Happy spring! The sun is shining bright, the flowers are blooming, and we are back with an all-new season of “Call the Midwife.” A LOT has changed in the new year. Sister Hilda and Sister Frances had staggered departures during the Holiday Special, saying goodbye to their friends at Nonnatus House, and Matthew finally proposed to Trixie during a romantic stroll on the Thames. (With a ring the size of a boulder we might add.) Wedding plans are already in progress and a fresh face joins us to kick off Season 12. On behalf of the midwives, we hope that, like Sister Hilda, she knows how to throw a killer bachelorette party.

New Year, New Friends

This week, the women welcome Sister Veronica with an extravagant lunch spread and a slew of questions. Joining the group from the Mother House as a Health Visitor to replace Sister Frances and Sister Hilda, Sister Veronica has a wealth of experience and even worked in Hong Kong for 13 years alongside Mother Mildred. Beyond her years in medicine, she’s also come prepared with homemade marmalade, a singing voice to rival Shelagh’s, and a whole lot of energy. First day on the job? No biggie.

Of course, as with every newcomer who has stepped foot into the halls of Nonnatus House (Phyllis with her lists, Sister Hilda with her frankness, Miss Higgins and her recorder), it’s clear that her arrival – and personality – are going to take some getting used to. Sister Veronica isn’t afraid to make herself at home and wastes no time changing things in her new abode and workspace so they’re exactly how she likes them. Her first request for the house? A newly installed telephone line.

A Terminally Ill Patient

The team – and the house – might be changing, but one thing that remains constant is Poplar’s need for the midwives. This week, Nancy receives Olive Macketts’ case, a terminal cancer patient who has decided to spend her remaining days at home against medical advice. Though the transition to home life hasn’t been easy, Olive isn’t alone thanks to her sympathetic landlord Jessie.

A Lifelong Secret

Nancy and Dr. Turner make frequent visits to help Olive manage her pain, and while they’re there Jessie rarely leaves her side. Unfortunately, as Olive’s condition worsens, not even morphine can do much to spare her from the extreme discomfort caused by her cancer. Nancy witnesses a particularly bad episode that prevents Olive from getting out of bed on her own, and begins to notice signs that Olive’s kidneys might be failing.

When she urges Olive to return to the hospital for better care, Jessie rejects this and the two women reveal that they aren’t simply a lodger and landlord as they had originally claimed. In fact, they’ve been partners ever since meeting during their time in the Land Army and have concealed their relationship for decades. Having Olive at home allows them to be together without worrying about judgment from the community and for Jessie to make sure Olive has the kind of love and care she needs during her last days.

Meeting the Parents

While Nancy does what she can to make her patient comfortable, another love story progresses this episode as Trixie and Matthew begin prepping for their wedding day. After Matthew’s romantic proposal during the holidays, the love birds are checking off all their to-dos from catering to a wedding registry. They’ve also made plans to meet each other’s families, and Matthew has arranged for afternoon tea between Trixie and his former in-laws. When Trixie last met them, she was the midwife to their daughter Fiona prior to her sudden passing during Season 10. Despite their plans, Trixie is hesitant and worries that reuniting with them might only remind them of the loss of their daughter and could hurt them in the process.

Home Away from Home

As Trixie and Matthew navigate loss in their relationship and how it will fit into their future, Lucille and Cyril are also coping with a tragedy of their own. Following Lucille’s miscarriage in Season 11, they continue to have difficulty conceiving. This trauma, combined with Lucille’s sudden longing for her family in Jamaica, begins to take a toll on her mental health.

It’s not easy, but despite everything she’s concealing at home and the nature of her work, she does her best to put on a brave face for her patients. Phyllis assigns her to Greta Pickard, an expectant mother whose pregnancy has only been made more complicated by infected varicose veins. That, however, is the least of her worries.

