Today's Entertainment

2 • March 29 - April 4, 2020 • Brainerd Dispatch By Rachel Jones TV Media P BS's hit series "Call the Mid- wife" reminds us that there is a time to be born, a time to die and a time for everything in between when Season 9 premieres Sunday, March 29, on PBS. The show follows a group of mid- wives who work at the Nonnatus House and the nuns of the Order of St. Raymund Nonnatus, who live there. The first season was set in 1957, but this ninth installment brings us up to the mid-1960s, a time of social change and upheaval. As the world changes around them, the nurses and nuns of Nonnatus house team up to serve local fami- lies in the fictional area of Poplar, London. Among the team of midwives is the newly sober Trixie Franklin (Hel- en George, "The Three Muske- teers," 2011), the prickly Phyllis Crane (Linda Bassett, "Calendar Girls," 2005), the industrious Valer- ie Dyer (Jennifer Kirby, "RSC Live: Henry V," 2015) and, one of the newest nurses at Nonnatus house, the resolute Lucille Anderson (Le- onie Elliott, "Black Mirror"), the convent's first black nurse. The nuns and nurses of Nonnatus house are led by Sister-in-Charge Julienne (Jenny Agutter, "Logan's Run," 1976), whose wisdom, kindness and steady hand have helped many of the sisters, midwives and towns- people through difficult times. The show is based on the Mid- wife Trilogy, a memoir collection by real-life British nurse Jennifer Worth. The book series consists of "Call the Midwife," "Shadows of the Workhouse" and "Farewell to the East End." Much like the show, the books follow Worth as she worked as a nurse for a Whi- techapel hospital alongside a group of Anglican nuns from the Sisters of St. John the Divine. Worth focused her work on low-income women and families in the area. It's no secret that the "Call the Midwife" series has ef- fects that reach far beyond en- tertainment. The characters' positive perspec- tives and empathetic attitudes have shined a light on female struggles and brought the stories of many for- gotten women back into the public consciousness. The show has in- formed viewers about major health issues and good birthing practices, and it has been used to showcase midwifery, which is often misunder- stood, as a credible and important career. Most notably, the drama has ed- ucated viewers by featur- ing diseases and en- couraging vaccina- tion, and some ex- perts attribute a rise in vaccination rates to the effect of the show. Due to its overwhelming popu- larity and critical acclaim, the se- ries has been re- newed for at least two more seasons, through 2022. Follow- ing the lead of other Brit- ish shows on PBS, Season 9 has already aired in the U.K. earlier this year. Because of this, it's easy to find out what to expect from the next eight episodes (no spoilers here, though). The new season begins in January 1965 and features the characters receiving news of the death of Winston Churchill. With the '60s in full swing, your favorite midwives put their best foot forward when it comes to fashion this season, sport- ing time-trendy hair and colorful outfits. The nurses also deal with some new equipment and changes to medical procedures, as well as an evolving landscape as the East End is rebuilt around them. But there's a lot more than clothes and equip- ment on the horizon for these wom- en — for all women, in fact. The show's timeline is getting ever clos- er to the 1967 Abortion Act, which legalized abortion by licensed prac- titioners in certain areas of the U.K. in the hopes of ending the danger- ous, and often fatal, back-alley pro- cedures that were common before that time. We certainly saw the set- up for these changes towards the end of Season 8, when Nurse Valer- ie (Val) found out that her grand- mother had been performing unhy- gienic, illegal abortions for money. It was a storyline that divided view- ers and critics. This fascinating time period is also when the revolutionary idea of contraception for all began to gain serious traction. Plus, last season we saw Nurse Trixie step up as an advocate for the Brook Advisory Centre, which is a fictional version of an actual center started in 1964 to help promote sexual health and safe-sex practices for unmarried youth. It's exciting to see how the show's writer and creator, Heidi Thomas, works these issues into the plotline for the riveting new season. There are so many powerful stories to tell, and there are new challeng- es, and even new characters, to keep you hooked. A team of four handsome doctors arrives at Non- natus house to shake things up, and we're sure to see some friction as everyone gets adjusted, not to men- tion storylines highlighting gender struggles and the sometimes fraught doctor-nurse relationship. Could there be a chance for ro- mance as well? Special delivery PBS presents the ninth season of 'Call the Midwife' Cover Story this week Jenny Agutter in "Call the Midwife" Conan Before he dropped out, former presidential candidate Tom Steyer spent $3,300 — per vote. Bernie Sanders said, "That's obscene!" Mike Bloomberg said, "That's a pretty good deal!" Many of the votes for Super Tuesday were cast by U.S. Mail. Did you know that? Yeah, which means we will never know the results. A Little Late With Lilly Singh The most difficult part of publishing is getting anyone on Earth to read a physical book. I had to read my book for the audio version, and even I was like, "Read a book? That's so boring!" There's so many good memories about writing my book. Like deciding how long I wanted it, how thick I wanted it, if I want it to be hard, which are all the same questions I ask on a dating app. I love when I'm meditating, and I reach this place of really deep and wise thought, but then I instantly become pissed that I can't tweet it in that moment. And I know what you're thinking: "Why don't you stop and hop on Twitter?" I can't do that, because Twitter is the polar opposite of meditation. It's hard to be zen with a bunch of people screaming at each other over which K-Pop group they'd die for. The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon Bernie Sanders drove a Subaru to the polls to cast his vote. Meanwhile, Mike Bloomberg went around in an Uber driven by Bill de Blasio. Two women in Pennsylvania have been best friends for 17 years and just found out that they're actually sisters. Yeah, and ever since then, they haven't stopped fighting. An American Airlines flight was diverted to a different airport after a passenger tried to open a door mid-flight. In the passenger's defense, the in-flight movie was "Cats." Late Laughs 218-829-5278 321 South 7th Street Suite 105 • Brainerd, MN 56401 Sunday, June 28, 2020 10 am to 4 pm Located in Gregory Park Brainerd MN 56401 JOIN US! Come See Some Amazing Art Talents At Work! (Artists, Food Vendors, Family Activities, Guitarists & Singer/Song Writers) Downloadthe"VistBrainerd"App intheAppleorGooglePlayStores. Events,lodgingandthingstodo inthepalmofyourhand. VISITBRAINERD PlanningYour VisittoBrainerd JustGotEasier. TheOfficialDMOforBaxterandBrainerd,MN EntertainmentGuide_July_2x4.indd 1 6/26/2019 12:42:53PM Truth Lutheran Church 501 Kingwood Street, Brainerd, MN (Corner of 5th & Kingwood) truthlutheranchurch.com An LCMC Congregation …Lutheran Congregation in Mission for Christ SUNDAY WORSHIP • 9 AM Fellowship and Sunday school following worship PALM SUNDAY APRIL 5 & EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 12

• Cover