S08.E00: Christmas Special 2018

[latetotheparty]

57 minutes ago, Kohola3 said:

Me, too. I wonder if we will see her, though.  We never saw Mother Jesu Emmanuel before, did we?  Boy, did she look like a Mother Superior should look!

Yes we did, played by a different actress. She visited Sister Monica Joan when she had pneumonia and also defended her at her trial for shoplifting.  

[caitmcg]

1 hour ago, dargosmydaddy said:

Question-- did they mention where Lena got that car from in her first scene? I mean, she just arrived back in England, didn't know anyone, I don't think rental cars were a thing back then, she's on foot after that first scene... I dunno, CtM is usually good with realistic details, but that one had me wondering.

We really didn't learn anything about her current status (where she's living, how she's supporting herself, etc.), other than she'd been widowed. I can fanwank it that she's got some money from her late, older husband's estate, that's financed her return to England and her life there, potentially including the car.

[dargosmydaddy]

58 minutes ago, caitmcg said:

I can fanwank it that she's got some money from her late, older husband's estate, that's financed her return to England and her life there, potentially including the car.

They mentioned that she was staying in a room over a pub, which made it sound like her return to England was both rather recent and not particularly lucrative; I found it odd that she would go and purchase a car right away (or even have a British license, for that matter...), but whatever.

[OtterMommy]

5 hours ago, dargosmydaddy said:

Question-- did they mention where Lena got that car from in her first scene? I mean, she just arrived back in England, didn't know anyone, I don't think rental cars were a thing back then, she's on foot after that first scene... I dunno, CtM is usually good with realistic details, but that one had me wondering.

It was said that the woman had married an older man in Australia and, when he died, she took her (modest) inheritance to come back to England.  Maybe the inheritance wasn’t so modest that she couldn’t afford a car?

[theatremouse]

Rental cars were a thing in the 1950s.

[LittleIggy]

On 12/27/2018 at 3:09 PM, Gulftastic said:

I think it's an age thing, because whilst a lot think 'Harry Potter' when they see Miriam Margolyes,I go straight to 'Blackadder'.

I think The Age of Innocence. I really like her.

I’ll miss Sister Winifred too. Too bad she never got a juicy storyline.

[purist]

On 28/12/2018 at 7:09 AM, Gulftastic said:

I think it's an age thing, because whilst a lot think 'Harry Potter' when they see Miriam Margolyes, I go straight to 'Blackadder'.

Yes, but also for me, more recently, she played the wonderful Aunt Prudence in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I will watch her in anything!

[latetotheparty]

5 hours ago, purist said:

Yes, but also for me, more recently, she played the wonderful Aunt Prudence in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I will watch her in anything!

THAT’S what I remember her from. I couldn’t place her. 

[NoThyme]

On 12/26/2018 at 7:16 PM, craziness said:

J-Man, I believe your assumption about 

  Reveal hidden contents

Sister Frances is correct as she's listed as being in 9 episodes on IMDB.  Sr. Hilda is only listed in 1 (but that can easily change).

 

Also, when we first see 2 nuns from the back walking from the beach to the mother house and mentioning Sr Julienne, I think they wanted us to believe one was Sr Mary Cynthia.  Sounded like her voice to me.

I was hoping it was Sister Mary Cynthia. Wish she would return.

[AZChristian]

We finally had time to watch the Christmas special last night (New Year's Eve).  Wow.  I sobbed . . . and when "Billy" was getting out of the car, I was yelling, "They found Billy!  They found Billy!"  (I obviously have no life.)

Found a documentary on the British children sent to Australia . . . hope to get it from the library within the next couple of weeks.  Looks like more tears.

[Rap541]

I liked this episode but I really felt the birthing in the street was kind of asinine.

I get the idea of no beds, no room in the inn, and I think we all knew the prego was going to have some sort of horrific birthing as soon as she got snotty about how awesome hospitals were but...

I've never been pregnant but.... You're in labor, not heavy labor but you're at the hospital because the baby is on it's way. You're presented with the choice of walking for miles on a cold winter's night to the other hospital that has a bed... or waiting an hour for an ambulance ride while in an actual hospital what will probably kinda *have to deal with you* if the baby suddenly amps up the labor...

