#ctm thursday thoughts

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Merch and Marketing

Hello Nonnatuns! 

It’s been a while since I’ve done a Thursday post, but since there’s been an issue raised recently and it’s Thursday, I thought I would post some of the things I’ve been thinking about. If you’re interested, more thoughts follow...

So, I’ve noticed there’s been a little bit of an issue about the new CtM Cookbook, and it’s been confusing me a little. I replied to @weshallc’s post about this already, but I noticed other comments on that post, as well, and likes, so I guess there are several people who have problems with this product. I’m wondering what it is about a cookbook that’s raising concern when there already has been a host of CtM merchandise, and not nearly as much as I’ve seen for other shows (like t-shirts, Funko Pops, even Lego sets, etc.) CtM itself has had calendars, puzzles, a board game, playing cards, etc. I’m not sure how a cookbook is much different than those things.

Also, I noticed a few comments to the effect that the CtM production team should be spending more time on the show itself than on making merchandise. I wanted to mention that I don’t think the CtM show producers or Heidi had much to do with the cookbook (or the board game, puzzles, calendars, etc.) The production company contracts with a licensing firm for merchandise, and I think the writer/publisher of the cookbook probably went through those channels to get approval. I’m sure CtM has someone to look over the products to approve them and make sure they’re well done and in the spirit of the show, but this cookbook was written by a food historian who also wrote other books, including a Downton Abbey cookbook. It’s been approved by CtM, and features pics and quotes, but as far as I know, Heidi  and the executive producers didn’t have a hand in writing it. Producing this or any other product tie-ins does not usually have any direct impact on the writing/producing of the show itself. If anyone has issues with series 12, they have every right to express that opinion, but series 12 was going to be what it was regardless of a cookbook or any other CtM merchandise that could have been produced. 

Also, as for the book itself, it really is a quality product. I like cookbooks, and I have a few, and this is a good one. It’s not just a collection of recipes with pics from the show. It has historical essays, and many of the recipes are described in context with moments from the show, or characters. It’s an interesting read, and I haven’t made any of the recipes yet, but they look really good. I’m looking forward to trying some of them. 

For anyone who doesn’t like cookbooks, you probably won’t like this one. I understand if it’s just not your thing. Some people in the comments on Facebook were asking about a book of crochet/knitting patterns, for instance, and if that ever gets made, although I’d have no problem with it in principle, I probably wouldn’t buy it because I don’t crochet or knit. I do cook, though, so the cookbook has been of interest to me since I first noticed it for pre-order on Amazon a few months ago. CtM is a medical show primarily, but it’s also about its era and location, and how people lived then, and it’s about the characters. Food has been a big part of the show since the beginning. Eating and drinking have been the centerpiece for a lot of memorable moments on the show, so this book with its focus on food, history and context makes a sense to me. It seems like an entirely appropriate tie-in with the show, at least to me. I guess not everyone is going to agree, and that’s OK, but I just wanted to put a few thoughts out. 

Thanks to everyone who reads this!

[sincerelybluevase]

So I’ve had some more time to think about the entire incident that happened last Thursday. I’ve decided to put my thoughts down. It is kind of long, so I’ll place it under a cut. These are my thoughts about it. I’ve tried to order them a bit, but I’m afraid they won’t read like a streamlined college essay. Feel free to skip if you are sick of this entire debate.

From a psychological POV, these were an interesting few days. I took time to observe myself, and to entangle the mix of thoughts and emotions I experienced regarding that anonymous ask that pointed out that there were similarities between my fanfics and others. We’re all works in progress, and a bit of time to contemplate what we feel and why is always good.

 First off, I’d like to make a bit of a disclaimer. I know a lot of people don’t agree with anon, and have told me so. I really appreciate the kind comments, guys, but I do feel the need to address this issue in a bit more depth, also because I can leave it behind me once I’ve done so. I do not feel like some kind of victim. The anon ask hurt my feelings (which I’ll talk about later), but it’s not as if I’m wallowing in self-pity here. I’m not like those Roman women of old, lying on the floor screaming “Eheu! Me miseram!” whilst beating my breast and tearing out my hair and raking my nails over my face. I do not intend to let this incident put me off writing. Instead, I’d like to turn this entire thing into a lesson to be learned from. What exactly I’ve learned from all of this, I’ll also discuss into more detail later on. I also don’t think that this anon was some kind of troll. In fact, I think they have a bit of a point, though the way they went about bringing it to my attention was, at best, clumsy and thoughtless.

 Well, anyway, back to the case. The first thing I felt whilst reading this anon’s ask was shock. I don’t receive a lot of asks, so when I saw I had one that morning, I was pretty excited. I expected it to be an ask on one of those ask posts, or maybe a request for a fic. It was a nasty surprise to read it. I immediately felt ashamed, and guilty, and sad. I don’t want to copy other people’s fics, and the idea that I’d done so without intending to do so was not a nice one. I think you can see this in my answer; it is pretty penitent, and I try to explain why I think it happened, just to show that there was no malicious intent.

I also deleted my Bold Girl (Sometimes) fanfic from ff.net and AO3, because I felt that those works were probably most ‘affected’ by this issue, and I didn’t want people to read them if they were too influenced by other writers. Now, in hindsight, I regret deleting them (they’re still on Tumblr, though). It was a too hasty decision; firstly, because it may have implied that I felt there was a lot of truth to these accusations (which, again in hindsight, I don’t think is the case, though I’m not saying that there’s absolutely no truth to what this anon was trying to point out) and secondly because I was actually pretty proud of those fics (they were my first foray into smut territory, and I think I did get the characterization right+ made some good points about the Turnadette relationship).

 Anyway, that ask gave me a shitty day and a shitty night. It made me question my talent as a writer, and my integrity. I’m not a person with a lot of self-confidence, but I did think that my writing was good, or at least had potential. I had started writing fanfic to make sure I actually wrote at all (which, due to crippling self-doubt, was something I had literally not done in years). To be told that it was hardly original was less than ideal. It made me want to stop writing for a day or so, truth be told. This incident also made me realise that I had been rather naïve. When we put art online, whether it is music, or a drawing, or a piece of writing, we inevitably put a little bit of ourselves on display, perhaps without meaning to. Therefore, when those pieces get criticized, it may feel personal. I always need a little time to put emotions to the background when someone criticizes my work, because I have to realise these people are not criticizing me as a person, and probably not even my talent as a writer; they’re simply pointing out flaws in a piece of my work.

