Every season, the Drama After Dark team gathers ‘round the conference room table to watch the latest and greatest in British dramas. We're thrilled to be bringing you coverage of perennial PBS favorite, Call The Midwife. This show has everything: hard-working nurses, sassy nuns, and gut-wrenching emotional trauma that somehow keeps you wanting more. I’m here to recap the season as it happens just in case you, dear reader, miss an episode and haven’t yet been able to catch up on WGBH Passport.
My new favorite best friends, Baby Doctor and Sister Frances, kick off this episode by tag-teaming a slightly complicated forceps delivery, while proud papa Dr. Turner looks on. Good job, junior! Let me tell you, Dr. Turner is loving life as a doc of (relative) leisure. Pretty great to have Baby Doctor around to take over sometimes! And speaking of babies (how's THAT for an applicable Call The Midwife recap phrase??), we have a special delivery: the much anticipated incubator! Everyone is on hand for the unveiling, including a Cub Scout advance guard. This is a hugely positive development for our pals: premie babies can now stay in Poplar with their families. Vi, in full on Councilor Buckle mode, prepares for the unveiling with her special ceremonial scissors, and kind of snubs Shelagh in the process. Lucky for her, Shelagh doesn't seem to mind. VI cuts the ribbon with great aplomb, and everyone poses for a photo in the paper.
But enough celebration! Back at the surgery, Miss Higgins catches Baby Doctor looking through her files. He’s preparing for the afternoon like a good boy, but she still doesn’t like him nosing around. She heard how great the morning’s delivery went, and when Baby Doc tries to brush it off (Dr. Turner was there!) she needles him; after all, she can always summon Dr. Turner if Baby Doctor needs help. Apparently, a little antagonism is all it takes for Baby Doctor to stand up for himself, but it seems like Miss Higgins was actually just trying to be nice: after all, there's no shame in asking for help. I wonder if that'll be a theme of this episode?
![A man in a wig sarcastically nods "Mmmhmmm"](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/2dd74d8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/245x280+0+0/resize/960x1097!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F63%2F57%2F9e361834a48b9c8d0e631c4b45bb%2Fmmmhmmm.gif)
At clinic, a couple arrives for the antenatal clinic together. The wife, Marion, is blind, and is quick to correct Shelagh when she talks to Marion's husband instead of to Marion. She's got her stuff together: she doesn’t need help finding anything in her purse, which Shelagh (and I'd imagine most purse-owning women watching) finds very impressive. She’s currently enrolled with a different doctor, but she wants to switch; she isn’t happy with how she’s been treated since she got pregnant. Is the doctor 'round these parts sympathetic? Shelagh, who is of course completely unbiased, says yes.
Back at the surgery, things aren’t going as smoothly. An older chap is insisting that he see “a real doctor” and won’t leave until he does. Miss Higgins must have accepted Baby Doctor into the fold, because she drops the time honored move of family members the world over: no one talks crap about Baby Doctor but her! She tells Grumpy Old Man that they only employ real doctors at this practice.
Grumpy Old Man: Sure Jan. I'm not having some infant cut his teeth on ME.
Right on cue, Baby Doctor comes out, introduces himself, and asks how the man’s chest is doing. It turns out doing the homework and reading the charts in advance is a good idea. He sweeps Grumpy Old Man into the back room very successfully; even Miss Higgins is impressed.
![A man says "I'm not even mad. That's amazing."](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/fd1a946/2147483647/strip/true/crop/355x185+0+0/resize/960x500!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F87%2F79%2Fceda04c9c0bf93b688c376c4d3db%2Fim-not-even-mad-thats-amazing.gif)
Back at clinic, Trixie examines Marion, who asks if Trixie has ever looked after someone blind before. Trixie hasn’t, but of course has looked after a huge number of women over the years; they agree Marion's blindness shouldn’t be a big deal. Marion has been blind since birth, so she's very used to looking after herself. She also reveals that she desperately wants this baby and would be very upset if she couldn't be a mom. Trixie tells her they’ll be there to support her, but Marion protests: she’ll be fine on her own. Trixie reminds her that most new moms need some help, and her condition makes things slightly more complicated. Obviously Marion’s been burned before, because this annoys her: she's no different than anyone else! Trixie pushes the maternity hospital, but when she hears that Marion and her husband live in a nice, ground floor flat, she agrees to a home assessment. Before she can object, Trixie tells Marion that she’s not getting special treatment; they visit everyone’s house. That sorted, Marion heads outside, where she meets up with her husband and his cold hands, and they head for home.