I mean, I know the women of Poplar are constantly depicted as too dumb for words but who really would choose the long cold walk? Where your baby might plop out on the street with no one but your idiot man to help?

While I liked that Sister Winifred found some purpose, I did wonder if there was a storyline that got hacked in there, with the little white girl in the orphanage who was so desperate to attract a parent.

I really feel like the Turners need some actual conflict in their lives. 

Loved the acknowledgement of Barbara between Trixie and Phyllis. This is how you reference characters who died tastefully without letting it overwhelm the story (eyes Downton Abbey and it's hamhanded refusal to even say "Matthew" which only made it more obvious that they were refusing to speak his name).

I also really enjoyed Sister Julienne's dread of the position of Mother Superior.

And aren't we entering the era where nuns started to move away from the penguin suit?

Oh look, Sister Monica Joan is back to being wily and totally cognizant. I don't *need* a graphic depiction of progressive dementia but honestly, they need to make a decision with this character.

[AZChristian]

44 minutes ago, Rap541 said:

I've never been pregnant but.... You're in labor, not heavy labor but you're at the hospital because the baby is on it's way. You're presented with the choice of walking for miles on a cold winter's night to the other hospital that has a bed... or waiting an hour for an ambulance ride while in an actual hospital what will probably kinda *have to deal with you* if the baby suddenly amps up the labor...

That's the part that didn't ring true to me as well.  I think they alluded to the fact that the mother hadn't done the proper paperwork to switch from a midwife to a hospital birth . . . but shoving her out into the street to make her way on her own was totally unrealistic.  In the entire city of London there was no ambulance available?  No taxi?  Couldn't they call a midwife from the hospital to deliver the baby in the waiting room (LOL)?  No part of that scenario made sense.

[Rap541]

They didn't even shove her out into the street, thats the thing! They offered to let her wait for the ambulance!

For the record, I am also a lil done with the obligatory "Fred or Reggie or both do something cute and sweet" plots. A little goes a long ways. 

Tho I did wonder, the way Fred was eying one of the young blonde girl orphans and then they kept cutting to the Turners and Angela, also young and blonde, if they were going to reveal a secret twin or something....

[Ceindreadh]

3 hours ago, Rap541 said:

And aren't we entering the era where nuns started to move away from the penguin suit?

 

I think it was the Vatican 2 council (62 to 65) which ushered in a lot of changes - including those to nun's habits.  But that was for Catholic nuns and I don't know if there was any equivalent for Protestant orders. 

 

So what was the big difference between a mother to be booking in for a hospital birth and going to Doctor Turner's mini-hospital?

The midwives seemed to think it was shocking that a woman would want to be in the actual hospital instead of at home, but seemed to have no problem with them planning to deliver in Doctor Turner's wards rather than at home.  And honestly, for many of these women, especially those who already had children, I can quite see the attraction in having a few days where home and chores and kids are somebody else's problem not theirs.

[caitmcg]

1 hour ago, Ceindreadh said:

So what was the big difference between a mother to be booking in for a hospital birth and going to Doctor Turner's mini-hospital?

The midwives seemed to think it was shocking that a woman would want to be in the actual hospital instead of at home, but seemed to have no problem with them planning to deliver in Doctor Turner's wards rather than at home.  And honestly, for many of these women, especially those who already had children, I can quite see the attraction in having a few days where home and chores and kids are somebody else's problem not theirs.

The difference is between a medicalized birth in a very clinical setting, presumably, and a more personal midwife-attended birth with someone who's been seeing them through the prenatal process. The Nonnatan midwives still attend the births in the maternity home, with Dr. Turner available as needed, as with the Poplar home births so it's still community based. There have definitely been past episodes where the midwives encouraged a patient with multiple kids at home to stay in the maternity home for a birth just to have a break from the chaos of home life for a for a bit. 

[LittleIggy]

10 hours ago, Rap541 said:

 

Tho I did wonder, the way Fred was eying one of the young blonde girl orphans and then they kept cutting to the Turners and Angela, also young and blonde, if they were going to reveal a secret twin or something....

Didn’t the girl Fred was looking at have Downs Syndrome?

