Call The Midwife (franchise)

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''Call the Midwife'' is a

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period drama series about a group of nurse

midwives A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their lifespan; co ...

working in the East End of London in the late 1950s and 1960s. The principal cast of the show has included

Jessica Raine Jessica Raine (born Jessica Helen Lloyd; 20 May 1982) is an English actress. She is best known for her roles as Jenny Lee in the television series ''Call the Midwife'' (2012–2014) and Verity Lambert in the television film '' An Adventure in ...

Miranda Hart Miranda Katherine Hart Dyke (born 14 December 1972) is an English actress and writer. Following drama training at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, Hart began writing material for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and making appearances in va ...

, Helen George,

Bryony Hannah Bryony Hannah (born 1984) is a British actress, best known as Cynthia Miller in BBC One's '' Call the Midwife''. Personal life The daughter of a teacher and a retired Royal Navy lieutenant-commander, Hannah comes from Portsmouth, and after leavi ...

Laura Main Laura Main (born 8 March 1981) is a Scottish actress known for her role as Sister Bernadette (later Dr. Turner's wife Shelagh Turner) in the BBC One drama series ''Call the Midwife''. Early life and education Laura Main was born in Aberdeen. H ...

Jenny Agutter Jennifer Ann Agutter (born 20 December 1952) is a British actress. She began her career as a child actress in 1964, appearing in '' East of Sudan'', ''Star!'', and two adaptations of '' The Railway Children''—the BBC's 1968 television seria ...

Pam Ferris Pamela Ferris (born 11 May 1948) is a Welsh actress. She has starred in numerous British television series, including ''Connie'' (1985), '' The Darling Buds of May'' (1991–1993), '' Where the Heart Is'' (1997–2000), ''Rosemary & Thyme'' ...

Judy Parfitt Judy Catherine Claire Parfitt (born 7 November 1935) is an English theatre, film and television actress. She made her film debut in a minor supporting part in '' Information Received'' (1961), followed by supporting role in the BBC television ...

Cliff Parisi Cliff Parisi (born Clifford R Manley; 24 May 1960) is an English actor, known for his roles as Minty Peterson in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Fred Buckle in the BBC period drama ''Call the Midwife''. In 2019, he participated in the ni ...

, Stephen McGann, Ben Caplan, Daniel Laurie, Emerald Fennell,

Victoria Yeates Victoria Natalie Yeates (born 19 April 1983) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Sister Winifred in the period drama series ''Call the Midwife''. She also appeared in the film '' Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald' ...

, Jack Ashton, Linda Bassett,

Charlotte Ritchie Charlotte Anne Ritchie (born 29 August 1989) is an English actress and singer. She is best known for her roles as Alison in ''Ghosts'', Oregon in Channel 4 comedy '' Fresh Meat'', Hannah in '' Siblings'', Alison in '' Dead Pixels'', Barbara Gilbe ...

Kate Lamb Kate Lamb (born 18 January 1988) is a Welsh actress best known for playing Nurse Delia Busby in the BBC drama series ''Call the Midwife'' from 2015 to 2017. Early life Lamb was born in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

, Jennifer Kirby,

Annabelle Apsion Jane Annabelle Apsion (born 17 September 1960 in Hammersmith, London) is an English actress best known for playing Monica Gallagher in the hit television comedy-drama '' Shameless'' (2004-2013), Joy Wilton in '' Soldier Soldier'' (1991-1995), a ...

and

Leonie Elliott Leonie Samantha Elliott is an English actress, best known for her role as Lucille Anderson in the BBC series ''Call the Midwife''. She also starred as Cherry Patterson in the Lenny Henry comedy-drama '' Danny and the Human Zoo''. Early life Ell ...

. The series is produced by

Neal Street Productions Neal Street Productions is a British film, television and theatre production company. History The company was set up in 2003 by Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris and Caro Newling. Nicolas Brown joined in 2013 to work across the film and TV portfolio. The ...

