S07.E07: Episode 7

[JudyObscure]

I'm not only fed up with the show, but the actresses, too.  Out of the original four midwives, we've had to adjust to losing Jenny, Cynthia, and Chummy.   I could sort of understand Jenny leaving because she is drop dead gorgeous and was probably offered many more parts and Chummy, of course, already had her own show and was a bit of a "star."  Nurse Miller, however, had a good well developed part and I can't imagine what better roles she thought were waiting out there for her.  I saw her in, "Unforgotten," last night, opening a door and saying one line. Delia and Patsy didn't get much to do so I don't blame them.  Barbara, though.  What grand offers has she had that would make her think she could do better than a lead role in a hit series? I always found her, frankly, very unattractive, enough so that it seemed improbable that Tom would fall for her, sweet personality or not. Yet, I had gradually warmed to her and tried to see her through the eyes of a man who saw "the inside," of a person more than most of us.  Now she quits.  I'm more mad than sad.

Nurse Crane!  Her scene on the steps plus her scene after she hit the little boy with her car has convinced me she is the best crying-actress ever, surpassing even Emma Thompson.

[plurie]

10 hours ago, flash said:

Barbara had meningococcal meningitis and sepsis not streptococcal. The rash and possible amputation are part of this. Amy Purdy , the Paralympian, was a victim of this disease.

While strep meningitis and sepsis COULD cause the same symptoms (although much less commonly), they would not give prophylactic antibiotics to the contacts unless it was meningococcal.

[plurie]

You're all forgetting Sister Evangelina, who did die and was, IIRC, one of the original midwives.

[Kohola3]

8 minutes ago, plurie said:

You're all forgetting Sister Evangelina, who did die and was, IIRC, one of the original midwives.

Never forgot her death for a second.  I took that way harder than Barbara.  Pam Ferris was the best!

[marceline]

5 hours ago, Ceindreadh said:

 

Barbara’s father is abroad and I think her mother is dead. No mention of any siblings that I remember. 

She's mentioned having a sister. I think that before South Africa her sister sent her some clothes.

[modernisti]

1 hour ago, JudyObscure said:

I'm not only fed up with the show, but the actresses, too.  Out of the original four midwives, we've had to adjust to losing Jenny, Cynthia, and Chummy.   I could sort of understand Jenny leaving because she is drop dead gorgeous and was probably offered many more parts and Chummy, of course, already had her own show and was a bit of a "star."  Nurse Miller, however, had a good well developed part and I can't imagine what better roles she thought were waiting out there for her.  I saw her in, "Unforgotten," last night, opening a door and saying one line. Delia and Patsy didn't get much to do so I don't blame them.  Barbara, though.  What grand offers has she had that would make her think she could do better than a lead role in a hit series? I always found her, frankly, very unattractive, enough so that it seemed improbable that Tom would fall for her, sweet personality or not. Yet, I had gradually warmed to her and tried to see her through the eyes of a man who saw "the inside," of a person more than most of us.  Now she quits.  I'm more mad than sad.

Nurse Crane!  Her scene on the steps plus her scene after she hit the little boy with her car has convinced me she is the best crying-actress ever, surpassing even Emma Thompson.

Byrony Hannah (Cynthia Miller) was a well-respected stage actress before CtM, praised for acting Keira Knightley out of the stage as a violent teenage girl in The Children's Hour. She got an Olivier Award Nomination for that. She was also on stage with Jessica Raine at the National Theatre.  Charlotte Ritchie (Babs) has a long-standing career in comedy and music.  The British workforce market offers these viable options for employment for actors.  As much as I long for Cynthia, I can see Hannah's decision as wise, especially as she has a child to care. (The child must now be five, so it is easier to take other gigs). 

As for Jessica Raine, she has had some success in bitchy roles after CtM. But she needs to enlarge her scale. Can you think, she was told she could act only modern roles after theatre school?

[Popples]

How could you do that to Phyllis, show?! YouTube spoiled me before the season aired in the States when it recommended a video with Charlotte Ritchie on a UK chat show talking about her leaving. I still teared up when Tom slipped that bit of dried grass he proposed to Barbara with on her finger.

[JudyObscure]

I wasn't judging anyone's acting -- they're all good -- but rather I was questioning whether or not they were turning down other work left and right.  "Well respected stage actress," is almost required resume for most British actresses, but if Cynthia (I only know their midwife names) is actually working  on the stage every night I can't imagine why she took the one line part in "Unforgotten."  I know she's a fine actress, she was one of my favorites, and that's I wish she had stayed.

