''Call the Midwife'' is a British period drama television series about a group of nurse midwives working in the East End of London in the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. The principal cast of the show has included Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart, Helen George, Bryony Hannah, Laura Main, Jenny Agutter,

Pam Ferris Pamela Ferris (born 11 May 1948) is a British actress. She has starred in numerous British television series, including Connie (TV series), ''Connie'' (1985), ''The Darling Buds of May (TV series), The Darling Buds of May'' (1991–1993), ''W ...

, Judy Parfitt, Cliff Parisi, Stephen McGann, Linda Bassett and Charlotte Ritchie. The TV series is produced by Neal Street Productions, a production company founded and owned by the film director and producer

Sam Mendes Sir Samuel Alexander Mendes (born 1 August 1965) is a British film and stage director, producer, and screenwriter. In 2000, Mendes was appointed a CBE for his services to drama, and he was Knight Bachelor, knighted in the 2020 New Year Honours ...

, ''Call the Midwife'' executive producer Pippa Harris, and Caro Newling. The first series, set in 1957, premiered in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

on 15 January 2012. The series was created by Heidi Thomas, originally based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth who worked with the Community of St. John the Divine, an Anglican religious order, at their convent in the East End in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. The order was founded as a nursing order in 1849. The show's storylines have extended beyond the memoirs to include new, historically sourced material. For the most part it depicts the day-to-day lives of the midwives and those in their local neighbourhood of Poplar, with certain historical events of the era having a direct or indirect effect on the characters and storylines. ''Call the Midwife'' achieved high ratings in its first series, making it the most successful new drama series on

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's oldest and flagship channel, and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television b ...

since 2001. A total of twelve annual series, of eight episodes each, have aired subsequently year-on-year, along with an annual Christmas special broadcast every

Christmas Day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...

since 2012. It is also broadcast in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

on the PBS network; the first series started on 30 September 2012. Critical reception has been mostly positive, and the series has won numerous awards and nominations. It has been praised for tackling topical subjects and contemporary social, cultural and economic issues, including nationalised healthcare,

infertility In biology, infertility is the inability of a male and female organism to Sexual reproduction, reproduce. It is usually not the natural state of a healthy organism that has reached sexual maturity, so children who have not undergone puberty, whi ...

, teen pregnancy,

adoption Adoption is a process whereby a person assumes the parenting of another, usually a child, from that person's biological or legal parent or parents. Legal adoptions permanently transfer all rights and responsibilities, along with filiation, fro ...

, the importance of local community,

miscarriage Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion, is an end to pregnancy resulting in the loss and expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the womb before it can fetal viability, survive independently. Miscarriage before 6 weeks ...

and stillbirths, abortion and unwanted pregnancies, birth defects,

poverty Poverty is a state or condition in which an individual lacks the financial resources and essentials for a basic standard of living. Poverty can have diverse Biophysical environmen ...

, common illnesses, epidemic disease,

prostitution Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...

incest Incest ( ) is sexual intercourse, sex between kinship, close relatives, for example a brother, sister, or parent. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by lineag ...

, religion and faith,

racism Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to inherited attributes and can be divided based on the superiority of one Race (human categorization), race or ethnicity over another. It may also me ...

and

prejudice Prejudice can be an affect (psychology), affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived In-group and out-group, social group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) evaluation or classifi ...

, same-sex attraction and

female genital mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM) (also known as female genital cutting, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision) is the cutting or removal of some or all of the vulva for non-medical reasons. Prevalence of female ge ...

. Some aspects of love—maternal, paternal, filial, fraternal, sisterly, romantic, or the love of friends—are explored in every episode.

Plot

The plot follows newly qualified midwife Jenny Lee, as well as the work of the midwives and the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent and part of an Anglican religious order, coping with the medical problems in the deprived Poplar district of London's desperately poor East End in the 1950s. The Sisters and midwives carry out many nursing duties across the community. However, with between 80 and 100 babies being born each month in Poplar alone, the primary work is to help bring safe childbirth to women in the area and to look after their countless newborns. In the first series, which is set in early 1957, the main themes include the "Baby Boom", issues of poverty in the East end and post-war immigration. The second series, set in 1958, shows the introduction of gas and air as a form of pain relief,

unexploded ordnance Unexploded ordnance (UXO, sometimes abbreviated as UO) and unexploded bombs (UXBs) are explosive weapons (bombs, shell (projectile), shells, grenades, land mines, naval mines, cluster munition, and other Ammunition, munitions) that did not e ...

