I have to say I am a bit of a BBC miniseries junkie. So, I am always looking for a new world to jump into. I have to say that "Call the Midwife" is one of the best series I have seen. I am enchanted by the young girls and their commitment to caring for their community. And what makes it even more perfect is that they work alongside nuns and can see the world through their eyes. I watch this show over and over again hoping to be dazzled once again (and I always am). I don't know how accurate it is (I have not studied the time), but I do think it is a fantastic commentary on poverty, the role of women, and social class differences. If this were only a drama I wouldn't watch it again and again. But the humor (CHUMMY!!) and the light hearted moments among the business of birth is perfect! Truly, I would love to drop myself into that time and live simply where my only goal was to help women and love people well. You will thoroughly enjoy this show it sisterhood, faith, love, and courage interest you.
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mecarmichael-868-18289912 December 2013
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vivnista20 February 2012If you want history at its truth, watch a documentary. As entertainment this show has it all. Every episode has had me in tears from either laughter or poignancy. The casting is perfect and beautifully shot. It really shows the diverse community that has embedded itself in our culture today. Who cares if the docks were not in the right place! The show is about people coming together in tough times and bonding with a community regardless of class and colour. It makes me yearn for that kind of spirit in todays world where everyone has so much and yet is never satisfied. I really hope the BBC invest in a new series - I already miss Miranda!
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black-and-gold3 January 2014Whether or not this series' depiction of the East End in the 50's is completely accurate or not seems of little relevance to me. The characters are very likable and the acting, even by the guest actors, is brilliant. However, the main reason I love and wholeheartedly recommend Call the Midwife is because it is so well written, without avoiding the harsh realities of life yet filled with hope and incredible human connection. Miraculously, it manages this without ever becoming cheesy. Every episode leaves me feeling proud to be a human being. I don't think many TV series are able or even try to achieve this and it feels especially important in our times when faith in humanity seems to be in decline.
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zena-126 January 2014As I was a student nurse in the East End of London during the mid fifties,(now an ex-pat living in Mexico) this series brings back many memories. I'm glad that some episodes include general nursing and even male patients as well as midwifery. Perhaps doctors were not always as good as the nurses in those days.I even remember an anaesthetist who sat doing his crossword puzzles during operations and no one dared utter a word of reproach.
Now that the East End is suddenly fashionable, even Shoreditch and Brick Lane, what has happened to Wapping where I trained and which used to be so scruffy?
One thing has changed for the better. In those far off days when a woman was admitted with an attempted abortion, euphemistically called "incomplete abortion", the police had to be notified and a policewoman would sit by the bed (drinking tea with the night nurse) until the unfortunate patient (who probably already had half a dozen children at least) was well enough to be arrested. -
maria-ricci-198317 August 2016**UPDATE AFTER SEASON 6: If I could mark 11 stars, that would be it. The episodes about the Thalidomide children were hard but very well focused and treated. I am intrigued at how they film the scenes with just born babies in the very hands of the actors, with wide shots, not just close-ups. Call the Midwife is a most humanistic show indeed, focused on believable, realistic positive values. In a time when humanism seems to be disgraced and devalued everywhere, it is most welcome in my screen.***
This show is extraordinary.
It portrays so vividly the changes of an era in Great Britain, when the latter half of the 20th century blasted into people's daily lives at poor East End London, with all its hopes, marvels, progress, and shifts from a traditional to a modern lifestyle.
The performances are brilliant; the characters are as lovable as well-written; the atmosphere is perfectly recreated, and though quite serious health and social issues are crudely shown along the episodes, the tone is always permeated with hope, love and joy of living.
We do not come from a Christian upbringing, and I am not a Catholic, but I strongly sympathize with the humanistic and sensible approach of Nonnatus House's team of nuns and midwives, where tolerance, acceptance and care for life ranks higher than dogma or empty beliefs.
It is very hard to write a really deep, philosophical and poetic show while maintaining a light-hearted spirit and lots of humour, and Call the Midwife really makes it in a masterly way.
I have to say it gets better and better as the seasons pass, always intertwining the main characters' personal stories and individual cases with relevant and updated issues of public health and bioethics.