In the surgery, Baby Doctor is wrapping up when he grabs his shoulder in pain. He scopes out the situation: Miss Higgins is in the other room, so he surreptitiously takes a bottle from the meds cabinet. OH NO, don’t be a stereotype, Baby Doctor!! Before he can drug up, Dr. Turner comes out to follow up on a patient, Yvonne Smith. Baby Doctor admitted her because she’s got a severe UTI; was that ok? It was! Dr. Turner is impressed. Yvonne seems happy to be staying there, which prompts Dr. Turner to ask if she mentioned her husband. Only in passing, and off screen, so Dr. Turner fills us all in: Yvonne’s husband is an alcoholic and it’s hard on her, but she tries to hide it. Dr. Turner also decides to go for a teachable moment: being a good community doctor is paying attention to everything going on in patient’s lives, not just handing out pills. Baby Doctor is right in the middle of thanking his mentor for giving him a chance when Dr. Turner notices the pilfered meds.
Dr. Turner:
![Barbara Streisand says "What's up doc?"](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/6e549cf/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x260+0+0/resize/960x520!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F60%2F15%2Fbfedc4851712da4baad3f0a944aa%2Fwhats-up-doc.gif)
Baby Doctor: Nothing to see here! Just an old shoulder injury from med school. It flares up sometimes.
Dr. Turner: Well, you might want to see a physiotherapist about that!
He doesn’t seem too worried, but Miss Higgins, who isn't blinded by her love of having a sidekick, is watching.
Later that night, Sister Frances and Baby Doctor walk their bikes back from the surgery. She does this a lot to give her a chance to think things over. They talk about how they process the crazier arts of their jobs, specifically, a lot of vivid memories of the more alarming cases. They pass the fish and chips van that's been haunting my dreams since Shelagh and Dr. Turner went there on their date, and Sister Frances tells us it sells the best cod in Poplar.
Me, planning an outing to get fish and chips when this is all over:
![A man says "She will be mine, Oh Yes! She Will Be Mine."](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/119b7b9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/300x168+0+0/resize/960x538!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F4d%2F95%2F5d01619946c8f1d5ae8f88043af0%2Fshe-will-be-mine.gif)
Baby Doctor, who, potential secret drug problem aside, has good taste, suggests that they stop, but Sister Frances isn’t allowed to eat anywhere but the dining room of Nonnatus. Baby Doctor, however, isn’t a nun, so he decides to skirt the rules, and Frances, giggling, goes along. I really hope we're not heading for a Reefer Madness style “he leads her astray” plotline, because this is cute and harmless! She's an angel baby who joined the order before having any fun; she deserves some fried snacks.
Back at the house, Lucille goes to fetch Phyllis for dinner, and finds Phyllis looking decidedly less of a battleaxe than usual.
Lucille: Hey girl, what's up?
Phyllis: Oh, you know, I'm tired because I'm OLD.
Lucille: Ok, first of all, you're not old, you just had a long day of work and are about to run off and volunteer with the Cubs.
Phyllis, laying a trap: You're right, it's gotten much harder to handle since Sergeant Woolf peaced out.
Lucille, foolishly tripping the trap: You’ll just have to find someone else to help you!
Phyllis, looking straight into Lucille’s soul: Hmmm. Any ideas?
Lucille, realizing her mistake: Uhh. No? Bye!
Baby Doctor didn't lead Sister Frances too far astray; he brought their fish and chips back to eat at the table. Unfortunately, he’s made an enemy of everyone else in the process, because it smells delicious. He doesn't want to get murdered by a bunch of midwives, so he offers to share. Trixie turns him down, because diet culture got to her early. Val, of course, takes a chip. Phyllis rolls up on her way to the Cubs, and her uniform reminds Baby Doc of his youth, which he says out loud, the FOOL.
![A man says "Oops."](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/24a7afd/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x282+0+0/resize/960x541!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F86%2Fd0%2F6ce048a0d36dd079b1a3ec44958f%2Foops.gif)
Baby Doctor: I was horrible, I only got the fire safety badge.
Val, flirty: Not even First Aid?
Baby Doctor, also flirty: LOL, especially not First Aid.
Lucille, ready to pass the buck: You know you could make up for your misspent youth if you helped Phyllis out, she needs a second in command! I would, of course, volunteer, but I just have too many other commitments.