2 hours ago, plurie said:

You're all forgetting Sister Evangelina, who did die and was, IIRC, one of the original midwives.

Nope, not forgetting.  I loved Sister Evangelina, I just didn't want to even start on the nuns.  I also thought of Peter the constable as an important, very likeable  character and not just Chummy's husband.   I'm sorry he's gone, too.

[Rap541]

You might find the one line part grows in Unforgotten. I admit tho, I watched last night and totally missed her, where was she?

[JudyObscure]

@Rap541,  I can't even remember exactly, it was the first door they knocked on, early in the show.  I was still ranting to my poor  husband about all the characters we've  lost and was saying,"You remember Nurse Miller, tiny little one...look there she is right now!"

[jschoolgirl]

11 hours ago, Fireball said:

I hope Barbara leaving was the actresses choice and not the writers setting up Tom & Trixie as end game.

Helen George has said that she prefers Trixie and Tom not be a couple because it helps her and Jack keep their private lives separate from work. That doesn't mean the writers won't tease them getting back together, of course.

[Patricia07]

I didn't know that Charlotte Ritchie's grandfather is Richard Burton!

[Sarah 103]

12 hours ago, Ohmo said:

It will be interesting to see how Tom copes with his own loss.  Usually, he's the one doing the comforting.

I had the exact same thought; it will be interesting to see how he deals being on the other side.   

9 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Why couldn’t they have given that boy probation? The episode could have used a glimmer of hope.

I thought that Michael was going to commit suicide after he receieved a three sentence so the fact that they showed him alive and holding his baby son was hopeful. 

Something that I liked about this episode was that it shows the world doesn't stop when you someone you care about is seriously ill. It isn't that you ignore it. You express your concern to others, get and share updates, visit when you can, but life goes on and I thought this episode did a fantastic job of showing that. 

Who would have ever expected that sweet little Timothy (who's really grown up now) would be a Rolling Stones fan? Also, he is going to have eternal bragging rights "I saw the Stones in 63 before they were big legends." Casting hit the jackpot. Looking at Timothy is a bit like looking at Patrick's yearbook photo. Casting had no idea what he'd grow up to look like, but it's wonderful that it's such a strong resemblence. 

[modernisti]

6 minutes ago, Patricia07 said:

I didn't know that Charlotte Ritchie's grandfather is Richard Burton!

It is a different Richard Burton than the actor. Although this Burton was quite a player in the UK as a producer or something. So that may explain her self-confidence  in the uncertain terrain on being employable.

[modernisti]

8 minutes ago, modernisti said:

It is a different Richard Burton than the actor. Although this Burton was quite a player in the UK as a producer or something. So that may explain her self-confidence  in the uncertain terrain on being employable.

and I got that wrong. These are Charlotte Ricthie's grandparents: Ritchie's maternal grandfather, Stephen McCormack, was the first controller of Anglia Television in Norwich, while her grandmother was the actress Nancy McCormack. With such a pedigree, it is hardly surprising that she joined the National Youth Music Theatre and toured Japan at the tender age of 11. "Wasted on me," she says. "I remember nothing about that trip except for the toilets that automatically flushed."

Kate Burton has a daughter with a name Charlotte Ritchie, 20 yrs old,  (and a son Morgan, who looks just like Granpa Burton).

[modernisti]

1 hour ago, JudyObscure said:

I wasn't judging anyone's acting -- they're all good -- but rather I was questioning whether or not they were turning down other work left and right.  "Well respected stage actress," is almost required resume for most British actresses, but if Cynthia (I only know their midwife names) is actually working  on the stage every night I can't imagine why she took the one line part in "Unforgotten."  I know she's a fine actress, she was one of my favorites, and that's I wish she had stayed.

Nope, not forgetting.  I loved Sister Evangelina, I just didn't want to even start on the nuns.  I also thought of Peter the constable as an important, very likeable  character and not just Chummy's husband.   I'm sorry he's gone, too.

you are quite correct that none of them have job offers flooding to them. But then a recurring role in a long-running TV show takes 6 months of your year plus 2 months of promoting. Hannah seems to have done a play which did not go very well, has a part in a female lead Othello at Liverpool, and a role in a radio drama Wuthering Heights. Then there is a children's animated movie , she is one voice in it with SIr Mark Rylance (Oscar winner),. So, even well-accomplished older actors earn their meal ticket with every possible way.

