Call the midwife

I have only watched the trailers of Vera and don't think I could stand a whole episode - that annoying voice.

In love Vera! I watch that live then catch up on Midwives while I eat lunch the next day. The only bit of daytime TV I allow myself.

Yes, I do enjoy it but it's almost to close to home as I lived in the East End and started training in 1964. There was one episode about the parasite strongaloides and my brother in law had that.
Did part one midwifery at Brighton. Delivered 20 babies. All tremendous experience, but heart rending.
Should write a book.......

You should-I'd read it with pleasure!

I do remember the cold and the snow and trudging up the steep hill between school and home (and slithering down too!)
I don't remember power cuts.
I prefer to watch Midwives and record Vera.
Gave up on McMafia - even with James Norton!

I remember the snow - we had been to the countryside in the middle of Ireland for Christmas and it started to snow on Boxing Day and we had a flight back to London on 27th. We had my SIL with us in our small flat as her flight had been cancelled and she came back on a later one meaning she was unable to continue her journey home. Water pipes frozen and my OH had to take his shaving gear into work for hot water! We went to see a nearby Aunt of mine who still had water.
The piles of (filthy) snow did not finally go from the streets of London till March.

I've just Googled it and there were powercuts caused by working to rule at many London power stations. They started on 31 December 1962.

Voice over moist definitely Vanessa Redgrave.
I like Very but as a Geordie, I find the accents excruciatingly incorrect. I play spit the genuine accent - they seem to think if they just call people "pet" constantly they will get away with the dodgy accents.

I could spit on Vera too Smithy. Usually love Brenda Blethyn but she is awful in that, although the whole thing is pretty bad.

If ever there was an implausible TV detective (and there are plenty), Vera is the least believable. What is that strangely tremulous voice Brenda Blethyn adopts for the character? Can you imagine a real police officer (never mind a DCI) speaking like that? I know realism is too much to expect, but some credibility isn't too much to ask... is it?

This thread has mutated away from 'Call the Midwife'. Why not sartorial a slagging 'Vera' thread.
Anyway re realism in C the M. The 1960s infant mortality rate isn't exactly depicted in this sugary programme...

Jane10 - there has been infant and maternal mortality in previous series. What were the rates the?

then?

There was nothing sugary about the episode where a baby born with multiple disabilities after his mother took thalidomide was left by an open window to die alone. I'd never have imagined such a thing could have happened till I saw that.

And yes, I did shed tears. Can't say I enjoyed them though.

I enjoy Vera and Call The Midwife. The latter is on for an hour, many stories are covered, they cannot include the death of a baby ever week .

Power cuts obviously just in London. Living near Oxford, aged 20, I simply wasn't aware of them. Too busy struggling to work and back each day on an icy cold 'double decker'! Looking back I was lucky as my mother made sure that I was as warm and comfortable as possible; others weren't so fortunate.
I don't see anything sugary about the lady dying of lung cancer. My Granny died of the same complaint in 1954 in what was her bedroom at our house. I was 11 at the time, but remember the scenario vividly. The doctor and nurse in what seemed like full time attendance, my mother looking white and strained, my two uncles in and out, Granny calling for, and only seeming to want, her son (my elder uncle). Hearing her coughing and gasping. CTM, depicted that dreadful day perfectly, and brought back memories and tears. Nothing sugary about that I can assure you.

Niggly, such trauma for an 11 year old, I so remember calling in friends homes where a grandfather was dying from pneumoconiosis, I use to visit a g uncle who was dying from it.

The neonatal mortality rate is fairly depicted I think; it was then about 20 per thousand I think and, although the theme is midwifery, there have not been a thousand births on the programme since its beginning.
Other topical themes seem to be fairly well covered within the limits of a one hour programme.

As you say annie, these days unthinkable, but way back then?! Granny had been so ill for such ages, so I suppose I was sort of used to it!! She was very good with her hands and made/knitted dolls clothes, dolls cradles out of shoe boxes, and the best poppy ladies ever created! I wasn't allowed to go to her funeral, I guess children just didn't in those days.
I'm sure your visits were very appreciated annie. Children can bring a lot of joy to the sick and dying.

It's hardly saccharine sweet!
Among the issues it has covered have been:
Wife beating
A husband forcing his wife into prostitution soon after giving birth.
A father forcing his daughter into prostitution on a ship.
Incest.
Illegal abortion.
The rape of a nun.
Alcoholism.
The effects of Thalidomide.

It is a great show which covers so many things, calling it sugary does it a great disservice I think.

(I also love Vera)

Yes, it would be too harrowing for my DH.

Fair post Ilovechesse

Niggly, so many died at home then which must have given them some feeling of peace

I'm certain it did annie. I think the fact that in those days the doctor was able to visit his patients more frequently than is the case today, which in our case gave a lot of comfort and moral support. Also again for us, my Granny had, like you annie, a deep totally sincere religious belief, she knew without a shadow of doubt that God was with her right up to the end which was of enormous comfort to her., . My mother has this belief too up to a point! Me? I'm on the fence, a doubting Thomas? and I know I'm the poorer for it.
Heavens yes Thalidomide!!! I remember it and how dreadful it was - almost unbelievable.