Season 1 Rewatch Thread

[Guest]

For this week (July 31st through August 6th), we are watching and discussing Episodes 1-2!

As a reminder, please don't discuss happenings later on in the series unless you use spoiler bars.

Happy rewatching!

[HazelEyes4325]

So, I re-watched the first episode yesterday and was surprised at how much I had forgotten about it.  I mean, I know I saw it, mostly because I vaguely remembered the mother.  What I did not remember was that she was giving birth to her 25th child or that her husband brought her to London when she was "no older than 14" and was pregnant with her first at the time (I'm going to try not to think about that because I actually did like the husband in the episode and would rather not see him as a pedophile in my mind).  I did find it surprising that they didn't try to admit her to the hospital after she had had such a problematic birth.  I was once talking to a friend of mine--she's a family practitioner, but she also does obstetrics--and we were talking about, well, a reality family with a lot of kids and she said that what would ultimately happen if a woman had so many babies is that her uterus would fail to contract after birth and she would bleed to death...and it looks like that is what started to happen here and then miraculously stopped.

I also had never made the connection that the deep fog in this episode was that famous fog incident in London--which I actually didn't know about it until they addressed it in The Crown (and my degree is in British History, mainly medieval, but still..so I should have known about that).  I'm sure that every British school child knows about that but it was completely new to me.

I guess my other thought is it really struck me how bland Jenny was.  Even though we barely got to know Cynthia and Trixie in this episode, and we have yet to meet most of the other midwives, Jenny still seemed really dull compared to them.  I'm going to place the blame on the actress because I didn't really feel that the character is written to be so blah, and since none of the other characters are nearly as bad (or bad at all!), it isn't the direction.  So, yeah...acting.

[OnceSane]

I've never been a Jenny fan and tend to FF her scenes on rewatch when possible.  I chalk a lot of it up to acting as her dialogue isn't all that annoying (most of the time).

This episode always gets me when the mom tells the staff that she is her son's hospital.  I cry every time.  But why did the husband not learn a lick of Spanish?   Their beginning squicks me out soooo much, but it was interesting to see how everyone reacted when Jenny asked about them.

[HazelEyes4325]

29 minutes ago, OnceSane said:

This episode always gets me when the mom tells the staff that she is her son's hospital.  I cry every time.  But why did the husband not learn a lick of Spanish?   Their beginning squicks me out soooo much, but it was interesting to see how everyone reacted when Jenny asked about them.

Yeah, I found that hard to believe.  It seemed like Spanish was the language spoken at home (although the kids were all bilingual), you would think that something would have stuck for him.  I think the part that stuck out to me was not that he didn't know Spanish but that he didn't feel like he needed to know.  Hey buddy, this woman has popped out 25 of your children, it isn't too much to ask that you learn how to say hello, goodbye, and please pass the salt to her.

[Guest]

So I'm a new watcher.

So far it seems a little slow to me. My feelings were mixed on the family with 25 children. It's a little creepy that they can't communicate and she was 14 when they married.

[HazelEyes4325]

47 minutes ago, deaja said:

So I'm a new watcher.

So far it seems a little slow to me. 

It does pick up as we get to know the rest of the cast a bit more.

Speaking of which, I watched episode 2 today and I had mistakenly remembered that Chummy was introduced later in the season.  Don't get me wrong--I was more than happy to see her, I just wasn't quite expecting her just yet.  I know that she isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I've always loved her--and she breaks up the blandness that is Jenny.

I think that this is a side effect of rewatching because I don't remember being so annoyed by Jenny the first time I watched these episodes, but now that I know what the show becomes, I just get impatient with all her simpering.  Still, the story line with the young prostitute just broke my heart (again).  The outcome was not surprising, but that didn't alleviate the sorrow for me when her daughter was taken from her without her consent.  I think it was a little harder to swallow because there wasn't really a bad guy in it (well, other than the pimp).  The Priest's hands were tied, but he also did seem to want the best for her.  I doubt that there were any resources for a 15 year old uneducated Mother in 1957 England so I can see how they felt they had no choice but to put the baby up for adoption.

