Call the Midwife season 6, episode 6 review: Powerful story takes on genital mutilation
The moment that we saw the opening minutes of Sunday night’s new episode of Call the Midwife, there was immediately a sense of awareness that this would be a tear-jerker. Also, this would be a story that carried with it controversy just because of the difficult nature of what was being depicted.
Speaking, we are speaking of genital mutilation, a practice that unfortunately happened with certain cultures and still happens even today. It does not receive the exposure or the education it deserves, so like many other episodes over the years, the writers were doing a public service in bringing the subject to the table.
The focal point of the story was a pregnant Somali woman under the care of relative newcomer Valerie Dyer, who discovered along the way that her body had been altered as a result of this practice. This led to major complications during both the pregnancy and the birth, but she was able to operate around it and allowed the child to be born. The thing that about this poor woman’s condition is that unfortunately, she did not even realize that what was done to her was different. Therefore, the events to stitch her back up after the birth led to further questions about what was right.
Unfortunately, this story did not have the happiest of endings at first; however, you could say that only because we write this from a specific vantage point. Valerie realized via a tense, angry confrontation just how serious a subject this is, and how hard it can be for those of different cultures to understand. The happy ending may have come courtesy of Vanessa Redgrave’s narration in the closing seconds.
The struggle of Sister Mary Cynthia
If you are looking for another story to punch you in the guts (a.k.a. right in the feels), this one delivered it. Mary Cynthia is recovering still in the wake of the electroshock therapy, in particular when it comes to her memory, her pain, and her future. This is a process that could take some time to repair. Unfortunately, we’re not sure entirely what her future will hold, or even how much of it we will end up seeing.
Odds and ends
For those of you who do love romance, this story provided that courtesy of Trixie and, as we like to call him, Mr. Dentist. Even if things between her and Tom did not work out, we’re very much pleased that the show did figure out a way nonetheless to find Trixie love. She’s been through a lot, and deserves some happiness.
Meanwhile, Shelagh is planning a big move, and she and Dr. Turner are in the process of figuring out their future. It’s rather nice to see the two parties preparing to become parents, just as it’s also rather nice to see her free from the hospital.
Overall take
Call the Midwife is one of the best shows on television when it comes to presenting cultural differences, pain, and the changes that take place over time. Setting this story under the specter of the Cuban Missile Crisis gave it a distinct feel and flair, since it caused the Midwives and nuns to both deal with their day-to-day lives, and also suffer under the news that nuclear war could be occurring at any moment. This required prayer, and a hope for peace and understanding. Luckily, an answer came as the crisis was over by the episode’s end.
This episode
What is your Call the Midwife season 6, episode 6 review? Share in the comments below, and be sure to visit the link here to preview what’s coming up next for the BBC series. (Photo: BBC.)