It is not as if I had expected to only get positive reviews on my work, but I did not think much about the alternative, either. I’ve never shared my writing with others before, and if I’d put it on the internet, it would only get two notes or something. I was not used to negative reviews, because I was not used to reviews at all. Since I am pretty sensitive, I think I could have done a better job of preparing myself for comments I might not like. After the hurt and shame came anger. I was not angry for someone bringing this issue of similarity to my attention, but I was angry about the way it was done. This ask was sent anonymous, meaning the only way I could respond was by answering it, thus placing it directly on my dashboard. I’d rather this had remained a private thing, but since I don’t even know who this person was, I could only hope they’d see my answer if I placed it on my dashboard. And I do think this was an issue I had to address, especially because it was something I hadn’t realised was happening, and I didn’t want anyone to think otherwise. This did make it an open point for discussion, though. I also feel that the language anon used to get the point across wasn’t very… well, nice. I know the space in an ask is limited, but I’d rather this person had sent me two and taken a bit more care with their wording than this. It is also true that there is no intonation, this being a written message and all. This means that my only clues of interpreting how this person meant it is by looking at their words and what they imply. Now, it is entirely possible I’m reading too much into this, but here we go.

·         I think it is somewhat ironic that anon tells me that I’ve been displaying bad fandom manners, when this ask does not show great fandom manners, either (plus it makes me suspicious of everyone and that is hardly nice, because I don’t want to distrust people and I don’t think that is what this anon meant to cause at all).

·         Aside from that: by saying ‘Did you ask if you could use their stuff?’ they are implying that the similarities are conscious. They weren’t (assuming they were isn’t very gracious, either, but that’s another matter).

·         Now we get to the thing that really bothered me. By saying they are ‘really really similar’ and ending by ‘look forward to more fic from you that’s really your own and not copied from other writers’ anon is not even implying, but directly stating that my fics were not original. I don’t think that is true, and I don’t think that I deserve that.

 So, what do I think about the point anon did try to get across?

I started rereading my own fics plus those of the writers mentioned almost feverishly to discover similarities (because gabolange and pellucid did tell me they had noticed little things, and I don’t want that. I want to be an original writer), and I do kind of see where anon is coming from.

·         As for scenes: no, I don’t really see that. Fanfic writers have a limited amount of canon they can work with. CtM fanfics often try to fill in the blanks between scenes. The ride to the adoption agency, for example, has been done by many writers. I did some of those ‘common’ scenes, too, and I don’t feel that they are inherently copied. Fanfic is also rife with tropes, as is every art form. I think tropes are a kind of common playground.   Say we take the idea that Shelagh and Patrick go on a picnic. That is a trope. It is not wrong for me to use that if, say, kienova already did so. Say she wrote one where Shelagh and Patrick brought wine and strawberries and chocolate with them, and are frolicking in some lonely field, and it ends in steamy sex where Shelagh is covered in chocolate and lets Patrick lick it off. Another writer may write one where Shelagh and Patrick plan a picnic, but the bottle of lemonade breaks and ruins their sandwiches. Then, the car breaks down, and it starts to rain, and in the end they decide to have a picnic in their own living room instead, thus giving the fic a happy ending. Both use the same trope, but their execution is very different. If Kienova wrote the first and inspired me to write the second, would that be copying? I don’t think so. Now, if I read Kienova’s fic and then wrote one where Patrick and Shelagh go and picnic on a hill and decide to have steamy sex involving Shelagh being smothered in whipped cream, that is already a lot more similar, and a whole lot more dubious. In fact, I think anon would have a fair point if they told me it was really really similar, and that I should have asked the author’s permission. But this is also why this ask bothered me so much: I DO feel that I’ve written ‘original’ things, in as far as anything can be called original. My chapter 9 of Lips Touch gave an original twist on the prompt that ‘Doctor T’s car breaks down and Sister B is very upset about it’, I’d say. I think the steamy phone conversation had not been done before, nor was the panic attack trope (credit where credit is due: these were prompts people gave me. I did not come up with the prompts myself, but the way I decided to execute those prompts in my stories was my own), and those are just two examples. I honestly think that some of the fics that are more similar to ones written by the authors mentioned still have original content to them, too.

·         As for the language: here, I can see what anon means. I have used certain phrases and images that these other writers also used. Now, here it gets a bit tricky for several reasons. First off: English is my second language. I’m not always aware of an expression not being ‘common ground’. That is not an excuse, but it is a reason for some of the similarities that were not simply two people using a common expression. Second off: I think writers are a bit like magpies; we see something we like, and we take it with us for later use. I don’t always remember where that pretty line came from, or that unusual verb in combination with that noun. Hell, I often don’t even know if it is something I came up with myself, or something I once read. I do know, for example, that Kienova often talks about ‘breath ghosting’. I found that such a great image that I’ve since ‘adopted’ it. I’m using it in my original work a lot too, but you guys don’t get to read that. Is it then wrong for me to also use it in my Turnadette fanfics? I honestly don’t have an answer to that question.

Part of the problem for me is that I read. A LOT. I’ve read 200+ books last year, just to give you an idea. When you read so much, it becomes really hard to keep track of where you got those pretty sentences from (if you even got them from somewhere else, because it is also possible that you came up with something yourself). Thirdly: I think it is a bit hard to say when language becomes copied. Is there such a thing as copyright on language? Obviously you are not supposed to copy entire paragraphs, but what happens if it is only part of a sentence? I think that is a very difficult topic, and a blurry line to draw.

 Well, what did I learn from all of this?

·         I’m not going to stop writing, guys. I’ve had far too much fun with fanfic, and I still think it is a great way of developing yourself. As you guys might have seen, I’ve also participated in the 5 sentence challenge, and that was great fun.

·         I was mainly hurt by the ask because, the way I read it, it did imply that I consciously copied (and that, in turn, seems to apply malicious intent, or a lack of being able to write). That is not the case. There are many reasons for why this ‘copying’ happened (because anon is not just bulshitting). I just wrote too fast and too much in my enthusiasm.

·         That being said: I do still feel bad about those similarities. Not to sound arrogant, but I think I’m a good enough writer to be able to write good fics without those. So, I’ll do my best to make sure it won’t happen again. This is going to be hard (because I didn’t know it was happening, for one), but I will try my best.If people have possible ideas on how to achieve this, please let me know.

·         I have a very good memory for things I’ve read, apparently. This means I have to take extra care when revising my work to make sure I either generalise things a bit more or use imagery that is my own (as far as I know), thus erasing the influence of other writers.

·         Slow down. It is alright to take a long time to write a fic.

·         I don’t have to accept every prompt I get. I know that sounds silly, but I’m a pleaser. I loved getting asks, because it showed me that people enjoyed what I’d written so much that they were actually interested in seeing how I handled a certain idea. However, if one person has just written a fic with that same prompt, it may be best to either turn that prompt down, or wait a good while before using it to make sure there are no lingering influences from that other piece of work.

