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Call The Midwife.

(201 Posts)
Calendargirl Fri 26-Dec-25 07:24:18

Thought the Christmas special was dire.

As if they would all be flying off to Hong Kong. Who was paying for the air fares?

Interspersed with a snowy Christmas carnival back in Poplar, the midwives on the float looked like they had stepped out of a Boney M video.

Plus Sister Monaco Joan, who has cheated death on numerous occasions, suddenly coming out of retirement and being at the forefront of a complicated birth, which even the locum GP couldn’t deal with.

And of course, Midwife Trixie stepping into the breach in clinic and bossing one and all about in her posh little voice.

Another follow up tonight…..

argymargy Fri 26-Dec-25 07:39:38

A bit bah humbug, Calendargirl! Did you use up all your goodwill already?! I gave up suspending my disbelief with CTM years ago - now I just find it comforting 😁🤶

Ashcombe Fri 26-Dec-25 07:44:10

I gave up after the first half an hour. Surely, the writers could come up with a captivating story without taking the cast half way round the world each Christmas….?

MartavTaurus Fri 26-Dec-25 07:46:37

My father worked in Hong Kong in the 70s It was already well developed, not the make shift shanty town the programme portrayed.
I'm not over keen on the foreign trips at Christmas, but it was good to catch up with the characters again. Timothy Turner had changed into a bit of a lad, with a posh voice!

Calendargirl Fri 26-Dec-25 07:59:09

argymargy

A bit bah humbug, Calendargirl! Did you use up all your goodwill already?! I gave up suspending my disbelief with CTM years ago - now I just find it comforting 😁🤶

Bah Humbug!

Me?

shock

Probably, but it was rubbish.

I shall have to watch the follow up, to see how it all turns out ok in the end.

smile

Einna Fri 26-Dec-25 08:19:09

Yes it is far fetched but I like it !

I watch it because the minor actors are a delight……particularly Georgie Glen (Miss Higgins) and Cliff Parisi (Fred Buckle).

Best not to apply hard common sense to it……I think the actors seem to be loyal to it……and there are nuggets of reality, such as the adoption of May, the lease ownership, the poverty, etc.

I shall enjoy tonight’s……and suspend disbelief !

Aveline Fri 26-Dec-25 08:23:21

I just couldn't face it.

Grannynannywanny Fri 26-Dec-25 08:23:36

I fell asleep half way through it and woke an hour later when it was over. I’ll give it another go today.

Did anyone watch the Amandaland Christmas Special last night? I found it very funny. Jennifer Saunders was a great addition to the show. I hope we see more of her when the regular series returns.

Calendargirl Fri 26-Dec-25 08:57:32

Yes, I watched Amandaland.

I like the neighbour chap, who fancies Amanda and I think she does him.

Totally different role to his character in Shetland.

I was struck last night by how alike Joanna Lumley and Jennifer Saunders were, they really could be sisters.

shysal Fri 26-Dec-25 09:07:05

I watched the Call the Midlife but thought is was ridiculously far-fetched. Not my idea of good Christmas viewing!

Wyllow3 Fri 26-Dec-25 09:08:55

Einna

Yes it is far fetched but I like it !

I watch it because the minor actors are a delight……particularly Georgie Glen (Miss Higgins) and Cliff Parisi (Fred Buckle).

Best not to apply hard common sense to it……I think the actors seem to be loyal to it……and there are nuggets of reality, such as the adoption of May, the lease ownership, the poverty, etc.

I shall enjoy tonight’s……and suspend disbelief !

I'm in this camp too. its always been very sentimental, and it was far fetched (I bet the cast thought it too 🙂)

But I loved it all the same. Yes, it's seeing the old familiar faces, how they have gofer or grown older, and the commitment to "goodness when possible"

Unless I am mistaken, right at the end, they have flagged up a new series starting at the end of January, as they showed a little clip - women's lib has come to Poplar...

Wyllow3 Fri 26-Dec-25 09:09:54

gofter=grown.

Gingster Fri 26-Dec-25 09:13:57

We all know it isn’t true to life, but it’s a lovely warm dose of nostalgia. My family were all from the East End of London, (not in slums or deprivation ) but a lovely community. I enjoyed it, just sitting back with nothing to think about.

Harris27 Fri 26-Dec-25 09:36:12

Haven’t watched it hubby nit keen. Will watch it later after second episode aired.

kittylester Fri 26-Dec-25 11:03:15

CTMW is fairly gentle comfort viewing despite the subject matter which can often be far fetched.

Loved Amandaland is one of the best things on imo. Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley have real chemistry.

The 'neighbour who fancies Amanda' is turning out to be versatile isn't he? I think he was in Gavin and Stacey too. Hw's quite good looking too.

GrannyGravy13 Fri 26-Dec-25 11:09:52

I collapsed on the sofa, with a glass of wine (ignoring the chaos of toys all around the sitting room) and watched CTMW and Amandaland.

I enjoyed both, laughed out loud at Jennifer Saunders (I have been that women)

Does that make me shallow? Honestly I do not care what anyone thinks of my TV choices 🤷‍♀️

Wyllow3 Fri 26-Dec-25 11:32:25

GG13 - I loved them both too. One heat warming, the other, some great laughs out loud. Great Christmas Day viewing with a glass of mulled wine. I don't know if you stayed up, but after Amandaland, there was an old Ab Fab - more great humour.

J52 Fri 26-Dec-25 11:36:32

Time CTMW was pensioned off. Maybe a spin off like the Death in Paradise lot.
We thought Amandaland was very funny. DH had never seen it before and it was the only thing he watched.
Part of our amusement was that it reminded us of many Christmases at an Aunt of mine’s house. It wasn’t quite as chaotic, but the guest bedroom had the same wallpaper and wardrobe as on TV and was cold!

flappergirl Fri 26-Dec-25 11:38:08

I watched Jaws on BBC 2. Seen it a dozen times but never fails to entertain. Can't stand the sweet, sickliness of Call the Midwife along with the total lack of reality.

GrannyGravy13 Fri 26-Dec-25 11:40:40

flappergirl

I watched Jaws on BBC 2. Seen it a dozen times but never fails to entertain. Can't stand the sweet, sickliness of Call the Midwife along with the total lack of reality.

total lack of reality on Call the Midwife, yet you watched and enjoyed Jaws! Hilarious 😹😹😹

Usedtobeblonde Fri 26-Dec-25 11:57:47

Two episodes in of the first series and I had done with Call the Midwife.
But it is enjoyed by millions so I am in the minority.

gransruleok Fri 26-Dec-25 12:05:03

We usually like call the midwife, but this was unbelievably poor. Too many storylines, too many far fetched storylines. Any pregnant woman with a transverse presentation being offered forceps or vontoos (spelling?) delivery would be left traumertised at the very idea. Absolute rubbish. Won’t bother with the second half.

Nannee49 Fri 26-Dec-25 12:27:06

Usually love CTMW but I too found it far fetched and unbelievable.
And after waiting eagerly for Amandaland I was really disappointed. I realise I may be in the minority here but compared to the series it felt really forced and unfunny (luscious Mal still worth a watch 'tho).

Dottydots Fri 26-Dec-25 13:32:58

Call the Midwife was a total disappointment for me. I was so looking forward to it. Perhaps the next episode won't be so dreary.

argymargy Fri 26-Dec-25 16:48:10

Love Amandaland - and a joy to welcome Jennifer into the daftness. Agree with Nannee49 it wasn't up to usual standard but I think most Xmas specials are a bit weak (Blackadder excepted, of course). (Agree about luscious Mal as well.)