Val, snarky: Ohhh, like Cyril?
Monica Joan, the ultimate LuCyril Shipper: Hey! Respect Cyril, or else!
Baby Doctor, not falling for it: I would TOTALLY help, but Dr. T is relying on me, I don’t want to let him down.
Sister Julienne: You won’t let him down, you’ve settled in so well!
Baby Doctor: Yeah, and now that I've had these fish and chips I'm never leaving! Speaking of which, MJ, I can tell you want some of these.
Monica Joan: FINALLY. I guess I will deign to try one, but only for the historical record. Gotta see if they're as good as they used to be.
But enough about the tasty food I can't have! We're going to Marion's. First of all, her husband Stewart got a crib that's tall enough for her to lift the baby in and out even while sitting on the bed, which is very sweet. Less sweet? Her mean sister Beryl, who shows up out of nowhere and weasels her way into the house for the sole purpose of concern-trolling Marion. Apparently this is a pattern, because Marion moved to Poplar to avoid Beryl's crap. But Beryl is persistent and has a new plan: convince the midwives that Marion won't be able to cope with the baby. Right on schedule, Trixie shows up for the home visit.
Beryl: Hi, person I just met! Marion is making a mistake and I'm here to stop it!
Trixie: Ok first of all, nice to meet you or whatever. I'm not sure what you mean by "making a mistake."
Beryl: Marion is a danger to herself, how can she take care of a baby?!
Trixie: Uh, helping people with their new babies is literally my job.
Beryl: So you’re moving in?
Trixie: Not sure if you noticed, but Marion has a husband who already lives here, and men can do things, contrary to popular opinion.
Beryl: But he’ll have to go to work.
Trixie: Well, you could probably do something to help out other than being rude.
Marion: No thanks, she said I was selfish for having a kid.
You might expect Beryl to take this opportunity to apologize for being abelist and crappy, but this is 1965 and also it's too early in the episode, so she doubles down.
Trixie, appalled, attempting to kick Beryl out: You’re upsetting your sister and that isn't good for the baby.
Beryl: Oh, right: you have to care about the kid! Make her give it up for adoption!
Trixie: You can’t know that she won’t be a good mother.
Beryl: I’ve cared for Marion since she was 13. If you won't talk to social services, I will.
She storms out, and Trixie comforts Marion, but it’s bad news: social services definitely can take her baby away if all doesn't go well. That revalation calls for a cup of tea.
![Paul McCartney says "yes please" to tea](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/50daafe/2147483647/strip/true/crop/405x220+0+0/resize/960x521!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F2c%2F87%2F5562aae7350d244d690132982b9a%2Ftea-yes-please.gif)
They make some awkward conversation about Marion’s baller knitting skills. Trixie is impressed, both by the knitting, and Marion herself: her house is super tidy, especially for people who just moved. Marion credits Stewart, who’s an awesome partner and set everything up for her. He’s also saved up all his time off so he can be at home when the baby comes. This is definitely going to help impress social services, Trixie tells her, but it would be even better if they can arrange some home help. Marion, however, doesn't want strangers in her house; no one should be able to tell her she can't look after her own kid.
At the maternity home, Baby Doctor checks in on Yvonne. Her temperature has gone down, but she doesn’t want to go home yet: it still hurts to pee, and she’s up and down constantly. I’m guessing she actually wants to avoid her drunk husband, and Baby Doctor agrees.
Baby Doctor: You know, if there’s something happening at home I can help you. And I won’t tell anyone.
Yvonne, obviously lying: Nope, it’s all good, I just like the quiet here!
Baby Doctor peaces out, and Yvonne, who clearly has good reasons not to trust men, asks Sister Frances if he was serious about letting her stay. Frances reassures her, but Yvonne is skittish, and the reason why drunkenly blasts into the ward, hammered. Miss Higgins attempts to head Yvonne's husband off at the pass, because it's not visiting hours, but he rudely ignores her and tells her to mind her own business, he’s going in. Baby Doc comes running, having heard the commotion, which Miss Higgins explains using the understatement of the decade: "We have a bit of a situation." Yvonne's gross husband tries to kiss her but she flinches away.
Baby Doctor: Bro, you need to get the hell up out of here. You're drunk and you're upsetting all the patients.
Drunk Husband: My wife’s not upset, is she?
