S07.E05: Episode 5

[OnceSane]

Quote

Rumours spread around Poplar that a sailor with smallpox is hiding somewhere in town. Nurse Crane and Dr Turner try to track him down before he causes an outbreak. Lucille treats an expectant mother on her own, but soon feels out of her depth when she displays signs of a serious medical condition. Trixie goes to stay with her godmother, Violet and Fred organise a picnic for the parish, and Tom and Barbara return home.

[MissLucas]

I'm puzzled by Trixie's decision to stay with her godmother - was that just a euphemism for rehab? If not - going to Portofino to a place that requires four wardrobe changes a day does not sound like a good idea (i.e. it sounds like a place with plenty of booze).

The tokophobia case was interesting though I wish they had handled the ending a bit better. Did the positive birth-experience help her overcome those feelings? It was mentioned that she had had no more children. But I wonder if she managed to trust birth-control once again (i.e. having lost her complete and utter horror of even a remotely possible pregnancy) or if there were still lingering problems.

The smallpox case felt a bit lackluster - of course Reggie would find the patient. I wish more time had been given to Ade and Sister Monica Joan (who despite last week's episode seems to still have doubts about her surgery).

I can't belive I'm typing this but I was actually happy to see Barbara and Tom! 

I'm struggling with this season and I'm not quite sure why. 

[snowwhyte]

I hadn't heard about tokophobia but I don't understand how any woman is not terrified at the thought of giving birth especially if they watch Call the Midwife. 

[Badger]

1 hour ago, MissLucas said:

I'm puzzled by Trixie's decision to stay with her godmother - was that just a euphemism for rehab? If not - going to Portofino to a place that requires four wardrobe changes a day does not sound like a good idea (i.e. it sounds like a place with plenty of booze).

The tokophobia case was interesting though I wish they had handled the ending a bit better. Did the positive birth-experience help her overcome those feelings? It was mentioned that she had had no more children. But I wonder if she managed to trust birth-control once again (i.e. having lost her complete and utter horror of even a remotely possible pregnancy) or if there were still lingering problems.

The smallpox case felt a bit lackluster - of course Reggie would find the patient. I wish more time had been given to Ade and Sister Monica Joan (who despite last week's episode seems to still have doubts about her surgery).

I can't belive I'm typing this but I was actually happy to see Barbara and Tom! 

I'm struggling with this season and I'm not quite sure why. 

Actually, Ade had leprosy, not smallpox.  

[MissLucas]

7 minutes ago, Badger said:

Actually, Ade had leprosy, not smallpox.  

Yeah, I forgot the quotation marks.

[Badger]

I believe Trixie is going to visit her godmother in Portofino.  I don't think we know what is going to happen there and probably won't until Trixie gets back.  

[purist]

Sincerely, it was nice to watch an episode of TV where the main theme was kindness. Reggie and Phyllis and everyone at Nonnatus House were kind to Ade, Lucille was kind to the woman with tokophobia, and Trixie was kind to herself. I found it refreshing, what with all the hate and conflict and bullying in the world today.

[Primetimer]

And: things get Biblical when the Nonnatans heal a leper in our latest EPIC OLD-SCHOOL RECAP.

View the full article

[jschoolgirl]

I wonder if we will see Ade again? Tom could encourage him to go to seminary, or Fred could help him get a job. I loved his scenes with Sister Monica Joan!

[Kohola3]

On 2/19/2018 at 1:34 PM, MissLucas said:

I'm puzzled by Trixie's decision to stay with her godmother - was that just a euphemism for rehab?

That was a head-scratcher to me as well. I think she's off to rehab - what would a visit with her godmother accomplish unless she was in the Temperance League or something.

Sweet, sweet Reggie, cannot get enough of him.  He's beyond adorable. I hope he gets to meet up with Ade at some point but a lot of these nice characters just disappear without another mention.

Loving Lucille - she and Phyllis are two I can never see enough of.

[jschoolgirl]

Poor Lucille is clearly very homesick. I feel for her.