[MissLucas]

I really wish they had found a better way to deal with Ritchie's decision to leave. The season has been overly dark for me so I'd appreciated less heart-break. If needs be pull a 'Becky' - i.e. have Tom return with another actress playing Barbara. But I realize that would have been polarizing as well.

With such a long-running show cast fluctuations are natural but some of those losses weigh heavy because the show has not really managed fill the holes left behind. Chummy and Sergeant Noakes, Jenny Lee, Sister Evangelina, Cynthia, Patsy and Delia and now Barbara. 

[Calvada]

I don't really miss Jenny and Cynthia, but I do miss Chummy and Sister Evangelina.  When Phyllis slipped out to sob on the steps, all I could think was that Sister Evangelina would have noticed her leave and would have followed her to offer comfort.  Even the early season Sister Julienne would have noticed, but not the robot Sister J we have now. 

I can understand their decision to kill off Barbara, because otherwise her departure would most likely have meant Tom was gone too, and I'm sure Charlotte Ritchie didn't want to do that to a fellow actor.  But I wish they would have had her die off screen, while they were away at Tom's temporary post, from a car accident or something quick.  I didn't appreciate the manipulation of our emotions - she's seriously ill, no wait, she's getting better, but her career as a midwife is destroyed, oh never mind, she's dying!  

I thought it was strange that Tom wasn't at her bedside 24/7, but then I had to remember it was 1963, and they were much more firm about rules for visiting, even for family members. My mother had surgery in 1969 and was in the hospital for 10 days, and other than my dad, the only one who could go up to her room and visit her was my oldest sister, because she was 14, which was the minimum age.  My parents only allowed her to do that once, since they knew the rest of us were really upset we couldn't see Mom.  

[MissLucas]

9 minutes ago, Calvada said:

Even the early season Sister Julienne would have noticed, but not the robot Sister J we have now. 

I wish I could upvote this more than once.

[Ohwell]

1 hour ago, MissLucas said:

If needs be pull a 'Becky' - i.e. have Tom return with another actress playing Barbara. But I realize that would have been polarizing as well.

I actually think that would have worked because I believe that people would have gradually gotten used to the new Barbara.  There was no need to kill her off.

[willowk]

OMG-I was so afraid last week that Barbara would die, then in the middle of this episode I though we’d gotten a reprieve, then the situation worsened. What a wrenching episode, have to say it was really well done though. I was not keen on Barbara when she joined the cast, but she grew on me and became one of my favorites. I will miss her can do practicality and optimism and just general all around kind nature. We all lost a good one in Barbara. Its no comfort at the moment that the actress wanted to move on. As for the rest of the show –like Alison I had no interest. Next week looks grueling as well. We’ll pull up our socks and do our best, but it won’t be easy.

[Brattinella]

We watched this in two separate rooms last night; he was having a cigar in the den (no smoking in the house).  We both were crying our eyes out, had to wait a few minutes to blow our noses and get it together.  Such a heartbreaking episode! 

[willowk]

Well, I did not see that coming. I thought that they were going to go with the loss of the use of her hands and then several episodes of her coping with not being able to work anymore. Poor Phyllis. And Tom, I guess. But really, poor Phyllis. 

Yes, I thought that was where they were going to have it end up. It was all the more touching for me as one of my co-workers died last winter from the flu- complications led to major organ failure. She was older than Barbara but strong and healthy. Here one day, gone the next.

[jschoolgirl]

24 minutes ago, willowk said:

I will miss her can do practicality and optimism and just general all around kind nature. We all lost a good one in Barbara.

I loved how she told Mrs. Davidson that as a curate's wife, helping people through life's hard times was "very much in my remit."

[Rap541]

Quote

With such a long-running show cast fluctuations are natural but some of those losses weigh heavy because the show has not really managed fill the holes left behind. Chummy and Sergeant Noakes, Jenny Lee, Sister Evangelina, Cynthia, Patsy and Delia and now Barbara

See, I will be the outlier and say I really don't mind Chummy being gone. I liked Chummy, but she was basically the one who was always going to have shit work out. For all her awkwardness, she scores a great guy. She's not trusted because she's giant and awkward and from a rich family but then everyone loves her because she is so awesome. She didn't do well in school but is instinctively the most awesome midwife ever. Everything always worked out for Chummy no matter what. I'm not glad she's gone (I found her funny as hell) but I think she rather naturally "aged out" of the show. She's married, has a kid, that's how things move.

I do completely agree that the holes haven't been filled well with Valerie and Lucy. Both of these characters are dull as hell. Valerie in particular seems like a card board character - her hook? is that she was raised in Poplar and honestly I just find her to be a fill in nurse. Lucy seems to fill the "perfect" role that Chummy left. She's the perfect nurse, when she's not working, she's studying or praying or going to church, and when she's not too busy, she's also always front and center proving herself.

Trixie and Phyllis can't carry the nurse storylines all the time. 

[LittleIggy]

I don’t miss Chummy either.

[3 is enough]

As far as Cynthia goes, the show seems to be following the real character's life.  She did suffer from depression and ended up leaving the convent and eventually married a minister.  

Honestly, as much as I liked Chummy, Sister Evangelina, and Patsy, I don't miss them as much as I thought I would.  That's the way life works.  People move on, people die.  Also, given the time frame, there were so many changes happening in society.  It doesn't seem realistic to think that all those women would just stay in Poplar delivering babies forever. There was also a significant drop in the number of young women choosing to be nuns as well. I think the last season may very well deal with the end of Nonnatus House.

Edited April 30, 2018 by 3 is enough

[Ohmo]

35 minutes ago, Rap541 said:

I do completely agree that the holes haven't been filled well with Valerie and Lucy

See, I really like both Valerie and Lucille and don't find either of them to be dull.  While there are characters that I miss, some that I don't, and others that I would like to miss, I think all of the comings and goings are very organic to this show.  This part of Poplar is a neighborhood---a vibrant neighborhood, and what we see with the actresses coming and going mirrors what happens in a neighborhood.  People move in.  They have children.  Some move away after a short time.  Others stay longer.  Not everyone likes everyone.  People grow older.  There are accidents and illnesses.  Sometimes people die.  We're seeing all that on screen just like many of us probably do wherever we live.

[Rap541]

I think I'd like Lucille more if she wasn't so deadly perfect and of course always standing up for her right to be black and work with white people. Have we had a story with her yet that isn't "most white people are bigots"? Because I get it, she's not white and its an issue and it feels like it's always the issue because Lucy is otherwise the perfect midwife. 

Valerie just... seems boring. She doesn't drink, she's not depressed, she doesn't have a secret married boyfriend, she's not a lesbian, she doesn't go out, she doesn't read or have any opinions....

I mean at least we know Sister Winnifred has driving anxiety and is kind of conservative.... With Valerie we've got "she grew up in Poplar".

[JudyObscure]

I guess I fell for a show about a group of midwives in the 1950's and wanted it to stay that way.  I really don't see the need  to jump a year every season. Regular shows in the past didn't all do that.

[jschoolgirl]

14 minutes ago, Rap541 said:

Valerie just... seems boring.

There've been hints of some sort of Intriguing Undercurrent, although they're probably still figuring out what its exact nature will be.

[J-Man]

1 minute ago, jschoolgirl said:

There've been hints of some sort of Intriguing Undercurrent, although they're probably still figuring out what its exact nature will be.

Given that they seem to want to be topical and that we're now in the '60s, maybe she'll turn out to be an undercover spy! She could be Mrs. Peel or someone who seduces James Bond on behalf of the Russians!

[Ohwell]

In addition to being pissed off that Barbara died, I was really annoyed at how they showed the black church.  I grew up in a black church, and have been to many in my time, and I have NEVER heard "Amazing Grace" sung like that.  It's as if the writers said "ooooh black church, we must have shouting!"  NOT!

[tennisgurl]

The cast changes can certainly be tiring, especially as I recently played catch up with the show, and I am so over time jumps on shows, but I dont think its killing the show. I certainly miss the departed cast members and characters, but I like seeing Poplar change with the times, and seeing how the early 50s gradually turned into the 60s, and how it changed with the times, or didnt. Its very connected with the past, but is also clearly changing with the times. 

It was one of my favorite things about Mad Men (isnt it weird to think MM and this show are set right around the same time!?), watching the 50s gradually turn into the 60s and move into the 70s, it was so fascinating seeing the changes in fashion, technology, and social norms. 

I swear, Barbara dying was an emotional roller coaster. "She`s sick! No, she`s better! No, she`s dying! Amazing Grace!"