·         Also, I think it is a good idea to link to other people’s fics. Say I actually wrote the one about the picnic after reading a fic by Kienova, it is only fair to say where I got my inspiration from. It is also good for the reader, because I’m giving them the link to a piece of writing they might also enjoy and may not have read yet. It’s not as if I’ve never done this before, but promoting other people’s work more is always a great idea.

 I do not intend to stop writing. In fact, I think I’ll be back with a new piece fairly soon (after letting it breathe for long enough, of course).

I also don’t want people to feel as if they cannot offer criticism on my work. The only way I can grow as a writer is by getting criticism. However, and I don’t think I am asking something unreasonable here, I would like that criticism to be constructive. Is there a spelling or grammar error? Tell me! Am I using imagery that is plain unfortunate, and of which I’m probably not aware? Tell me! Or is that image something other writers have used before? Tell me; I’m not against people pointing out similarities to me, I’m really not. Do you think this is not the way this character would respond? Again, tell me; we might get into a very interesting and satisfying discussion. So, don’t hesitate to offer valid criticism, but please don’t do it like this anon did.

[snoopctm]

 CtM Thursday Thoughts

Call the Midwife Unite--Episode 7x01

Lucille, Valerie, Fake Snow, and More!

Hey Nonnatuns! Another Thursday, another look back at this week’s CtM Unite! Here are some thoughts:

About the Episode

I hadn’t rewatched this one in a while, so I hadn’t remembered all the smaller subplots (Sister W’s driving lessons, especially).

Lucille’s entrance is memorable, as is her theme music. It’s one of my favorite Malagnini themes for the show. 

I think Lucille’s establishment as a regular on the show was accomplished very well, and very efficiently, setting up her relationships with Val, Sister MJ, and Phyllis especially well.

Seeing Sgt Woolf here made me notice that I’d almost forgotten he existed on the show. I don’t think the show really figured out what to do with him. Also, since his first appearance, I was so concerned that he might be set up with Phyllis that I didn’t really take time to consider him as a character in his own right. Just when I started to think he might be OK (when the show stopped the ship-tease with Phyllis), he got written out of the show! Oh, well...

*Love* the little moment with Patrick showing baby Teddy the surgery, and Shelagh’s “look at my adorably dorky husband” face when she first sees them!

The Gellins’ story--extremely poignant with some great writing

About the After-Show

I saw some complaints that it wasn’t live, and while I did enjoy seeing the cast members interact with the fans’ comments, I also found it somewhat stressful wondering when and if someone would drop out of the call or freeze up. Doing the show this way made it much easier to watch in that respect, and I liked the more relaxed tone that gave everyone a chance to talk and adequately answer the questions.

I hadn’t seen a lot of interviews (especially on video) of Jennifer and Leonie before, so it was great to be able to see more of them as themselves talking about their characters. 

The talk about filming in the “snow” was interesting. I know the Christmas specials and episode 7x01 were filmed in warmer weather, but I think especially in this episode it looked very realistic. The fake snow made of paper and foam must be weird to work with!

Did anyone figure out that Jennifer was wearing a wig in s9? That was news to me, and I never suspected, either. There have been some fairly obvious wigs on the show (Patsy’s in s6, for example), but I never would have guessed Val’s s9 hair was a wig if Jennifer hadn’t said so.

I really like hearing audition stories, I guess. It was great to hear Jennifer’s and Leonie’s this time.

It’s good to hear from Pippa Harris, although it did seem like there were lots of questions for Jennifer and Leonie and not as many for Pippa. She seemed to enjoy listening to the others’ answers, though. It was cool to see how quick she was to praise Heidi for her writing/story construction.

For next week, I’m wondering if we’ll see Fenella Woolgar and/or Ella Bruccoleri on the after-show, since all three choices for voting are from after they joined the cast. It would be cool to see one or both of them! I voted for 8x01, and it seems to be a close race so far between that and 8x08. We’ll see which one wins.

That’s all for this week. So, Nonnatuns, what did you think of this week’s CtM Unite?

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Call the Midwife Unite--Episode 6x05

Buckles and Broadcast Issues

Hello Nonnatuns! Well, that was an interesting edition of CtM Unite this week! It was great to hear from Cliff Parisi (Fred), Annabelle Apsion (Violet), as well as Heidi again, this time, even despite the frequent technical difficulties! It was also great to revisit this memorable episode. More thoughts follow:

First, some thoughts about the episode:

It’s weird watching them out of the context of the series sometimes, since episodes like this have stories that continue in other episodes. I know what happens to Sister Mary Cynthia and the Turners, for instance, but watching this episode like this makes me almost want to rewatch the next one, just to get closure. I’m guessing this might spur a more comprehensive rewatch for some fans, and since so many of us are confined to our homes at the moment, it seems like a good use of free time!

The introduction to Reggie was very well done. In just a few scenes, the episode established introduced us to Reggie’s mum, showed us Reggie’s home life, and established Fred as the familial connection before showing Ivy’s sudden death and the necessity for Reggie to stay with the Buckles. The development of Violet’s relationship with Reggie was also built up especially well.

I still miss Barbara! I know this is a recurring mention for me, but of all the deaths and exits on the show, for some reason Barbara’s affected me the most. She was so young and hopeful, and seeing her that way knowing what’s going to happen just reminds me more of how sad her death will be. That said, I still voted for episode 7x08 for next week, because it’s a great episode and deals with its subjects particularly well.

Loved the Turner moments! It’s fun seeing their new house for the first time, now knowing what the inside will look like starting in series 7. A 60s dream house for my OTP!

Val is such a great addition to the show! Loved seeing how she bonded with the other nurses so quickly.

I noticed the theming a bit more watching it this time--flowers vs. “weeds”, parents letting their children grow and “leave the nest”, accepting change, etc. 

Now, some thoughts on the after-show:

This was a weird week, in terms of technical issues! It was great to see everyone involved--Annabelle, Cliff, and a special message from Daniel Laurie (Reggie) as well.  A lot of the time, though, because the others kept getting dropped out of the call, it ended up being “The Heidi Show”. That was all right because Heidi handled situation so well, reading questions on the live feed and answering them with a lot of depth and detail. The quick cameo from Stephen was also fun. It was sad to see everyone coming back one by one and then freezing up again, and Annabelle and Cliff didn’t get to say as much as they could have said without the tech problems, but it was nice to hear what they did  get to say, and again, to hear so much from Heidi.