, an outbreak of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

, a baby born with spina bifida and ends with the condemning of the Nonnatus House building. The third series, set in 1959, depicts

cystic fibrosis Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder inherited in an autosomal recessive manner that impairs the normal clearance of Sputum, mucus from the lungs, which facilitates the colonization and infection of the lungs by bacteria, notably ''Staphy ...

polio Poliomyelitis ( ), commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 75% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe ...

, caring for the terminally ill and midwifery in a prison context. In the fourth series, set in 1960, topics covered include the Child Migrants Programme, the threat of

nuclear warfare Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a War, military conflict or prepared Policy, political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are Weapon of mass destruction, weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conven ...

(including emergency response guidelines issued by local Civil Defence Corps),

LGBT rights Rights affecting lesbian, Gay men, gay, Bisexuality, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the Capital punishmen ...

, and

syphilis Syphilis () is a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium ''Treponema pallidum'' subspecies ''pallidum''. The signs and symptoms depend on the stage it presents: primary, secondary, latent syphilis, latent or tertiary. The prim ...

among sex workers. The fifth series is set in 1961 and shows a patient with

typhoid Typhoid fever, also known simply as typhoid, is a disease caused by ''Salmonella enterica'' serotype Typhi bacteria, also called ''Salmonella'' Typhi. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often ther ...

, the effects of thalidomide, the introduction of the contraceptive pill and the impact of strokes. The sixth series is set in 1962 and touches on domestic violence, an explosion at the local docks, interracial marriage,

, mental health, and introduces Reggie, a recurring character who has Down syndrome. The seventh series, set in 1963, introduces the first major character of colour, Nurse Lucille Anderson, as well as

dementia Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, everyday activities. This typically invo ...

, racial abuse, Huntington's disease,

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...

and

meningitis Meningitis is acute or chronic inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, collectively called the meninges. The most common symptoms are fever, intense headache, vomiting and neck stiffness and occasion ...

featuring in storylines. The eighth series, set in 1964, covers the topic of abortion (which was not legalised until 1967), sickle cell disease, babies born with cleft lip and cleft palate and

intersex Intersex people are those born with any of several sex characteristics, including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, "do not fit typical binar ...

people. The ninth series, set in 1965, addresses

diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacteria, bacterium ''Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild Course (medicine), clinical course, but in some outbreaks, the mortality rate approaches 10%. Signs a ...

, a blind expectant mother and the continued role and relevance of Nonnatus House in the community. The tenth series, set in 1966, compares the practice at Nonnatus House with the private Lady Emily Clinic in

Mayfair Mayfair is an area of Westminster, London, England, in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. It is between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane and one of the most expensive districts ...

, PKU,

diabetes Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, is a group of common endocrine diseases characterized by sustained high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells of th ...

and the controversy of abortion on the eve of legalisation. The eleventh series, set in 1967, explores addiction and neonatal withdrawal, the 1960s housing crisis, a

scabies Scabies (; also sometimes known as the seven-year itch) is a contagious human skin infestation by the tiny (0.2–0.45 mm) mite ''Sarcoptes scabiei'', variety ''hominis''. The word is from . The most common symptoms are severe itchiness a ...

epidemic, gastroschisis and a train crash next to Nonnatus House. The twelfth series, set in 1968, discusses political discourse about immigration, the development of the ventouse,

schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...

, haemophilia, and

hepatitis Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver parenchyma, liver tissue. Some people or animals with hepatitis have no symptoms, whereas others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), Anorexia (symptom), poor appetite ...

. The thirteenth series, set in 1969, introduces fertility drugs and higher order multiple birth,

cerebral palsy Cerebral palsy (CP) is a group of movement disorders that appear in early childhood. Signs and symptoms vary among people and over time, but include poor coordination, spasticity, stiff muscles, Paresis, weak muscles, and tremors. There may b ...