12 hours ago, AZChristian said:

We finally had time to watch the Christmas special last night (New Year's Eve).  Wow.  I sobbed . . . and when "Billy" was getting out of the car, I was yelling, "They found Billy!  They found Billy!"  (I obviously have no life.)

Found a documentary on the British children sent to Australia . . . hope to get it from the library within the next couple of weeks.  Looks like more tears.

There’s also an excellent 2010 movie, “Oranges and Sunshine,” about this topic. It stars Emily Watson and Hugo Weaving.

[Kohola3]

7 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

Didn’t the girl Fred was looking at have Downs Syndrome?

20 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Yes, she did.

[Rap541]

On ‎1‎/‎1‎/‎2019 at 11:03 PM, LittleIggy said:

Didn’t the girl Fred was looking at have Downs Syndrome?

Maybe but now I really like the idea of Angela's birth mom turning up with an adorable twin demanding her baby back from the dastardly Turners who she believes stole the baby! 

There could be a kidnap! :D

Trixie could talk the bitter mother to her senses!

Then Sister Mary Cynthia could stab the bitch because Sister Mary Cynthia is craycray.

Then we all head back to Nonnatus House for tea. Oh and Fred, or Reggie, or both, do something cute while Tim Turner professes his undying love for his parents again.

[suzeecat]

Forgive an old lady with a bad memory, but can someone refresh my memory as to why Trixie left in the first place?  I remember when she left last season that she was visibly pregnant and I thought she was going away to have her baby.  But, maybe I made that up and she was just pregnant in real life . . . ?  I was confused when she returned as if from an extended vacation.

I just love this show and the Christmas special is always one of my favorite presents! 

[Sew Sumi]

Helen George was pregnant in real life. Trixie was not. 

[Kohola3]

2 hours ago, suzeecat said:

Forgive an old lady with a bad memory, but can someone refresh my memory as to why Trixie left in the first place? 

And because Helen George was pregnant and it was getting harder to hide it, they wrote it as her having a relapse into alcoholism and going off to stay with her godmother to dry out.

[HazelEyes4325]

1 hour ago, Kohola3 said:

And because Helen George was pregnant and it was getting harder to hide it, they wrote it as her having a relapse into alcoholism and going off to stay with her godmother to dry out.

Also, I may have scrambled the timing in my mind, but didn't Helen George give birth while they were still filming this season?

[Sew Sumi]

She might have. IIRC, the baby was a little premature.

[Booklady1017]

On 12/25/2018 at 10:27 PM, LadyChaos said:

As soon as Sister Hildegard gave that speech, I knew she would be Mother Superior and as soon as Sheighieh picked up May I knew she would be taking her home. I am sad to see Winefred go. I hope that May ends up staying too.

I had a feeling about Sister Hildegard and about May. I hope there is a way too that May can stay with them. 

On 12/25/2018 at 10:27 PM, LadyChaos said:

As soon as Sister Hildegard gave that speech, I knew she would be Mother Superior and as soon as Sheighieh picked up May I knew she would be taking her home. I am sad to see Winefred go. I hope that May ends up staying too.

I'm hoping they will show some scenes in the next season of the Mother House with Winnifred and I like the new Mother Superior, so that would be good. 

On 12/25/2018 at 10:42 PM, JustDucky said:

Trixie's back!  And as wonderful a midwife as she is, it's good to see her still interested in fashion and cake.  I was afraid she'd come back "older, sadder and wiser", and hearing her coo over her Little Black Dress and hope for cake with tea was refreshing.

Angela and May playing together was the best part of the show (and it was a darn good episode), so here's hoping May sticks around.  I'd hate to see her demoted to an offhand "weren't her adopted parents pleasant" line.  

Speaking of handwave lines, as much as I kinda miss Tom and want to see him recover and be happy, I'm glad they mentioned him and said Barbara's father welcomed him.  He kinda broke my heart last time...

Sister Hilda is Fenella Woolgar, whom I recognized from the Doctor Who episode when she (very convincingly) played Agatha Christie.  Will she be one of the sisters sent to Poplar?  *crosses fingers*  

I'll miss Sister Winifred, but she hasn't gotten any decent storylines since she was learning to drive.  I wonder if her devotion to Neil was appropriate for the times.  Quick, to Wikipedia!