An Unjust System

Over at Nonnatus House, following an emotional day of work, Nancy discusses Olive and Jessie’s relationship with Phyllis and Trixie. Curious to know why the couple hides behind the guise of lodger and landlord, the veteran midwives tell Nancy that while it isn’t illegal for Olive and Jessie to be together, unlike it is for the men of Poplar, they likely choose to conceal their relationship due to society’s negative attitude and poor treatment of them. (Something that sadly we witnessed in Season 10 when young Michael Leeks felt like he had no choice but to try aversion therapy during Nancy’s first week on the job.) Trixie points out that this is also likely another reason why Jessie doesn’t want to die in hospital. Since Olive is not considered her next of kin, she wouldn’t be allowed to visit her.

Though all three midwives agree on the unfairness of the situation, they make sure to help Olive and Jessie in the only way they know how - by providing comfort and empathy during this truly difficult time. As Olive’s cancer progresses, Trixie joins Nancy and Dr. Turner for house calls, and is also there during Olive’s final moments.

After Olive’s passing, Jessie expresses her sorrow over being forced to hide their relationship, wishing that there was some way to acknowledge that she and Olive shared their lives together. Nancy encourages Jessie to register Olive’s death by noting that she was the person who was “Present at Death,” and while it’s only a small symbol of their love, it’s something tangible that Jessie can keep with her as evidence of their relationship. Trixie realizes that like Olive and Jessie being a part of each other’s stories, she too is a part of Fiona’s story and always will be. Recognizing this, she finally agrees to meet with Fiona’s parents and to officially bring their worlds together.

Lucille’s Struggles

Loss and mourning have been a major theme through this week’s episode, but for Lucille, it seems like there’s no resolution in sight as her unhappiness in Poplar continues to grow. When she receives photos from her sister Celine, who recently celebrated her marriage in Jamaica, this only makes her more homesick. Having been separated from her family by distance for years, all she wants is to see them, and it makes it all the more challenging for her to go to work and pretend that she’s ok. When she finally reaches out to Phyllis, upon Cyril’s advice, she admits she wants to go back to Jamaica, feeling that it will be the only answer to her problems.

Starting Off On the Wrong Foot

As Lucille grapples with thoughts of her former life in Jamaica, Sister Veronica, meanwhile, is quick to make herself at home in Poplar. Though she has yet to make her first home visit or attend clinic with the others, she doesn’t exactly shy away from her new role. Despite sending Fred on a wild goose chase for a new bike that would properly suit her, she eventually vetoes that idea and asks Sister Julienne for a car instead. (Note to self: Carry yourself with the confidence of Sister Veronica unabashedly asking her new boss for her own car.)

She implies that she is missing half a lung (that’s a new one) and that having a car would help her fulfill her work duties while also maintaining her health. Of course, since Sister Julienne is head nun at Nonnatus House and always follows through to get ~the receipts~ she phones Mother Mildred to inquire about Sister Veronica’s health issues. Needless to say, she’s somewhat shocked to learn that Sister Veronica is in perfect health, lungs and all, but she has a tendency to lie to get what she needs.

We must say… we’re impressed by the commitment, but Sister Julienne is not. When she confronts her new colleague, it’s obvious that the two women disagree on the difference between dishonesty and embellishment, and even though she’s caught in a lie Sister Veronica still tries to make an argument for a car.

She explains that she wants to bring the midwives into the present day and to help Poplar embrace change. Apparently, the best way to do that is for the women (or at least, just Sister Veronica) to move past their prized bikes for a little engine power in order to help them with their commutes. Despite her best efforts, this doesn’t sway Sister Julienne, who maintains that the Order doesn’t have the funds for it.

