Call the Midwife Christmas special turns Peaky Blinders – creator told to change gangster names
Are they about to come face-to-face with The Cormorant?
Tuning into this year's Call the Midwife Christmas special, you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd stumbled into an episode of Peaky Blinders.
While there wasn't a flat cap in sight, gangsters were ten a penny as a party from Nonnatus House arrived in Hong Kong after the collapse of the Branch House in Kowloon, which had left multiple casualties in its wake.
Standing between Dr Turner, Sister Julienne and co on their "mercy dash", as she put it, were the triad – a Chinese organised crime syndicate.
But the Poplar contingent initially had no idea what they were walking into.
It was Violet's police officer son, based in Hong Kong, who first warned them about the syndicate, describing it as "invisible and everywhere" – which they quickly came to understand for themselves through their interactions with the locals.
Whether it was hushed conversations, being urged to slip out the back rather than the front, or a reticence to accept help, no matter how desperately it was needed, many of the people they encountered were clearly terrified.
But still, the mission pressed on. Determined to care for those in need, they rented a house where they hoped to treat patients, young and old.
Just as they were about to move in, however, their plans unravelled. A triad member, flanked by his associates, informed them that the property was "not suitable" and demanded the keys.
They pushed back – with Sister Hilda even insisting on the return of their deposit if he refused to budge. But the nameless man doubled down, ordering them once again to surrender the keys. He then drew his gun as they stood before him, utterly powerless.
And it appears as if their situation is about to get a whole lot worse...
In the teaser for part two of the Christmas special, we learn of a gangster "of the worst kind", dubbed The Cormorant by the drama's creator and writer Heidi Thomas, who carried out "a lot of research" into the triad and Chinese organised crime for the special.
"I always take pride in doing my own research," she told RadioTimes.com and other press.
"So I became very immersed in the world – to the point where, when I had to make up names for gangsters and gangs, which is all very particular, I handed the script to our triad advisor, which we'd never had before, and I got a message back saying the names I'd chosen were so realistic, I'd have to change them all or we'd all be in trouble.
"So I was quite pleased with myself."
Read more:
- Call the Midwife creator and cast reveal show was hit by typhoon while filming in Hong Kong
- Call the Midwife creator "constantly" receives offers from streamers – but reveals no desire to leave the BBC
But while Thomas lived to tell the tale, the same can't yet be said for Fred and Dr Turner, who are very much "in trouble", according to a local.
In the teaser, they are seen being forcefully led away by the same man who demanded the sisters' keys to their makeshift medical centre – but where to?
Are they about to come face-to-face with The Cormorant? And what will happen if they do?
The Call the Midwife Christmas special continues on Boxing Day at 8:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