I recognized Sister Hilda but couldn't place where from. Thanks for mentioning. She's a good actress. I am happy Trixie is back and I enjoy her character.

Angela and May were so adorable together. 

I wonder if Tom will come back, but I understand why he ultimately left. I felt so bad for Tom. 

[Booklady1017]

On 12/26/2018 at 2:12 AM, GaT said:

I didn't feel teary at all until the brother & sister were reunited, then it was a waterworks. I'm sorry to see Sister Winifred go though, we keep losing nuns. 

I hope she can still make appearances (Winifred) and I hope we get some good nuns.

On 12/26/2018 at 1:11 PM, HazelEyes4325 said:

My guess is that she never intended to go to the Mother House to find her brother, that she had accepted that he was long lost to her.  I think she went to the Mother House to find something familiar.  She did say the happiest time of her life was when she was there, followed by the worst time of her life in Australia.  She did seem, I don't know, like she might be dealing with some PTSD and not thinking straight (I mean, who was going to deliver her baby if she had no intention of actually talking to any of the nuns, much less going to them for help?).  I will admit that it was a bit of clunky storytelling, but damn if it didn't make me cry.

I liked the storyline with the young woman who was lurking around the Mother House. I'm glad she was reunited with her brother. 

On 12/26/2018 at 5:28 PM, J-Man said:

This is just an assumption on my part, but

  Hide contents

since the actresses who played Sisters Hilda (Ms. Woolgar) and Frances (Ella Brucolleri) were listed in the opening credits with the regulars, I believe they will be the new Poplar midwives.

That would be a good choice to pick the actress who played Hilda. I'm not familiar with the other one, but that would be good.

[Booklady1017]

On 12/27/2018 at 3:37 PM, CleverUserName975 said:

I got a 12-pack of hankies from Santa for Christmas so I was totally prepared for this! I have to say while this wasn't my favorite of the Christmas Specials, it had so many cute and fuzzy moments!

Lucille fussing over Val's tutu hem! Although I have to say it was in no danger of flashing her undercrackers at it's original length--more of a threethree to begin with. Lucille is wont to preworry--why wait for an actual crisis when she can fret herself into a frenzy right now [I can totally relate . . . ].

Sister Hilda! I'm predisposed to like the character as I adored Fenella Woolgar in Home Fires. I like to think she'll be a good support system to Sister Julienne.

Can I get a hallelujah and an amen for Vi? Whipping out all those costumes on her trusty sewing machine while trying to solve the great brassica vegetable caper? At this point her first suspects should always be Fred and Reggie.

Speaking of Reggie--he brought the donkey a blanket!

Sister Mildred--in the end I liked her but my first thought was they're trying to give her a strong personality and make her Sister Evangelina 2.0. As my 84 year old mother pointed out, she might be short but she can climb up on a pew and apply boot to posterior if needed!

Miss Higgins--I had to look her up to see where I'd seen her before. In Calendar Girls! As was Nurse Crane. What month will pop in to Poplar next?!

Welcome home Trixie. Although I have a hard time believing that no Poplarite offered to help you with your luggage or that you didn't commandeer one of the many local kiddies to help cart your stuff.

I'm still not over Nurse Barbara. Sniff. Her sweater. Good thing I got those hankies for Christmas.

Sister Winifred found her calling. I hope she gets to drive the orphanage van at some point, what with all those driving lessons she suffered through (by suffer I mean put poor Nurse Crane through!).

Yes that was the show I knew Fenella from, although I recall her from Doctor Who too. It was bothering me that I couldn't remember the actress. I like her. She'd make a fine addition to the show. 

I liked Sister Mildred, she was a good choice for the Mother Superior. 

On 12/30/2018 at 9:29 PM, NoThyme said:

I was hoping it was Sister Mary Cynthia. Wish she would return.

I want Sister Mary Cynthia to return too.

[kieyra]

On 12/26/2018 at 2:11 AM, HazelEyes4325 said:

The mother who wanted to have her baby at the hospital--I spent most of the episode trying to figure out where I had seen her before.  I assumed that she had been on an earlier episode (and she might have been) and then I recognized her from one of my other favorite shows which takes place in pretty much the exact same place (separated by about 200 years), Harlots.