A Generous Benefactor

Had it been anyone else, it’s possible that would’ve been the end of the conversation, but it certainly isn’t stopping Sister Veronica from her quest to a bike-free job. Since the Order can’t provide funding for a car, she turns to Nonnatus House’s bank account… er, we mean benefactor… for help. Again - the commitment! Though she isn’t exactly honest with Matthew either, Sister Veronica manages to convince him to purchase a scooter for her. Sister Julienne is flabbergasted that Sister Veronica managed to procure this, but she didn’t exactly break the rules either, so in the end, everyone, but mostly Sister Veronica, is satisfied. Will she be a bit of a handful for Sister Julienne this season? We think so.

Confronting Racism in Poplar

A handful is the last thing Lucille needs right now, but Greta Pickard is that and then some. Though Lucille’s appointments with Greta start off smoothly and the two are quite friendly with one another, it’s not long before the relationship between the two women turns sour. Already, Lucille has been witness to Greta’s microaggressions toward her neighbors, but racial tensions begin to rise across Poplar and only gets worse within the Pickard household.

Shadow Defense Secretary, Enoch Powell, makes a public statement accusing immigrants of taking local jobs, which sends shock waves through the country. Though his claims are unfounded, they still cause outrage amidst his supporters, including Greta’s husband Wally. Recently unemployed, he blames immigrants for his hardship and decides to lead a group of dockers in a strike in solidarity with Enoch Powell. While Lucille’s path doesn’t cross with Wally’s during her home visits to Greta, it becomes apparent that the couple share similar views. As if what she is dealing with privately isn’t hard enough, this makes a future in England less and less appealing.

The Last Straw

On the day of the dockers strike, Lucille receives a phone call that Greta is in labor at Dr. Turner’s maternity home. She rushes over, but while she’s there, another expecting mother, Zoya Patel, also arrives. She’s in second stage labor and further along than Greta, so Shelagh and Dr. Turner take her straight to the delivery room. Angry that she isn’t attended to first, Greta makes some unsavory comments about England’s immigrants and echoes Enoch Powell’s sentiments.

Lucille attempts to brush off Greta’s remarks and argues that Zoya needs the delivery room because it’s her first time having a baby and she may need it for any complications. This falls on deaf ears as Greta continues her tirade and accuses immigrants of taking everything from those who were born in England, telling Lucille that they should all “go home.” When she attempts to backtrack to exclude Lucille from her racist vitriol, Lucille points out that like Zoya she is also an immigrant.

Outraged by the mistreatment of immigrants in the country and Greta’s prejudiced accusations, Lucille storms out of the maternity hospital, leaving Sister Veronica to jump in on her first Poplar delivery. Both Zoya and Greta deliver their babies without complication, but only Greta is left with regrets over her comments to Lucille. When her daughter is born, Greta makes an interesting revelation to Sister Veronica and explains that she wants to name her Marie after a long line of Maries in her family who were originally immigrants from France. Interestinggg…

Lucille doesn’t return to the maternity home, but later that night, Zoya and Greta are placed in the same room together to recover. As one of their babies cries from the nursery, Greta hears Zoya also crying helplessly from her bed. Seeing her fear as a new mother, Greta comforts Zoya and brings her to the nursery to check on their children where they share a brief moment of pride and bonding through motherhood. Though it still doesn’t make up for her remarks to Lucille, it’s a tiny step in the right direction.

The following day, Lucille meets with Sister Julienne and apologizes for walking out on Greta in the middle of her labor. Sister Julienne warns that the discipline would’ve been much harsher if Lucille had been alone at the maternity hospital, but decides to let it slide this time. During their meeting, Lucille admits that she’s not doing well, which is something Sister Julienne already seems to have observed. At home, she confides in Cyril again and says she wants to return home to Jamaica. Cyril tries to comfort her and reminds her that they’ve been planning to buy a house and to build a new home and family in England. He doesn’t believe that going back to Jamaica will be the fix that Lucille thinks she needs, but by the end of their conversation, it’s clear that she feels conflicted about staying in Poplar.

Forgot how we got here? Catch up on “Call the Midwife” with the Season 12 Holiday Special GIF Recap.