[Nordly Beaumont]

I wish Sheilagh hadn't gone from curlers to perfectly coiffed hair when Lucille called her to Eunice's. Sheilagh doesn't seem like the type to spend time styling when there's a mother in trouble. I know it would be unlikely she'd leave the house in curlers, but they should have had her show up with a ponytail and scarf or made her hair look like she did it in the car.

It was a lovely moment with Phyllis getting Ade's location out of Reggie. But Ade could have been spreading small pox for all they knew and people were threatening to kill the guy. I feel like the "old seasons" Dr. Turner or Fred would have explained to Reggie that his new friend was very sick and could die if he didn't tell his secret. 

[Bonzie]

Glad to see Christopher again. Don't you give up on her, guy. She'll finally see the light.

[jschoolgirl]

Was there really a legitimate 1963-era reason they couldn't start vaccinating without confirmation of the case? Or was that because it's tee vee?

Edited April 20, 2018 by jschoolgirl

[Ohmo]

35 minutes ago, jschoolgirl said:

Was there really a legitimate 1963-era reason

That wasn't the 1963 reason I was wondering about.  When did the medical profession start doing C-sections more frequently?  Now they're commonplace, and I kept wondering why they didn't just knock Eunice out.

I love Reggie, Lucille, and Phyllis...and I remember that Phyllis bugged the crap out of me when she first arrived.  Still like Christopher.  Very pleasant episode.  Nice break from some of the humdingers that we've endured this year.

[doodlebug]

56 minutes ago, jschoolgirl said:

Was there really a legitimate 1963-era reason they couldn't start vaccinating without confirmation of the case? Or was that because its tee vee?

In the US, virtually all children were being  vaccinated against smallpox routinely in 1963 and we’ve got the scars to prove it.

In 1962, there was a smallpox outbreak in Wales, brought there by an immigrant from Pakistan where there’d  Been an epidemic.  There were multiple fatalities as the disease spread.  People who came in contact with the disease were vaccinated, but like we saw on the show, there was a panic and people demanded the vaccine and supplies had to be brought in from other nations to meet the demand. 

I couldn’t find a specific reference,  but it appears that vaccination against smallpox was not routine in the U.K. at that time at least in part due to lack of available vaccine.

The overall rate of scheduled cesareans in the U.K. today is only around 11%, I am sure it was much, much lower in 1963 and doing a cesarean on demand without  a specific medical indication would’ve been unheard of.  Mental health issues were not well understood back then and doing a cesarean for fear of labor would’ve been considered to be out of the question, I’d think.

Here in the US, women were delivered in hospitals almost exclusively and most were given ‘twilight sleep’ and didn’t remember a thing, sometimes for days.  Most forcep deliveries were done with spinal or saddle blocks and the woman would’ve been numb.  It seems like Poplar and the rest of England hadn’t caught up to the US when it came to pain relief in labor.

Edited April 16, 2018 by doodlebug

[Calamity Jane]

I'm baffled by the delay in vaccinating for smallpox.  When we moved to France in 1959, my dad's company required us to have inoculations of all sorts, but first and foremost was smallpox, and there hadn't been a case in years at that point.  Either National Health wouldn't approve it without confirmation of a genuine case, which seems penny wise and pound foolish, or that was all made up for TV. I'm leaning to made up for TV.

[doodlebug]

4 minutes ago, Calamity Jane said:

I'm baffled by the delay in vaccinating for smallpox.  When we moved to France in 1959, my dad's company required us to have inoculations of all sorts, but first and foremost was smallpox, and there hadn't been a case in years at that point.  Either National Health wouldn't approve it without confirmation of a genuine case, which seems penny wise and pound foolish, or that was all made up for TV. I'm leaning to made up for TV.

There are news stories about the outbreak in Wales the year before where there were many deaths because people weren’t vaccinated which makes me think the NHS in Britain wasn’t recommending it for the general public.  Immigrants, especially from areas where the disease still existed, could’ve been required to have proof of vaccination even if the general public didn’t.  The article I read about the Welsh epidemic said the Pakistani immigrant who brought  the disease had a valid health certificate documenting prior immunization at the time he arrived.  However, with almost any vaccine, about 10% of those who are vaccinated don’t get a sufficient response and aren’t immune which is probably what happened.