I liked hearing about how Vanessa Redgrave records the voiceovers for the show, and how it’s usually in a studio in London, but she’s also recorded them from other locations (New York, at least). Also, it was interesting to learn that Heidi writes all of the voiceovers, even on episodes written by others.

I feel bad correcting Heidi, but Cliff has missed a few episodes (most recently, 9x05). The only two original cast members who have never missed an episode are Jenny Agutter and Laura Main. Heidi has written so many scripts and doesn’t seem to have as much direct involvement with day-to-day filming, from what she has said, so it makes sense that she doesn’t remember every detail. 

The bits about casting Annabelle were interesting. I knew she had been in another show Heidi had written for, but didn’t know that Ann Tricklebank had suggested Annabelle for the role of Violet. I love hearing these types of behind-the-scenes stories.

Even with the technical issues, I think these after-show chats with the cast and team are incredible! It’s so great to hear all these insights from the makers of the show--actors and Heidi herself. I’ve read a lot of interviews and articles about this show, but there’s always more to learn, from the people who know it first-hand! I hope these CtM Unite events continue for a while.

I know Heidi answered a question about how long the show is going to go, but I still find myself wondering that, and also when they will be able to resume filming, when series 10 will be able to air, etc.  

I’m looking forward to finding out what episode wins the voting for next week, and who the after-show stars will be. I have a theory that they pick the candidates based on who they want to have on the after-show (or who is available for that week), so I’m wondering if Leonie Elliott will be there next week, since all the episodes feature her, and maybe Jennifer Kirby as well? We’ll see!

So, Nonnatuns, what do you think? Any new insights into the episode? What about the after-show? Also, what episode did you vote for for next week? Any guesses for who will be on the after-show?

Also, I want to add a quick reminder that if you missed the after-show live stream for any reason, you can catch up on the CtM Facebook page!

Next week, more thoughts! Stay tuned!

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Call the Midwife Unite Week 2

Episode 6x08

Welcome back, Nonnatuns! It’s Thursday again, and it’s time to share some random thoughts about the latest installment of Call the Midwife Unite, featuring episode 6x08 and the after-show interview with Jenny Agutter and Helen George. More thoughts follow:

First, I want to say that I love episode 6x08! It’s one of my all-time faves for a number of reasons--Turner and Shulienne moments, definitely, but also the overall balance of the episode and the way the stories are blended together. I think this is a great episode for Trixie, as well, which is why I think it was great to have Helen George on the aftershow. I had originally been hoping for Jenny Agutter and Laura Main, but I think having Jenny and Helen worked well, with each representing different major arcs on the episode as well as being able to share thoughts on the episode in general. I would love to see Laura participate in a future CtM Unite as well, though.

I read along with Twitter more closely this week than I did last week, and it was fun! It was fun seeing the cast members put in their comments (Stephen, Jenny, Laura), as well as fan comments as the episode played. It was fun to watch people following along at slightly different paces. I also saw some fans noticing that Netfilx cuts a lot of scenes. My advice as always--get the DVDs (they are unedited)! 

It was especially fascinating in the after-show noticing how they handled the technical difficulties in light of something Jenny said about Helen before. She mentioned that the cast members do keep in touch off set, but Helen often acts as a facilitator/encouragement in communication. Then later Jenny was having trouble hearing the interviewer, and Helen just starts repeating the questions so Jenny can hear them! It’s cool to see how helpful she was without even seeming to give it a second thought. I love the dynamic between the cast members and getting to see some of their real personalities in these interviews. 

I also have to mention that while I love the whole cast, I have some partiality to the original cast, so it was fun hearing Jenny and Helen talk about what it’s been like to be on the show since the beginning. I also liked seeing their genuine praise for their fellow castmates, especially Laura Main and Linda Bassett this time. 

It’s still weird for me to watch happy Barbara scenes.  I wonder if they’ll ever do a rewatch of 7x07. That would be emotional!

So, that’s all for this week! What did you think, Nonnatuns?

As for next week, I found myself torn between voting for episode 2x08 or 6x04. I ultimately chose 2x08, but it looked like 6x04 had slight lead. It will be interesting to see what episode is chosen. Next week--more thoughts! Stay tuned!

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Call the Midwife Unite--Episode 2x08

Turner Family Beginnings (and More)

Hello again, Nonnatuns! It’s another week, but not *just* another week! This time, CtM Unite has revisited an iconic older episode--the much celebrated 2x08! It’s the beginning of “The Turners” as we now know them, and also a chance to see some well-loved characters who are now gone from the show but defiinitely not forgotten. Then, the rewatch was followed by a very fun interview! More thoughts follow:

That was the most fun CtM Unite installment yet, if you ask me! The interview was great, but first, a few thoughts about the episode--

--It’s good to see some old “friends” again, especially Cynthia, Sister Evangelina, and Jane (oh, long lost Jane). Chummy is cool, too, and it’s always a bit of a jarring experience to revisit these episodes and remember that the show used to be so focused on Jenny. The narration makes a little more sense in these episodes (because it’s “older Jenny” narrating), but I have to say I still prefer the more ensemble focus that started in series 4, after Jenny left. I don’t dislike Jenny, really, but I don’t really miss her much, either.  

--I love “Where Rose Lies”, the music that first appeared in the 2012 Christmas special and is used so effectively here in the scene where Jenny and Sister J put the blanket on Chummy and Peter introduces her to their newborn son, Freddie. That’s a great scene, as is the all-night sewing session before this moment.

--Of course, the Turnadette moments are a highlight for me, but it was somewhat odd to see Sister Bernadette again, at least partially habited. It’s a reminder of how much the character has grown over the years (as referenced a few times in the after-show interview, as well).

Now, for the interview--

Loved it! I love the fun, super familiar dynamic between Laura, Stephen, and Max. Yes, it’s obvious that Stephen likes to talk a lot, but I got the impression that Laura and Max are so used to that now, and they just take him for who he is. The affection between all three is clear. 

I think Eleanor (the interviewer) does a great job as well, but I did also like the moments where she sort of became irrelevant and Stephen, Laura, and occasionally Max started asking questions of each other! This led to some fun stories, like about how Stephen and Heidi watch the show with their son when he’s there. The audition stories were also fun. I’m sure I’ve read an interview with Laura in which she spoke about the accent part, but the rest of it was new for me, as were the details of Max’s audition (that he had to play piano and they asked him questions in-character).

They all so obviously love the show, and love working together. It did get loud at times (especially Stephen), but the overall impression I got is that this is a group of friends that are used to hanging out and joking around together. 

For next week, I voted for 6x05, but all three choices look interesting. It will be fun to see who they get for the after-show! 

