FINAL-1 Sat, Dec 16, 2017 5:27:56 PM Your Weekly Guide to TV Entertainment for the week of December 23 - 29, 2017 OLD FASHIONED SERVICE Merry midwives FREE REGISTRY SERVICE Charlotte Ritchie, Helen George and Emerald Fennell star in “Call the Midwife” Massachusetts’ First Credit Union A Christmas tradition continues with a special Located at 370 Highland Avenue, Salem John Doyle holiday episode of “Call the Midwife,” airing St. Jean's Credit Union INSURANCEDoyle Insurance AGENCY Monday, Dec. 25, on PBS. Participating in the 3 x 3 Voted #1 1 x 3 convention of many British dramas, the series Serving over 15,000 Members • A Part of your Community since 1910 Insurance has created a standalone Christmas special Agency each year since its conception. This year’s spe- Supporting over 60 Non-Profit Organizations & Programs cial sees the midwives of Nonnatus House Serving the Employees of over 40 Businesses brave the “Big Freeze” of the winter of 1962 Auto • Homeowners • Business • Life Insurance to dutifully care for the mothers and babies of 978.219.1000 www.stjeanscu.com 978-777-6344 Poplar in East London. Offices also located in Lynn, Newburyport & Revere Federally Insured by NCUA www.doyleinsurance.com FINAL-1 Sat, Dec 16, 2017 5:27:57 PM 2 • Salem News • December 23 - 29, 2017 Christmas ‘Call’: A holiday tradition continues for ‘Call the Midwife’ By Sarah Passingham of Nonnatus, helped by her nosey, One such storyline handles ho- mestic abuse to mixed opinions The stories Thomas tells through TV Media busybody nature. mosexuality and how attitudes to- from the audience upon its air the characters of “Call the Mid- ward it in mid-century London af- date. Though the fans may have wife” have hit home for the writer Video “Call the Midwife” doesn’t just releases premiere holiday tradition tell stories of difficult and joyous fects one of the main characters on criticisms of the show, they are a in many ways. The series is a family continues on PBS with a spe- births in London’s poverty-stricken a very personal level. It is revealed driving force for creator Heidi affair for the creator, as her hus- cial Christmas Day episode of East End. The show has expanded that Patsy Mount’s (Fennell) close Thomas. In an interview at BBC band, actor Steven McGann (“Em- A friendship with surgical nurse Delia Showcase 2016, she recalled her merdale”), portrays Dr. Patrick Turn- the popular British drama series the narrative of the series beyond Busby (Kate Lamb “Red Heart,” nerves when the show began, say- er in the show. McGann revealed in “Call the Midwife.” The midwives the source material of author and of Nonnatus House return to care 2011) developed into a romantic ing: “I don’t think anyone was his autobiography that he first fell nurse Jennifer Worth’s Midwife relationship in season 4 of the more surprised than us that we for Thomas after reading a script of for the babies and mothers of Pop- book trilogy to explore issues facing lar in London’s East End as they show. The two experience the op- got eight million viewers on the hers, and the difficulty of seeing her the community of Poplar and be- through medical emergencies had brave the coldest winter in 300 pression of the time, forced to keep air overnight.” She continued: “I yond. Over its six seasons, the series think it’s not just the size of the a profound effect on the long-mar- years. Settle down in front of the their relationship a secret from has become known for tackling loved ones and out of the public audience, it’s the loyalty, the pas- ried couple. Following her health fire to catch what’s sure to be an- touchy topics with compassion. eye. Like most tales told in “Call the sion you get from them.” Those scare, Thomas was inspired by her other heartwarming “Call the Mid- Nonnatus House has been the Midwife,” the drama of Mount and passionate fans have contributed experience with the diligent nurses wife” holiday special, Monday, Dec. framing device for stories exploring Busby is balanced with happy end- to high series ratings for its entire- that she encountered throughout 25, on PBS. faith, poverty, prejudice, disability ings. After being separated due to ty, keeping it enthusiastically re- her recovery to create “Call the Executive producer Pippa Harris and equality that are told through an injury, Busby returns to Mount newed by its network and ensur- Midwife” with all of the heart that revealed at the BFI & Radio Times the midwives and members of their and Nonnatus House to work as a ing that they will receive more has