Call the Midwife sees dangerous development for Trixie ahead of the finale
"When did you last go to Alcoholics Anonymous?"
Matthew's financial burdens in Call the Midwife have placed considerable strain on his relationship with Trixie, who is suffering not only emotionally as the life they have built together disintegrates, but also physically.
In tonight's episode (Sunday 25th February), the nurse confides in Dr Turner about her inability to sleep, which she's been combatting with copious amounts of coffee, but she now requires something stronger to get back on her feet.
"It's the insomnia that's tearing me to shreds," she says. "I keep waking up and then when I do eventually drift off, I suddenly feel as if I'm falling or being pushed from somewhere very high, and then I'm lying awake again."
When Dr Turner suggests signing her off for a while, Trixie tells him that she'd much rather continuing working. But without a good night's sleep, she is unable to do her job to the best of her abilities, which isn't only a risk to her own safety, but that of her patients, as we saw in a previous episode when she was distracted by Matthew while tending to a woman in labour – with devastating consequences.
As a solution, Dr Turner prescribes Trixie some sleeping pills, but they are only to be taken "in the short term".
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"If you can get some rest, you'll get some perspective," he adds. But he was quick to advise her not to take the medication every night.
Now for any other character in Call the Midwife, taking some sleeping tablets wouldn't be huge cause for concern, but given that Trixie is a recovering alcoholic, the stakes are significantly higher, as the character reenters uncertain territory.
Her dependency on drinking was initially presented as a facet of Trixie's party-going persona in the show's earlier seasons, but over time it became apparent that she was using alcohol as a crutch when life's great stresses overwhelmed her – and her current predicament is certainly one of the greatest challenges she's faced.
Read more:
- Kin season 3 "discussions" in the works after star casts doubt on future
- Breathtaking creator Rachel Clarke on "buried trauma" caused by COVID
Is Trixie in danger of falling into old habits following Matthew's exit? The teaser for the season 13 finale indicates that she's on precarious ground.
"When did you last go to Alcoholics Anonymous?" asks her brother.
"Too long ago," she replies.
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The Call the Midwife season 13 finale airs on Sunday 3rd March at 8pm on BBC One. All past 12 seasons are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
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