Call the Midwife – Season 9, Episode 5

By starrymag | May 2, 2020

By: Ellie Dolan-Yates

 

 

Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) and Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) are comforting a family gathered around a lady’s deathbed. Sister Julienne comforts the lady’s granddaughter, Cheryl (Helena Antoniou), and tells her she remembers delivering her and her grandma was one of the first people to hold her.  narrates how the Sisters of Nonnatus House made everyone else’s life their lives and gave all they had to others.  We see members of the public greeting Sisters Julienne and Monica Joan as they walk by.

 

The nurses are raving about The Sound of Music hitting the cinema. Of course, Nurse Crane (Linda Bassett) saw it years ago in the theater, but all she can remember is a queue for the loo, Madge nodding off and the woman next to her knitting! Across Poplar Sister Monica Joan notices a sign in Violet’s (Annabelle Apsion) shop window advertising a raffle for two tickets to The Sound of Music. Violet is raffling them off at threepence per ticket for the incubator fund.  Monica Joan is eager to enter, so she pens an IOU for Violet. Sadly, she doesn’t win.

 

Sister Frances (Ella Bruccoleri) is visiting Albert Calthorpe (Jay Simpson) and his wife Grace (Samantha Spiro). She explains that Albert is especially vulnerable now he only has one lung. Grace is just glad to have him home as she’s had to talk to the novelty owl scissor holder that Albert bought her. Albert is reluctant to receive his injection so Frances suggests that Grace distracts him. Grace begins singing to Albert, but when Frances finishes up and offers to make everyone a cup of tea Grace’s mood turns and she orders Frances to leave!

 

Monica Joan is frantically insisting that the residents of Nonnatus House attend a showing of The Sound of Music, forthwith! Sister Julienne isn’t keen though as she thinks the film is “frivolous and inappropriate.” Later Cheryl visits Nonnatus House to see Sister Julienne. She reluctantly hands over her grandma’s savings, telling Sister Julienne that her grandma thought the world of the Sisters. However, Cheryl doesn’t share the sentiment. She tells Sister Julienne about the hard life her grandma had and how it’s women like her that should be revered, not people like Sister Julienne who “don’t know the meaning of hard work.”

 

At the surgery Miss Higgins (Georgie Glen) is thinking of nice places that Shelagh (Laura Main) could take the kids on a day trip. However, Shelagh opts to take the kids to see… an escalator. Miss Higgins doesn’t have much time to dissuade her though as Grace arrives with her pregnant daughter Ingrid (Lotte Rice). Whilst Ingrid attends her appointment, Grace books one for herself with Miss Higgins. Miss Higgins warns her that she has missed a prior appointment. It looks like she’s going to miss this one too as later that day Albert struggles with his breathing and Grace decides to stay at home with him.

 

Sister Hilda (Fenella Woolgar) is trying to teach a group of expectant fathers. Ronald (Karl Davies) is paying way more interest than the others and asks if it’s true that the baby can come out blue. One of the others asks him why it matters as it’s not like he’s going to see it since he’ll be down the pub! Ron explains that he actually wants to be there for the birth, which gets him a ribbing from the rest of the group. Sister Hilda explains that it’s not unheard of, before giving Ronald a sympathetic smile.

 

Frances needs to give Albert his insulin, but nobody is answering. A neighbor explains that Grace has gone to her mum’s and Albert won’t answer as he even slept through the Blitz! Frances gets Grace’s mother’s address before heading over to get a key from Grace. Grace is caring for her mother (Stephanie Fayerman) who has dementia. When Frances arrives and explains that she needs Grace’s key,  Frances mentions that Grace has missed her doctor’s appointment which sets Grace off in a mood. She tells Frances that she has a lot going on, in case she hadn’t noticed! After Frances leaves Grace’s mother notices that Grace is bleeding down below.

 

Ronald’s wife Aileen (Carla Langley) is in labor. He’s being very protective of her and insists that he opens their umbrella to cover her as she gets out of the car. Aileen reminds him that she’s not going to drown! Ronald guides Aileen through the door of the maternity home and Phyllis greets them. She takes Aileen through to the ward but Ronald won’t let go. Phyllis tells him he can’t be at the birth because he’s not gowned up! However, a few minutes later Ronald rushes to Aileen’s side with a gown he found in the store cupboard. Phyllis tells him it’s on back to front, but if he’s staying he can make himself useful and get Aileen some water. Ronald emotionally helps Aileen through the birth of their baby boy, even though it really took it out of him. Phyllis becomes rather took by the family and back at Nonnatus House she tells Sister Hilda all about the birth. Phyllis still isn’t too keen on having men at the birth though.

 

At Nonnatus House Valerie (Jennifer Kirby) suggests a trip out to the cinema to see The Sound of Music and invites Monica Joan. Trixie (Helen George) notices that Frances has been a bit quiet and asks her what’s wrong. Frances explains that she feels like Grace doesn’t want her helping Albert and she feels like she is doing everything wrong. Valerie says that women Grace’s age are self-sufficient. Sister Julienne suggests that Frances teaches Grace how to give Albert his injections.

