things concurrently, but I would imagine it's difficult.

There's also Vanessa Redgrave, who does the voiceovers, who has been on the show since the beginning, but I think scheduling is different for her because I would imagine she records the voiceovers in one or two sessions. She doesn't have to be available for the whole filming period.

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

After Birth: I'm Ready To Share Everything In My Life With Someone Who Is Unbelievably Dear To Me

A quickie wedding is just one of the big life milestones of Call The Midwife's Season 6 finale.

[Beldasnoop]

The PBS website has a great article here, by the show's midwifery adviser, Terri Coates, about how they film births on the show, and specifically about Shelagh's labor and delivery in this episode. 

[LadyChaos]

I loved this season,  but I think this season probably is that season every show has  that is really just the set up for the next season. 

What I would love to see going forward is showing Barbara and Tom have have some arguments.  They rarely have any open disagreements about anything.  One of them always caves before things get heated, it kind of takes away from their relationship.  I want to see them argue over points of contention between them.  I think, that maybe, they are setting that up.  Tom’s look implied that he was not happy that Barbara decided to use birth control.  REMEMBER, this is a time before ‘My body, my choice’  Tom can’t be thrilled that she is making this choice without asking him.  I don’t even recall them every discussing children before.  Not only that, but when Tom and Trixie were engaged, he was going to take a new post and was expecting Trixie to give up midwifery to help him in his new parish.  That was one of the points that Trixie was furious about.  Now, clearly Barbara has every intention of continuing to work.  I would like this to see some development.  Some differences with them coming together, and working through it all.

I would like to see the development with Trixie and Christopher’s daughter.  Maybe having Trixie going to Shelagh for advice about possibly being a step-mother. 

I am kind of wondering if we will find out that Delia cheated on Patsy with that girl who called her a cab. I suspect that possibly they will get caught in s7, but I would like if it turns out that everyone kind of suspected.  Especially Trixie, I think she knew from the beginning.  Unfortunatly, I think Sister Juliene will say that she will have no choice but to kick them out(given the time and that Nonnatus House is a religious place), but I would love to see that everyone rally’s around for support.

[Grandma Saracen]

I knew Patsy's bad wig earlier in the season was a bad sign, but I'm glad we got a sweet moment with her in the finale. This episode had lots of great moments, including many already mentioned (such as hot Tom), as well as Barbara's bad Spanish, and greeting her dad in her bathrobe. It'll be interesting to see what next season brings.

[itsmyotherface]

Maybe I'm just old and bitter, but I found myself grumbling over the carousel. Yes, it's a romantic gesture, blah blah blah, but it also seems like a complete waste of money. The thick wad of cash implies that it wasn't a small amount of money. I feel like Barbara (if she knew) would rather have had the money go to more practical things. 

There's a big difference between a sixpence carnival ride, and a few hundred pounds for a private rental.

[txhorns79]

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Maybe I'm just old and bitter, but I found myself grumbling over the carousel. Yes, it's a romantic gesture, blah blah blah, but it also seems like a complete waste of money. The thick wad of cash implies that it wasn't a small amount of money. I feel like Barbara (if she knew) would rather have had the money go to more practical things. 

I had a similar thought.  They made a big deal earlier in the season of Tom not being able to afford a ring for Barbara, so this seemed like a pretty huge waste of money from someone who really needs it for other things. 

[mojito]

Quote

"Galilee Lad" was a great name for a curate to pick! That cracked me up! What was the second name? I'm pretty sure it had "nurse" in it.

"Hello Nurse". When Fred gave Tom his "ill-gotten gains", he suggested he buy something nice for his bride. 

As far as Patrick sitting in bed with his wife.... people have been having babies since, like, forever, and they have probably done a lot of things in the process that you consider a modern practice. Sitting behind the woman giving birth, I'm sure, wasn't "invented" recently. 

Back in the early 70s, there were two dosages of the pill that they were giving women based on weight. I seem to remember the numbers 150 and 180 as the dosages. In the early 80s, I became aware of lower dosage pills. Blood clots were definitely a worry. What struck me about Wilma taking the pills besides the scene where she was taking multiple pills, was that she was taking them at different times of the day. 

I don't know anything about vicars, but I know that priests back then had lots of pull and could make things happen. I was surprised that Tom came up with such an idea, but wasn't that he could pull it off. 

I still find myself wishing that Chummy would return. Nothing against anyone else. I'm also in awe of how this show carried on without a hitch once "Jenny" left.

I have the biggest crush on Sister Julienne. That can happen when you've suffered at the hands of nuns in the 60s. 

I liked the scene of Fred embracing Vi and fanning her. Now that's a good man!

[OnceSane]

2 hours ago, mojito said:

I'm also in awe of how this show carried on without a hitch once "Jenny" left.

Jenny was my least favorite; I don't miss her at all.

[Calvada]

Count me as someone who doesn't miss Jenny at all.  I do miss Chummy but she's been gone so long I've gotten used to her not being there.  But she was my favorite.  I think the episode where she cared for her dying mother is one of the best in the series.  It was very emotional for me, since I had recently lost my mother.  The character I really miss, and I think the show missed this past season, is Sister Evangelina.  She was one of the better developed characters and her departure really left a hole in the show. 

A question - did we know prior to this episode that Barbara's mother was no longer living? 

[OtterMommy]

1 hour ago, Calvada said:

A question - did we know prior to this episode that Barbara's mother was no longer living? 

I vaguely remember her referring to her mother no longer being alive when she first came to Nonatus House.

[salvame]

On 5/22/2017 at 9:39 AM, AZChristian said:

The only thing that seemed unrealistic to me was Patrick sitting behind Shelagh in the bed to support her while she was giving birth.  Isn't that a fairly recent thing?  It truly was rare for the husband to even be in the room during childbirth in those days (my last child was born in 1967, and men were just then reluctantly being allowed in - if they wanted to be).  

But this was England in the 60s, where home births were still the norm.  And, he's a Dr, so they were probably using his being on the bed as a way to show he was not playing the role of Dr, but rather, husband.  

FWIW, I sat exactly like that behind my daughter when she was birthing my grandson at home - Daddy was standing beside the midwife to "catch" the baby.  It is one of my favorite experiences/memories ever.

[salvame]

On 5/22/2017 at 3:56 PM, caitmcg said:

with his "ill-gotten" winnings from the horses (I mean, come on, it's not as if he would really have been betting big, even with a few pints in him). 

Admittedly, I wasn't paying close attention, but I felt the money was given to him sort of with tongue in cheek - as in all the men had placed bets and gave all the winnings to Tom, but I could be wrong. But Fred did say to spend it on Barbara

[evilmindatwork]

3 hours ago, OnceSane said:

Jenny was my least favorite; I don't miss her at all.

I don't know if it was the character, or the actor, but Jenny was played in a way that was so cold and devoid of warmth that I don't miss that character at all. I am fine with a character being introverted, because I am also an introvert, but Jenny the character was just so self-righteous and above it all that I was glad when she left the show. 

[Sarah 103]

59 minutes ago, salvame said:

Admittedly, I wasn't paying close attention, but I felt the money was given to him sort of with tongue in cheek - as in all the men had placed bets and gave all the winnings to Tom, but I could be wrong. But Fred did say to spend it on Barbara

I love this fan theory! I could totally see Fred getting the other guys to agree to this after a few drinks.