Yvonne, terrified, agrees with him, and then he sits on her. Baby Doctor snaps and grabs him by the shirt collar, which makes the guy MAD. Thankfully, Miss Higgins has phoned the police. Drunk Husband leaves, but not without threatening Baby Doctor on the way out and telling Yvonne she better have her bags packed to go home. Crisis averted, Baby Doctor apologizes for losing his temper. It's a nice gesture, but it doesn't mean that much to Yvonne, who lets it slip that she'll be the one punished for what happened.
Time for a small break, huh? We get one in the form of Cyril, who's stopped by Nonnatus to say hi to Lucille. They're having a nice chat when Phyllis arrives, and wearily drags herself inside without stopping to say hi (which I think we all know isn't normal). Cyril knows something is up, and asks what's wrong.
Lucille: Well, our friend Phyllis is exhausted because we have a super hard job and she's running that Cubs group solo. I actually feel kind of bad, she asked if I could help and I said no.
Cyril: Why did you say no if you feel bad about it?
Lucille: Look, we don’t get to spend much time together and I didn’t want to give it up.
Cyril, a real mensch: We can help her together — date night and volunteering in one fun package!
![A woman says "I can't move on, I love him."](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/5f47dc3/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x270+0+0/resize/960x540!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fb8%2F97%2F4d499800d8ef02f794cfeb958330%2Fi-cant-move-on-i-love-him.gif)
Inside, Sister Julienne finds Trixie just as she's getting off the phone with social services; apparently mean sister Beryl followed through on her threat to contact them.
Trixie: That’s some BS! Marion hasn’t even given birth yet, how can she be an unfit mother?
Sister Julienne: Well, social services will have to get involved now, it’s literally their job. We need to tell them when the baby is born, so they can do an assessment.
Trixie: If she loses the kid, she’ll be devastated.
Sister Julienne: We don’t want them to get separated, but if we have any doubts we need to tell social services; it’s our moral duty.
Upstairs, Lucille sits down for a chat with Phyllis to let her know that LuCyril is in for volunteering. Phyllis is delighted, and frankly looks like she's about to cry. Actual footage of the Cubs meeting, probably:
![A man sings "And we're the three best friends that anybody could have."](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/050ef08/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x202+0+0/resize/960x404!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc9%2F78%2F7d24bb2e6cb1f7469c521c5ef5a1%2Fand-were-the-three-best-friends-that-anybody-could-have.gif)
But enough of sunshine and rainbows, because back at the surgery, Baby Doctor is clearly going through a wee withdrawal. He's a hot second away from giving in and taking the Pethedine he "borrowed" earlier, but before he can, Miss Higgins arrives to bring him a peace offering in the form of a nice cuppa. She's pretty eagle-eyed, and immediately notices the drugs on the table. He tries to cover it up with the old "my shoulder is acting up again," but she definitely isn't buying it.
Across town, Trixie's at Marion’s house to help train her up for the social services visit. It's already a hot mess: Trixie moved a chair closer to the bath, but since Marion uses the furniture as landmarks, that’s not good. Trixie apologizes and baby bath class gets off to a pretty good start, but quickly spirals. Marion gets nervous, drops the soap, and then accidentally smacks the doll's head into the tub. Obviously this whole thing makes Trixie a bit nervous, but she's not backing down: they'll just need to practice more.
![A man says "I probably should've practiced."](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/8cec4b8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/640x360+0+0/resize/960x540!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F18%2F71%2F57fb48461dd683ffdfc4eeffb073%2Fi-probably-shouldve-practiced.gif)
With his attempt to get a fix thwarted, Baby Doctor thinks about heading out for a walk to deal with his "headache," but it's not to be. Sister Frances pops up out of nowhere because Yvonne is in labor and progressing quickly. Sister Frances wants to give Yvonne some of the good stuff, but doesn't have the clearance to sign for the Pethedine herself. I don't like where this is going, and for good reason, it turns out. Baby Doctor says he'll do the injection, and while he's in the drug cabinet he grabs an extra vial for himself and alters the ledger to make it all look legit. While he's pulling a Doctor House, Sister Frances asks Miss Higgins if Yvonne’s husband was drunk earlier, which, yeah. Sister Frances feels bad for him: she's pretty sure that he's drinking to try and deal with pain. This feels a little too progressive for the era, but who cares. Snaps for Sister Frances for being so insightful!