, porphyria, tetanus, hip dysplasia, retinoblastoma, and the

Apollo 11 Apollo 11 was a spaceflight conducted from July 16 to 24, 1969, by the United States and launched by NASA. It marked the first time that humans Moon landing, landed on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin l ...

moon landing. The fourteenth series, set in 1970, will discuss issues relating to the Isle of Dogs fight for independence, single motherhood, and spinal lesions. The fifteenth series has not yet been released. However, it is expected to be set in 1971, and will be released in 2026. Production is confirmed to have started. Christmas special episodes also explore the conditions in a mission in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

, the

Outer Hebrides The Outer Hebrides ( ) or Western Isles ( , or ), sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island (), is an Archipelago, island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. It is the longest archipelago in the British Isles. The islan ...

and the order orphanage.

Cast and characters

* Jessica Raine (series 1–3) and Vanessa Redgrave (narration series 1–present; guest series 4) as Nursing Sister Jennifer "Jenny" Lee * Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne, Sister-in-charge at Nonnatus House (series 1 – present) * Ben Caplan as Police Constable (later Sergeant) Peter Noakes (series 1–6) *

as Sister Evangelina (series 1–5) * Bryony Hannah as Nurse Cynthia Miller (later Sister Mary Cynthia) (series 1–6) * Miranda Hart as Matron Camilla "Chummy" Fortescue-Cholmondeley-Browne (later Noakes) (series 1–4) * Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan, retired nurse and midwife (series 1 – present) * Helen George as Nurse Beatrix "Trixie" Franklin (later Lady Aylward), senior nurse and midwife (series 1 – present) * Laura Main as Shelagh Turner (formerly Sister Bernadette), sister-in-charge and practice manager, at the surgery (series 1 – present) * Stephen McGann as Dr. Patrick Turner, general practitioner, clinical lead (series 1 – present) * Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle, shopkeeper and caretaker of Nonnatus House (series 1 – present) * Dorothy Atkinson as Auxiliary Nurse Jane Sutton (series 2) * Emerald Fennell as Nurse Patience "Patsy" Mount (series 3–6; guest series 2) * Max Macmillan as Timothy Turner, (series 3–9; recurring series 2, 10-13) * Victoria Yeates as Sister Winifred (series 3–8) * Jack Ashton as the Rev Tom Hereward (series 4–7; recurring series 3) * Linda Bassett as Nurse Phyllis Crane, nursing deputy sister-in-charge (series 4 – present) * Charlotte Ritchie as Nurse Barbara Gilbert (later Hereward; series 4–7) * Kate Lamb as Nurse Delia Busby (series 5–6; recurring series 4) * Jennifer Kirby as Nurse Valerie Dyer (series 6–9) * Jack Hawkins as Christopher Dockerill (series 6–7) * Annabelle Apsion as Violet Gee (later Mayor Buckle), Haberdasher, Member of the Tower Hamlets Borough Council, (series 7 – present; recurring series 4–6) * Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson (series 10 – present; recurring series 5–9) * Leonie Elliott as Nurse Lucille Anderson (later Robinson; series 7–12) * Ella Bruccoleri as Sister Frances (series 8–12) * Miriam Margolyes as Mother Mildred (series 8-9) * Fenella Woolgar as Sister Hilda (series 8–11; guest series 14) * Megan Cusack as Nurse Ann "Nancy" Corrigan (series 10-14) * Georgie Glen as Millicent Higgins, secretary at the surgery (series 10 – present; recurring series 8–9) * Olly Rix as Matthew Aylward (later Sir Matthew; series 10-13) * Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson, pupil social worker and Pastor (series 10 – present; recurring series 8–9) * Rebecca Gethings as Sister Veronica, health visitor (series 12 – present) * Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland (formerly Claudine Warren), nurse and midwife (series 13 – present) * Natalie Quarry as Rosalind Clifford, nurse and midwife (series 13 – present) * Molly Vevers as Sister Catherine, postulant, nurse and midwife (series 14 – present)

Episodes

Production

Locations

A number of historic sites in the south of England have been used as filming locations for scenes in ''Call the Midwife''. The ship in the opening titles is the Shaw, Savill & Albion Line liner in dry dock at the King George V Dock and the road is Saville Road, Silvertown, east London. Many of the exterior scenes are shot at The Historic Dockyard Chatham standing in for East London streets and buildings. In the first two series, Nonnatus House was filmed at St. Joseph's Missionary College in

Mill Hill Mill Hill is a suburb in the London Borough of Barnet, England. It is situated around northwest of Charing Cross, close to the Hertfordshire border. It was in the Historic counties of England, historic county of Middlesex until 1965, when it b ...