Okay, one  more Jenny complaint.  I found ironically amusing that the big thing with Chummy, at least with Sister Evangeline, was that Chummy was too high class and would never fit into the community in Poplar.  However, she stepped right in.  Jenny, on the other hand, always seems to be walking on eggshells and not wanting to touch anything in case she might catch something.  

[caitmcg]

49 minutes ago, Morksmate said:

Okay, one  more Jenny complaint.  I found ironically amusing that the big thing with Chummy, at least with Sister Evangeline, was that Chummy was too high class and would never fit into the community in Poplar.  However, she stepped right in.  Jenny, on the other hand, always seems to be walking on eggshells and not wanting to touch anything in case she might catch something.

I was struck rewatching these first two episodes by how naive and sheltered middle-class Jenny (in American terms, i.e., financial rather than social class status) is regarding poverty and the mere existence of the living conditions she encounters in the East End, in a class-stratified midcentury London in many ways still recovering from WWII; and given her chosen profession, her squeamishness, both physical and psychological. It's as if she'd never even heard that the East End was poverty-stricken. And yes, I also noted the contrast with Chummy, who on one hand blithely goes on with the assumptions about what one does or knows based on the mores she grew up with (within the company of her fellow Nonnatans), but on the other hand has no compunctions about going about the business of providing appropriate care for the community, nor any discomfort or condescension in doing so.

Chummy's introduction also reminded me how much slapstick they gave the character from the start, as opposed to letting her charming awkwardness show simply through the dialogue and acting. I realize that it's what Miranda Hart is known for, but though she does have a talent for it, I don't care for it much in the context of the show.

[Fireball]

14 hours ago, Morksmate said:

Okay, one  more Jenny complaint.  I found ironically amusing that the big thing with Chummy, at least with Sister Evangeline, was that Chummy was too high class and would never fit into the community in Poplar.  However, she stepped right in.  Jenny, on the other hand, always seems to be walking on eggshells and not wanting to touch anything in case she might catch something.  

13 hours ago, caitmcg said:

I was struck rewatching these first two episodes by how naive and sheltered middle-class Jenny (in American terms, i.e., financial rather than social class status) is regarding poverty and the mere existence of the living conditions she encounters in the East End, in a class-stratified midcentury London in many ways still recovering from WWII; and given her chosen profession, her squeamishness, both physical and psychological. It's as if she'd never even heard that the East End was poverty-stricken. And yes, I also noted the contrast with Chummy, who on one hand blithely goes on with the assumptions about what one does or knows based on the mores she grew up with (within the company of her fellow Nonnatans), but on the other hand has no compunctions about going about the business of providing appropriate care for the community, nor any discomfort or condescension in doing so.

Didn't Chummy say they lived in India? Wouldn't she have been exposed to horrible poverty just living there?  I think Jenny in a way is suppose to represent the viewers squeamishness and their lack of knowledge about the East End. Also if Jenny had been a ok about everything I at least would have been thinking oh great we've got a Mary Sue.

 

I did find it interesting that nobody thought to idk have a Intro 101 to the East End for the new midwifes. If you don't want your Midwifes to act surprised about the peoples living conditions maybe tell the new midwifes what living conditions to expect.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Fireball

[OnceSane]

I love the evolving interactions between Chummy & Jack in Episode 2.  He goes from making fun of her to being her champion of bike-riding.  And it's the introduction of Constable Noakes!  I like that Chummy turned his head, and not just because she bowled him over.

[Guest]

I love Chummy! She seems like a great character. I was holding my breath during that whole delivery!

[Guest]

Posting a day late (sorry, I was on vacation and thought today was Monday) but for this week, we are watching Episodes 3 and 4!

[OnceSane]

I adore Joe Collett(sp?), but he makes it hard to FF Jenny.  His outlook on life and just the way he interacts with Jenny, Jimmy and his fellow servicemen.  When the boys raised a glass to him, I teared up.  Same when he had his legs amputated.

And Ted was a lovely surprise. "I don't know much about babies, but this must be the most beautiful baby in the world."  Buckets. O'. Tears.  Loved Trixie telling Winnie she didn't care about the baby's color, just its health and it turned out Ted felt the same!  When he brings their son to the clinic because he thinks the baby has a little cold…precious.  As Trixie said, "he still seems besotted".