Sister Hilda/Fenella Woolgar was also in Harlots--as the repulsive Lady Repton. (The heavy white makeup she wore in Harlots seemingly added about 20 years to her actual age.) 

Like another poster, at first I also thought Sister Hilda was Fiona Shaw, but I'd seen her too recently in Killing Eve and knew it wasn't, so had to look it up. (I knew I'd seen the actress somewhere, and was surprised it was Harlots--again, because she looks so much younger in CTM.)

(For whatever reason I spotted Fanny right away.)

Quote

Also, I may have scrambled the timing in my mind, but didn't Helen George give birth while they were still filming this season?

I remember being convinced during Season 7 that they'd shot some season 7 episodes out of order, because Trixie became less pregnant-looking and concealed as the season went on. 

Edited January 7, 2019 by kieyra

[caitmcg]

3 hours ago, kieyra said:

I remember being convinced during Season 7 that they'd shot some season 7 episodes out of order, because Trixie became less pregnant-looking and concealed as the season went on. 

My recollection is that I read that they shot part of the season organically (in order), but at the same time they were shooting later Trixie scenes ahead of doing the remainder of those episodes to get them done before Helen George left for her maternity leave.

[3 is enough]

I wonder if any scenes were cut out?  It was longer than the usual episodes so maybe as a Christmas gift to all of us PBS left the episode intact.

I had totally forgotten about the Christmas special so I was glad that I could watch it online (it is up until January 24th).

My only disappointment was that nothing happened with the little girl with the glasses who was hoping to be adopted.  And for a split second I thought Fred was going to bring home the little girl with Down's Syndrome.

[Sarah 103]

On 1/7/2019 at 11:16 PM, 3 is enough said:

My only disappointment was that nothing happened with the little girl with the glasses who was hoping to be adopted.  And for a split second I thought Fred was going to bring home the little girl with Down's Syndrome.

I had the same thought. 

[Kohola3]

On 1/7/2019 at 11:16 PM, 3 is enough said:

My only disappointment was that nothing happened with the little girl with the glasses who was hoping to be adopted.  And for a split second I thought Fred was going to bring home the little girl with Down's Syndrome.

I hoped so as well but then realized that this isn't a Disney movie and they show things realistically for the most part.  Babies die, mothers die, poverty was overwhelming at least in the first few seasons.  Nurses can be alcoholics and nuns can doubt their faith.  That's life.

[HazelEyes4325]

2 hours ago, Kohola3 said:

I hoped so as well but then realized that this isn't a Disney movie and they show things realistically for the most part.  Babies die, mothers die, poverty was overwhelming at least in the first few seasons.  Nurses can be alcoholics and nuns can doubt their faith.  That's life.

Also, this wasn't some sort of Dickensian orphanage.  I think it was more common than not for children to live out their childhood there and then go into the world as adults.  And according to the woman who came back from Australia, this was actually a good thing.

We've also seen that there were facilities/resources for people with Down's syndrome, so I can't say that I was too worried about that little girl.  I was more touched with the connecting Fred made (there is a child here like Reggie!) than the prospect that the girl would never be adopted.

[craziness]

Does anyone remember what the deal was with the Turner's silver tree?  I thought they said that they'd had it for a long time, it almost seemed that maybe they'd had it since before Timothy's mother died (I could be remembering wrong).  But I'm binge watching old seasons during today/tomorrow's snow storm, started with season 4 (Xmas episode), and Timothy is trying to talk Sheilagh into getting a silver tree (said Angela could look at it in the future and know they got it for her first Christmas). So they've had it 4 years and Dr. T gave it away.

Edited to add: the Turners decided to write a letter to Angela's birth mother, and they had a natural tree (which Timothy commented on), but when they posted the letter (as a family) Dr. T surprised them with the silver tree.  

This was also the ep with Vanessa Redgrave as mature Jenny, and at the end her husband suggests she write her memoirs.

Edited January 13, 2019 by craziness
To add info later in the episode.

[Kohola3]

20 minutes ago, craziness said:

So they've had it 4 years and Dr. T gave it away.

Some things are very sentimental and I wonder if Tim sees it as a blending of the families and the only one that Angela has ever known.  Just a thought. 

