When last we left our friends in Poplar, we’d wrapped up a special two part holiday episode featuring Reggie getting lost in the cold, a particularly nasty flu strain, a carnival, escaped convicts, a visit from Trixie AND her delightful brother Geoffry, a love interest for Nancy, and a partridge in a pear tree. Just kidding about that last part, but as you can see, it was a jam-packed experience. If you need a catch up, my recap is available here. But now, dearest reader, the time has come for us to return to Poplar for a full season of 1970 goodness.
Team, I think there’s a good chance the Midwife crew spent their entire budget for baby actors in this first episode, because we’re kicking off 1970 with a clinic that features the most baby actors I think we’ve EVER had on screen, at least so far. Very cute, Call the Midwife, very cute. Between all the chubby lil faces, we learn something important: the team is participating in a study where they will enroll every baby born over the course of a week, and then follow those babies for the next 18 years. Dr. Turner is, predictably, psyched. As am I! These kinds of studies are super interesting!
But if you’re NOT jazzed about prospective cohort studies, don’t worry: there are other plotlines in this episode too. For starters, Trixie is coming back today from New York! Also, we have an interesting case over at St. Cuthberts, where a very pregnant mum is being examined by a crew of docs. Long story short? Her first baby was extra large due to gestational diabetes, which mean that the delivery resulted in a c-section. Because of the way her c-section was performed, she will have to have a c-section for this baby, and any future one. The doctors talk amongst themselves about the reasons for this, but as usual do a horrible job of explaining this to the patient. Unsurprisingly, she’s pretty upset, which is how Sister Veronica ends up consoling her in the lobby (and offering to get her a consult with Dr. Turner).
Back at Nonnatus, Sister Julienne thanks Trixie for coming to help out.
Trixie: Thank YOU. Business is going well back in NYC, but we’ll be back soon, and I need to keep my registration active.
Sister Julienne: I might actually need more from you than your medical skills. The board of health are on one about how we’re a religious order, and they’re trying to get us shut down.
Trixie: So what’s the plan?
Sister Julienne: Fight back. And that’s why I need you; remember how good you are at advocacy?
We sure do! While they scheme, we head over to Vi’s shop, where a pack of newspaper delivery children has arrived for their wares. Unfortunately, said wares are MIA, but that’s beside the point: one of the kiddos, a young girl named Paula, looks very ill, and barfs on the street. Given the typical subject of our show here, I don’t love where this is going: this kid, I must emphasize, is YOUNG. Paula makes her way home but leaves her sweater, so when Paula’s mum comes to retrieve it, Vi pulls her aside for a quiet word.
Paula’s Mum: She always comes home for lunch so I just saw her earlier — she seemed fine?
Vi: She said it’d happened a few times, and it was a horrible color. I think you really should take her to the doctor.
Over at the surgery, Miss Higgins fills Sister Veronica in on the young woman from the hospital. Her name is Winnie, and she was transferred into the practice not too long ago when her doctor’s office on the Isle of Dogs closed. The upshot: one of the midwives will go check on Winnie. But when Phyllis heads out to do just that, she finds that the bridge she has to take is closed for shipping. One of the other patients in the practice is out protesting, and explains to Phyllis that they are often trapped on the wrong side of the bridge for long periods of time. Once Phyllis finally gets through she meets with Winnie, who explains that her recovery after her first birth was very hard because of the c-section and the hospital stay. She’s had literal dreams of giving birth at home.
Phyllis: Look, I’m going to level with you. Most of the time, birth is very natural. But once you’ve had a c-section, it’s safer to do that again.
Winnie: It might make sense logically, but in my heart that’s not what I want. My body wants to give birth the other way!
Phyllis: I get it, I do. But sometimes science wins.
Remember little Paula? Dr. Turner pays the family a house call and, based on his facial expression, I think he’s got the same concern I do. Before he leaves, Dr. Turner pulls Paula’s parents aside and tells them he’d like to do a pregnancy test, because their daughter is showing every symptom of pregnancy. Paula’s mum insists that’s not possible; they’re a very devout family, and refuse to believe their thirteen year old could be pregnant. They kept her out of sex education at school to prevent this very thing!
Later, Rosalind stops in at the social services offices to drop off some paperwork with Cyril (and to flirt a little bit). And speaking of flirting, Nancy’s relationship with Charming is still going strong. In fact, he’s a top salesman at work and has been invited to a fancy party, with Nancy as his guest! After the party, the couple chats about their relationship, specifically the part where Charming’s family is protestant, and Nancy is a catholic. But that’s not the real problem: Nancy just got offered a job in the middle of nowhere.
Charming: You should take the offer! Not only would we live a lot closer together until we get married, Colette would get a much better education and clean air.
Nancy: You really care about her too, don’t you?
Charming: She’s gonna be my kid, of course I do!
Yeah, that means what you think it means: they’re officially engaged. The plan? Tell Colette first, then the nuns, and then Charming will take Nancy and Colette to meet his mother over Easter weekend. Charming even has the engagement ring in his pocket already! While Nancy has her very big night, the rest of the nurses attend an event held by their union where they find out that they will be getting a pretty substantial pay raise over the next two years.
Less fun? Vi’s quiet evening at home is interrupted by a delegation from the Isle of Dogs, who have declared independence. They mean business: 11,000 people live on the Isle, and they’re feeling overlooked and under-resourced.
Vi: I mean, I get it, but you’re not an elected official?
Guy 1: Actually, as of midnight, I’m president.
Guy 2: And I’m the prime minister.
Fred’s laughing about this, but I’m not sure it’s going to stay funny for long. Vi calls their plan a gimmick, tells them she won’t support it, and bids them goodnight. But they stand firm: tomorrow, they’ll be independent.
The next day, the midwives talk about Paula’s situation. Joyce has been assigned to the case, because she’ll be able to be gentle with Paula and firm with Paula’s mum. Nobody is happy about this, because their patient is just SO young. Meanwhile, Paula’s dad has brought her over to social services to speak with Cyril. Our friend is keen to talk to Paula’s mother, and set up a home visit, but that’s not in the cards: she’s embarrassed because “things like this don’t happen to families like ours.” And, perhaps more importantly, things like this don’t happen to people who attend their church.
Cyril: Here’s the thing: I need to ask about the baby’s father.
Paula’s dad: It’s not me, I swear. I’ve had a vasectomy.
Cyril: Does Paula have a boyfriend?
Paula’s dad: No. She’s not allowed.
Meanwhile, Winnie’s gotten her hands on a medical textbook that shows an image of a uterine rupture (the complication her doctor is trying to avoid). She is, understandably, extremely freaked out, and while she still doesn’t really want a c-section, she’s scared enough of the alternative that she’s fully on board.
The next day, a woman who I can just TELL is going to be trouble by the way she moves approaches Nonnatus house, and repeatedly rings the doorbell. Lucky for us, Sister Monica Joan answers the door.
Sister Monica Joan: Do I look young to you?
Impatient: No?
Sister Monica Joan: Cool, then I would think it would be clear that I can’t actually run to answer the door anymore. I’m also too old to make tea, so have this glass of water. I’m watching my stories.
And true to her word, Sister Monica Joan leaves Impatient waiting at the table, which is where the formidable stranger is when Nancy returns home. You guessed it: this is her future mother in law.
Over at Paula’s house, Joyce explains that she’ll need to give her patient a pelvic exam. It’s not obvious what she’s found, but based on her facial expression, something unusual is going on. Here’s the deal: Paula has a fully intact hymen (and in fact, Joyce might have torn it slightly during her exam), which is possible but fairly unlikely for a pregnant patient. It’s also going to make this whole thing even more complicated, because it’s allowing Paula’s mum to continue believing that her daughter is a virgin. Even worse, it leads Paula’s mum to a troubling conclusion: we’re either dealing with an immaculate conception, or molestation by the devil.
Back at Nonnatus, the meeting between Nancy and her future mother in law is not going great. The older lady comes after Nancy’s respectability (rude), but Nancy, thankfully, stands up for herself. It’s hard to argue that she’s some kind of floozy when she’s gainfully employed and lives in a literal convent, after all. But Impatient doesn’t care: she thinks her son is making a huge mistake.