[Ohmo]

1 hour ago, Rap541 said:

Valerie just... seems boring. She doesn't drink, she's not depressed, she doesn't have a secret married boyfriend, she's not a lesbian, she doesn't go out, she doesn't read or have any opinions....

For me, the dull and boring award will always be Delia.  Her being a lesbian never bothered me, but what I was never convinced of was that Patsy would give her the time of day as THE one.  Surely, there were more exciting lesbians in Poplar that were more suitable for Patsy.

See, this is why this show works.  I can''t stand Shelagh, but others adore her.  Valerie works for me, but not for you.  That's where the vibrancy of this show comes from---there's usually something for everyone.

[Willowsmom]

As much as we don't like it CtM is doing things right.

Young midwives most likely wouldn't have stayed long. They would have either moved up or gotten married. The fact that Trixie is still there is really odd for the time.

British shows don't seem to put longevity ahead of reality like M*A*S*H did.

British actors are also different than Americans in that a job is a job and no reasonable part is beneath them.

[Cyranetta]

I may be alone in this, but I found the church scene with Lucille to be highly effective - Lucille was able to assuage her grief by joining a community that reminded her of home, whereas the immediate following scene of Phyllis was all isolation (and her grief would have been greater because she had known Barbara longer and in more depth). The lighting of the two scenes emphasized that contrast and for me, made the impact of Phyllis scene even greater.

It was startling this morning to read headlines about a current British political kerfuffle based on the very immigration policies that introduced Lucille to Nonnatus House.

[jschoolgirl]

Regarding the above mentioned kerfuffle: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43782241

[JudyObscure]

1 hour ago, Willowsmom said:

As much as we don't like it CtM is doing things right.

Young midwives most likely wouldn't have stayed long. They would have either moved up or gotten married. The fact that Trixie is still there is really odd for the time.

British shows don't seem to put longevity ahead of reality like M*A*S*H did.

British actors are also different than Americans in that a job is a job and no reasonable part is beneath them.

I don't see the conflict between reality and longevity.  Changing fictional years from one TV season to the next doesn't make it more real.  It's not really 1963. It's still fiction, not a reality show with a camera in the corner and years passing as they film.   Every show of every season could be set in 1952 and it would still be just as  realistic because they delivered hundreds of babies in that year and each one would have had a story of it's own. Many things could have happened to the midwives during those 365 days. Most of the dramatic events we've seen could have happened within a year or two.

[SunnyBeBe]

I haven't watched it yet, but, have prepared myself.  I did catch the very end when the singing started. I'm not surprised by this show anymore.  It tends to annoy me now for one reason or the other.  At least I used to really look forward to watching.  Not now.

I suppose I will adjust to Barbara being gone.  I was very annoyed when Chummy left, but, soon grew to resent the actress leaving and now I don't miss her at all, have no desire to see her in anything and wish she's never mentioned again.  This is one wish I may just get about this show. lol 

[jschoolgirl]

8 minutes ago, JudyObscure said:

I don't see the conflict between reality and longevity.  Changing fictional years from one TV season to the next doesn't make it more real.  It's not really 1963. It's still fiction, not a reality show with a camera in the corner and years passing as they film.   Every show of every season could be set in 1952 and it would still be just as  realistic because they delivered hundreds of babies in that year and each one would have had a story of it's own. Many things could have happened to the midwives during those 365 days. Most of the dramatic events we've seen could have happened within a year or two.

I would have liked more time spent in the fifties to see more of the war recovery. Of course, even in 1963 they are still recovering but not in the same way. 

[dargosmydaddy]

6 hours ago, Calvada said:

I can understand their decision to kill off Barbara, because otherwise her departure would most likely have meant Tom was gone too,

I read an interview after this episode aired in the UK

Spoiler

that said Tom won't be in the next series, as he (I'm blanking on the actor's name) is going to be taking care of his daughter while Helen George returns. He did leave the door open for returning in a later series, but yeah, it seems like it would have been easy enough to let Tom and Barbara have a happily ever after off-screen ending, and just have Barbara die later (and off-screen) if they decided to bring Tom back. But I could see the Charlotte Ritchie enjoying the juicy death scene, if she's sure she doesn't want to come back...

[Tiggertoo]

Well I cried my eyes out.  I love Phyllis, she is the best.  I do miss Sister Evangelina.

And I had no idea that Tom is Trixie’s real life partner and daddy to her baby.  I was just thinking how handsome he looked in this episode.

I started rewatching the series and wow Trixie’s looks and style has really changed.

[jschoolgirl]

I can't believe Barbara's nurses were not wearing gloves along with their masks and gowns!

[Clanstarling]

22 hours ago, jschoolgirl said:

PBS couldn't give us just a few extra minutes to process!

No, no, no! We had jump right in to the bold! bright! fashions!

That pissed me off so much. Here I was trying to stop crying (and I'm not a crier normally), and that fashion crap kicked in.

20 hours ago, Rap541 said:

So, after drying my tears, let me just say a few things.

First the actress who plays Phyllis deserves ALL THE AWARDS. 

Props to the rest of the cast, but actress playing Phyllis? ALL THE AWARDS

Second, having been royally and hatefully burned and abused by prior British shows who took their rage against the actor leaving out on the audience (YES DOWNTON ABBEY AND JULIAN FELLOWES POINTING THE FINGERS OF RAGE DIRECTLY AT YOU AND THE FUCK THE AUDIENCE ITS CHRISTMAS DAY TIME FOR A RANDOM DEATH ENDING OF SEASON THREE WE'RE TOO PISSED AT THE ACTOR TO CARE ABOUT THE AUDIENCE), this was a tasteful and emotional way to allow the audience to grieve and move on. 

I get it, the actress was leaving, and we were allowed to let Barbara go in a way that allowed us to grieve and to see our other characters grieve as well. 

Yes to Phyllis, and yes, I thought this was a lovely way to say goodbye to a character.  I particularly related when Phyllis went to cry by herself - because that's me, and that's the way I've experienced each loss in my life.

5 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I guess I fell for a show about a group of midwives in the 1950's and wanted it to stay that way.  I really don't see the need  to jump a year every season. Regular shows in the past didn't all do that.

Depends on what you mean by regular. I guess I don't watch too many shows set in the past, but the few I do certainly advance through the years (Mad Men, The Americans, The Wonder Years, etc.)

1 hour ago, JudyObscure said:

I don't see the conflict between reality and longevity.  Changing fictional years from one TV season to the next doesn't make it more real.  It's not really 1963. It's still fiction, not a reality show with a camera in the corner and years passing as they film.   Every show of every season could be set in 1952 and it would still be just as  realistic because they delivered hundreds of babies in that year and each one would have had a story of it's own. Many things could have happened to the midwives during those 365 days. Most of the dramatic events we've seen could have happened within a year or two.

There have been at least four marriages within the main cast (Chummy, Sheilagh, Fred, and Barbara), a few break ups, two children born (Chummy's and Sheilagh's), two adopted (the little girl and the Buckle's son), and now two deaths (unless I'm missing one). For time to stand still, you'd need to recast the children every single year. Most of the stories I've loved when it comes to the cast have taken time to evolve, and would never have happened in any believable way in a single year. For me, the focus of the show is not the baby of the week, but the ongoing story of the midwives and their lives. Different strokes, I guess.

Edited April 30, 2018 by Clanstarling

[caitmcg]

5 minutes ago, Clanstarling said:

1 hour ago, JudyObscure said:

I don't see the conflict between reality and longevity.  Changing fictional years from one TV season to the next doesn't make it more real.  It's not really 1963. It's still fiction, not a reality show with a camera in the corner and years passing as they film.   Every show of every season could be set in 1952 and it would still be just as  realistic because they delivered hundreds of babies in that year and each one would have had a story of it's own. Many things could have happened to the midwives during those 365 days. Most of the dramatic events we've seen could have happened within a year or two.

There have been at least four marriages within the main cast (Chummy, Sheilagh, Fred, and Barbara), a few break ups, two children born (Chummy's and Sheilagh's), two adopted (the little girl and the Buckle's son), and now two deaths (unless I'm missing one). For time to stand still, you'd need to recast the children every single year. Most of the stories I've loved when it comes to the cast have taken time to evolve, and would never have happened in any believable way in a single year. For me, the focus of the show is not the baby of the week, but the ongoing story of the midwives and their lives. Different strokes, I guess.