 

Grace is visiting her mum who, unfortunately, has an accident. Grace gets her cleaned up before finally heading to see Dr. Turner (Stephen McGann). She explains that she has back ache and she’s bleeding non stop. Dr. Turner thinks it’s the run up to the menopause but, as always, he wants to examine Grace to make sure. Dr. Turner says that Grace has fibroids and she will most likely have to have a hysterectomy. She will have to go to hospital for two to three weeks. Grace says she can’t leave anyone for that amount of time.

 

When Grace arrives back at her flat she finds Albert playing with their granddaughter. Frances is there and tells Grace that she will teach her how to do the injections so that she’s not getting in the way all the time. Grace dismisses her as she’s concerned that Albert is looking after their granddaughter. Albert explains that Ingrid has gone into labour. Later, Albert surprises Grace at her market stall by singing to her and tells her he’s come to walk her home. However, Grace explains that she has to go and clean Ingrid’s house and then see her mum.

 

At the maternity home Phyllis has noticed a birthmark on baby Steven’s head. Aileen says that it has got bigger, but Phyllis says it’s nothing to worry about, though she’ll keep an eye on it. Ronald says that Steven is going to be a footballer for West Ham, but Aileen says he might want to be a ladies’ hairdresser. Ronald believes their son can be whatever he wants. When Ronald removes Steven’s hat and sees that the birth mark has got bigger he panics. He rushes him to Dr. Turner who explains that Steven has a haemangioma, which is just a birthmark and should disappear by the time he’s three or four years old.

 

To make things extra stressful for Grace, Ingrid has turned up at the flat to announce she’s moving in with the baby! Frances says she’ll need to take a look at the baby before accidentally smashing the owl scissor holder. She apologizes profusely to Grace, but Grace says it’s the least of her worries. The next day Grace is trying to salvage some stale bread by wetting it and putting it in the oven. She flicks the gas on and contemplates sticking her head in the oven, but Sister Julienne turns up just in time. She notices the smell of gas and opens the windows. Sister Julienne explains that she has come to help, but Grace gives her a hard time about being a nun. She tells her pretty much what Cheryl did before storming off to the market because “no-one else is going to make supper!”

 

At Nonnatus House Sister Julienne starts an experiment. She changes her clothes and lets down her hair before heading out to the market. She realizes that rather than saying hello to her people push past her and taunt her. Monica Joan recognizes her but doesn’t ask questions. Realizing that no-one will know who she is Sister Julienne heads to the cinema to see The Sound of Music and even treats herself to a choc ice!

 

Miss Higgins spots Shelagh in town and asks her how the trip was. Shelagh explains that there was lots of walking but they have a TV dinner to look forward to. Miss Higgins doesn’t seem impressed. Timothy (Max Macmillan) catches up with May (April Rae Hoang) and Angela (Alice Brown) who have gone to Violet’s shop to look at ribbons. He pays for them to have a go on the raffle and they win the tickets! Timothy knows just the people to give them to. When Dr Turner arrives home late for the TV dinner, Shelagh tells him not to worry and she’ll fetch him a tray. However, Timothy gets the girls to hand their parents the cinema tickets and they tell them to have a nice time.

 

It’s all getting a bit too much for Grace and she collapses in her flat. At Nonnatus House Frances is trying to fix the owl she broke. Sister Julienne tells her that Grace collapsed due to anemia and Frances says she feels awful for not noticing sooner. Trixie appears and says she’s been looking for Sister Julienne. Sister Monica Joan covers for her and says Sister Julienne was helping her. Sister Monica Joan explains to Frances that sometimes the burden has to be shared and hands her a brand new owl scissor holder for Grace.

 

The Turners have thoroughly enjoyed actually spending time together. They get some chips on their way home and Dr. Turner reminisces about when he’d had a terrible day until he heard Shelagh singing in the chapel. He says he wishes he could get her some edelweiss, but they’re not exactly available in Poplar! The next day Shelagh arrives at the surgery to find a bunch of white flowers that Dr. Turner has left for her.

 

Frances takes Albert to visit Grace in hospital. Albert hands Grace the new owl, but she knows he didn’t buy it. Even so, she’s made up. Grace says she can’t stay in the hospital all week, but Frances explains that she’s sorted help from the Welfare State for her mum so that Grace can have some time for herself and to spend with Albert. Ingrid remarks that Frances has been busy. Frances tells Ingrid that it’s time she went home to her husband and looked after herself and her kids for a change. This doesn’t go down well with Ingrid, but Grace appreciates it.

 

The episode ends nicely with Sister Julienne using the deceased lady’s savings to use for a group trip to The Sound of Music. Steven and Aileen enjoy showing off baby Steven and Grace and Albert enjoy an ice cream on their balcony.