At Nonnatus, Cyril arrives just in time to see Lucille making a cup of tea in a saucepan because Fred is fixing the kettle. This reminds Cyril of camping, an activity that Lucille immediately shuts down as a suggestion for the Cubs. Right on schedule, Fred arrives with the kettle and an accurate pronouncement: Lucille is missing out, because camping is the best! Cyril can read the room though, and gives up the lost cause. Lucky for them, Fred's got an additional idea: kids like stuff that moves, and Cyril is a mechanic! Lucille is skeptical, since the kids are ten, but her rational concerns can't defeat the unholy gleam in Cyril and Fred's eyes. Soapbox derby, anyone?
When it rains it pours: while Yvonne's labor continues at the Maternity home, Stewart has called Nonnatus, because Marion is also in labor. Trixie heads over. And speaking of Yvonne's labor, Baby Doctor is kind of freaking out. Sister Frances, unfortunately, doesn't notice. She tells Yvonne that she’ll be fine because Baby Doctor is here, and heads out for literally 30 seconds to get towels. Here's an approximate artist's rendering of what it looks like when she gets back:
![A man happily runs into an apartment to find it on fire.](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/d307a65/2147483647/strip/true/crop/340x347+0+0/resize/960x980!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F99%2F1f%2Fa6dd4e6627b3e5b7d06827e40cac%2Fcommunity-fire-shock.gif)
Yvonne is freaking out; Baby Doctor has for some reason performed an episiotomy, and there’s a LOT of blood. Thankfully, Sister Frances is quick thinking: she tells Baby Doctor to apply pressure, while she calls Dr. Turner. While they wait for him to arrive, Sister Frances delivers the baby and snaps at Baby Doctor to prepare to suture as soon as the baby is out. Yvonne doesn’t want to push because it hurts, but Sister Frances gets her to trust her; they both do a great job, and baby arrives unscathed. Yvonne is excited to find out she has a son, but since he's on the small side, he'll be headed into the brand new incubator (Checkov would be delighted). Yvonne can hold the baby while Baby Doctor sews her up. Now that everything is handled, Dr. Turner pops his head in; he's happy to see that everything is under control, but draws the incorrect conclusion that it's because of Baby Doctor. Since there's no longer a crisis, Dr. Turner heads out, reminding Baby Doctor to check on Yvonne's hemoglobin in the morning. Look, I really hope someone comes clean and tells Dr. Turner what happened, this is getting dangerous.
![A man says "Somebody's gotta tell him."](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/bba1d25/2147483647/strip/true/crop/564x251+0+0/resize/960x427!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F35%2Fc8%2F23880173e6280c5f53357fd3a2f8%2Fsomebodys-gotta-tell-him.gif)
Everything’s going well over at Marion's: Stewart is supporting her, and she's handling labor like a champ. Right on schedule, their daughter is born, and everyone is cute and happy. Well, everyone but Trixie, who's worried about the whole social services thing.
Back at the house, Sister Frances runs into Baby Doctor in the hall and immediately legs it out of there to try and avoid the awkward conversation we all know they have to have.
Baby Doctor, out loud: I couldn’t stand to see her pushing so hard, I thought an episiotomy would shorten the second stage.
Baby Doctor, internally: And I really needed to get a fix!
Sister Frances: Well you were wrong! It was unnecessary and risky. I wouldn't have done that.
Back at Marion's, she's getting some well-earned shut eye while Trixie feeds the baby. Stewart explains that Marion really wants to breastfeed, since it’ll be easier for her to manage than bottles, which Trixie is all about. He also starts to thank Trixie, who uses this opportunity to tell him that he should really try and convince his wife to let them send some helpers. He also is very against having strangers in the house, but Trixie tells him that he might not have a choice, as social services can force the issue. The fact that social services has even been mentioned is news to Stewart; Trixie tells him that jerk sister Beryl narced on Marion, just in time for Marion to walk in, overhear, and fly into a panic.
At Nonnatus, the hits keep on coming. Val is trying to enjoy a private cuppa and cry when she gets busted by Lucille, who's back from rounds early to grab extra supplies. Val decides to lean into the awkwardness, and asks if Lucille has time for some tea. Lucille is clearly busy, but since something is obviously wrong, she says yes. Here's the deal: Val is VERY worried about Gran. Conditions at the prison are horrible, and while Val loves to see Gran, it’s such an upsetting experience every time she goes that she's been avoiding visits.