Those parts tugged at my heartstrings, but Chummy and Police Constable Noakes awkward courtship had me giggling.  And Sister Evangelina's reactions were everything!  I don know which is better: Evangelina never being so happy she took vows after seeing Chummy & Noakes try to flirt, or her losing patience with their lack of spine and setting up their first date herself.  

This is definitely one of my favorite episodes in the whole series.

[HazelEyes4325]

One thing about this rewatch is it is proving my belief that I have cried in every single episode of this show.  We're 3 for 3 on that count.

The Joe Collett story was so sweet, but I so wanted to reach through and slap Jenny when she was laughing with disgust while she was telling everyone about the bugs she saw in his flat. Ugh!  

I think that Ted saying that Edward was the most beautiful baby in the world was where I really lost it though...what a sweet man!

[Guest]

I'm only three episodes in, but so far Chummy is my favorite character and Jenny is probably my least favorite. 

Ted naming Edward and calling him beautiful was so sweet!

[caitmcg]

I don't remember whether I felt this way when I first watched, but I found myself annoyed that Jenny was the only mourner when Joe was laid to rest. On one hand, I get what they were going for, but I can't imagine that Sister Julienne wouldn't have also gone, after the way she first spoke about him to Jenny. I guess they haven't really done much to develop her yet. 

I'm glad that in the fourth episode we start to get more sense of the others' personalities (Trixie, Cynthia, Sister Bernadette), since the first few focused so heavily on Jenny, Chummy, Sister Evangelina, and Sister Monica Joan. Jenny remains a blank, other than being compassionate (as they all are, so that's hardly special to her) 

Spoiler

and as she pretty much stays throughout, IMO.

 

I loved both how Sister Evangelina facilitates shy Chummy and Sgt. Noakes's date in her inimitable "oh, get on with it" way, and then when you might expect her to respond brusquely to the nurses' giggling over her date, she's just pleased for Chummy. 

Mary's appearance in the fourth episode is a rare instance of a "case of the week" cropping up more than once, and I had forgotten all about it and who had taken Jillian. 

Edited August 14, 2017 by caitmcg
Clarity.

[OnceSane]

5 hours ago, caitmcg said:

 

I loved both how Sister Evangelina facilitates shy Chummy and Sgt. Noakes's date in her inimitable "oh, get on with it" way, and then when you might expect her to respond brusquely to the nurses' giggling over her date, she's just pleased for Chummy. 

Me too!  I really like how Sister Evangelina is slowly seeing that Chummy is more than her money.

And it was nice to see Cynthia with a bit of backbone when discussing the soulmates.  

Poor Mary.  I imagine her life never really got better, at least not significantly.  And Jillian's mom shutting down--sounded like she had a breakdown when she lost her first baby and couldn't avoid the same thing here.  I did like that Sister Evangelina got through to her so she mitigated the kidnapping charges.  But one of my fave scenes is her cleaning while her husband dances with their daughter.  I love those kind of glimpses into the Poplar everyday life.

[Guest]

Episodes 5-6 are up this week!

[OnceSane]

"You were wrong before, what you said about that pig being the only one who needs you."  I love Sister Evangelina so much!  And Fred was so pleased.  

Chummy calling each stillborn piglet "another little sadness"…aww!  Love her diving in the help Fred's pig through labor despite her lovely dress and plans.  And Constable Noakes immediately ready to help as well was awesome.  I adored his insistence that she meet his mother ASAP.

Frank and Peggy…the one time you root for incest?  It's wrong, but was right for them.  I feel squicky just typing it.  But I cannot imagine the horrors of those workhouses, so I feel like I can't judge harshly.  

I'm sad that there's only one more episode for the season…not counting the Christmas one, of course.

[AZChristian]

9 hours ago, OnceSane said:

Frank and Peggy…the one time you root for incest?  It's wrong, but was right for them.  I feel squicky just typing it.  But I cannot imagine the horrors of those workhouses, so I feel like I can't judge harshly.  