[Calamity Jane]

2 minutes ago, doodlebug said:

There are news stories about the outbreak in Wales the year before where there were many deaths because people weren’t vaccinated which makes me think the NHS in Britain wasn’t recommending it for the general public.  Immigrants, especially from areas where the disease still existed, could’ve been required to have proof of vaccination even if the general public didn’t.  The article I read about the Welsh epidemic said the Pakistani immigrant who brought  the disease had a valid health certificate documenting prior immunization at the time he arrived.  However, with almost any vaccine, about 10% of those who are vaccinated don’t get a sufficient response and aren’t immune which is probably what happened.

Back to penny wise, pound foolish - very expensive disease to treat, especially if it spreads, but relatively cheap to prevent.  I guess I'm glad TWA insisted, just in case.  

[Ohwell]

I'm glad Barbara and Tom are back!  She looks lovely with the longer hair.  Speaking of hair, I'm not liking Violet's poof hairdo.

[Bonzie]

I can vouch for the fact that smallpox shots were given to kids (at least in the US) in 1963. That's when I got mine. I remember it clearly.

[jschoolgirl]

14 minutes ago, Bonzie said:

I can vouch for the fact that smallpox shots were given to kids (at least in the US) in 1963. That's when I got mine. I remember it clearly.

Yup, I've got my scar!

[Driad]

Brava, Phyllis!  Lucille is a welcome addition.

Smallpox vaccine can cause serious complications for people with impaired immune systems and certain diseases, and for pregnant women.  

Smallpox vaccination is not permanent. Those of us who were vaccinated in the 1960s or earlier are probably not protected.  (The first vaccination I received did not take, so I needed another.)

[Calvada]

This season's color scheme continues - Ade's scarf, Violet's skirt, Fred's plaid shirt, the curtains in Eunice's bedroom, and other things I'm probably forgetting.

[jschoolgirl]

5 minutes ago, Calvada said:

This season's color scheme continues - Ade's scarf, Violet's skirt, Fred's plaid shirt, the curtains in Eunice's bedroom, and other things I'm probably forgetting.

One of Eunice's dresses went with her apartment. Lots of teal/aqua/turquoise in there.

[LittleIggy]

Not to be mean, but when Eunice said she wasn’t having the baby, I said to the TV “Yeah, honey, just keep your legs together. That’ll work.” ?

I really like Lucille.

Count me in as being confused that Trixie seemed to be going on vacay instead of rehab.

[luvmylabs]

1 hour ago, doodlebug said:

In the US, virtually all children were being  vaccinated against smallpox routinely in 1963 and we’ve got the scars to prove it.

In 1962, there was a smallpox outbreak in Wales, brought there by an immigrant from Pakistan where there’d  Been an epidemic.  There were multiple fatalities as the disease spread.  People who came in contact with the disease were vaccinated, but like we saw on the show, there was a panic and people demanded the vaccine and supplies had to be brought in from other nations to meet the demand. 

I couldn’t find a specific reference,  but it appears that vaccination against smallpox was not routine in the U.K. at that time at least in part due to lack of available vaccine.

The overall rate of scheduled cesareans in the U.K. today is only around 11%, I am sure it was much, much lower in 1963 and doing a cesarean on demand without  a specific medical indication would’ve been unheard of.  Mental health issues were not well understood back then and doing a cesarean for fear of labor would’ve been considered to be out of the question, I’d think.

Here in the US, women were delivered in hospitals almost exclusively and most were given ‘twilight sleep’ and didn’t remember a thing, sometimes for days.  Most forcep deliveries were done with spinal or saddle blocks and the woman would’ve been numb.  It seems like Poplar and the rest of England hadn’t caught up to the US when it came to pain relief in labor.

This puzzled me too.  I think it was routine for babies in the US to be vaccinated against small pox (I was born before 1950 and was vaccinated.) I wonder why it wasn't routine in the UK in the 60's?