, a production company founded and owned by the film director and producer Sam Mendes, ''Call the Midwife'' executive producer Pippa Harris, and Caro Newling. The first series, set in 1957, premiered in the United Kingdom on 15 January 2012. The series was created by

Heidi Thomas Heidi Thomas (born 13 August 1962) is an English screenwriter and playwright. Career After reading English at Liverpool University, Thomas gained national attention when her play, ''Shamrocks And Crocodiles'', won the John Whiting Award in ...

, originally based on the memoirs of

Jennifer Worth Jennifer Louise Worth RN RM (; 25 September 1935 – 31 May 2011) was a British memoirist. She wrote a best-selling trilogy about her work as a nurse and midwife practising in the poverty-stricken East End of London in the 1950s: '' Call the ...

who worked with the Community of St. John the Divine, an Anglican religious order, at their convent in the East End in London. 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 network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

since 2001. Ten more 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 feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

since 2012. It is also broadcast in the United States on the

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

network, with the first series starting 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, teen pregnancy, adoption, the importance of local community, miscarriage and stillbirths, abortion and unwanted pregnancies,

birth defects A birth defect, also known as a congenital disorder, is an abnormal condition that is present at birth regardless of its cause. Birth defects may result in disabilities that may be physical, intellectual, or developmental. The disabilities can ...

, poverty, common illnesses, epidemic disease, prostitution,

incest Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adopti ...

, 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 over another. It may also mean prejudice, discrimination, or antagonis ...

and

prejudice Prejudice can be an affective feeling towards a person based on their perceived group membership. The word is often used to refer to a preconceived (usually unfavourable) evaluation or classification of another person based on that person's per ...

same-sex attraction Same sex may refer to: * A phrase used in the discussion of sex or gender * Gonochorism, the state of having just one of at least two distinct sexes in any one individual organism * Homosexuality, the romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sex ...

and female genital mutilation. Some aspects of

love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of meanings is that the love o ...

—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 midwives and the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent and part of an

Anglican religious order Anglican religious orders are communities of men or women (or in some cases mixed communities of both men and women) in the Anglican Communion who live under a common rule of life. The members of religious orders take vows which often include ...

, 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 is set in 1958 shows the introduction of gas and air as a form of pain relief, unexploded ordnance, an outbreak of

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, i ...

, a baby born with

spina bifida Spina bifida (Latin for 'split spine'; SB) is a birth defect in which there is incomplete closing of the spine and the membranes around the spinal cord during early development in pregnancy. There are three main types: spina bifida occulta, men ...

, and ends with the condemning of the Nonnatus House building. The third series, set in 1959 depicts cystic fibrosis,

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

, 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 theoretical military conflict or prepared political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conventional warfare, nuclear ...

(including emergency response guidelines issued by local

Civil Defence Corps The Civil Defence Corps (CDC) was a civilian volunteer organisation established in Great Britain in 1949 to mobilise and take local control of the affected area in the aftermath of a major national emergency, principally envisaged as being a Col ...

LGBT rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender ( LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, ...

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

typhoid Typhoid fever, also known as typhoid, is a disease caused by ''Salmonella'' serotype Typhi bacteria. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and usually begin six to 30 days after exposure. Often there is a gradual onset of a high fever over several d ...

, the effects of thalidomide, the introduction of the contraceptive pill and impact of stroke. The sixth series, set in 1962 touches on domestic violence, an explosion at the local docks, interracial marriage, female genital mutilation, mental health, and introduces Reggie, a recurring character who has

Down syndrome Down syndrome or Down's syndrome, also known as trisomy 21, is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. It is usually associated with physical growth delays, mild to moderate intellectual dis ...

. The seventh series, set in 1963, introduces the first major character of colour, Nurse Lucille Anderson, as well as

dementia Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...

, racial abuse,

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. This nerve damag ...

and meningitis featuring in storylines. The eighth series, set in 1964, covers the topic of abortion (which was not legalised until 1967),

sickle cell disease Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a group of blood disorders typically inherited from a person's parents. The most common type is known as sickle cell anaemia. It results in an abnormality in the oxygen-carrying protein haemoglobin found in red b ...

, babies born with

cleft lip and cleft palate A cleft lip contains an opening in the upper lip that may extend into the nose. The opening may be on one side, both sides, or in the middle. A cleft palate occurs when the palate (the roof of the mouth) contains an opening into the nose. The te ...