I recently read the book on which the series is based.  While reading the Frank and Peggy part, I must confess to having forgotten seeing this when it first aired.  By the time I finished that chapter, I was absolutely sobbing.  As a victim of (involuntary) incest, I am very sensitive to this issue, but Frank and Peggy gave it a whole new vantage point, and I felt nothing but compassion and understanding for them.

[OnceSane]

Jenny's face was extra smackable in episode 6.  "Oh, Trixie, I could never lie to protect Sister Monica Joan (but whinging about the married man I fucked behind his wife's back and all the lies we told during the affair is super duper okay because I was in LOVE!)." Paraphrased, of course.  Seriously, for someone so "prim and proper", she sure loves to look down on others while doing sketchy shit herself.  Jenny always acts like her life is terrible, even though she works in a community where life is obviously way harder than hers will ever be.

I was thoroughly disappointed in Chummy until the end of the episode, but at least I understood.  Chummy has spent her entire life trying to live up to impossible expectations; her mother shows that she can gain approval by ceasing her romance and she crumbles.  That motherly approval is so important to Chummy, probably because she so rarely received it or any positive affection.  But I was proud that she made things right with Peter and let him know nothing would hold her back anymore.

Did Jenny miss diagnosing the triplets because she was distracted by her married lover's letter?  Jenny refused to listen to her patient knowing when she conceived…perhaps if she wasn't distracted, Jenny would have taken more time and realized the mother was carrying multiples.  Thank goodness for Chummy!  Loved the entire delivery scene, especially Chummy stripping down to provide something warm for baby #3.

It was nice to see Mother Jesu again, she has such a kind face.  And the way it lit up when she smiled at Sister Monica Joan in court was lovely.

Best part of the episode, Chummy telling her mother, "No longer entitled" when Lady Browne wanted the wedding attire to be white.  Ha!

[Guest]

For this week's rewatch, we will be watching the Series 1 Christmas episode.  It is listed as the first episode of Series 2 for those watching on Netflix.

Next week, we will start Season 2 with a separate thread.   

[HazelEyes4325]

I had forgotten about Sister Evangelina's flatulence talent!

The story with Mrs Jenkins was just so heartbreaking that I wasn't even overly irritated with Jenny for most of it.  Although it does seem like they send Jenny to all the cases with the worst poverty, which I find rather satisfying.

Chummy and the scouts--I feel her pain there!

The story with the young girl giving birth (sorry, I keep forgetting names) was hard to (re)watch for me, although I did love how the family came together at the end.

[OnceSane]

On 8/23/2017 at 3:19 PM, Morksmate said:

The story with the young girl giving birth (sorry, I keep forgetting names) was hard to (re)watch for me, although I did love how the family came together at the end.

THIS!  I felt for her, knowing her parents' roles in the community would make coming clean more difficult.  And her parents talking like they were the ones who would face the most hardship?  I wanted to punch them in their judgmental faces.  Luckily, the dad realized they needed to support her and mom wasn't far behind.  And Chummy was wonderful through the whole storyline.

"Cat's got it now, it's under the chair."  That was the moment I knew Mrs. Jenkins would allow Sister Evangelina to help her.

[Guest]

I'm catching up, and watched Episode 5 last night.  

I really don't like Jenny, but I think I'm supposed to be rooting for her?  Laughing and joking about the incest couple with the other midwives while knowing one of them was dying just felt wrong.

As soon as Chummy was in her pretty dress, I knew she was going to end up delivering a pig!

[Guest]

The trial at the end of Season 1 was fun to watch! Poor Sister Monica Joan.

I'm very happy for Chummy. She's my favorite! It was brutal with her mom though.

I continue to dislike Jenny.

[Barlowe]

Of the characters in this series, Jenny and Chummy are my least favourites while Shelagh, Cynthia and Trixie are the best in my opinion. 

I skipped most of Jenny's non-delivery scenes because she's so incredibly judgment and snobbish and I couldn't care less about her relationship problems. The actress' face was made for period pieces but she's the least expressive of the cast. Chummy feels very shoehorned in like a guest star. Her and Noakes get together way too quickly and like they wanted to maximize the time they had with her but also leave themselves an out in case she wasn't free in later series's.