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Call the Midwife Unite--Episode 8x08

Grand Finale 

Hey Nonnatuns! It’s a bittersweet occasion today--the very last Call the Midwife Unite! It’s been a great six weeks, and while in one way it’s sad that there won’t be any more, I’m so incredibly grateful to the entire CtM team and to everyone involved for this wonderful project and the weeks that we did get to join in and rewatch these episodes and hear from almost the whole cast as well as the executive producers. It’s been a great six weeks! Thank you to CtM and the Radio Times! Now, some thoughts about this week’s installment:

About the Episode

This is the most recent episode we’ve watched for CtM Unite, and it’s interesting reflecting on how much the cast has changed over the years. While six original cast members remain, all the rest have joined in series 4 or later. There have been a lot of changes over the years, but there are still some important things that haven’t changed, such as attention to detail, focus on women’s stories, and more. I think the newest additions to the cast, both nuns (Sisters Hilda and Frances) have fit into the show remarkably well, and their roles in this episode highlight the qualities that their characters bring to the show. Sister H’s work with Julie and her family, and Sister F’s role in the story with Val’s gran were important parts of what made this episode so moving. 

There were a lot of stories in this episode, but I think they blended together well. I do think the May story might have been better if it had been given more time, but it provided some memorable moments, concluding in a heartwarming moment at the dance.

I loved the bit of music that played during the father-daughter part of the dance. 

I’m reminded of how well built-up the whole abortion plot was this whole series. The resolution is both thought-provoking and heartwrenching.

Again, it was great to see the cast tweeting along with the fans while everyone was watching. I love the global aspect of this rewatch, and that everyone was watching at the same time no matter where they were in the world.

About the After-Show

This week’s after-show featured Linda Bassett (Phyllis) , Fenella Woolgar (Sister Hilda), Ella Bruccoleri (Sister Frances), and Annie Tricklebank (Executive Producer), hosted as usual by the Radio Times’ Eleanor Bley Griffitths, who has done an excellent job with the interviews every week. 

This week had a few technical issues, especially concerning Fenella’s dropping out of the call for the second half and not being able to get back in. Still, it was great to hear from her while she could participate. She provided some great insights into her role, and her story in this episode especially.

I loved hearing so much from Annie Tricklebank this week. She provided some great background information about how the show is put together. It was fun to learn how she had a key role in Linda’s casting on the show, and how nobody else was really considered for that role. 

I love the casting stories. It was great to hear the story of Linda’s casting from Annie’s side and Linda’s, as well as hearing from Fenella and Ella about their casting and what it was like to join the show so far into its run.

Also, I’ve included the image from the opening credits here because of Annie’s story about that particular picture, as well as about how they’ve assembled the opening sequences and the research done in providing the historical background for the show. These types of stories are fascinating and enlightening. 

I’m continually impressed with how clearly invested and passionate everyone involved with CtM is about the show, as well as how well everyone gets along. It really does seem like a family, no matter how long someone has been on the show. 

Overall, I’m so glad for this project, and for the fact that all the interviews are still on the Facebook page to rewatch whenever the fans want. This has been such a great opportunity to hear from so many of the cast and creative team. Also, the viewers provided some really great questions, as well! Thanks so much to everyone involved! This has been a great six week event!

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Call the Midwife Unite Week 1 (Episode 5x01)

A Few Random Thoughts

Hello Nonnatuns! Welcome to the return of my Thursday Thoughts posts! At least for now while CtM Unite is going on, and since those are on Wednesdays, I thought it would be fun to post a few thoughts based on the rewatch and discussion for each episode they cover. So, more (fairly brief) thoughts follow:

Thoughts from the Episode--

I loved watching this episode again. I hadn’t watched it for a while, and it was great to be reminded of the excellent guest performances, especially Liz White. Also, the editing for the whole sequence in which Bernie shows up at the surgery while Shelagh is trying to tell Rhoda about Susan is brilliant!

Also, it was fun to see Patsy, Delia, Sister MC, and Barbara (waaaah! I still miss her) again. 

I wonder if they’ll do more episodes from this arc. The choices for next week gave the indication that if they do, it may not be for a while.

Thoughts From the After Show--

I love watching Stephen and Heidi together. They said some of the same things they said at the Northampton talk, and again they always seem so enthusiastic about the show. 

It looks like there were a few technical glitches this time, but it’s the first one so I’m sure they’ll get smoother in future weeks. It’s so great that they’re doing this!

The page took a while to load on my phone, so I had to switch to my laptop. A lot of viewers, I’m guessing, which is great!

The choices for next episode are all s5 and  6. I wonder if they will ever do any earlier ones. I love all the ones they picked, but my vote has to be 6x08!

I’m curious to see which cast/team members will participate next week!

So, Nonnatuns, what did you think of CtM Unite, week 1? (I loved it, obviously!) And was there anything new you noticed about the episode, or anything Stephen and/or Heidi said that particularly stood out to you?

Looking forward to next week!

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Mother Mildred

New Nun in Charge

Hello, Nonnatuns! Late post today! This week, it’s time to continue the Character Thoughts with another new character for series 8–Mother Mildred! More thoughts follow:

Mother Mildred is a fascinating character, played by the well-known and perfectly cast Miriam Margolyes. She fills a role that I had been wondering about before, in a memorable way that leaves open the possibility/probability of future appearances on a regular recurring basis.

Before Mother Mildred first showed up in the 2018 Christmas special, I had been wondering about the character she replaced, Mother Jesu Emmanuel. Mother Jesu had been mentioned a few times but had only appeared on the show once before, in series 1 episode 6. Since then, I had been wondering why she hadn’t appeared again because it seems like having the head of the order as a recurring guest character would come in handy for some stories. I’m guessing the actress wasn’t available for more appearances, and when she finally did reappear (in the CS) she was recast so that lends more credence to my theory. So now, Mother Jesu has been replaced by Mother Mildred, and she’s made quite a strong impression in her appearances so far.

Mother Mildred to a degree reminds me of Sister Evangelina, in the��“tough nun” sense, but she’s different in other ways. Most notably, she’s not as familiar with Poplar, and even though she’s the head of the order, she has a lot to learn when she comes to stay at Nonnatus for a while in series 8. She can be bossy and abrupt, as well, but she also seems willing to learn, and she does have a lot of compassion even though sometimes she can come across the wrong way. Also, she’s a nun and the Mother Superior, but she also acknowledges that faith isn’t as simple as it may sometimes appear. She’s able to dispense wise advice but also shows that she is still learning in various ways. She’s an intriguing character, and I look forward to seeing how her role develops in the future.

