Loosingtothejellybeans

Based on trends rather than a wishlist…

Rosalind and Cyril have a pretty but of no note bland wedding. She’ll make some kind of attempt at a witty #modernwoman remark at wearing white and it will be no match for Chummys iconic “sorry Mater”.

Beryl/Sister Veronica enjoys her three weeks with Geoffrey but ultimately decides to rejoin the order OR decides that she wants to work overseas with children not as a nun but with a Christian organisation. Perhaps has a bittersweet reflection on the paths not taken and thankful for having the chance to stop and think but feels that life is too far gone. She doesn’t regret her time as a sister but feels motherhood is out of her reach and that she needs to chart a new course.

Rather than wrapping up other storylines, saying goodbye to characters or call backs we’ll have far too much filler time with Turner family or Buckles with something like that one of the girls has had a growth spurt and they can’t wear matching outfits or that Reggie doesn’t know what to give as a gift for the wedding.

Call back to previous characters via photos or letters that’s blink and you’ll miss it rather than satisfying nostalgia.

Sister MJ gently passes away with her Sisters around her plus Shelagh . A heart broken Sister Catherine is comforted by Sister Julienne with words of wisdom about what it is to have religious devotion through life.

I had that sparkle you said. I glowed well

I still did never shine too bright. Held back by things out of my hands

When you said you needed space I knew you didn’t want me to fill the gap between us. I wasn’t dazzling or overwhelming. You’d simply finished your study

not locked my end.

1) SMJ is not the one to die. In a twist it’s Sister Julienne

2) Trixie divorces Matthew and gets a generous settlement enough to buy a clinic of her own. Dr Threpwood begs her for a job and she delivers a theatre monologue about second chances wearing a spectacular suit. It’s unclear if he’s offered a job and it’s the last time we see either character

3) Rosalind and Cyril decide to move to Lucille’s home country to promote anti nuclear messages deciding themselves to be a power couple and because no one has really told them no to anything so far why not them they ask themselves?

4) Because she hasn’t suffered enough Ester is killed off, allowing the Turners to adopt all of her known children. Maybe they just decide to move to Hong Kong and open an orphanage

5) Joyce just disappears, maybe with a blink and you’ll miss it mention that she’s moved to a ward. Because she only seems to exist to be in the background of other characters stories

6)The Buckles decide to go around the world with the nuns. Let’s not wonder where they’ve found the money or how Poplar will cope without the only shops or if Violet has resigned as mayor

7)Sister Catherine asks to be moved to another area of the order, fed up of Sister Julienne

Signs:

Everything seems to be focusing on progression of modern medicine and how out of place NH is. Unlike before where the emphasis was on rallying together as NH still had a place and demand, this time it’s how will they keep up and can they.

Things seem to be hinting at some characters moving on, potentially mid series, or otherwise closing their arcs. Some more established characters have seemingly no personal storyline or arc and are reacting to things only.

Helen George in particular seems to be trying to secure more recognition and a career outside of CTM.

Sister Julienne seems to be hiding something. I can’t imagine the whole “we’re exempt from deadlines and will respond on this date that we choose” helps professional collaboration. There doesn’t seem to be much consultation with the motherhouse about it either? We know that there are reduced numbers, perhaps she knows if discussed more it might be the order who decide it’s time rather than the authorities….

General thoughts about series so far:

A potentially unpopular opinion. I don’t feel the absence of Nancy at all this series and it shows how healthy it is for the program to have characters move on when it makes sense for their arc and development. Nancy stayed a series longer than she should have IMHO and I’ve seen rumours about her returning. Unless it’s a short cameo for a final episode of the series or something like Ros and Cyril getting married I hope they leave her alone and happy. I’d much prefer to see Val again- if it is the end for SMJ it would be a fitting full circle moment for a baby she helped deliver to be her nurse at the end.

Rosalind and Cyril. Is there going to be no mention of the fact he isn’t divorced yet? No Rosalind wondering if his first marriage fell apart what it could mean for her? The show hasn’t really committed to them experiencing prejudice or her having any sort of personal development. For example Trixie took over defending her patient Agata. If she were a more developed character and different writing it would’ve been interesting to see her fatigued/near burn out/compassion fatigue, from having to advocate in her personal and professional life and reflecting if it was worth it/why can’t life be easier (before deciding it’s important to stand up for what she believes in and who she is). Have her still going to women’s lib meetings and reflect what a modern marriage for her means vs her faith. Perhaps this time Cyril wants a wife who doesn’t work as he saw the pressures Lucille faced and doesn’t want a repeat.

