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Call the Midwife is right to drag out dehumanising storyline

BBG News

Call the Midwife season 14 episode 6 spoilers follow.

In the recent episode of “Call the Midwife”, Renee Bailey’s character, Nurse Joyce Highland, faced a heartbreaking situation as a confrontation with a patient resulted in accusations that could potentially endanger her professional standing.

As I sat in the maternity ward, I wasn’t anticipating the unexpected entrance of Bernie Midgley (Eliza Collings), waddling in with a tray of rum babas for Miss Higgins (Georgie Glen) and the team, even though she was the one about to give birth. There was something endearing about her down-to-earth, relatable demeanor that made her stand out.

Bernie kept winning people over, and brief instances with her spouse portrayed a family brimming with warmth and affection.

In an unexpected turn of events, I never thought I’d find myself in a situation that didn’t seem fitting for the compassionate, radiant, and nurturing Joyce. But alas, our first encounter took a sudden turn for the worse, leaving us at odds instantly.

When Bernie’s newborn daughter started crying, Jocye promptly provided useful suggestions, but Bernie surprisingly ignored them. Following a terse reply, she inquired, “Where are the kind nurses we had yesterday?” (This version preserves the original meaning while using simpler and more natural language.)

Based on her curt demeanor and the disdainful glance she gave Nurse Highland, it seems quite clear that when she referred to “nice nurses,” she was actually implying “white nurses.

As Bernice’s racial bias became more apparent, there was a noticeable alteration in her demeanor towards people of color. The transformation grew evident, particularly during Sister Catherine (Molly Vevers)’s and Joyce’s visit to Mrs. Midgley’s residence, where the situation took on a distinctly ominous turn.

1. When Joyce walked into the room following Sister Catherine, a shadow fell across her face – this was the initial hint. However, further hints became unnecessary as Bernie once more snapped at Joyce for her advice, causing tension. Trying to back up her colleague, Sister Catherine was met with harsh words from the mother who blamed Joyce for negatively influencing the nun.

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2. The moment Joyce stepped into the room after Sister Catherine, a cloud passed over her face – this was the first sign of trouble. But as Bernie lashed out at Joyce again for her advice, more signs became unimportant. Attempting to support Joyce, Sister Catherine received sharp words from the mother who claimed that Joyce was having a negative impact on her as a nun.

Bernie asked both women to leave prior to Joyce finishing her postnatal check-up on him, and that’s when everything went wrong. (Postnatal check-up refers to a medical examination conducted after childbirth, also known as post-partum examination)

After receiving a phone call from Bernie’s worried husband, Joyce decided to pay Bernie another visit.

In the gaming world, as I stepped into the virtual arena, I was met with an icy greeting from Bernie, who muttered something along the lines of “Oh for crying out loud,” upon seeing me. Despite this frosty welcome, I pressed on, determined to assist Bernie who was writhing in pain. However, each time I tried to examine him further, he refused, seemingly oblivious to his own obvious agony.

Rather than accusing Joyce directly for her discomfort, she expressed, “Ever since you were kicking me out of my bed at the maternity home, I haven’t felt well,” and soon enough, the harsh words started to fly between them.

She exclaimed to Joyce, “I didn’t want anyone of African descent to touch me back then, and I certainly don’t want it now.

With a sense of resignation, Joyce, maintaining her composure, told Bernie that she would need to request Doctor Turner (Stephen McGann) for an immediate consultation, as she realized she couldn’t perform her duties anymore.

Joyce’s anxious phone call to the surgery, hinting at Bernie possibly having deep vein thrombosis, was heart-wrenching. Her dedication amid such cruel prejudice was overwhelming. However, Call the Midwife pushed this negativity a step further.

Doctor Turner informed Sister Julienne, played by Jenny Agutter, that Bernie Midgley plans to file a formal grievance against Joyce. This news left Sister Julienne as puzzled as any rational person familiar with Joyce would be. However, given Bernie’s history, this behavior is not entirely unexpected. Bernie alleged that Joyce did not provide her with the proper care. If something had happened to Bernie, she claimed Joyce would bear the blame, confiding this sentiment to Doctor Turner.

The situation became more complicated when it came to light that Joyce and Bernie’s accounts were the only versions available, since Joyce was the sole visitor at Bernie’s house during their last meeting. This implies that their disagreement could potentially hinge on each person’s individual recollections of the incident.

In a nation with a history of racial bias, it’s unfair that Joyce, a Black immigrant woman, finds herself in a situation where her word is pitted against a white woman’s. This imbalance could potentially jeopardize her entire career.

Despite being unsettling and frustrating, the series “Call the Midwife” effectively prolongs this narrative line past the typical episode plotline. This mirrors the realistic nature of such circumstances in life.

This narrative expansion enables “Call the Midwife” to delve into the effects of racial discrimination from various perspectives.

One method of rephrasing this statement could be: Sister Julienne’s unawareness of Joyce’s daily struggles with racial discrimination, as a nurse, is an example of the privilege she enjoys due to her white skin. This lack of awareness stems from the fact that she has never personally experienced such issues because they are not part of her everyday life. The same can be said for most of the nurses and Sisters who have worked under her over the years.

In response to being asked about past encounters, Joyce remarked that it seems omnipresent and intertwined with everything. This sensation of being surrounded by it felt overwhelming for Sister Julienne, yet it was a lesson she could carry with her moving forward.

In a way that subtly influenced her counsel, Joyce’s past experiences seemed to resonate as she cautioned Rosalind (Natalie Quarry) against getting involved with Cyril (Zephryn Taitte). This caution was indicative of the lasting impact of her trauma.

Watching Joyce’s ordeal stretch on is a hard spectacle to bear (and hits close to home for anyone who has gone through something similar), but “Call the Midwife” handles this sensitive topic with depth and nuance that a single episode can’t fully capture, resulting in a more profound narrative.

Call the Midwife airs on BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer.

Read more Call the Midwife news on our dedicated homepage

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2025-02-10 00:50

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