[GaT]

Well, at least this episode had happy endings, I really thought they were going to have Reggie catch smallpox & die.

[Willowsmom]

Quote

Count me in as being confused that Trixie seemed to be going on vacay instead of rehab.

Rehab wasn't a thing the way we think of it until Betty Ford. Trixie could have gone to a hospital to dry out but may have been sent to a mental ward. One of my great aunts was.

Edited April 16, 2018 by Willowsmom

[rlc]

I almost want to be ill so Phylis can take care of me while Sister Monica Joan gives me comfort (and share a piece of cake with me), and have another baby so Lucille can deliver.

[Kohola3]

9 hours ago, doodlebug said:

In the US, virtually all children were being  vaccinated against smallpox routinely in 1963 and we’ve got the scars to prove it.

It was routine in 1949 when I was born.  Odd that the UK was so far behind on that. 

And thank heavens for an episode that was not so oppressive.

[libgirl2]

10 hours ago, Ohwell said:

I'm glad Barbara and Tom are back!  She looks lovely with the longer hair.  Speaking of hair, I'm not liking Violet's poof hairdo.

Neither do I, it seems to always look messy. 

[Lion18]

10 hours ago, Ohwell said:

I'm glad Barbara and Tom are back!  She looks lovely with the longer hair.  Speaking of hair, I'm not liking Violet's poof hairdo.

I noticed the same on Violets hair. It looked like it was in a hurricane or stuck in an electrical socket. I forgot- is Reggie adopted by Violet and husband?

8 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Not to be mean, but when Eunice said she wasn’t having the baby, I said to the TV “Yeah, honey, just keep your legs together. That’ll work.” ?

I really like Lucille.

Count me in as being confused that Trixie seemed to be going on vacay instead of rehab.

Over 60 years ago my mom’s aunt was told to keep her legs closed during giving birth- a very very unwise doctor- and her son was born with Down syndrome and more. That was my first thought when she was squeezing her legs shut. Ugh

[SunnyBeBe]

On 2/19/2018 at 1:34 PM, MissLucas said:

I'm puzzled by Trixie's decision to stay with her godmother - was that just a euphemism for rehab? If not - going to Portofino to a place that requires four wardrobe changes a day does not sound like a good idea (i.e. it sounds like a place with plenty of booze).

The tokophobia case was interesting though I wish they had handled the ending a bit better. Did the positive birth-experience help her overcome those feelings? It was mentioned that she had had no more children. But I wonder if she managed to trust birth-control once again (i.e. having lost her complete and utter horror of even a remotely possible pregnancy) or if there were still lingering problems.

The smallpox case felt a bit lackluster - of course Reggie would find the patient. I wish more time had been given to Ade and Sister Monica Joan (who despite last week's episode seems to still have doubts about her surgery).

I can't belive I'm typing this but I was actually happy to see Barbara and Tom! 

I'm struggling with this season and I'm not quite sure why. 

I agree. If I have time, I'm going to do some research and see if the writers have changed.  The show just has a very different vibe and it doesn't flow the way it used to. To me, it's lost it's charm.   Once again, I find myself rolling my eyes and looking at the clock.  Trying to make Sister Monica Joan a wise go to person, who can offer unique and magical ways to view things is not amusing. AND then they have her memorizing names of people she just met with no difficulty.  This is a person with dementia....okay.  I guess they gave up on that storyline.  The writers just don't bother to deal with it.  So, I'll just pretend all that stuff about the dementia didn't happen. 

And what about Reggie?  Nice to see him return, but, for what purpose? Is he going to perpetually be the intellectually challenged adult who gets into trouble when not supervised?  Can't they do more with his character?  I thought that he had moved to a group home for adults with similar challenges and he was learning a trade there.  Was he home for just a visit?  Wouldn't he return to demonstrate growth and better skills?

At the end at the picnic, it should have been so amazing and joyous.  To me it seems awkward and non-climatic.  It's just not the same show to me and I don't think it has to do with the cast.  The actors seem perfectly capable.  