At the maternity hospital, Baby Doctor decides to continue his mansplaining tour of Poplar, and pops in on Yvonne to tell her she was never in any danger, and neither was the baby. Yvonne isn’t impressed: Sister Frances was the one who actually had everything under control, and Yvonne regrets trusting him, because men, in general, are trash and don't own their mistakes. Good for her, TBH — he clearly needed to hear that.
![A woman says "Yes, all men must die. But we are not men."](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/cbb7422/2147483647/strip/true/crop/500x203+0+0/resize/960x390!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2F5a%2F29%2Ffb98fbea8e473a70a50367f3d88e%2Fyes-all-men-must-die-but-we-are-not-men.gif)
Update: things are not going so great with Marion. She's trying to breastfeed without success. Trixie thinks it’s because she’s too upset, which kinda makes sense but doesn't actually help that much. She gets Marion set up with a bottle just in time for a knock at the door. It's not social services, thankfully, just mean sister Beryl, who for some reason thinks she should be invited in. Trixie tells her to hit the bricks.
Beryl: I didn’t mean for this to happen, I was just thinking of Marion.
Trixie: Well, it sure doesn’t feel that way to her.
Beryl: We were kids when our mom died, and I had to become her mom. If anything had happened to her, I would never have forgiven myself, and I don’t want her to worry like that.
Trixie: Look, I get that you’re dealing with trauma, but your sister is an adult and can make her own choices. Including the choice to be stressed out.
This is a great point, but Beryl won’t back down. She can’t get over the fact that Marion is blind, and that the baby might be blind, too.
Trixie: Guess what? It’s not the end of the world to be blind; look at Marion. She’ll do great if she’s allowed to keep her kid!
Beryl starts crying, and Marion decides to be the bigger person and let her in for a couple of minutes to meet her niece, who is named Rosemary.
Speaking of awkward family visits, Val heads off to see Gran at the prison. Gran looks pretty good, despite the poor conditions. Val apologizes for not visiting for a few weeks, and deploys a pretty good excuse: all the kids in Poplar are getting sick these days. Gran tells her to be careful, but Val insists she’ll be fine: the whole family’s healthy and fit! Doomed by that pronouncement, Gran grabs Val's paper and pencil to do the crossword, and we can see that she looks a bit pale and skinny. Obviously, this worries Val, but Gran brushes it off.
At Marion’s, a normal “being a new parent is tiring” conversation quickly spirals into “we can never complain, that’s the kind of talk that will let social services take the baby.” Ugh, this whole situation is so stressful. Stewart, trying to be reasonable, suggests that they should reconsider getting some help, but Marion is adamant. That would be quitting! The next day, Stewart goes off to work, and Marion has the worst day ever. She tries to pour hot water into a pitcher for a bath, but misses and pours the water on her hand. She scalds herself, and then drops the pitcher, which predictably shatters into a million jagged pieces. There's broken glass everywhere, and of course, she's got bare feet, but that won't stop her from going to comfort the crying baby Rosemary. Marion finally gets to the other side of the nightmare glass zone just in time for a knock at the door. She screams at whoever it is to go away, but thankfully it's Trixie, who bustles in anyway.
At the maternity home, Yvonne is holding the baby for a few minutes when her drunk jerk husband shows up to to "wet the baby’s head" or, more accurately, to be a loud, rude mess. He's even aggressive to Sister Frances, which Yvonne does NOT like. Dr. Turner hears him loudly making fun of the the name Yvonne picked for their son (Billy!) and runs in. Rather than confront drunk jerk husband, he tidily diffuses the situation and kicks Drunk Husband out, saying he needs to examine Yvonne.
Dr. Turner: So here's the deal. Billy is doing well, but we'll need to test him out of the incubator for a couple of days before you can leave. Speaking of leaving, can you stay with someone other than your husband, since we all just saw that he's a terrible human being?
Yvonne: Yes — my aunt lives by the sea, and we can go there, even though she's going to say "I told you so" a lot.
Dr. Turner: Well that's good, but don't be too hard on yourself.
He promises not to tell Drunk Husband anything if he returns, and leaves to check on other patients. Now that it's just the ladies, Yvonne asks Sister Frances if she's told Dr. Turner that Baby Doctor is wilding out. They both can't decide if their blunt conversations with him are enough, or if they need Dr. Turner to know too. My opinion?