So, Nonnatuns, what do you think of Mother Mildred, and how would you like to see the show continue her story?

That’s all for this week. Next week… stay tuned! 

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts--Anticipation and Speculation

Hey, Nonnatuns! It’s Thursday, and while I still am trying to decide if I want to do a Character Thoughts post about Sgt Woolf, the CtM powers that be have given me a bit of break by finally releasing some concrete NEWS about the upcoming Christmas special and series 9 (see the CtM Facebook page for details). With the newest info in mind, I have lots of thoughts now! More thoughts follow:

So, we knew the CS was being filmed in the Outer Hebrides in Scotland, based on one news article and a bunch of social media posts, but now there’s an official pic and description. There’s also some info about what to expect in series 9, and some of those topics make me wonder…

First, the CS–So, it’s apparently a very short-term mission led by Mother Mildred (the description says they will be back by Christmas), and doesn’t seem to have anything to do with Shelagh’s backstory. That makes sense to me, because the backstory that has been published for Shelagh (in Doctor Turner’s Casebook) says she’s from Aberdeenshire (as is Laura Main), which is on the other side of Scotland from the Outer Hebrides. Now, just because the main reason for the trip isn’t about Shelagh, that doesn’t mean there can’t still be opportunities to highlight Shelagh’s Scottish background, since she’s the only Scot in the group and so there will be potentially a point of connection there between her and the patients even if they are from different parts of Scotland (and Shelagh has lived in England for 20 years or so). Also, the trip could trigger memories for Shelagh that she is able to share in some scenes. We’ll have to see where that goes. 

Also, from the pic, unless there are more people on the trip than are in the pic (as was true with the first South Africa promo pic), the ones who are going are all the non-nun midwives (Lucille, Valerie, Shelagh, Trixie, Phyllis), along with Mother Mildred, Sister Julienne, Patrick, and maybe Fred (is that Fred driving the bus? I can’t see clearly enough to tell for sure). So if that is the whole group, it does make sense to leave the other nuns back at Nonnatuns to hold down the fort, along with Miss Higgins at the surgery.  Also, I didn’t really expect Sister Monica Joan to go considering her health issues. Which leads me to…

A “Major Death”?–That’s what some tabloids have been hinting at, but the press release also mentions that s9 will start with the country observing the funeral of Winston Churchill, which could count as a “major death” of an important historical figure. Still, I could also see how the show could parallel the national mourning with local mourning for a well-loved and prominent resident of Nonnatus House. Sister MJ is the most likely candidate for a major character death, but I said that before and she has outlived other characters already, including the young and seemingly healthy Barbara. Still, the show keeps making her health and mortality an issue, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the series leads off with her death. As for other major characters dying, there’s nobody else that seems like an obvious candidate. I can’t think of any actors that are doing lots of other projects or taking leaves of absence from the show (past indicators that a character might be written off), and Sister MJ did die in the CtM books, so I guess we’ll have to see what happens there. There are other health concerns, though…

“Old Diseases”–There’s a somewhat concerning part of the s9 announcement about “old diseases” that “come back to haunt” the Nonnatuns. Also, the list of issues that will be dealt with includes three that have been covered on the show before–diptheria, cancer, and (perhaps most worrying for me) tuberculosis! This makes me wonder if maybe there will be complications for Shelagh again regarding her TB. I hope not, but that thought did cross my mind when I read that post. Also, another old issue is brought up…

Nonnatus Demo Threat part 2–So, Nonnatus House is threatened with demolition again? The last time that happened (in s2), it was because the old filming location had been bought out and the show couldn’t use it anymore. The new Nonnatus is on an established filming set, as far as I understand, so I don’t think they’d be forced out in the same way, but this could just be a threat that doesn’t come to fruition this time. Or will there be a *third* Nonnatus House? Again, I guess we have to wait and see.

Well, that’s all for now. I will probably have more thoughts as more news comes to light. 

So Nonnatuns, what do you think? 

Next week, I’m not sure. Stay tuned!

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Sister Hilda

New Nun, Still More to Learn

Happy Thursday, Nonnatuns! Today, I’m continuing my thoughts about the new characters on the show with Sister Hilda. More thoughts follow:

Sister Hilda is an intriguing character, played by the excellent Fenella Woolgar, whom I’ve admired as a performer since I saw her in a play in London in 2012. I was thrilled to learn she would be joining the cast of CtM, and I looked forward to getting to know her character on the show. Sister Hilda made a memorable impression in the 2018 Christmas special and in the first two episodes of series 8, but then she kind of faded into the background for a while until episode 8. She got a few memorable moments in S8, but it looks like we’ll have to wait and see if she’ll get any more meaningful stories in series 9. It’s funny because when the new characters were announced, I thought we’d see more of Sister Hilda than of Sister Frances, but the reality turned out to be opposite of what I had thought. 

Even though she wasn’t as prominent a character as I had thought she would be in S8, Sister Hilda is still an interesting character with a lot of potential. I thought the show did a good job of establishing a backstory for her, and her character as someone who is well-meaning, but sometimes a a little overly bossy, and socially awkward in  her own unique way. She seems to be highly skilled and experienced, but occasionally her bedside manner can be abrupt, as can her interactions with colleagues. It’s a different sort of abruptness than, for instance, Sister Evangelina. She does have a good heart, though, although she can sometimes say the wrong thing. I hope the show gives her more to do next series, so we can get to know her better. 

So, Nonnatuns, what do you think about Sister HIlda?

That’s all for this week. Next week, thoughts on another new character!

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Miss Higgins

Enigmatic New Receptionst

Hello Nonnatuns! It’s Thursday, and I’m back!  As I’ve mentioned recently, I’m going to be revisiting Thursday Thoughts at least for a few weeks, mostly because there are a few things about series 8 I’d like to explore, and I also want to share my thoughts about the new characters in the same way I’ve posted about each of the regulars before. So  this week, I’m starting off the character thoughts with Miss Higgins. More thoughts follow (with some SPOILERS for anyone who doesn’t know what happens in all of series 8 yet):

Miss Higgins is an intriguing character, impressively played by Georgie Glen.  In many ways, she is just what she appears to be–an efficient, somewhat severe and highly competent receptionist. In addition, though, she can be surprising at times, and there’s still a lot we don’t know about her. We know a little about her personal history (mostly about her parents’ deaths during World War II), but we don’t know a lot. We don’t even know her first name. I hope we’ll find that out in series 9. (I keep thinking she looks like an Edna, and @mg-bsl381 suggested Muriel, but I’m guessing it will turn out to be something none of the fans guess, kind of like with Patrick’s first wife, and with Sgt. Woolf). 

