It’s a new week in Poplar, and everyone is keeping up with their busy activities. Rosalind is tasked with leading next week’s post-natal class, Reggie is back home, and Violet is contemplating her run for mayoral candidacy!

With such exciting developments, how will our characters fare with sudden hurdles and unexpected challenges? Read below to find out. 

The Buckles Get to Work

A sunny, pleasant day makes way for Fred and Reggie who are put up to the task of clearing out a field. However, as the father and son go about their tasks, Reggie runs into a problem with his lawn mower: a piece of metal is lodged in the grass, making the machine immobile. Fred spots the issue and pulls out a pair of pliers to remove the part – but in trying to solve the issue, ends up cutting his hand. Fred puts on a good face for Reggie, yet it's clear by the amount of blood loss that this is no minor scratch...

Later on, as the two of them take a break from their work, Fred reminds Reggie that they have to cheer on Violet in her running for mayor. Nothing is more important than showing up for your family, especially when they need your support the most. 

A Model Mother

Meanwhile, over at the antenatal and baby clinic, Miss Higgins giddily welcomes a local celebrity: former baby model, Gillian Baxter, who’s well-known for her “Pearl” soap advertisements. The mum-to-be is all grown up now and is excited that her modeling career is experiencing a resurgence.

Gillian’s baby, too, appears to want to make a name for themself. During the mother’s examination, Dr. Turner discovers that Gillian has a breech baby, meaning her child is positioned bottom-down. While there is no cause for concern, this means that Gillian will have to visit the maternity ward for a few hours to try and have her baby’s alignment repositioned prior to giving birth. When she asks him if she’ll have to go to the hospital, Dr. Turner reassures her she won’t – and by the look on Gillian’s face, she appears enormously relieved.

Violet for Mayor

Make way for Poplar’s up-and-coming mayoral candidate, Violet Buckle! Forever dedicating her attention to her constituents, Violet holds her “open hours” to listen to residents voice their concerns. She hears from Mrs. Sweeney who is experiencing a deplorable situation with her flat’s broken pipes.

Violet assures the resident that she is entitled to both clean water and sanitation, and furthermore, she will take up the issue with Mrs. Sweeney’s landlord herself. When Violet is informed that the landlord is Mr. Bill Regan, she can't help but reveal her strong opinions of the man. Nevertheless, she states she will write to Mr. Regan on Mrs. Sweeney’s behalf to express the piping concerns.

Following her council work, Violet runs into Matthew outside. She brings up the subject of Mr. Regan, who Matthew evidently also despises. He tells Violet that they need a person like her as mayor in order to keep men like Mr. Regan – those who prey off of and mistreat their tenants – in line. But Violet notes that she still hasn’t finished her application to the committee yet, nor is she prepared for her address to the whole council. Matthew certainly believes in Violet… but will she pull it off?

The next morning, Violet announces to Reggie and Fred her intentions to drop off her application. But when going in to give her a hug, Fred accidentally gets blood from his cut on her coat. (Big oops). Violet is less than pleased about the stain, but is too preoccupied at the moment to notice her husband’s increasingly woozy-like state…

Running into Mr. Regan

While Violet delivers her application at the Tower Hamlets Council Office, she runs into none other than the snooty Mr. Regan… who is also there to hand in his mayoral application. He doesn’t do anything to try and mask his blatant misogynistic sentiments, telling Violet that “it’s very game of her to try” running for the position, but that she’s “wasting her time” since she’s a “member of the fairer sex.” Classy.

However, Violet doesn’t let his discriminate words distress her; instead, she pulls out two letters that outline Mr. Regan’s suspected negligence towards his tenants. You can imagine what his face looks like when Violet hands him these papers… (i.e. less than pleased).

Meanwhile, back at the Buckles’ house, Trixie stops by to inspect Fred’s hand. She treats him with some medicine and asks him whether he’s caught up on all his vaccinations. He tells her “yes,” but switches the topic of conversation to Violet’s mayoral candidacy, which he still can’t fully wrap his head around. Trixie assures him that it’s not difficult to be supportive of a spouse with a high-ranking position – in fact, for Trixie, it’s rewarding to be able to help Matthew in that way. (Side note: is there anything Trixie can’t do?)

Gillian Gives Birth

After her water breaks during a photoshoot, Gillian rushes to the maternity ward. However, because she has a breech baby, it appears her cervix will take longer than usual to dilate, meaning she will have to wait a bit more until she actually gives birth.

When the time finally comes for Gillian to push, it’s clear that the mother is exhausted; yet, with the encouragement and help from Dr. Turner, Rosalind, and Shelagh, Gillian welcomes her newborn daughter, Stephanie, into the world. It’s such a relieving and happy moment for the mother (and everyone involved).

A Case of Tetanus

At the city council’s office, Violet waits patiently for Fred and Reggie to appear as they promised. However, back at home, Fred’s state continues to worsen. After trying to change into his dressed up attire, he begins to lose control of his limbs, to the point where he collapses…

Not long after, a startled Reggie walks into his house only to find Fred convulsing on the ground. Fortunately, Reggie is quick to dash over to Nonnatus House to get help.

Trixie and Nurse Highland attempt to assess Fred’s situation while an ambulance is called. To Trixie’s dismay, Fred has a 103 degree fever and racing heartbeat. Even worse, his hand is completely infected. Trixie believes all signs point to Fred having tetanus, which in some cases can prove to be fatal. Oh, Fred.