By the way, the admirable British public health system, which made wonders in the 50s and 60s and promoted equal access to safety, well-being and human development, also becomes a magnificent political statement in our own age, all the more appreciated in a retrospective look.
There is nothing to complain about of this show, which exerts an honest, compelling, deeply satisfying magnetism on viewers.
For those of us who love motherhood, babies and pregnancies, there is the unique plus of rejoicing at the sight of so many just born babies at the moment of delivery, in a remarkably natural and non-sensationalist feat of cinematography. You can feel the unmistakable miracle of life in each episode, with its sufferings and joys, which is so unusual among a current TV grid full of violence, special effects, overt sex, glorified evil and frenzied action.
Kudos to BBC! Yes, they have made it again, once more! -
bisquitlips-8925827 June 2017Obviously I am a man, and will say without any hesitation that we are hooked on this series! My wife and I are best friends and there is nothing more we enjoy than finding a good British series to immerse ourselves together. We have done this for many years, initially finding them in our travels to Britain, and find that British shows seem to "out weigh" our American television on many levels.
The subject matter is really unique and absorbing and the acting superb! The complexity of the characters and their interaction, the humor, the secrets, the context, and the weight and undercurrents of its gracious messages have impacted us and continue to do so.
So many times it seems that these British series don't last and are canceled just as we are dedicated to them. It is rewarding to see "Call the Midwife" continuing on and we hope it does so for many years to come. We will continue to be fans as long as "Call the Midwife" lives! -
steelergirl8329 July 2013After the introduction to the series last year, I didn't think it could be topped, but with it's sometimes gritty, always touching stories Call the Midwife, Season Two has proved the series has staying power. It's easy to see why Call the Midwife is so popular in the States and abroad. Stories of sisterly bonds among friends and the miracle of childbirth never get old.
Following the life of young midwife, Jenny Lee, this series is set barely a year following her arrival at Nonnatus House in London's East End. Judging by the title you may guess that this is a series about midwifery but it is so much more. From episode to episode, there are a variety of themes from poverty, to love to faith, family, and friendship. The stories have a nostalgic feel but each episode has themes that are relevant to this day. While there IS a lot pertaining to maternity care and nursing and the hardships that come with it, there's always an unflagging sense of hope.
Each of the characters, the nurses, the nuns, and the residents of the East End; have their own special charms which are brought to life by a fine cast including veteran actors Jenny Agutter, Pam Ferris, and a personal favorite, Stephen McGann. Jessica Raine is a brilliant actress. It has been a joy to see what she brings to the role of Nurse Lee in each episode. She plays the competent, confident midwife well. She's evolved from the rather innocent and naive girl in season one. Having seen her in other brilliant roles outside of Call the Midwife (Doctor Who, etc.) she's fast becoming one of my favorite young actresses.
While the series centers around Jenny Lee, my favorite character by far is Camilla Cholomondley-Browne -- also known as Chummy. She provides brilliant comic relief. Kind of uncomfortable in her own skin in the first season, it's lovely to see her come out of her shell and bloom while still keeping her ever present sense of humor. Actress Miranda Hart truly brings Chummy to life in all the best ways. For Chummy, this second series represents more than just a changes that affect her life and Constable Noakes's life but also huge changes for all at Nonnatus House. There was more than a couple romances that unfolded, one being a total shock! Since I'm such a hopeless romantic, it did my heart good to see all the love in the air.
There is so much more to this series than I ever expected. It's drama, it's heartache but also about laughter and finding one's true calling. All in all, this series is unbeatable and refreshing in every way. With three additional episodes, including a Christmas special, up from last years six episode tally, this series is sure to please fans of the show and hopefully bring new fans on board. If you enjoy "extras", the Blu- ray and DVDs feature fun cast interviews and stories about how the series came to be and the best part -- 10 additional minutes per episode that didn't air in the US! This series is a must own for British TV fans and anyone looking for a superb, feel-good show to add to their DVD collection.
*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher/publicist for review purposes. I received no compensation. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.* -
Call the Midwife is an awesome series, and probably the best currently on television. The story lines are excellent and seems to be, for the most part, historically correct and accurate.