[LeGrandElephant]

I just finished Season 7 and then re-started Season 1. It sure seems like Poplar was portrayed as much more trashy, dirty, and dangerous back in Season 1, and the people generally as more desperately poor and living in much worse conditions with less expectation of them improving. Is this showing the times changing as the years go along? Did the East End improve a lot historically between the years of Season 1 and Season 7? Or is it more a stylistic change in the show? 

Did they ever give an explanation why Chummy apparently comes from a super rich background but decided to become a midwife in a poor area? I can think of reasons, just curious if one was given. 

On 8/2/2017 at 10:59 PM, HazelEyes4325 said:

Still, the story line with the young prostitute just broke my heart (again).  The outcome was not surprising, but that didn't alleviate the sorrow for me when her daughter was taken from her without her consent.  I think it was a little harder to swallow because there wasn't really a bad guy in it (well, other than the pimp).  The Priest's hands were tied, but he also did seem to want the best for her.  I doubt that there were any resources for a 15 year old uneducated Mother in 1957 England so I can see how they felt they had no choice but to put the baby up for adoption.

I found it implausible that Jenny wouldn't have realized that's what would happen. Wasn't that the standard thing that was done in those days? Someone should have prepared Mary for it beforehand, it seems like they just took the baby without telling her it was going to happen. 

[Lamima]

Watching season 1 now (new watcher) and the story is kind of poorly written with lots of plot holes and unrealistic stuff. But in the times of Covid I have exhausted my nextflix selections. Need a new show to watch and this has many seasons to watch so should last me a while.

I also am not a fan of Jenny. Rolled my eyes when she was sitting on bench opening box that Joe left her in his will. She had a stinkface look. Not a sad or 'remembering' look. BUt like she just smelled a sewer.

Biggest complaint is how they get from intro to storyline to completion. They seem to jump without much bridging. LIke the Joe story. Jenny goes for 1st time and seems skeaved at the conditions of the place. SHe comes back later for a drink and see the bugs which sends her running for the hills. She complains at the dinner table and the nun dresses her down. Then she goes back and next thing you know she is like a surrogate daughter and crying and hand holding at his bedside. There is no showing the development of that relationship. Aside from a quick scene where she and her fella take him to that military banquet. Just not enough to make her extreme sadness at his loss believable. 

ALso confused at the eclampsia death patient. WHy the need to cut her wedding ring off when she was dying? And how they seemed to have that linked to the husband accepting that she was dying. Like cutting the ring was symbolic of his accepting she would die. But doesn't make sense. ANd then she puts the ring in his hand when he visits his wife's dead body. Don't get the meaning behind that. 

Edited January 10, 2021 by Lamima

[GrannySmith]

51 minutes ago, Lamima said:

Watching season 1 now (new watcher) and the story is kind of poorly written with lots of plot holes and unrealistic stuff. But in the times of Covid I have exhausted my nextflix selections. Need a new show to watch and this has many seasons to watch so should last me a while.

I also am not a fan of Jenny. Rolled my eyes when she was sitting on bench opening box that Joe left her in his will. She had a stinkface look. Not a sad or 'remembering' look. BUt like she just smelled a sewer.

Biggest complaint is how they get from intro to storyline to completion. They seem to jump without much bridging. LIke the Joe story. Jenny goes for 1st time and seems skeaved at the conditions of the place. SHe comes back later for a drink and see the bugs which sends her running for the hills. She complains at the dinner table and the nun dresses her down. Then she goes back and next thing you know she is like a surrogate daughter and crying and hand holding at his bedside. There is no showing the development of that relationship. Aside from a quick scene where she and her fella take him to that military banquet. Just not enough to make her extreme sadness at his loss believable. 

ALso confused at the eclampsia death patient. WHy the need to cut her wedding ring off when she was dying? And how they seemed to have that linked to the husband accepting that she was dying. Like cutting the ring was symbolic of his accepting she would die. But doesn't make sense. ANd then she puts the ring in his hand when he visits his wife's dead body. Don't get the meaning behind that. 

There has been much discussion here about the severe editing of the original British shows. Scenes seem choppy because they were chopped. Don’t give up. This series is worth it.