Call The Midwife

Origin and history

Call The Midwife is a British period drama television series that originated in the United Kingdom. It was first broadcast on BBC One in the early 2010s, with its premiere occurring in 2012. The series is an adaptation of the bestselling memoirs of the late Jennifer Worth, who worked as a midwife and nurse in London's East End. These memoirs, published in the 2000s, documented her experiences from the late 1950s onwards. The television adaptation was developed by Heidi Thomas, who serves as the lead writer and executive producer. The show's creation was driven by a desire to faithfully translate the historical and social details from the books to the screen, establishing it as a long-running fixture of British television.

What it is for

Call The Midwife is a dramatic series designed to chronicle the professional and personal lives of a group of nurse-midwives working in the Poplar district of London. Its primary narrative function is to depict the history of midwifery, medicine, and public health in the post-war era within a working-class community. The series serves as a social history document, highlighting issues such as poverty, women's health, disease eradication, and the impact of the newly created National Health Service. It aims to educate viewers on historical medical practices and the profound societal changes of the period, from the late 1950s onward. Furthermore, it is structured to explore the lives and resilience of the women it portrays, both the caregivers and the patients they serve. The show consistently uses its medical cases as vehicles to examine broader themes of family, community, faith, and social justice.

Pros and cons

A significant pro of Call The Midwife is its meticulous and educational attention to historical detail regarding midwifery, social conditions, and medical advancements, which is both informative and engaging. The series is praised for its empathetic, character-driven storytelling that gives voice to often overlooked stories of women's lives and working-class history. However, a common con is that its storylines can become formulaic, following a predictable pattern of medical crisis followed by emotional resolution within each episode. Some viewers regret choosing it due to its often heavy-handed sentimentality and its tendency to resolve complex social issues with a tone that can feel morally simplistic or neatly concluded. The series has also been critiqued for occasionally stretching historical plausibility in later seasons to maintain dramatic contemporary relevance. A frequent mistake for new viewers is approaching it as light entertainment, when in fact it routinely deals with intense and emotionally challenging subject matter including traumatic births, terminal illness, and severe poverty.

Who it suits

Call The Midwife suits viewers with a strong interest in historical drama, particularly those fascinated by twentieth-century social history, medical history, and the evolution of healthcare. It is well-suited for audiences who appreciate character-driven ensemble casts and narratives that focus on community, vocation, and female-centric stories. The series appeals to viewers who do not mind a blend of gritty realism with heartfelt, emotionally uplifting storytelling and moral clarity. It is a strong match for those seeking long-form television that progresses through defined historical periods, observing societal change over decades. Conversely, it is less suited for viewers who prefer fast-paced action, cynical or ambiguous storytelling, or narratives without a strong emotional through-line. It is ideally suited for audiences who value consistency and comfort in a television series, even as it tackles difficult subject matter.