, North London until the building was converted to luxury flats at which point a new Nonnatus House set was created at Longcross Studios in Surrey where sets were built for the new Nonnatus and interior sets. is used for scenes on ships during the series and the order's mother house is filmed in West Wittering. A reconstructed prefab house at the Chiltern Open Air Museum in Buckinghamshire has also been used as a filming location.

Commissioning

The material from Worth's memoirs were substantially adapted in the first two series of ''Call the Midwife''. On 11 February 2013, Ben Stephenson, BBC Controller for Drama, announced that he had commissioned a 2013 Christmas special, and a third series of eight episodes to be broadcast in 2014. Heidi Thomas described how she'd received a specific blessing from Jennifer Worth to continue the series, and had enjoyed a fruitful collaboration on future plans before the author's death. After the departure of Jessica Raine as Jenny Lee at the end of the third series, Jennifer Worth's family stated that ''Call The Midwife'' no longer resembled Worth's stories, although her husband acknowledged its continuation would embody the "spirit" of her works. The fourth series aired in the US in 2015, finishing its eight-episode run on 17 May. A Christmas special also aired in 2015. A fifth series was commissioned for 2016, shortly after series four filming was completed. A sixth series was commissioned, which included a 2016 Christmas episode set in South Africa. On 23 November 2016, the BBC announced a three-year deal with Neal Street Productions, commissioning a seventh, eighth, and ninth series, each with a Christmas special. On 4 March 2019, the BBC announced it had commissioned two further series and Christmas specials, through to an eleventh series in 2022, moving the plot into the late-sixties. On 13 April 2021 – five days before series 10 was due to start broadcasting on

and with the 11th series about to begin filming – the BBC announced that two more series had been commissioned, keeping the show on air until 2024. Series 12 and 13 will each comprise eight one-hour episodes as well as a Christmas special. In February 2023, the BBC announced it commissioned two more series of nine episodes (including Christmas Specials) moving the story into 1971, keeping the show on air until 2026.

Soundtrack

For the first three series of the programme, the score and the title theme used were composed by Peter Salem; since series four, the music has been composed by Maurizio Malagnini. The orchestral score, mainly comprising strings and piano accompanies the emotional moments of the series, with Malagnini calling it a diary of the emotions of the series, while more upbeat moments are often accompanied by music appropriate to the setting year. The score was performed by the London Chamber Orchestra. There have been two albums released with music from the series: a 2012 released ''Call the Midwife: The Album'' consisting of period appropriate songs and score tracks from the first series by Salem and a second ''Call the Midwife: Original Soundtrack Album'' released in 2018 featuring highlights from Malagnini's score from series 4–7.

Release

Broadcast

In May 2012,

BBC Worldwide BBC Worldwide Ltd. was the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the BBC, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in January 1995. The company monetised BBC brands, selling BBC and other British programming for broadcas ...

and the American Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) announced that the first series of ''Call the Midwife'' would premiere in the United States on 30 September 2012. BBC Worldwide also sold the programme to SVT (Sweden); NRK (Norway);

RÚV Ríkisútvarpið (, ; abbr. RÚV ) is Iceland's national public broadcasting, public-service broadcasting organization. Founded in 1930, it operates from studios in the country's capital, Reykjavík, as well as regional centres around the count ...