Congenital Hip Dislocation

Some of the most devastating news to receive as a parent is learning of an issue with your child’s health.

While tending to the newborns at the maternity ward, Nurse Crane notices something off with baby Stephanie’s hips. When Nurse Clifford calls Dr. Turner in to inspect further, he confirms Nurse Crane’s suspicions: Stephanie has congenital hip dislocation, meaning the “ball and socket" joint of the hip is not properly formed. Dr. Turner notes that Stephanie will require an X-ray immediately. If left untreated, the condition can worsen as the child grows older, and furthermore, complicate one’s ability to properly walk.

Gillian, naturally, is distraught by the news, and further disturbed at the prospect of having to go to a hospital (although, we still don't fully know why she has an aversion to them). Nurse Crane tries to tell the mother not to worry, to which Gillian replies that it would be impossible for her not to worry about her own child’s well-being. (Fair point).

Fred's Condition Worsens

Violet delivers a show-stopping speech in front of the council – we all knew she had it in her – but her moment of victory comes to an abrupt halt when she’s informed there’s a telephone call for her…

At the hospital, an emotional Violet is greeted by Trixie who confirms the bad news: Fred has tetanus, or what was commonly referred to as “locked jaw.” He’s been administered penicillin, but there’s nothing more the doctors can do for now. The toxin must run its course, and Fred must hopefully be strong enough to fight it.

Violet admits her shame and guilt for not picking up on Fred’s weakened state sooner, recalling how she yelled at him for getting blood on her coat rather than sending him to a doctor. Nevertheless, she brushes away her tears and puts on a brave face before entering Fred’s hospital room. Next to her husband, she does her best to comfort him and apologize for the way she overlooked his ill state. Fred’s doing his best to hang in there, despite the sudden muscle spasms, but the two of them look to understand the weight of uncertainty that lies ahead.

A Visit to St. Cuthbert's

An apprehensive Gillian joins Nurse Crane to St. Cuthbert’s for Stephanie’s appointment. The doctor they meet is confident in being able to fix Stephanie’s congenital hip dislocation, but the treatment will require Stephanie to wear a harness for six months.

After the appointment, Nurse Crane recommends to Gillian that she and Stephanie return to the maternity ward for a few days to make sure they receive the proper support. But Gillian is insistent on going home with her husband. It seems that the reality of Stepanie’s condition, compounded by the visit to the hospital, has provoked tons of stress on Gillian. But without the stand-by assistance from the midwives, will Gillian and her husband be able to manage on their own?

Praying for Fred

Reggie and Violet visit Fred at the hospital, however, not long after they arrive, a group of nurses move him to the intensive care unit where he’s put on a ventilator. As Dr. Turner later explains to Reggie and Violet, Fred now has aspiration pneumonia, making it incredibly difficult for Fred to breathe on his own.

At Nonnatus House, Sister Julienne, Sister Veronica, and Sister Monica Joan are joined by Rosalind and Nancy as the women gather to pray for their dear friend’s recovery. Yet, all the signs point to a difficult truth: The likelihood of Fred getting better is slim. All everyone can do now is wait and hope for a miracle.

Gillian's Fatigue Catches Up to Her

Nurse Crane and Rosalind drop in to check in on Gillian and Stephanie. The mother looks absolutely exhausted, and even worse, she’s not eating properly. Rosalind asks Gillian if her mum would be able to come and help her with the baby, however we learn that Gillian’s mother died just a year ago from lung cancer. No wonder Gillian despises hospitals.

Nurse Crane recommends that Gillian take her daughter to go for a walk and get fresh air. However, an ostensibly relaxing outing results in Stephanie crying non-stop, so much so that Gillian removes the baby’s harness to try and calm her down. All this does, though, is make Gillian feel a wave of guilt and shame as a mother.

With nowhere else to turn to, Gillian stops by Nonnatus House where she’s greeted by a compassionate Rosalind. The future seems rather bleak for Gillian, but the midwives assure her that she’s doing a good job – and with time, she will find more ease with parenting. By the time Gillian leaves to go, she has a smile on her face, and has even agreed to help out Rosalind for the post-natal clinic.

Still in the Race

Meanwhile, the blessed Mr. Regan stops by Violet’s shop to offer his less-than-genuine condolences regarding Fred’s state and his subdued contentment that Violet is no longer in the election race. After he leaves, Reggie can’t help but remark his disapproving opinions of the mayoral candidate-to-be. He tells Violet that she can’t step out of the race now, but Violet insists that the race is no longer important: Fred needs their help.

But Reggie won’t take “no” for an answer from his mother – she must still run for the position of mayor. It takes Reggie’s words of encouragement and approval to convince Violet to still pursue the seat of mayor. While Reggie tends to Fred’s side with Sister Monica Joan, Violet hurries to the Tower Hamlets Council Office, accompanied by Matthew, to deliver her speech before the council.

This is truly Violet’s moment to shine, and to no one’s surprise, she gives a moving, elevated speech and – drumroll please – wins the majority votes! Hurrah!

A Miraculous Recovery

More good news ushers in. Against all odds, Fred begins to show signs of recovering his strength and mobility – he’s going to make it!

With Reggie and Violet by his side, the family can at long last exhale relief. They’ve been put through a trying test, but fortunately, all looks to be well in the end.

Forgot how we got here? Catch up on “Call the Midwife” with the Season 13 Episode 2 Recap.