While Nancy fills in her fiance later that night, Phyllis and Rosalind talk about Winnie, and how to console her.
Phyllis: Well, we try and keep her calm. And we don’t tell her about the most horrific birth I’ve ever personally witnessed, which was a uterine rupture that I will now describe in vivid detail.
Rosalind:
Phyllis, clearly still traumatized by what happened: Anyway, that’s why I’m pro c-section if there’s even the slightest chance of that.
Yeah, hard to argue with that! Anyway, the next day, the Isle of Dogs folks continue to agitate outside Vi’s store. Charming stands up to his mother (go Charming!), and Nancy confides in Miss Higgins: she’s worried about having a mother in law who would hurt her own son like that.
Nancy: I want to fight her, but that’s not a good idea.
Miss Higgins: You just need someone to vouch for you.
Nancy: But I’m alone in the world!
Miss Higgins: That’s not true. You’ve got me!
Across town, Paula’s having a weird sit down with some older gentlemen from her church. They’ve come to talk to her about her mum’s theory regarding her pregnancy. And when Paula says she doesn’t believe in or fear the devil, they suspect the worst: that she’s been impregnated by the devil.
Paula’s mum, having thrown her daughter into her bedroom: I won’t hurt you, but this is horrifying.
Paula: Would it be better if I said I’d done something?
Paula’s mum: No, that would be worse.
Great, what a cool position for a thirteen year old child to be in! And speaking of bad situations: on the Isle of Dogs, Winnie’s woken up to discover that her water has broken. Phyllis and Rosalind, attempting to make their way over to Winnie for a routine visit, find themselves caught up in the middle of the protest, which has gotten much bigger since it began outside Vi’s shop. Phyllis, completely unamused, lays on the horn until one of the self elected leaders of the Isle approaches so she can tell him off.
Having abandoned the car and walked to Winnie on foot, Phyllis is absolutely horrified to find her patient in full-on labor, especially since it appears that all of the bridges have been closed or occupied by the protestors. Rosalind, sensing that her mentor is not doing well, sends Winnie’s husband to call for an ambulance, and tries to keep her patient (and Phyllis) calm. When he returns, with no ambulance assistance, Rosalind springs into action, sending Winnie’s husband to boil water, and sending Phyllis to the phone booth.
In other scary news? When Paula’s family doesn’t answer the door for a scheduled appointment, Joyce sneaks into the side yard to yell up to Paula’s window that she’s here to help, and can be reached at Nonnatus by phone. Paula’s dad sends Joyce away, saying that the church is there to support the family. What does that mean? Well, Paula’s church is attempting an exorcism. Thankfully, when her parents enter the room, Paula’s dad takes one look at his terrified kid and pulls her out of there, sending her running to Nonnatus house where she’ll be looked after.
Ready for things to start going right? Winnie safely delivers her baby at home, not a rupture in sight. Paula arrives at Nonnatus and is shepherded inside by Sister Julienne. And Miss Higgins has invited Impatient over for tea and scones, completely impressing the other woman with her baking skills and overall charm. Despite all this, Impatient is not having it: the religious divide in Ireland is a BIG DEAL, and only getting worse by the day. What could Miss Higgins possibly know about illegitimate children and religious differences? Oh, Impantient, just wait until you get your new friend’s backstory.
Over at Nonnatus, Joyce comforts Paula, and in the process, finds out about a friend who Paula has “play fought” with. Because Paula has never had any sex education, she’s not even sure if she’s had intercourse, but what she does know is that she won’t be able to go home again. The next day, Cyril tells Paula’s parents that they’ve found a spot for her in a mother and baby home, where she’ll be able to stay until after her baby is born and adopted. They take this about as well as you’d expect, but at least Paula’s dad is ready to accept what has happened, and their responsibility in the situation. He even comes to give his daughter a hug before she leaves for the mother and baby home, which is something.
And with that, our first episode comes to a close at Nancy and Charming’s engagement party (also attended by Impatient, believe it or not)! What will the rest of the season bring? We’ll just have to tune in next week to find out.