I remember getting one for my grandpa complete with the whole multicolored revolving light.  Kind of wish I had it just to remember him by.

[Brock1976]

There are two Christmas traditions for me every year, spending time with family, and the Call the Midwife Christmas special at night. *heart sign*

[dcalley]

The new season will start on PBS on Sunday, March 31.

I just watched this right before it expired and don't have much to add. I am sad Sister Winifred will be elsewhere. I liked the actress and the character, but the show never came up with much in the way of plot/backstory for her, which was a disappointment. I hope the Turners adopt May, because moving to another family in a year seems like it would cause unnecessary harm and stress to her, and she and Angela were so sweet together.

I'm a bit surprised Violet, who sells notions and fabric, only has a hand-crank sewing machine in 1963. But she can clearly use it well!

[Calvada]

I did a re-watch of this to get ready for the new season starting up on Sunday.  I thought it was odd that when Dr. Turner arrived with the children and the rest of the gang, he handed Teddy to Shelagh, but she didn't really greet Angela, who probably would have been excited to see her mother after a couple days apart, and nor did she greet Timothy, who apparently never got out of the car.  Perhaps Tim stayed there with Teddy, who disappeared after the arrival.  And when they returned to Nonnatus House, they either left Teddy in the car on his own, or left him at the Mother House!

[khyber]

On 12/30/2018 at 1:45 AM, purist said:

Yes, but also for me, more recently, she played the wonderful Aunt Prudence in Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I will watch her in anything!

Okay, that's where I knew her from!

[carolkc]

I am late to this party, but I have to say that I would have been a lot happier if the Turners had left with the girl who always watched while others were chosen. 

[alexvillage]

On 12/25/2018 at 11:00 PM, tvrox said:

But it seemed too simplistic: hospital bad, midwives good! Hospitals are safe places to give birth

I just watched this episode. I think the idea is not that hospitals are bad, but the why births became a "medical" condition to be treated. Maybe simplistic, but really something to ponder. I came here to suggest - and I haven't read the whole thread yet, so maybe someone already did - a series of 3 episodes on Netflix (US) "the Birth Reborn". It is about the overuse of cesarean in Brazil, but also explains how births went from an intimate and special moment to a medical procedure. It is graphic, real births, but really well done.

[alexvillage]

On 12/27/2018 at 1:37 PM, angora said:

I liked the detail of Lucille wondering if the adoptive parents of the babies were Chinese and, when she found out they weren't, worrying over how the children would get a connection to their culture.  It's unfortunate but realistic that that wouldn't have been on anyone else's radar.

Yes, I  liked that too, although I think this wouldn't have been realistic in real life, at that time. I notice that the show takes positions that are, or should be, widely accepted now, but not a reality at the period they portray.

It is the same with disabilities. I love how they have disabled people playing the disabled characters, and despite some pity porn and inso porn, they do show respect and acceptance. I don't know about the UK but at that time disability was considered some sort of curse, disabled people were shunned and hidden, institutions were dirty and unsanitary. Kennedy was the one who started the desegregation policies so in 1963 a young man with Down Syndrome would not be practicing "independence", a kid with Cerebral palsy would not get a second look from a nun in an attempt to inclusion. Maybe it was different in the UK, but I doubt it. The stigma was/is universal.

I have mixed feelings. I like that they tell the stories and show disabled people. I hoped that they would be just a little more realistic and not romanticize it so much.

[alexvillage]

On 1/1/2019 at 2:40 PM, Rap541 said:

Tho I did wonder, the way Fred was eying one of the young blonde girl orphans and then they kept cutting to the Turners and Angela, also young and blonde, if they were going to reveal a secret twin or something....

I thought they would have a story there too, but I thought it would be Reggie seeing himself in that little girl.

Edited May 20, 2020 by alexvillage

[alexvillage]

On 1/1/2019 at 7:06 PM, caitmcg said:

The difference is between a medicalized birth in a very clinical setting, presumably, and a more personal midwife-attended birth with someone who's been seeing them through the prenatal process. The Nonnatan midwives still attend the births in the maternity home, with Dr. Turner available as needed, as with the Poplar home births so it's still community based. There have definitely been past episodes where the midwives encouraged a patient with multiple kids at home to stay in the maternity home for a birth just to have a break from the chaos of home life for a for a bit. 

