As the episode opens, Sister Veronica (Rebecca Gethings) informs Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) that Pupil Midwife Kathy Downes (Rachel Nicholson) has not turned in her vaccination record. Nurse Slelagh Turner (Laura Main) urges her to speak with Miss Millicent Higgins (Georgie Glen). Shelagh says Higgins is busy overseeing the Cub Scouts cleaning windows.

St. Cuthbert’s Hospital – Dr. Patrick Turner (Stephen McGann) delivers a baby boy with a group of pupil midwives in attendance. After the umbilical is cut, the baby is handed to the mother.

Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) welcomes Pupil Midwife Joyce Highland (Renee Bailey), Downes, and Pupil Midwife Norelle Morris (Shamia Phills) to Nonnatus House. Pupil Midwife Rosalind Clifford (Natalie Quarry) races to catch up with them. Later at dinner, Rosalind explains being a vegetarian booted her out of the approved lodgings. Nurse Phyllis Crane (Linda Bassett) tells her that she is also a vegetarian. Morris asks if she is sentimental toward animals. Crane claims to dislike the taste of animals. Nurse Trixie Franklin (Helen George) says hopefully they will like their room. Nurse Nancy Corrigan (Megan Cusack) assures them that the wallpaper has improved since she had the room. Veronica informs them that she and the sisters invested a bit of time into choosing the new wallpaper. Julienne requests they not smoke in their room.

Sitting on the bed, Joyce says it is terrible. Rosalind assures her that she had worse while living at a boys’ boarding school where her father was headmaster. Joyce tells her about the medals she won. Joyce says her family must be proud. Joyce claims her only family was a grandmother in Trinidad before suggesting she must be proud of herself. Rosalind asks if it would be okay to hang up her CND poster. Joyce reminds her of how hard the sisters worked on the wallpaper.

Trixie admits to being grateful that Matthew Aylward (Olly Rix) picks her up, so she rarely has to ride the bus. He vows to buy her a sports car as soon as she learns to drive. She asks for a red one to match her cardigan.

Patrick explains how he believes general practitioners will help greatly in maternity wards. Shelagh says the practice has shown much success throughout London. Teddy Turner (Edward Shaw) describes it as a brilliant plan as consultants will be accessible when a problem arises during a high-risk pregnancy.

Violet Buckle (Annabelle Apsion) informs Fred Buckle (Cliff Parisi) that the mini-fairground is no longer available for Easter Monday. Reggie Jackson (Daniel Laurie) voices disappointment with the news. Cyril Robinson (Zephryn Taitte) tells Fred that he needs more bike oil because the Raleigh bike chain keeps jamming.

Veronica teaches the pupil midwives how to properly ride a bike. Nancy Corrigan (Megan Cusack) disagrees with her recommendation. Veronica claims to have gotten it from a public information film. Rosalind’s chain jams just in time for Cyril to arrive with the bike oil.

Violet educates the pupil midwives on the equipment stored in their medical bags. Shelagh demonstrates how the phone drill works. Graham Purvis (Jake Lampert) requests a midwife to examine his pregnant wife, Doreen Challis (Rosie Jones). Later, Doreen arrives at the hospital depending to see the doctor.

After examining a pregnant Iris Melia (Sophia La Porta), Trixie informs her that she is not in labor. Iris claims her intermittent pain began last night. Trixie urges her to get some fresh air. Iris complains about the area being rough and cannot wait until they can move into their house in Chigwell.

Patrick informs Doreen that she should expect to give birth in the next few weeks. Anne Challis (Georgia Alexandra) stresses the need to tell their mum. Nancy tries to cheer her up with a Mars bar and a cup of tea. Anne reminds Doreen that their mum has no idea she is seeing Graham.

Over dinner, Nancy updates the others on Doreen’s situation. Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) says there was a time when a person with cerebral palsy like Doreen would have been institutionalized. Julienne says she admires Doreen’s mum, Ada Challis (Jennifer Hennessy). Later, Graham waits outside while Doreen informs Ada of her pregnancy. Doreen says she met Graham at the music club. Anne admits to helping cover up the pregnancy. Recalling how much care Doreen requires, Ada believes Graham molested her. Doreen assures her that Graham loves her. Ada assaults Graham. He vows to never leave Doreen.

Les Melia (Andy Burse) puts something in and takes cash out of a hidden floor compartment. When Iris approaches, he tells her to go to bed. She reminds him that it is 2am. He stresses the need to deal with something before it goes up in flames. She suggests it already did when the guys went to jail.

Phyllis takes over for Joyce when she sees Iris’ arm covered in bruises. Iris tells her that Les is under stress at work. Doreen sends Graham away before she is examined. After the examination, Patrick says everything seems fine. She voices concern about problems during labor. Julienne offers to send a midwife out to help her prepare. Doreen informs them that she was born at Neptune Street Lying In Home. Patrick suggests the hospital never provided adequate care.

Violet and Reggie deliver Easter Pram Competition fliers to Nonnatus House. Phyllis suggests it could help Joyce and Rosalind with their handicrafts. Elsewhere, Higgins tells Patrick and Shelagh that Ada Waterlow was not married when she gave birth to Doreen. She later married Mr. Challis. Doreen was 14 months old when she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Higgins says Julienne delivered her.