Anyway, about her role in the show–there had been this small recurring theme about the Turners’ not being able to find a suitable receptionist to fill in when Shelagh took time off, but it looks like now they’ve found one. She does her job very well, managing to maintain efficiency as well as an intially surprising level of compassion. She seems a little socially awkward at times, and overly blunt at other times, but also she is often able to see what’s needed, for Patrick at the office and sometimes for patients. There’s an odd sort of relationship with Shelagh that I’d like to see explored a little more, or worked out, actually. Sometimes it seems like they’re at odds and at other times they’re allies. For the he most part, though, they fill different roles. Miss Higgins’ being so good at her job means Shelagh is freed up to be a nurse/midwife on a more regular basis, and as I noted in my most recent Tuesday post, the new situation allows for a fun new dynamic. 

I’m not sure what to think about the 8x08 development between Miss Higgins and Sgt. Woolf. On the one hand, I’m glad it looks like they’re not going to pair him up with Phyllis, but on the other hand, this new pairing seems kind of abrupt. Still, it will be interesting to see if there will really be a serious relationship between them. We will have to wait and see. I’d also like to see more interactions between her and more of the regular characters. 

So, Miss Higgins is a character who has made a strong impression, but there’s still a lot of potential to learn more. I’m curious to see where her story leaads in the future.

So Nonnatuns, what do you think about Miss Higgins?

Stay tuned for thoughts about another new character next week! 

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Sister Frances

Surprising New Nun

Happy Thursday! This week, I’m continuing my thoughts on new characters with Sister Frances! More thoughts follow (with SPOILERS if you don’t know what happens at the end of series 8):

Sister Frances is, to my mind, the most suprising new character this series. I didn’t know what to expect from her when I first read the casting announcements saying there would be two new regular nun characters. I had been more excited about Sister HIlda because I like Fenella Woolgar as an actress (more about her next week), but Sister Frances had seemed like something of a re-hash of Sister Mary Cynthia--the young novice with confidence issues. And she is that, but she turned out to be a lot more than that, making a strong impression in her first series on the show. Ella Bruccoleri has done an excellent job of making the character interesting and relatable. 

Sister Frances is young and unsure when she shows up in Poplar, and she does have some struggles with self-confidence. She’s also extremely determined, though, and persistent in looking for the answers in the ongoing abortion storyline. She’s compassionate, conscientious, and intelligent. Despite her self-doubts, she seems highly cabable as a midwife, even though she’s inexperienced.

Her social awkwardness was also a theme for the series, as she struggled to fit in and the other nurses and nuns sometimes found it difficult to get to know her. I don’t know if “shy” is the right word. She seems more like she just doesn’t always know what to do or say, but she also seems eager to prove herself. By the end of the series, she seems to be fitting in more, and seems more assured both personally and professionally.

We still don’t have a lot of backstory for her, but there’s still time for that. I hope to learn more about her as the show continues, and that she continues to grow as a character. It would be great to see her continue to be involved in solving medical mysteries in future episodes.  

I like Sister Frances a lot. She’s a great character, and I hope to see more great stories for her in the future. 

That’s all for this week. Next week, another new nun!

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Sister Winifred, Callings, and Obedience

It’s Thursday again, and time for more Thursday Thoughts. This week, I thought I’d further address a topic I responded to earlier about Sister Winifred and obedience. More thoughts follow:

So, over the years, many fans (including me) have pointed out how the show never seemed to really figure out what to do with Sister Winifred. She didn’t get a lot of lead stories, and there didn’t seem to be much of an arc for her. There were also questions raised by the Christmas special by some fans (on and off tumblr) about why she had to be a midwife when she could have worked at the orphanage all along. I was thinking and I noticed something–even though the show has been somewhat inconsistent with Sister W over the years, there’s one theme that has been espeically consistent with her, and that’s the issue with the vow of obedience. 

First, though, I do want to say that I think the orphanage was probably a retcon (there wasn’t even as much as a hint before the CS that the order had an orphanage), although in the case of Sister W I don’t think that impacts this aspect of her story that much, because the issue of callings and obedience has been built into her character since she first showed up on the show. Her first major lead story, in episode 3x04, has her mentioning that, although she had been a teacher before, she became a midwife upon joining the order because that’s what all sisters in this order do. Still, even though she had the training, she didn’t have the “same joy as others” in the practice of midwifery. She kept up with it, though, and eventually found that joy through her working with the Moss family and Mrs. Rubin. That was only the beginning of her association with these concepts (obedience and calling), though.

Another key scene involving the vow of obedience happens in episode 4x06, and while the main speaker in that case is Sister Evangelina, it’s Sister W she’s talking to. Sister E talks about how for her, obedience is the most difficult vow and talks about having to go “where others believe you are called”. She also goes on to talk about the “joy of midwifery”, which Sister W has learned to discover but still, she will have issues.

I think in terms of joining a religious order, Sister E is right about the vows. A lot of people bristle at the vow of chastity, but both chastity and poverty are vows that are fairly straightforward. Anyone seriously considering joining an order that requires these vows will have a general idea of what they’re getting into before they join, and they join at least to some degree ready to make that sacrifice. Obedience is trickier, because while it may sound simple at first, it’s a lot more comprehensive. In fact, it encompasses the other two vows as well. Basically, a vow of obedience means that you’re giving up the right to decide basically anything about your own future. Your superior(s) tell you what you are supposed to do, and you are expected to follow that, whether you feel a natural inclination or not. 

Sister W got to revisit the question of obedience and callings in episode 5x03 with the Dorothy Whitmore story. In that story, Sister W was ordered to take over Dorothy’s teaching post for the rest of the term while the school looked for a permanent replacement. In this case, even though she had started out as a teacher and had loved her job, Sister W didn’t feel right taking Dorothy’s job. Still, Sister J reminded her that she had taken a vow of obedience, and she took the job.  

Over the years, even with the unevenness of Sister W’s arc, this point of struggling with obedience has been brought up in various ways–from suggestions of her sneaking out to the cinema, to dancing in the 2016 CS, and more. In the latest CS, she struggles even more openly, finally expressing her objection directly when she’s faced with an situation (the orphanage) of feeling a conflict between what she perceives as God’s calling vs the calling of her superiors in the order. It’s interesting that in the image I’ve used here, Sister W’s immediate reaction to Sister Mildred’s mention of obedience is framed with Shelagh also in the shot, because Shelagh is a contrast to Sister W here. Shelagh is someone who had made those vows once upon a time, but has since renounced them. Shelagh has seen both worlds, and wasn’t able to stay in the one (the religious life) because she felt a new calling that was stronger. In fact, Sister Bernadette used to be the show’s main focus character on the obedience/callings question but her resolution was vastly different to what Sister W’s has turned out to be. Shelagh isn’t bound to going “where others feel she is called” anymore, but Sister W is, and it’s a conflict because I don’t think leaving the order is an option for Sister W. Her issue is not with the religous life itself–it’s more with how to live that out, and what her vocation is within that calling. By the rules of the order, the Mother Superior makes those decisions and Sister W has to go along. 