I may be wrong because I am not in the UK but in earlier seasons it was mentioned that the government would have a nationalized health care system - something that we still don't have in the US, smh - so isn't it possible that the midwifes were a community, free service, therefore attached to the church, and the clinic something that started after the NHS was established?

[OnceSane]

6 hours ago, alexvillage said:

Yes, I  liked that too, although I think this wouldn't have been realistic in real life, at that time.

I think it absolutely would have been realistic for Lucille particularly to be concerned that a minority child wasn't being placed with someone with their ethnicity.  Lucille has spoken many times about feeling like she doesn't belong and missing some of the traditions and people back home (as has Cyril), so I can completely see this being something she brought up.

[caitmcg]

7 hours ago, alexvillage said:

I may be wrong because I am not in the UK but in earlier seasons it was mentioned that the government would have a nationalized health care system - something that we still don't have in the US, smh - so isn't it possible that the midwifes were a community, free service, therefore attached to the church, and the clinic something that started after the NHS was established?

Yes, the Nonnatuns' midwifery and nursing were always community services, but during the course of the show, they’ve explained that expanded services are covered by the NHS and reassured patients that they would not have to pay.

[alexvillage]

4 hours ago, OnceSane said:

I think it absolutely would have been realistic for Lucille particularly to be concerned that a minority child wasn't being placed with someone with their ethnicity.  Lucille has spoken many times about feeling like she doesn't belong and missing some of the traditions and people back home (as has Cyril), so I can completely see this being something she brought up.

Cultures vary but my impression is that while one could be concerned about the ethnicity, it wouldn't be something so openly discussed. As I am not in the UK and don't know much about the interactions concerning race over there, it is totally possible that I am wrong. For what I know in the US it is something fairly new (as definitely not happening in the 60's) - concerns regarding making sure the child in included in their culture. So maybe in the UK a black woman coming from a colony would have been empowered enough to openly raise the issue. That's why I thought it would be a little unrealistic, not the observation itself, but the fact that there was no push back, or that it was dismissed as a silly concept.

[MissLucas]

13 hours ago, alexvillage said:

It is the same with disabilities. I love how they have disabled people playing the disabled characters, and despite some pity porn and inso porn, they do show respect and acceptance. I don't know about the UK but at that time disability was considered some sort of curse, disabled people were shunned and hidden, institutions were dirty and unsanitary. Kennedy was the one who started the desegregation policies so in 1963 a young man with Down Syndrome would not be practicing "independence", a kid with Cerebral palsy would not get a second look from a nun in an attempt to inclusion. Maybe it was different in the UK, but I doubt it. The stigma was/is universal.

The plot in one of the earlier seasons with a girl wit Down Syndrome getting pregnant by her boyfriend who had Cerebral Palsy was much more realistic. It was heatbreaking but realistic. Jacob who could have led a pretty independent life was sent away being institutionalized in a male-only facility. It's one of the show's toughest plots (and most realistic for the time). Reggie's story is sweet but there's a lot of sugar-coating involved.

[alexvillage]

10 hours ago, MissLucas said:

The plot in one of the earlier seasons with a girl wit Down Syndrome getting pregnant by her boyfriend who had Cerebral Palsy was much more realistic. It was heatbreaking but realistic. Jacob who could have led a pretty independent life was sent away being institutionalized in a male-only facility. It's one of the show's toughest plots (and most realistic for the time). Reggie's story is sweet but there's a lot of sugar-coating involved.

Yes, that one was a better portrayal but in the US it would be still far from real because the place was shown as full of caring and loving people. Not sure how it was in the UK. At that time, things were more like where Sister Mary Cynthia was locked up, with people just wandering, many of them undressed and filthy, and some of those places were run by religious organizations. That's why I have mixed feelings. In one hand, they show disabled people and send a message of acceptance. OTOH they don't really show how terrible it was.

[RedbirdNelly]

sad to see Sister W go, but they really did nothing with her character. She always had such a sweetness about her.

I was relieved we don't lose Sr Julienne. I need her serenity in my life . . . err. . .Call the Midwife watching. . .

Barbara's sweater got to me.