I enjoyed Joyce having a form of mentorship last week that we maybe haven’t really seen her have with. I can see her character being set up for a soft mid series exit or at the end of the series deciding to move to hospital work permanently. I’d much rather have more time on her than the Turner family! It would be nice to have another character who NH was a professional stepping stone rather than the last job before marriage. Maybe she gets a flat with some other nurses and has some fun while working hard.

Sister Catherine is lovely and I want only good things for her. As posted before I wondered if there was more to the “roommate”…

I’m intrigued where the Sister Veronica storyline is going. If she does leave the order it would be interesting to see it happen sooner and explore how it would be different to when “Sister Bernadette” left. I hope it doesn’t cop out or leave as a cliffhanger at the end of the series.

I don’t like the almost anti NHS angle and lack of solidarity between health professionals (saintly NH vs uncaring others).

I think the only reason the nuns are still in this style of habit is because of Heidi Thomas has said before at the end she wants to cameo as one in the background.

I’m not the best person to comment on why but the whole baby Christopher storyline seems off in a way I can’t best describe.

I want to see more of the female characters being actual friends and interacting with each other specifically rather than general all characters are at a local event and doing something.

There was a mention of the Black Sail recently…I don’t want to get my hopes up but my hopes are up!

Overall I think they’re starting to wind things down. Episode 1 felt a bit more like earlier series so I wonder if this will be one last hurrah.

1. Cast is slimmed down. No one replaces Nancy and some characters like Sister Veronica or Rosalind may leave part way through or at the end to give more time to focus on long running ones.

2. The order looks at winding down the Poplar presence with the NHS merge and decline in home births, with the film being the close and move to Birmingham. If the final series does get made it’s more akin to a spin off about starting their work in Birmingham (but getting pulled into a baby being born or two)

3. Trixie takes up more of a management role and/or politics. We either continue to have the background mention of Matthew or they get divorced. I think at this stage they’re unlikely to go down the training to be a doctor route at this stage, personally I think this is a missed opportunity.

4. Violet finishes her time in politics. Perhaps after years of Fred having health scares she has one? She decides it’s time to pass on the baton and spend more with family. Her hair continues to grow in size.

5. I want to see Sister Catherine’s sister again and her just thriving. No repeat of Cynthia.

6. It would be nice to see some work being done by auxiliaries and bank nurses. Perhaps even a male nurse. Also a good doctor who doesn’t have the surname Turner!

Sister Monica Joan dies in the second half of the Christmas special with Sister Evangelina coming for her and reminiscing beforehand.

It would address so many things that would take it back to the roots and be a refresh:

Return to being female focused and led

Allows for many familiar faces to plausibly drop by for an episode

Plenty of scope for drama and social issues of the week, especially as the order would be picking up the people who “fall through the cracks”

Wouldn’t be locked into motherhouse or Poplar! We could visit some different places with the sisters

Interesting to see rather than hear about some of the wider issues the order was facing and could lead into the final series of CTM or a series break

Light mishaps in the run up to the wedding but ultimately a fitting and happy send off for Nancy.

Trixie confides in her brother about how her own marriage is going. Maybe she’s thinking about her day and then how things turned out, with some of the mishaps making her worry that she was missing omens. Perhaps we see part of a phone call with Matthew.

Wedding leads to a discussion between Rosalind and Cyril on the future. Perhaps he’s uncertain about being married again. Perhaps the subject comes up about telling her family she’s dating- let alone dating someone who isn’t white (and is divorced and is around 10 years older). This could set up to what could happen next series…

Sister Catherine has a lovely day making her vows but we learn more about her back story that led to her family not speaking to her. I wonder if there’s more to the friend she was living with…

Sister Hilda lets us know how some other nuns are getting on in passing. It seems from promo pics she might be helping with dress fitting- comment back to Sr Frances and maybe them trying modern habits please!

Facebook is simple adoration

Reddit is “it needs to end” “does anyone else think a SMJ prequel would be a good idea?” “has anyone else noticed a change around series 8?” on a loop