kept audiences in love with the Television Festival that the special community. Though the series is set nurse, train as a midwife and live “Call the Midwife” for years to show over six years. this year sees the characters experi- in 1950s and ‘60s London, the is- with her girlfriend. come, so long as showrunners Save room this Christmas for ence the “Big Freeze” of the winter sues addressed have just as much One of the most controversial have stories for the women of PBS’s “Call the Midwife” holiday of 1962, which hit the U.K. with impact and relevance today. episodes of the show tackled do- Nonnatus House to tell. special, airing Monday, Dec. 25. heavy snow and blizzards through- out December of that year. The busy midwives surely have a lot to han- dle between the extreme weather Idris Elba stars in “The and their dedicated patient care. Mountain Between Us” This year’s chilly theme is a far cry from 2016’s Christmas special, The Mountain which sent the midwives to assist Between Us the struggling Hope Clinic in South When a storm grounds both Africa. of their flights, Ben (Elba), a Actress Jenny Agutter (“Logan’s doctor scheduled to perform Run,” 1976) has portrayed Sister an emergency surgery, and Julienne, the compassionate, stead- Alex (Winslet), a photojour- fast Sister-in-charge of Nonnatus nalist on her way to her own since the series’ conception. Sister wedding, hire a local pilot Julienne is in full form this Christ- (Bridges) for an uncharted mas, and has tasked herself with re- flight that they hope can get uniting a family for the holiday. them to their destinations “Royal Shakespeare Company: Henry IV” (2014) actor Jennifer Kir- on time. Things take a turn by, a relative newcomer to the for the worse when the pilot show, returns as nurse Valerie Dyer, suffers a medical emergency who helps a young couple with a mid-flight, crashing the traumatic birth during the winter plane on a mountainside, storm. Nurse Dyer joined the mid- wounding both of his pas- wives during season 6, when she sengers and killing himself rose to the occasion in assisting in the accident. For Ben and them after an explosion. As a for- Alex, the situation couldn’t mer Army nurse and local Poplar be more dire, with deep girl, she was keen to become a mid- snow, frigid temperatures wife to care for her community, and and dangerous wildlife all soon joined the others at Nonnatus. working against them as Also starring are Charlotte they fight to make their way Ritchie (“Siblings”), Helen George back to civilization. (“Hotel Babylon”) and Emerald Director: Hany Abu-Assad. Fennell (“Chickens”), reprising their Stars: Idris Elba, Kate Wins- roles in the show as the midwives let, Beau Bridges. 2017. 112 of Nonnatus House. Like Agutter, min. Action. George has been with the show since the beginning, and her char- acter Trixie Franklin has taken audi- Flatliners ences on an emotional roller-coast- Medical student Courtney er. Fans have seen Franklin through (Page) has a deep interest in devastating breakups, alcoholism both death and the concept and treatment, and had the plea- of the afterlife, and she per- sure of watching her create mean- Jenny Agutter as seen in “Call the Midwife” ingful friendships with the women Continued on page 16 FINAL-1 Sat, Dec 16, 2017 5:27:57 PM December 23 - 29, 2017 • Salem News • 3 CSNE (52) NBA Boston Celtics at Char- WFXT (13) Fox NFL Sunday Live 4:30 p.m. ESPN (49) NCAA Music City Thursday Live Live SKIING lotte Hornets 1:00 p.m. WFXT (13) Football NFL Live Bowl 2:00 p.m. NBCSN (48) Premier League 9:00 p.m. ESPN2 (50) NCAA Central WBZ (4) NFL Buffalo Bills at New Eng- 5:00 p.m. ESPN2 (50) The Fantasy Thursday Live Live Florida at Southern Methodist University land Patriots Live Show Noon NBCSN (48) Alpine Skiing FIS EPL Sports Live 2:55 p.m. NBCSN (48) Arsenal at this week 4:00 p.m. WFXT (13) NFL New York Gi- 6:00 p.m. CSNE (52) Football Fix Live World Cup Women’s Giant Slalom Crystal Palace Live 9:30 p.m. (52) Celtics Post-game Live CSNE ants at Arizona Cardinals 7:00 p.m. WBZ (4) Patriots All Access Friday 5:00 p.m. NBCSN (48) Premier League UTO ACING Live Live (52) Live Live A R CSNE Post-game Live 8:00 p.m. ESPN (49) College Football Noon NBCSN (48) Alpine Skiing FIS Goal Zone 10:00 p.m. CSNE (52) Celtics Post- (52) Saturday Live 5:00 p.m. CSNE Post-game Live Pre-game Live World Cup Women’s Slalom game Live Live WATER SPORTS 5:00 p.m. NBCSN (48) Lucas Oil Motor- Live 8:20 p.m. ESPN (49) Nissan Pre-game sport Hour Loretta Lynn’s National Thursday 7:00 p.m.