![A man says "Spill the tea girl."](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/8add623/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x360+0+0/resize/960x720!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc5%2F14%2F8194576a5fbfffa70d5513bc46f6%2Fspill-the-tea-girl.gif)
Back at Marion's house, Trixie bandages her feet, while Stewart apologizes for leaving her alone. Everyone agrees that this would have been a particularly bad time for social services to pop in.
Marion, saying what we're all thinking: The problem is, Stewart will eventually have to go back to work.
Stewart: I know... we definitely need help, it doesn’t mean we’re bad parents.
Marion: I don’t actually mind help, I just don’t like strangers. Trixie, for instance, is a boss.
Trixie: Well, thanks! Also, have you considered mean Beryl? She's actually not the worst human alive like we thought... and I bet she would have walked over broken glass for you.
At the surgery, Baby Doctor pays a visit to Dr. Turner. He's in bad shape: he tells Dr. Turner that he's got a physiotherapy appointment lined up, but asks for a prescription in the meantime. Dr. Turner FINALLY pricks up his ears at this, and suggests a less intense narcotic, but Baby Doctor insists it's not strong enough. Dr. Turner won't budge, however, so Baby Doctor leaves, dejected.
At the prison, Val visits Gran again, this time bringing some baked goods. Gran says they look good, but then only takes a super tiny bite.
![Mary Berry takes a tiny bite of a baked good.](https://cdn.grove.wgbh.org/dims4/default/cadefc8/2147483647/strip/true/crop/480x270+0+0/resize/960x540!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fk1-prod-gbh.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fbrightspot%2Fc8%2F65%2F45629a158ea401790c03d5d055c0%2Fmary-berry-tiny-bite.gif)
Val: I mean, come on, they aren’t that bad! You're going to make me feel like a second rate baker; give me that Paul Hollywood handshake!
Gran humors her and takes a big bite, but immediately starts shaking. She tries to tell Val it just went down the wrong pipe, but seems to be in a lot of pain. Val insists that Gran go see the prison doctor, but I have a bad feeling that she won't. Clearly Val has that same bad feeling because once she gets home she immediately goes to find Lucille to ask for advice and comfort.
Across town, Beryl, Trixie, Marion, Stewart, and Baby Rosemary gather in the street. What are they up to? Well, they’re visiting a young mom, Peggy, who also happens to be blind. She invites them in, and tells them not to trip as there are toys all over. It turns out that Peggy has three kids, one of whom is an active toddler, which she's managed by tying bells to the kiddo. Smart! Beryl is awed, but Peggy explains that she has a strong sense of hearing and a close bond with her kids. Also, she can tell when diapers need changing by smell, and uses snaps instead of pins. Peggy also has some good advice for Marion: make sure to have all the medicines labeled in braille, and take any help you’re offered. It’s not wrong to accept help! After this enlightening afternoon, the whole crew has a meeting. Trixie tells them that if Beryl helps out, it won't entirely get social services off their back, but it will help considerably. Stewart apologizes to Beryl and asks for her help, and she agrees. She also agrees not to step on Marion's toes too much. It's a real win-win all around.
Back at Nonnatus, Sister Frances seeks guidance from Sister Monica Joan.
Sister Frances: So, here's the deal. I have a secret that I should probably tell, but if I do, I'll get a friend in trouble.
Sister Monica Joan: Secrets can feel like they’re our problems, but they're not. When you tell someone, you’ll feel better.
Sister Frances: Ok, that makes sense.
With that tidily wrapped up, everything else sorts itself out. Phyllis introduces Lucille and Cyril to the Cubs, who are VERY jazzed to make go-carts. Beryl rethinks her anti-kid stance, and even throws out her own birth control pills. Baby Doctor injects his stolen drugs (NOOOO). Yvonne takes Baby Billy and skedaddles to the seaside. Trixie happily watches the sisters reunited and taking care of baby Rosemary together. Will Baby Doctor follow everyone else's lead and actually ask for help? Only one way to find out: watch next week's season finale!
Everything That’s Happened (So Far) On PBS’ “Call The Midwife”
Season 9 Episode 1 Recap: A Foundling, An Outbreak, and Tights (Oh My!)
Season 9 Episode 2 Recap: My Third Favorite Beatle
Season 9 Episode 3 Recap: Project Runway Poplar
Season 9 Episode 4 Recap: Fly Away Home
Season 9 Episode 5 Recap: How Do You Solve A Problem Like Monica Joan?
Season 9 Episode 6 Recap: It's Gonna Be May