(Iceland); Yle (Finland); AXN White (Spain; Portugal); ERT (Greece); ABC in Australia and TVNZ 1 in New Zealand, where its debut recorded a 35% share of the audience – 20% above average. In July 2012, BBC Worldwide announced it sold the global Video on Demand rights of the programme to

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

, while all episodes are also on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The second series of ''Call the Midwife'' was sold to PBS for transmission from 31 March 2013 and to SVT (Sweden) for transmission from 19 May 2013. In February 2013, BBC Worldwide reported that ''Call the Midwife'' had been sold in over one hundred global territories, with global sales contributing to the UK's position as the second largest TV exporter behind the United States. In February 2017, it was reported that the BBC had exported ''Call the Midwife'' to 237 global territories. A second series of eight episodes aired in the UK in early 2013. The series achieved a consolidated series average of 10.47 million viewers. A third eight-part series aired in the UK from January 2014, with a consolidated average of 10.53 million. On 28 February 2014, BBC confirmed that ''Call the Midwife'' had been commissioned for a 2014 Christmas special and fourth series, to air in 2015. On 3 November 2014, BBC announced that an eight-episode fifth series had been commissioned; it began airing on 17 January 2016; the fifth series takes the story into 1961. The sixth series began airing in the UK on 22 January 2017, taking the drama into 1962. Series seven, again consisting of eight episodes, began airing on Sunday, 21 January 2018, with episode one viewed by 9.87 million viewers. It was the No.1 rated programme on UK TV for all weeks of its transmission, ending 11 March 2018. The eighth series premiered on 13 January 2019.

Home media

The first series was released in a Region 2, two-disc set on 12 March 2012. Series two was released on 1 April 2013 in the UK (region 2) with a collector's edition, ''Call the Midwife Collection'', containing series one, two, and the 2012 Christmas Special, released on the same date. In the United States, the first series was released on DVD and

Blu-ray Blu-ray (Blu-ray Disc or BD) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-defin ...

on 6 November 2012. Series two was released on DVD and

on 18 June 2013. Series three was released on

on 20 May 2014. Series four was released on

on 19 May 2015.

Reception

Critical response

A second series was immediately commissioned after the opening episode attracted an audience of nearly 10 million viewers. The second episode increased its audience to 10.47 million, while the third continued the climb to 10.66. Episode four's rating reached 10.89 million. In the United States, the series one transmission on PBS drew an average household audience rating of 2.1, translating into three million viewers – 50 per cent above PBS's primetime average for the 2011–12 series. The autumn 2012 PBS broadcast of the first series received widespread critical acclaim, earning a

Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...

score of 8.0. ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' (''WSJ''), also referred to simply as the ''Journal,'' is an American newspaper based in New York City. The newspaper provides extensive coverage of news, especially business and finance. It operates on a subscriptio ...

'' declared that "this immensely absorbing drama is worth any trouble it takes to catch up with its singular pleasures", while ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...

'' stated that "the cast is marvelous, the gritty, post-war set pieces are meticulously recreated". ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...

'' called the series "a delight to watch", while the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...

'' described it as "sentimental, poignant and often heartbreaking". Maane Khatchatourian of ''

Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American online magazine, digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, ...

'' wrote, "Just what the doctor ordered." The second series opened with a record overnight audience of 9.3 million UK viewers, going on to achieve a consolidated series average of 10.47 million viewers. This was almost 2 million above the slot average, and by some distance the most popular UK drama in every week of transmission. When viewing figures from BBC's iPlayer video streaming service and a narrative repeat were included as part of the BBC Live Plus 7 metric, the total number of viewers per week was found to be almost 12 million. Caitlin Moran in ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British Newspaper#Daily, daily Newspaper#National, national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its modern name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its si ...

'' called this "an iron hand in a velvet glove", while Allison Pearson in ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

'' lauded its ability to "tickle the middle of the brow while touching the most anguished parts of the human condition". In particular, commentators have noted the attention given to female social issues in the drama's post-war, pre-pill setting. Alison Graham in the ''

Radio Times ''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...

'' dubbed ''Call the Midwife'' "a magnificently subversive drama" and "the torchbearer of feminism on television," while Caitlin Moran claimed the series encapsulated "how unbelievably terrifying, dreary and vile it was to be a working-class woman 60 years ago." In October 2023, a group of academics suggested that the show should come with a health warning due to the depiction of 'inaccurate' birthing practices. The production responded that the series was a period drama, not a documentary, and "highly accurate to the time it depicts".

Accolades

References

External links