This series is based on the best-selling memoirs, Call the Midwife, by Jennifer Worth, who died six months before the first episode aired. The series depicts, in part, and has been expanded upon, her work as a district nurse and midwife in the East End of London during the 1950's and 1960's. Obviously, story lines needed to be expanded to create a long-running series such as this, but that does not hinder the enjoyment of the program, and in fact, probably adds to it, as it allows for development of new and existing characters.
Every single cast member is believable. The acting of everyone is phenomenal and realistic. The writers have done an exceptional job with the scripts. The sets seem to be relatively accurate for the time period. You couldn't ask for a better more realistic series.
While some reviewers have complained that this strays away a little from the memoirs, I can't see that anyone could expect a long running series not do so. When Jennifer Worth was writing her memoirs, she was writing them as a memoir and not in preparation for a long running television probgram. For this to have worked for television, , more needed to be added, and the script writers have done it in an exceptional way. -
bshaef27 December 2017This is one of the best shows on tv. I discovered it two years ago while watching a Masterpiece presentation. Haven't missed an episode since. I prefer shows like The Americans, The Walking Dead, Fargo, etc. but this one struck a chord somewhere in the depths of my psyche and I instantly liked the stories, the scenery of 1960's London and all of the characters. This is television at its best.
An update, my favorite tv night is watching Call the Midwife and Billions back to back. That pretty much covers humanity from A to Z. Writers on both shows deserve A+'s and the actors do too. Keep 'em coming and I'll keep watching. -
bbewnylorac22 October 2012You do have to admire this series for surviving for nine seasons now (2020) - and don't get me wrong, I love the fantastic sets, locations, costumes, and little period details. Not to mention the great topics that each episode brings up, related to midwives working in the 1950s and 1960s in the East End of London. The acting is great, although Sister Julienne and Sister Monica Joan, Trixie the nurse and the doctor are possibly the only original characters. In the beginning, the series tried to make births look realistic, with a bit of blood and babies not being born freshly washed. Those scenes are less realistic these days. But lately two things have bothered me. Firstly, the penchant for happy endings. It doesn't matter if there's a woman considering an abortion or a baby born with a birth defect or a disabled boy sent to an orphanage - everything has to turn out rosy in the end. No one has to live with an incurable disease because there's no cure. If someone suffers racism, there are hordes of people to treat them nicely and to strike back. The writers ignore how in the real world, unpleasant things happened to people and sometimes there isn't a happy ending or cure. The other thing I hate is that treacly, apple pie language. The midwives all talk as though they're reading a very crisp British children's book of the 1960s. They don't swear, they always behave impeccably and never do or say anything sly or dishonest. No one is that perfect. I really hate the continuing Vanessa Redgrave voiceover at the start and the end of each episode, too. But this series has been up and down, so my next review might be a better one.
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empress_of_red_roses27 December 2013I recently found this series on Netflix and instantly fell in love with it. I have never read the books, so I have nothing else to go by. The characters are fabulous. The actors/actresses are amazing. I think every episode has made me both laugh and cry, and I'm looking forward to more!
Some of the episodes can be hard to watch, especially since I am pregnant, and I think that anyone feeling overly anxious about their pregnancy may want to hold off watching this series, because it really shows the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of pregnancy and child birth.
I found one major goof that had me laughing: In one episode they mention knitting blanket squares, and people are shown knitting them. When assembling the squares to make a blanket what they actually have are crocheted granny squares. -
barbara-36416 January 2012I was a schoolchild in London in 1957, so I watched this programme expecting to see the London I remember recreated. I had to go to school on the tube and underground. I was from north London, but quite a few of my school friends came from East London. When I went to tea with them after school, their homes were clean and perfectly respectable. One thing I do remember though, was the warehouses and the docks were strictly out of bounds, although we could, and did, play on the bomb sites. I still have friends who were brought up in East London in the 1950s. I think this series is based on the exceptional cases rather than the normal ones. Certainly there were homes in the area, which had survived the bombing and had outside toilets and tin baths. In my experience, my friends' Mums kept their flats immaculately clean inside. The, houses, warehouses and the dock walls were all blackened with soot from the railways. 1957 was before the clean air act and fogs and smogs were common. It was good to see people getting about by bicycle, cars were few in the 1950s and mostly black saloons. I don't remember meeting or seeing any exceptionally large families. All the friends and family I had and now have, who were born and brought up in east London, are either only children, or have one or two siblings. I will watch the rest of the series with interest.