Edited April 16, 2018 by SunnyBeBe

[babs j.]

Sometimes when I'm watching Call the Midwife I flash back to Thelma Ritter's line from "All About Eve" - "Everything but the dogs nipping at her rear end".
"

[Kohola3]

12 minutes ago, Lion18 said:

Over 60 years ago my mom’s aunt was told to keep her legs closed during giving birth- a very very unwise doctor- and her son was born with Down syndrome and more.

Um, you do know that Down's is genetic, right?  Has nothing to do with the delivery.

[sigmaforce86]

14 hours ago, jschoolgirl said:

I wonder if we will see Ade again? Tom could encourage him to go to seminary, or Fred could help him get a job. I loved his scenes with Sister Monica Joan!

It's funny how some characters grab you right away.  Ade is one of those, I kept thinking could they have him recover and come back to Nonnatus as the new handyman or something?  I really liked his attitude and his character and how he got along with both Reggie and Sister Monica Joan.  Just liked the guy right from the start.  

I'm also liking Lucille a lot, she was a good choice to add to the show.

 

11 hours ago, Ohwell said:

I'm glad Barbara and Tom are back!  She looks lovely with the longer hair.  Speaking of hair, I'm not liking Violet's poof hairdo.

Barbara looks good.  Violet I completely agree with you; she has helmet head hair and frizzy besides.  It might be trying to mimic the style of the times but it doesn't work for her.  The other hairstyle I don't like is Trixie's - it's not horrible I just keep thinking it's a little too long to be flattering on her.

 

The "previouslys" annoyed me a bit because we were again shown that we in the US aren't getting the entire show.  Twice now, once in the preview for E4 at the end of E3 and again last night in the previously on they showed all the ladies in the living room watching the female cosmonaut on TV, a scene we never got to see in the US airing.  There are no commercials on PBS and the show ends at about 10 minutes before the hour but then they take five more minutes to do a behind the scenes.  I just don't see why they have to clip scenes from us.  (EDITED to remove the complaint about the missing scene.  It was there and I missed it; twice!  Still keeping the part about why they have to edit things out at all but at least that one scene was actually there)

Edited April 16, 2018 by sigmaforce86

[jschoolgirl]

14 minutes ago, sigmaforce86 said:

they showed all the ladies in the living room watching the female cosmonaut on TV, a scene we never got to see in the US airing.

We did see that.

1 hour ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Was he home for just a visit?

Yes.

[Rap541]

Quote

And what about Reggie?  Nice to see him return, but, for what purpose? Is he going to perpetually be the intellectually challenged adult who gets into trouble when not supervised?  Can't they do more with his character?  I thought that he had moved to a group home for adults with similar challenges and he was learning a trade there.  Was he home for just a visit?  Wouldn't he return to demonstrate growth and better sk

He was home for a visit, Fred referenced it briefly in like one line and then said Reggie could help with the picnic. And its 1963 and a character with Downs Syndrome. We're already getting a fairly fanciful presentation of Reggie going to a really nice group home with a training program and kindly people essentially adopting him and supporting him during an era that really wasn't kind to people with mental challenges... I'm not sure I'd buy a story where Reggie's newly learned skills save the day to begin with,  and I didn't find this story out of line or out of character. He's still a child in a lot of ways, he gets to display kindness when everyone else is being cruel. If anything, it's just a little too after school special for my tastes but one of the storylines per episode on this show is usually treacly sweet so....

[Driad]

2 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

It was routine in 1949 when I was born.  Odd that the UK was so far behind on that.

An ancestor of mine was exposed to smallpox in the late 1830s but she had been vaccinated, which did not sound unusual from the family story. This was in rural Maine, more than a century before CTM. 

[jschoolgirl]

If Ade returns, having recovered his health, perhaps he could be a match for Lucille. He is clearly a good-looking man who is thoughtful and intelligent. 

[sigmaforce86]

30 minutes ago, jschoolgirl said:

45 minutes ago, sigmaforce86 said:

they showed all the ladies in the living room watching the female cosmonaut on TV, a scene we never got to see in the US airing.