Mrs. Wallace (Linda Hargreaves) invites Joyce and Rosalind to the Shining Tabernacle Church. Joyce declines the offer. When Mrs. Wallace leaves, she wads the flier up. Elsewhere, Julienne denies remembering Doreen’s birth. Shelagh shows her where she signed the birth certificate. Julienne blames herself for Doreen’s injury.

Graham proposes to Doreen. Julienne and Joan recall the doodlebug raids. Julienne expresses her desire to remember Doreen’s birth. Elsewhere, Joyce informs Nancy and Rosalind that the Royal College of Nursing voted to increase nurses’ wages by up to 50%. Rosalind says their wages are meager. Nancy complains about not earning enough to provide a home for herself and Colette Corrigan (Francesca Fullilove). Joyce denies it is all about the money for her.

Iris alerts Trixie that she is in labor. Upon arrival, Trixie is met by Les who demands to be notified if anyone calls. Iris voices concern about his temper. Trixie offers to transfer her to the maternity home. Iris orders her to lock the door.

Ada claims her mother demanded she give birth at Neptune Street. Julienne admits to being the midwife who delivered Doreen. Ada recalls what happened when Doreen’s shoulder got stuck. She assures Julienne that she was right to believe in her. Julienne remembers a joke they shared among themselves.

Cyril asks Violet about the Sharing of Church Buildings regulation. He says Shining Tabernacle doesn’t have the funds to expand. Fred and Reggie arrive with young Anthony.

Ada questions what she did wrong that caused Doreen’s injury. She thanks Julienne for saving Doreen. Sister Julienne listens to Ada say she loves her first and foremost. Ada insists Harry was the best. Doreen enters and says she was down at the registry office. Graham reveals the wedding is in four weeks and it’s already paid for. Ada believes Harry would’ve liked Graham. Iris goes into labor and waits for Nurse Aylward to bring the gas. Doreen doesn’t want to talk about her birth anymore and she doesn’t want people to see her as something broken. Sister Julienne checks on Doreen. She thinks she might be in labor. Les yells that they’re denying him entry into his home. Trixie tells him Iris needs peace and quiet. She calls Nonnatus House to say the mother is not coping well. She asks for pain relief to keep her on an even keel.

Sister Veronica agrees to come around with gas even though Les is on the doorstep. Iris gets sick. Sister Julienne answers the phone before Les shoots through the door. She eventually agrees to let him come inside, but he can only sit by the phone. Once he steps inside, Julienne scolds him. Nurse Turner calls to let Miss Higgins that Doreen is in labor. Higgins says she will inform Turner and advise St. Cuthbert’s. Timothy will be in attendance because it’s their first delivery under the new system. A man tells Turner he needs to use the phone because there is a man with a gun. Les blocks the door before noticing multiple police cars outside. Iris says he was running with the Kray twins and it was only a matter of time when they got sent down. Les rushes to flush drugs down the toilet.

Sister Veronica learns what is going on and that she likely won’t be able to access the building. The cops try to convince Les to turn himself in. Sister Veronica takes the cop’s megaphone. Iris gives birth, but the cord is really short. Veronica uses the megaphone to try to convince Les to let her come up. Trixie manages to save Iris’s baby. Les yells to let those outside know the baby is born. Iris begins bleeding profusely. The midwife tells Les that Iris needs to go to the hospital. Les empties his gun and turns himself in. Sister Julienne speaks to Doreen at the hospital. Ada says Doreen and the baby will need them afterwards. Anne reminds her mom that families change shape. Dr. Turner talks to Mr. Parry about Doreen. He suggests ventouse since she can’t coordinate her pushes.

Matthew picks up Trixie outside the police station. He doesn’t want her to put herself at risk so he asks about going back to work at the Lady Emily. Trixie refuses because she loves this. Doreen gives birth to a baby boy. Rosalind tells Joyce how the maternity ward was beautifully managed. She admits she was walking it into the carpets there. Nancy comes in and tells her Crane has scrubbed her shoes. They give Rosalind rum and agrees to get some as well. Iris is told she and the baby need a few extra days of looking after. She doesn’t want to go home even with Les in custody. Monica speaks to Nancy about Iris who is too upset to consider pumping. Nancy believes Trixie and Rosalind are lucky to be alive. She thinks they should be paid better.

Monica hopes she isn’t talking about this new wage campaign but Nancy is. Monica argues it is a privilege to care for others so she doesn’t want to hear more about it.

 

Call The Midwife Review

The series is much ado about nothing. Few subplots have merit or interest. Only Ada and Iris’ stories were interesting. The cast is oversaturated with characters who are just thrown in to create a diverse cast. I found it extremely frustrating trying to identify and remember everyone.

The cast does not fit the 1950s and 60s London. Viewers expect the script to stay true to Nurse Jennifer Worth’s memories and that era. Unfortunately, like most shows, Call to Midwife strays off the beaten path just to meet modern award criteria.

The scene in which Les shoots through the door is laughable if not cringeworthy. Instead of sheltering in place, Trixie lets Les in if he agrees to sit by the phone. In the meantime, Veronica is outside belittling the police.

Since I’ve never tuned in before, I have nothing to compare season 13 to. The viewership ratings and critical reception must be good enough to warrant 15 seasons. It is difficult to believe people are still committed to this poorly written tripe.

The episode deserves a 5. Get more Call To Midwife recaps here. Support Reel Mockery by donating. Learn how advertising with us can help build your brand awareness. Join our newly established forum to discuss the show and much more.