, and

intersex Intersex people are individuals 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 bin ...

people. Set in 1965, the ninth series addresses

diphtheria Diphtheria is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Corynebacterium diphtheriae''. Most infections are asymptomatic or have a mild clinical course, but in some outbreaks more than 10% of those diagnosed with the disease may die. Signs and s ...

, 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,

PKU Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inborn error of metabolism that results in decreased metabolism of the amino acid phenylalanine. Untreated PKU can lead to intellectual disability, seizures, behavioral problems, and mental disorders. It may also resu ...

diabetes Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...

, and the controversy of abortion on the eve of legalisation. 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. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

, the Outer Hebrides, and the order orphanage.

Cast and characters

''Call the Midwife'' is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth (known in the show as Jenny Lee), featuring narration – and an on-screen appearance in the 2014 Christmas Special – by

Vanessa Redgrave Dame Vanessa Redgrave (born 30 January 1937) is an English actress and activist. Throughout her career spanning over seven decades, Redgrave has garnered numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Television Award, tw ...

as an older Jenny.

Current cast

The current cast (as of Season 12) is as follows: *

as Sister Julienne, Sister-in-charge at Nonnatus House *

as retired nurse & midwife Sister Monica Joan * Stephen McGann as Poplar's doctor, Dr. Patrick Turner * Linda Bassett as Nurse Phyllis Crane, Nursing deputy sister-in-charge *

as Shelagh Turner (formerly Sister Bernadette), sister-in-charge at the surgery * Helen George as Senior Nurse Beatrix "Trixie" Franklin (later Aylward) * Megan Cusack as Nurse Ann "Nancy" Corrigan *

Rebecca Gethings Rebecca Gethings is an English actress best known for her roles in film and television comedies such as ''The Thick of It'', '' Extras'', '' The Mimic'', '' David Brent: Life on the Road'' and ''Call the Midwife''. Early life Rebecca Gethings w ...

as Sister Veronica * Max Macmillan as Timothy Turner *

Georgie Glen Georgie Glen is a Scottish actress, known for her film and television work in both dramatic and comedic roles. Among her most popular performances are the running characters of Miss Higgins in the BBC One period drama series ''Call The Midwife ...

as Millicent Higgins * Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson *

as Fred Buckle *

as Violet Gee (later Buckle) * Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson * Olly Rix as Matthew Aylward

Former cast members

as Nursing Sister Jennifer "Jenny" Lee (series 1–3) *

as Sister Evangelina (series 1–5) *

as Nurse Cynthia Miller (later Sister Mary Cynthia) (series 1–6) *

as Matron Camilla "Chummy" Fortescue-Cholmondeley-Browne (later Noakes) (series 1–4) * Ben Caplan as Police Constable (later Sergeant) Peter Noakes (series 1–6) *

Dorothy Atkinson Dorothy Caroline Atkinson (born 1966) is an English actress and singer. She has appeared in several plays by playwright Alan Ayckbourn and in films by Mike Leigh, including ''Topsy-Turvy'', ''All or Nothing'', and ''Mr. Turner'', which premiere ...

as Auxiliary Nurse Jane Sutton (series 2) * Emerald Fennell as Nurse Patience "Patsy" Mount (series 3–6; guest series 2) *

as Sister Winifred (series 3–8) * Jack Ashton as the Rev Tom Hereward (series 4–7; recurring series 3) *

as Nurse Barbara Gilbert (later Hereward) (series 4–7) *

as Nurse Delia Busby (series 5–6; recurring series 4) * Jennifer Kirby as Nurse Valerie Dyer (series 6–9) *

Jack Hawkins John Edward Hawkins, CBE (14 September 1910 – 18 July 1973) was an English actor who worked on stage and in film from the 1930s until the 1970s. One of the most popular British film stars of the 1950s, he was known for his portrayal of mil ...

as Christopher Dockerill (series 6–7) *

Fenella Woolgar Fenella Justine Therese Woolgar (born 4 August 1969) is an English film, theatre, television and radio actress. She is known for her roles in the films ''Bright Young Things'' (2003) and '' Judy'' (2019). She is also well known for appearing i ...

as Sister Hilda (series 8–11) * Ella Bruccoleri as Sister Frances (series 8–12) *

as Nurse Lucille Anderson (later Robinson) (series 7–12)

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 Silvertown is a district in the London Borough of Newham, in east London, England. It lies on the north bank of the Thames and was historically part of the parishes of West Ham and East Ham, hundred of Becontree, and the historic county ...