We did see that.

You're right did a quick re-watch and it was there.  Don't know how I missed it - editing my first post to correct that.  Glad at least they aren't actually teasing us with previews and previouslys of things we don't get to see after all.

Edited April 16, 2018 by sigmaforce86

[Deskisamess]

2 hours ago, Lion18 said:

 

Over 60 years ago my mom’s aunt was told to keep her legs closed during giving birth- a very very unwise doctor- and her son was born with Down syndrome and more. That was my first thought when she was squeezing her legs shut. Ugh

I'm pretty sure that "keep your legs closed waiting for the doctor" is what happened to Rosemary Kennedy. The nurse delayed the birth, and she was stuck in the birth canal for 2 hours, causing oxygen deprivation.

Down Syndrome of course is a chromosomal issue, and has nothing to do with birth trauma.

I gave to birth to 4 babies, all unmedicated. I can't imagine trying to stop a birth. It sounds horrible.

[jschoolgirl]

13 hours ago, Calvada said:

Ade's scarf

I liked that scarf! I cracked up at the recap's mention of it as "like an Ikea tea towel."

[Willowsmom]

47 minutes ago, Deskisamess said:

I'm pretty sure that "keep your legs closed waiting for the doctor" is what happened to Rosemary Kennedy. The nurse delayed the birth, and she was stuck in the birth canal for 2 hours, causing oxygen deprivation.

Down Syndrome of course is a chromosomal issue, and has nothing to do with birth trauma.

I gave to birth to 4 babies, all unmedicated. I can't imagine trying to stop a birth. It sounds horrible.

Rosemary Kennedy's problem was the lobotomy her father had done on her for being willful.

[Deskisamess]

18 minutes ago, Willowsmom said:

Rosemary Kennedy's problem was the lobotomy her father had done on her for being willful.

She was "slow" and challenged from birth, which is what led to her father doing what he did. She was difficult to manage as she got older, because of the birth injury/brain damage.

[wonderwoman]

20 minutes ago, Willowsmom said:

Rosemary Kennedy's problem was the lobotomy her father had done on her for being willful.

according to the 2015 book, the missing kennedy, the birth story is correct, and, she had a botched lobotomy (still an experimental procedure) ordered by her father.

[Deskisamess]

1 minute ago, wonderwoman said:

according to the 2015 book, the missing kennedy, the birth story is correct, and, she had a botched lobotomy (still an experimental procedure) ordered by her father.

I can't remember which book I read, but a nurse who was involved with the lobotomy said later that what was done was done on purpose. It was meant to be botched. Joseph Kennedy was a horrible man.

[GaT]

I have vague memories of some singer (I think) from the 40s or 50s (I think) refusing to deliver her baby until her husband arrived, which caused the baby to be born with all sort of problems & it (can't remember if it was a boy or girl) ended up living it's life in a home. I just can't remember any of the details.

On 2/19/2018 at 10:34 AM, MissLucas said:

I'm struggling with this season and I'm not quite sure why. 

 

5 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I agree. If I have time, I'm going to do some research and see if the writers have changed.  The show just has a very different vibe and it doesn't flow the way it used to. To me, it's lost it's charm.   

At the end at the picnic, it should have been so amazing and joyous.  To me it seems awkward and non-climatic.  It's just not the same show to me and I don't think it has to do with the cast.  The actors seem perfectly capable.  

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one, something is definitely missing. I don't know if it's the loss of so many original characters, or the lack of nuns (why didn't they make Lucille a nun?), or the stories are less interesting, or even if it's because they've moved into the sixties, but this show has lost its charm.

Edited April 16, 2018 by GaT

[Deskisamess]

This show just doesn't have the same feel it used to have. Scenes seemed "chopped" and erratic. The scene towards the end, at the picnic, when Tom & Barbara show up with the cakes in the box...the reaction of Valerie and Nurse Crane was just so strange. I can't quite articulate what I mean, it reminds me of the final season of Army Wives, when there very little dialog and substance, just scenes with music and character reactions.