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TiogaTimes18 April 2022I was such a fan in the beginning. Story lines that shed light on post WWII London and it's poverty and need for healing. The characters were interesting. But as the new seasons have unfolded, the writers have failed to replicate the magic of the season before. I miss Chummy, Sister Evangelina, Tom and Barbara and even young Jenny. Running out of stories, perhaps? And now, their attempts to film under Covid-19 restrictions are resulting in lack of chemistry among cast members, underdeveloped stories, and an odd draggy pace to the dialogue. Has this series run it's course? Possibly. Maybe it's time for the final curtain.
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dawnvalentine-2775221 March 2022Good acting, good directing, but good lord this show is schmaltzy with a capital S. I wish folks would realize there is a happy medium between serious and uplifting versus Highway to Heaven meets a hearty side helping of cheese.
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graduatedan7 July 2016It's hard to believe that anyone could be as compassionate and tender as the midwives in Call the Midwife, compassion and tenderness being rare qualities in the increasingly disconnected world of the 21st century. I suspect those qualities are a real incentive for even the casual viewer of this series, which depicts the lives of midwives toiling in the east London of the late 50s- early 1960s. The world of almost 60 years ago was a very different one from today, both from a social and technological standpoint. I'm impressed by the attention to detail in the series, which allows viewers to immerse themselves in the stories, which touch upon issues such as abortion and incest, as well as the then real threats of polio and tuberculosis. More recent stories have even addressed the thalidomide tragedy. The acting is, without exception, top notch, especially that of Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan. I tend to be especially critical of shows that rely on lachrymose sentimentality to further the story. Call the Midwife is at times tender, sweet tempered and, well, nice, but never false as it displays the panorama of the human condition.
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plutus194723 January 2012The first two reviewers say the way the BBC portrayed the East End of London is incorrect.
Although I was around in the 50s I was not brought up in the East End so cannot comment about that.
Putting this portrayal aside, although I am surprised the BBC would fall down on the historical detail, I was delighted to see that Auntie Beeb has once again commissioned another well worthwhile period drama.
SPOILER BEGINS
Call The Midwife is set in late 50s East End of London and is, as the title suggests, about a group of midwives who deal with the welfare of pregnant women and of course deliver their babies.
SPOILER ENDS
The series is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth who worked as a midwife in London's East End during the 50s, and beyond but who sadly died in 2011.
The cast is extremely well put together which includes the inimitable Pam Ferris who is a midwife, but also a nun, Judy Parfit, also a nun but is apparently slipping into senility and Jenny Agutter, yet another nun.
Together with these and other nuns are the midwives who share a home with the nuns.
There is some very graphic detail in the series regarding the birth of the babies which can be quite harrowing but at the same time extremely enlightening.
Jessica Raine who plays Jenny Lee is well suited to the starring role but for me the midwife I have truly fallen in love with is Chummy, played by Miranda Hart.
SPOILER BEGINS
When Chummy arrived she appeared to be accident prone and had only just scraped through her final exams.
Sister Evangelina (Pam Ferris) was Chummy's biggest critic but when the chips were down and Chummy had to deliver her very first baby on her own, which was a very difficult breech birth, she showed her true colours and Sister Evangelina had to acknowledge that Chummy was a very valuable addition to team.
One of the plots concerned Conchita Warren, played by Carolina Valdes. This is Carolina's debut on British TV. She had previously only appeared in three Spanish short films. She plays the Spanish wife of painter and decorator Len Warren played by Tim Faraday. Conchita is a Spanish Civil War veteran but cannot speak a word of English.
She has had 24 (twenty four) children and is expecting her 25th. All her children have survived and she is the epitome of motherhood. The love of each and every family member toward each other simply oozes out of the Warren household.
There is a major problem when Conchita gives birth to her 25th child and I must admit these scenes were highly poignant.
Although Carolina Valdes apparently has had a very limited TV acting career thus far she proved herself a very capable actress whilst playing the extremely difficult part of Conchita
SPOILER ENDS
All in all this drama has the potential to become an extremely popular series.