Now, who knows why Mother Jesu assigned Sister W to Poplar, but she made the decision and because of obedience, Sister W has to follow that. The question arises now on what Sister W would have done if the new superior, Mother Mildred, hadn’t changed the call. She would have had to obey. It’s difficult to really think about the implications of all of this, because joining a religious order has never been something I’ve seriously considered, although the concept has intrigued me from an outside perspective. As the story played out, though, that turned out not be be a question. I would guess that a sister can make her wishes known but the final authority is still not hers. It’s up to the Superior to decide where she thinks an individual sister should be assigned. 

This idea was also reflected in Sister J’s story in this ep with the line (pointed out in @mg-bsl381‘s excellent post yesterday) of not being “allowed to want anything”. I do think there’s a degree of hyberbole there (she’s exasperated because she’s facing the idea of a call she does not want), because one of the things that makes the vow obedience especially difficult, I imagine, is that even if you may want something, you have to do what you’re told no matter what. 

Getting back to Sister W–I’ll reiterate that I think this has been the most consistent part of her story since the beginning. She was a young schoolteacher who felt a call to the religous life and joined a midwifery order, so she became a midwife. Eventually, she got to follow a new call by serving in the orphanage, but she did find a degree of joy in midwifery in Poplar. I’m also reminded now that in the CS, her first response to Sister J’s announcement that they had to go back to the Mother House was “our work is here”. She had made peace with her call to work in Poplar, or at least she thought she had. And then she went to the Mother House and found a new calling, which was eventually affirmed by the new Mother Superior but ended up raising major issues about the vow of obedience in the process. We can sometimes learn a lot from having to do things we’re not orignally inclined to do–and to a degree, everyone has dilemmas like this. In the case of a religious order and actual vows, though, the dilemma is more pronounced. Sister W has been the primary example of this issue on the show since joining the cast, although others (like Sister J from time to time) have been confronted with this issue as well. Since vows and obedience are such central concepts in the religious life, I’m wondering how these issues will continue to be explored as the show continues without Sister W. 

That’s all for this week. Next week, more thoughts!

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Announcement

Taking it Easy (a little)

Don’t worry Nonnatuns, I’m not really going anywhere, but a few circumstances and situations have made me decide that I’m going to be scaling back on essay posts for a while. Especially, I’m going to be putting Thursday Thoughts on hiatus for now. More thoughts follow:

So, I love this show and this fandom, and I’m still going to be around, but this is an especially busy time for me in “real life” (it’s all good stuff, but there’s a lot of it), and I’ve decided that, at least for now, being tied to writing two long-ish essays at programmed times every week has become a little too much. Also, I kind of want to take it easy and enjoy the fandom experience for a while. I will still be liking and reblogging posts, participating in conversations, and maybe posting a random “observation” post every once in a while, but for now the regular Thursday posts are going to be put on hold. I’ll still be doing Tuesday posts, although those probably won’t be long essays for now, either. I also want to try to finish a few fics that I have in the works, that I haven’t been able to get to because of other projects, on Tumblr and in “real life”. I have one in process that I hope to publish soon.  

So, thanks to everyone who has read these posts. I hope to bring them back some day, but that’s all for Thursday Thoughts for now!

[snoopctm]

CtM Thursday Thoughts

Series Overview Rewatch–Series Three

Changes

It’s series 3 time! This week, my rewatch brings me to a series of change, transitions, endings and beginnings. More thoughts follow:

I always say that I like the even-numbered series (2, 4, 6) best, but rewatching series 3 I’m reminded of how many excellent and important moments there are here. Actually, in a way this can be said to be the “end” of the first era of the show, because some significant things happen in this series that affect the structure and direction of the show going forward. 

New Characters–This series is where we meet Sister Winifred and Tom, and welcome Patsy (who had made a guest appearance in series 2) as a regular. These new characters will figure prominently in this series, but even more so in subsequent series. It’s somewhat strange watching this back and seeing Sister Winifred’s role as the newcomer knowing that, as of series 8, she will be the longest tenured non-original cast member. And Patsy makes a strong impression from the start. Tom, I liked in this series, although watching it again I see how his and Trixie’s relationship was doomed from the start. They really are very different people, and not different in complementary ways either.  

New Families–Here we see focus on two regular families dealing with transition into a new stage of life–the Turners, who are newlyweds hoping to have a child, and the Noakses, who are adjusting to life with a young son, and Chummy’s return to work after finding herself unfulfilled as a housewife. It’s interesting thinking about the trajectories of these two families, and how Chummy’s and Shelagh’s journeys toward being working mothers progressed at different speeds. Also, knowing the anguish Shelagh experiences this series, thinking about some of the moments with the hindsight of knowing what happens in series 6 (especially the “I wanted to see your face” line).

Character Deaths/Character Transitions--This is the last series that features Jenny as the lead character, and it’s also the first one that has significant character deaths–specifically Alec and Lady Browne. It’s also interesting how both of these deaths serve, in different ways, as major catalysts for Jenny’s character development, as she takes a leave of absence after Alec’s death and comes back changed, and Lady Browne’s death and Chummy’s and Sister Monica Joan’s caring for her play a role in convincing Jenny that she wants to change careers to focus on working with patients at the end of their lives, rather than at the beginning. And that reflection leads me to…

Beginnings and Ends–There’s a lot of new in this series–new life situations, new babies, a New Nonnatus house, new characters, etc. There are also a lot of endings–the character deaths, saying goodbye to the old Nonnatus, and most notably, Jenny’s exit from the show. There will be more changes in the future, but this is the beginning of that transition as the show moves from being an ensemble-supported show with a central character to much more of an ensemble show. We see hints of that structure here, as well, when Jenny takes a break for essentially two whole episodes, and when she comes back the difference is noticeable. She’s still “the lead”, but it’s fairly clear that she doesn’t fit in the way she used to. 

There were some memorable guest stories this series, as usual, and some different medical and social issues. The Vickers, the Astons, Sally and Jacob, the Glennons, and the Saints are among the more memorable stories of the week.

That’s all for this week. Next week, on to a new era in CtM, series 4!

Also, Happy Thanksgiving in the USA!