, east London. Many of the exterior scenes are shot at

The Historic Dockyard Chatham ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

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. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until 1965, when it became part of Greater London. Its population counted 18,45 ...

, North London until the building was converted to luxury flats at which point a new Nonnatus House set was created at

Longcross Studios Longcross Film Studios is a film and television production facility in Longcross, Surrey, approximately west of central London. Built on the site of the Military Vehicles and Engineering Establishment, the studio began operations in 2006. The s ...

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 West Wittering is a village and civil parish situated on the Manhood Peninsula in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England. It lies near the mouth of Chichester Harbour on the B2179 road southwest of Chichester close to the border with Ha ...

. A reconstructed prefab house at the Chiltern Open Air Museum in Buckinghamshire has also been used as a filming location.

Commissioning

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. 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, and 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 The London Chamber Orchestra (LCO) is a professional chamber orchestra based in London in the United Kingdom. The name has also been used by historical ensembles dating back to 1921. LCO performs at small concert halls across London and has previo ...

. 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 and the American Public Broadcasting Service (

) 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 NRK, an abbreviation of the Norwegian ''Norsk Rikskringkasting AS'', generally expressed in English as the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, is the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company, and the largest ...

(Norway);

RÚV Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV) (pronounced or ) ( en, 'The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service') is Iceland's national public-service broadcasting organization. Operating from studios in the country's capital, Reykjavík, as well as regional cent ...

(Iceland);

Yle Yleisradio Oy ( Finnish, literally "General Radio Ltd." or "General Broadcast Ltd."; abbr. Yle ; sv, Rundradion Ab, italics=no), translated to English as the Finnish Broadcasting Company, is Finland's national public broadcasting company, found ...

(Finland); AXN White (Spain; Portugal); ERT (Greece); ABC in Australia and

TVNZ 1 TVNZ 1 ( mi, Te Reo Tātaki Tahi) is the first national television channel owned and operated by the state-owned broadcaster Television New Zealand (TVNZ). It is the oldest television broadcaster in New Zealand, starting out from 1960 as indep ...

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, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...

, while all episodes are also on BBC iPlayer in the UK. The second series of ''Call the Midwife'' was sold to

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 The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of st ...

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

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

broadcast of the first series received widespread critical acclaim, earning a

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

score of 8.0. ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

'' 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'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

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

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program listings information as well as entertainment and television-related news. The company sold its print magazine division, TV Guide Magazine LLC, in 2008. Corpora ...

'' 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 Michael H. de Young. The ...

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

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

'' 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 daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...

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

Allison Pearson Judith Allison Pearson (née Lobbett; born 22 July 1960) is a British columnist and author. Pearson has worked for British newspapers such as the '' Daily Mail'', '' The Independent'', the ''Evening Standard'', '' The Daily Telegraph'', and ...

in ''

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

'' 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'' 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." 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. Heidi Thomas, however, 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. 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

* * *
PBS: Call the Midwife

Broadcast: Midwife delivered across Europe

* ttp://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/news/international/bbcw-eyes-vod-push-after-netflix-buys-call-the-midwife/5044735.article/ BBC Worldwide sells Call the Midwife Video on Demand rights to Netflix
TV Choice Magazine: Interview with Pam Ferris and Jessica Raine

The Guardian: Interview with Miranda Hart

Call the Midwife Tour

Call the Midwife, Season 11
{{Authority control 2012 British television series debuts 2010s British drama television series 2020s British drama television series 2010s British medical television series 2020s British medical television series BBC high definition shows BBC television dramas Christianity in popular culture English-language television shows Lesbian-related television shows Television series about nuns Television series by All3Media Television series set in the 1950s Television series set in the 1960s Television shows based on non-fiction books Television shows set in London Television shows shot in Kent Works about midwifery Call the Midwife (franchise)