One thing that struck me was although the series is set only 54 years ago how primitive midwifery was back then, even though the National Health Service had been set up by then, but only nine years earlier.
What made up for this though is the total dedication the midwives had in their vocation and the care, and indeed love they gave to their expectant mothers and aftercare to the new born babies.
Well done again Auntie Beeb. -
geoffcoo5 February 2012I would have scored 10 for this series, except for the fact that it doesn't truly follow the accounts written in the book from which it is taken.
Some of the diversions from the book are to allow the characters other than Jenny Lee to have stronger story lines, which I can accept to an extent. But some of the story lines have been expanded for dramatic effect, so they are not relying upon the original author's memoirs, but rather the imagination of the scriptwriters, which I think is somewhat regrettable.
Having said that I am finding the series entirely watchable, and enjoyable. All the cast seem to be good, but I must say I am most impressed with Miranda Hart as Chummy, what a brick she is. -
I've been a bbc fan since I first watched Monty Python in Dallas where it 1st aired in the early 70s. Call the Midwife is so well done. The cinematography and the acting especially is superbly done. I forget I'm watching a show and am brought to tears every episode. I can't wait to watch it all again but with my wife this time.
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danni_meme21 March 2023This is one of the most beautiful shows I've ever watched. The writing and acting are both superb, and the incredible stories take us on a journey to show us the true meaning LOVE. Do people with this much compassion actually exist? They do, and Call the Midwife reminds us of that.
This show epitomizes acceptance, patience, and perspective. It's the unconditional love and nonjudgemental views of the characters that make your heart swell while you watch.
I'm rewatching and this time with my 13 year old daughter. I recommend the show to all my friends and get excited when they tell me they've started. -
My wife and I have been regular viewers of PBS' various British dramas for more than 40 years. I believe that "Call the Midwife" stands with anything that PBS has shown in that time. The cast is outstanding, and is aided by terrific writing. The producers and writers have done a very good job of pulling stories from the books, and presenting an element of 20th Century London history that most American viewers knew nothing about. There is a wonderful blend of humor, sadness, and an overall sense of time and place that is rarely achieved in TV dramas. I have particularly liked the sensitive portrayal of the sisters throughout the series, since (believe it or not) my mother had studied to become a nun. They are consistently shown as a complete person, not characterized as stiff and robotic people. If you haven't read the books the series is based upon, try them. You will see how faithfully the producers have followed them. A wonderful series!
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studioAT27 December 2016Somewhere along the way 'Call the Midwife' has become the nations favourite drama, often toppling Downton in the ratings and earning a reputation as the must watch programme over Christmas.
The reason for its success on paper is simple. It features good actors, good story lines and is gentle viewing on a Sunday night. It's not afraid to tackle big issues, but there's always humour along the way.
The show has had to change over time, losing its main leading lady in Jessica Raine after series three and then dealing with Miranda Hart's decision to scale back her appearances.
The BBC's decision to commission multiple series ahead of time shows how much 'Call the Midwife' has touched the public's heart. -
zuzuspetals7000016 July 2017At the risk of gushing about this series, I can't even begin to put in words how wonderful "Call The Midwife" is. For many of us who are mid-century babies, these women -- both nurses and the maternity patients -- are very much like our own mothers in those years. Even the soundtrack can take you back decades in a single song note - - my Mom and Dad's music. There are some reminders, too, about what parents no longer have to face, like polio, diphtheria, thalidomide, epidemics of measles (I was caught up in one in the early 60s, remember it vividly and it was horrible. They thought I might lose my sight and thus was kept in a darkened room for which seemed like an eternity.) It's a blessing my children and others never had to go through any of it.
