Call the Midwife, series 6

Call the Midwife, Season Six
Christmas Special + 8 episodes

Sister Julienne = Jenny Agutter
Sister Monica Joan = Judy Parfitt
Sister Winifred = Victoria Yeates
Trixie Franklin = Helen George
Nurse Patsy Mount = Emerald Fennell
Nurse Barbara Gilbert = Charlotte Ritchie
Nurse Phyllis Crane = Linda Bassett
Nurse Delia Busby = Kate Lamb
Nurse Valerie Dyer = Jennifer Kirby
Dr. Patrick Turner = Stephen McGann
Shelagh Turner = Laura Main
Timothy Turner = Max Macmillan
Angela Turner = Alice Brown
Tom Hereward = Jack Ashton
Cynthia Miller = Bryony Hannah
Fred Buckle = Cliff Parisi
Violet Buckle = Annabelle Apsion
PC Peter Noakes = Ben Caplan
Mr. Kenley = Gerrard McArthur

I can't seem to find evidence that I blogged about season five of Call the Midwife. Perhaps I was too sad? Perhaps I was afraid of including spoilers? Perhaps I was busy? Regardless, I was READY for another season of the show.

I loved, loved, LOVED the Christmas special. Some of the midwives head to a mission hospital in South Africa--including Tom and Barbara, and Shelagh and Patrick. I really, really, really, LOVE Barbara. And am so pleased that the 'season' begins with this couple taking the next step!

Episode 1: Introduces the new sister in charge--Sister Ursula. She'll play the boo, hiss villain for the first few episodes of the show. The highlight for me was probably Shelagh's BIG news. I love, love, love, LOVE how she tells Patrick! I don't know that I've ever seen anything so sweet and adorable. This episode gives indication that Patsy and Sister Mary Cynthia won't be around much for season 6.

Episode 2: This episode has some action--an explosion actually. It introduces a new nurse, Valerie, though she won't join the Nonnatus House for quite a while! Patsy decides to go to Hong Kong to spend time with her dying father.

Episode 3: This is such an EMOTIONAL, EMOTIONAL episode. The powers that be are arguing that places like the maternity home are not needed and should be closed down because they're not efficient enough. But the Turners won't surrender without a FIGHT. The episode ends with DRAMA for the couple. And the maternity case in this episode--so, so, so, so difficult to watch. I had WORDS with the TV. Especially for Sister Ursula (boo, hiss) and Phyllis Crane (hurrah!)

Episode 4: Another emotional episode, but, not as much as the last one. This episode is all about adoption...and poverty...and the extremes we sometimes wrestle with.

Episode 5: So much happens in this episode!!! It introduces Reggie, Fred's cousin. He has Down's syndrome, and, he comes to stay with Fred and Violet after his mother dies. They come to love, love, love him as their very own. Ultimately they must decide what is best for him in the long term... I just have to say that Monica Joan in this episode is the BEST. She almost always has the best lines anyway, but, it's her wearing her emotions on her sleeve that keep me always on her side. The place Fred and Sister Monica Joan visit in this episode....there are no words. And the reveal that this is where Sister Mary Cynthia has been kept...is just heartbreaking. As if this wasn't enough, the maternity case in this one is almost unimaginable. Imagine having ALL your teeth pulled and while recovering in the dentist chair, you go into LABOR. Good thing the dentist is cute, right, Trixie?!?!

Episode 6: Cuban missile crisis episode. Valerie has now become a major part of the show. And this maternity case is HERS. And it is troubling.

Episode 7: Revisits Rhoda, Bernie, and BABY SUSAN. The maternity case in this one is Phyllis' and it's very EMOTIONAL. (In other words, if you hear a new mother tell her older children BE SURE NOT TO PLAY IN THE STREET BECAUSE I DON'T WANT YOU GETTING RUN OVER...take it as foreshadowing.) Trixie and the dentist are doing the two-step. In some ways, their relationship is progressing forward, but, in other ways, not so much. Both need to come clean about their pasts....and decide if they're serious.

Episode 8: I think this episode covers every emotion under the sun. On the giddy-making side, Shelagh and Patrick welcome a new baby into their family. And remember how I said it was PRECIOUS how Shelagh told him the news?! Well, it's just as precious how cute the couple are together while she's in labor. At first, she's so STUBBORNLY insistent that he will not be in the same room. And then when Sister Julienne encourages her to sing--she sings SECRET LOVE (think Doris Day) and he joins in singing outside the door. This song SO CAPTURES their relationship. And WOW what a great couple they are!!!! Still on the giddy-making side, we see BARBARA and Tom get married. And his SURPRISE at the wedding reception has to be one of the most magical, most romantic surprise ever.... But it's not without its drama either. Trixie is tested a bit in this one. And she shines like only she can.

© 2017 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews