‘Call the Midwife’ season 5, episode 2 reaction (PBS): Barbara’s heartbreaking story

Going into “Call the Midwife” season 5, or really any individual episode for that matter, you have to expect that there will be many emotional stories, yet at the same exact time we’d wager that there was something in Barbara’s narrative on this episode tonight that was particularly heartbreaking.

Before we get any further, two important things to note: This article contains spoilers from tonight’s episode. Be aware of that! Also, you can head over here to see our extensive review of the entire episode from when it aired on the BBC earlier this year. This is more as a mere snapshot to the PBS airing.

At first, this storyline started as the familiar tale of an expecting mother struggling with the notion of welcoming a child into the world while her husband was being accused of being lazy, missing work, and being altogether someone incapable of caring for himself. With that being said, a further investigation by Barbara helped to reveal the truth: This man was extremely sick, and would be dying sooner rather than later. This changed everything, from expectations around him as a father to also whether or not there would be the way to give birth in time so that he could at least have that moment with his kid before passing on.

In the end, the delivery ended up being a success, and for Barbara as a relatively-new midwife still, this is the sort of case that will stick with her. This was an episode largely about her determination and strength in the midst of such serious circumstances, and also about never giving up hope. It may be bittersweet in the end, but this family will get to be together –  even if it is only for a very short period of time. This experience will end up shaking things up for her personally, and encouraging her to grab life by the horns more than she ever has before.

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