Yeah, I guess it doesn't seem a huge jump to me to have each season set in an ensuing year, with each Christmas special taking place at the holidays. Nor do most dramas that run for more than three seasons stay in a static time, even if set in the past. It's not as if they're jumping way ahead the way a few shows have done (hell, Downton Abbey covered 20 years in five seasons, with no one visually aging a bit); they've gone from what, 1957 to 1963 over seven seasons. I don't think there's any way they could've kept it going more than three without advancing time, practically speaking, due to cast turnover. But as Clanstarling said, different strokes.

[Rap541]

I think, in retrospect, that they might regret the conceit of every year passing in each season because they do have to move the stories along when they could have lingered for longer with the post war stuff without anyone complaining.

Quote

or time to stand still, you'd need to recast the children every single year.

Nope. You just ignore it. :)

I especially enjoyed this phenomena on The Walking Dead when Carl clearly grew six inches between the season finale of Negan capturing the heros and the next season's skull cracking beginning that theoretically all occurred in ONE EVENING. 

The real issue on this show would be Tim Turner and I am sure they just would've ignored it. Baby Girl Turner would have just been recast, and they might not have pressed as hard for Sheilah's pregnancy.

I wouldn't have minded lingering in the late 1950s for a bit but I am ok. One thing that is making me feel amused is that Tim should be watching Doctor Who - the lost episodes. And one reason Lucy annoys me a little is that she is 9 years away from the tv show The Tomorrow People (British scifi show) where there was a young black woman as one of the leads who was a teacher in a 1970s London high school, and it was like... not presented as a shocking thing or an unusual thing for a black woman to be teaching white students.

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Nor do most dramas that run for more than three seasons stay in a static time, even if set in the past. It's not as if they're jumping way ahead the way a few shows have done (hell, Downton Abbey covered 20 years in five seasons, with no one visually aging a bit)

 Yes, I was kinda dying in Season Six of Downton when I did the math where the Dowager Countess HAD to be 95 at Mary's second wedding but it did add to the fun. 

[txhorns79]

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Yes, I was kinda dying in Season Six of Downton when I did the math where the Dowager Countess HAD to be 95 at Mary's second wedding but it did add to the fun. 

That's interesting.  I thought she was in her 80s by the time it was all over. 

Poor Phyllis.  I give the actress lots of credit as she had the ugly crying down, and was excellent throughout the episode.

And have they just kind of given up on the idea that Sister Monica Joan has dementia?  I can't believe this is the same woman who only a few seasons ago nearly died after she ran away and slept in a barn during on a cold winter night as part of some quest to return to her childhood home.  It's like she's now just some wise old lady that is occasionally overly emotional.   

[LadyChaos]

I may be in the minority, but I'm okay with Barbara dying.  I'm not very fond of her character, she is kind of boring IMO.  Also, I have not problem with this show have Midwives only staying for 2-3 seasons and leaving.  Contracts in the UK are different than the contracts in the US.  In the US, most actors are signed on for 6-7 years right out of the door.  If they are killed off, they still get paid of portion of their contract for the remaining seasons left of their contract, and the actors can't leave if they want to. Which also means, alot of shows keep around crap actors with horrible work ethic because it costs to much to get rid of them.   IN the UK, contracts are usually only for 2-3 years  which allows the production companies to be able to write out a character if they're arc is done(so they don't have to make up stuff to keep them around), or get rid of them if their noncompliant and crappy to work with, and it also allows an actor to move on if they are board with a show instead of sticking around and playing a character they no longer want to. 

 

I honestly like the revolving door of midwives also, because it reflects the time a little bit too I think,  yeah its nice they show that Chummy and Mrs. Turner work while caring for the family, but even in the 60's that would not have have been the norm.  It would have been normal for them to get married and quit working.  Not to mention, the midwives would have been moved around alot.  As we've seen in here, they are often they are required to pull stints at the hospital, or assigned different places.  They don't really have much say where they go.  Valerie and Patsy are the only one that came to Nonnatus by choice.

Edited May 1, 2018 by LadyChaos

[Fireball]

21 hours ago, Ohmo said:

If you do some Googling, you'll find articles that say that Charlotte did want to leave.  One of the articles that I read said that she had been doing three series in the UK for the past couple of years and just wanted a break.  I think what they did was the best way to handle it, and I understand why they brought Barbara back just to have her die.  They had to have a definitive end to her story. 

I've been burned in the past with Googling a show that has already aired, so I didn't really want to do that here. I'm glad it was the actresses choice to leave. However, saying that I'm tired of the show doing their tradition of having characters leave only to write them off. I wish Tom & Barbara had been around this season.