There are wonderful actors throughout the series, many kudos to the casting director. The wonderful Judy Parfitt is my favorite as the mischievous but lovable Sister Monica Joan but her role is, at times, heartbreaking as she descends and ascends through stages of dementia sometimes confused but always eloquent -- an octogenarian Ophelia. I'm very impressed with the actress, Jessica Raine. She plays Nurse Jenny Lee with a great range of emotions without making it maudlin or silly. I'm also struck by her uncanny resemblance to a young (and beautiful) Judy Garland -- even if Garland's looks came at the expense of surgery. Helen George as Trixie is great and perfect as the 1960s modern girl. (She reminds me so much of my older cousins at that time though they were much sillier.) Miranda Hart is AHmazing as Chummy! And, of course, you can't not mention Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle with his many "schemes." Halfway through the series, Nurse Phyllis Crane (Linda Bassett) is introduced. She may rub wrong at first but her heart is just as golden as the others. She also played in another favorite of mine, the series "From Lark Rise to Candleford" as the wonderful and wise Queenie. And throughout these immaculately told stories is the redoubtable Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne, always kind and stalwart.
There have been some comments on whether London's East End in the 50s and 60s has been portrayed accurately. I don't know about then but when living in London in the 70s, I had been through the slums and what is shown on the show is a bit on the rosy side. But then again it is television.
Don't miss out on this series. You'll be missing out on so very much. And especially on some well told stories about humanity, the goodness of people's hearts, the heartbreak we all face and that life goes on. -
irinne-998736 February 2018I used to love this show and still like a few characters, but it's becoming so politically correct, I'm starting to hate it. A snow lady, really? And I'm sure that back in the '60's racists were considered ignorant and rude, as this show suggests. You've talked enough about discrimination, you've had a lesbian couple, enough with your progressive agenda already.
Not to mention how hard it is to buy the Alexandra-Trixie moment. It was love at first sight, they spend so much time together and all of a sudden she's been wetting her bed for a month because of Trixie.
It looks like you've just run out of ideas and are desperately trying to find a plot twist, just like when Trixie outed herself as an alcoholic - that came out of nowhere, just like her breakup with Christopher. -
aslenodsnud27 February 2019Probably the worst season so far. Bringing up a lot of issues that is more relatable to modern day than 1964. My Mum lived in the neighbouring borough but had friends who were under Tower Hamlets care, and had three kids in the 60's and half of what has been brought up this season wasn't around then, cervical screening for one (my mum had no clue about this until the mid-70's) midwives, especially nuns had little to no sympathy for women who had back street abortions and would show it and unmarried mothers, a rarity, something she didn't come across at all. The program used to be entertaining, but now it's just dull.
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anna-sanders6919 September 2019I love Call the midwife (have been watching season 1-8 on DVD) and think the actors are just fabulous. I was shocked (I'm not British) to see the poverty in the East End in the 1950s and 1960s...it made me think of the 1800s rather than the 1900s. Parents who could not afford to buy food for their children, children plagued by lice, diseases I believed to have been eradicated by then (I was born in 1969). Someone here wrote that the characters portrayed in the series are the exception rather than the rule, and that makes sense since Britain was, after all, a highly developed country in the middle of last century (although many areas were of course destroyed during the bomb raids and had to be rebuild). It's very interesting to watch how things we now take for granted - like the right to divorce or an abortion - were illegal back then, and how pregnant women were not allowed to work. Another interesting and sad detail was what happened to children to mothers who had taken Distaval (thalidomide) during pregnancy, the so called "seal babies". One episode was particularly touching - that was the one where little baby Susan was born with deformed limbs but survived against all odds, and her parents kept fighting to give her as normal a life as possible. Another really touching episode was the one where a pregnant woman gave birth to a black child that her husband immediately accepted and loved as his...although I never understood why the woman in question did not tell him for the entire duration of the pregnancy. She could hardly have thought she would be able to keep it from him forever... Also interesting are small details such as people smoking everywhere in public buildings and hospitals, and even doctors smoking in front of their patients. It also seems every expecting mother was a smoker and that was seen as normal back then. Another thing I did not know was that home deliveries were most common back then and women were sent to hospital only in case of high-risk pregnancies or if the baby was breech. To me, this series is the perfect mixture of social realism, drama, compassion, love, hardship, and humanity. I admire the midwifes who worked tirelessly to care for poor and underprivileged women who could not even afford healthcare. The nuns are also wonderful to watch. I especially like Sister Julienne who runs Nonnatus House with a mixture of firmness and compassion. Sister Monica Joan is in a class of her own - every time I think she's finally become dement she seems to become perfectly lucid again and then does or says something very clever when most needed.