It’s Sunday night. You’ve got the tea brewing. Maybe a box of tissues is tucked under your arm because, honestly, you know what’s coming. For over a decade, Call the Midwife on PBS has been the ultimate emotional anchor for American audiences, turning the gritty, postwar reality of East London into something that feels like home. It’s a show about birth, sure, but it’s actually about how we survive each other.
Most period dramas feel like museum pieces. They’re stiff. They're obsessed with which fork the Duke is using. Call the Midwife is different. It’s messy. There is blood, there is poverty, and there is a relentless, exhausting amount of hope that shouldn't exist in the slums of Poplar, yet somehow does.
The Evolution of Nonnatus House
When the show first premiered on PBS in 2012, it felt like a niche British import. We were introduced to Jenny Lee, played by Jessica Raine, who was essentially our eyes and ears. She was young, slightly naive, and totally unprepared for the "sanitary conditions" (or lack thereof) in the Docklands. But the show didn't stay a "fish out of water" story. It grew up.
The transition from the 1950s into the 1960s and now the 1970s hasn't just been about changing the hemlines or the wallpaper at Nonnatus House. It’s been about the shifting soul of healthcare. We’ve watched the sisters and midwives navigate the arrival of the contraceptive pill, the Thalidomide scandal, and the legalization of abortion. These aren't just "plot points." They are the scars of history.
Heidi Thomas, the series creator, has this uncanny ability to take the memoirs of the real Jennifer Worth and stretch them into a multi-generational saga. It’s impressive. Most shows run out of steam by season five. Call the Midwife is currently pushing through Season 14 and 15 with a renewal that keeps it on our screens through at least 2026. That’s staying power you don't see often in the era of "canceled after one season" streaming.
Why PBS is the Perfect Home for the Midwives
You might wonder why a show about the British National Health Service (NHS) resonates so deeply with an American audience on PBS. It's the contrast. In a US healthcare system that often feels transactional and hyper-expensive, watching Sister Julienne or Shelagh Turner fight for a single mother’s dignity feels radical. It's aspirational.
PBS provides a space where this kind of slow-burn storytelling can breathe. There are no commercial breaks cutting into a tense labor scene. You get the full weight of the silence.
The relationship between Call the Midwife and PBS is a cornerstone of "Masterpiece" level programming, even though it technically sits outside the Masterpiece brand. It’s the highest-rated drama on the network for a reason. People don't just watch it; they inhabit it. They argue about whether Trixie Franklin—portrayed with such brittle brilliance by Helen George—will finally find lasting peace, or if Dr. Turner is working himself into an early grave.
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The Gritty Reality Behind the Habit
Let’s talk about the nuns.
Initially, the idea of Anglican sisters working alongside secular midwives felt like a gimmick. It’s not. The presence of Nonnatus House provides a moral compass that isn't necessarily "religious" in the dogmatic sense, but deeply spiritual in its commitment to service. Sister Monica Joan, played by the legendary Judy Parfitt, is the MVP. She’s eccentric, she’s likely dealing with dementia, and she’s a direct link to a Victorian past that the rest of the characters are trying to outrun.
When she talks about the "ebb and flow" of life, you listen. You have to.
The show doesn't shy away from the horrific bits of history. Remember the smog? The Great Smog of 1952 wasn't just a backdrop; it was a character that choked the life out of the neighborhood. The show handles medical accuracy with a terrifying precision. They use real neonatal consultants on set to ensure that when a midwife handles a "newborn" (usually a very convincing prop or a very young infant), the movements are medically sound.
The Social Justice of the 1960s
If you think this is just a "cozy" show, you haven't been paying attention. Call the Midwife on PBS has tackled some of the most uncomfortable topics in social history:
- The Thalidomide Tragedy: This was perhaps the show's most heartbreaking arc. Seeing the fallout of a "wonder drug" that caused limb deformities was handled with such grace and fury. It wasn't just about the babies; it was about the guilt of the doctors who prescribed it.
- Racial Integration: As the 1960s progressed, the show introduced Lucille Anderson (Leonie Elliott), the first West Indian midwife at Nonnatus. Her storyline didn't sugarcoat the racism of the era. It showed the cold, hard reality of the "Windrush" generation trying to find a home in a country that didn't always want them.
- Poverty and Domestic Abuse: The show repeatedly hammers home that poverty is a trap. The midwives aren't just delivering babies; they're social workers, advocates, and sometimes, the only people standing between a woman and a violent husband.
Dealing with Cast Turnover
It’s hard when your favorites leave. We lost Jenny, then Chummy (Miranda Hart), then Barbara, and eventually Lucille. Every time a major character exits, fans panic. "Is the show over?" "Can it survive without them?"
Somehow, it does.
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The casting directors for Call the Midwife have a knack for bringing in fresh blood that doesn't feel like a replacement, but a new chapter. Adding the character of Nancy Corrigan, a spunky Irish pupil midwife with a complicated past, gave the show a needed jolt of energy in later seasons. It kept the dynamic from getting stale.
The show mirrors life. People move on. People die. The work continues.
Technical Brilliance You Might Miss
The cinematography has evolved. In the early seasons, the color palette was muted—lots of browns, greys, and sickly greens. It looked like the 50s. As we moved into the 60s and 70s, the saturation turned up. The costumes became more vibrant. The music shifted from choral arrangements to the upbeat pop of the era.
But the sound design remains the secret weapon. The sound of a bicycle bell ringing on a cobbled street is the show’s "call to action." It triggers a Pavlovian response in the viewer. You know someone is in trouble, and you know help is on the way.
What to Expect in Season 14 and Beyond
As the timeline inches closer to the mid-1970s, the midwives are facing a changing world. The NHS is evolving. Hospitals are becoming the primary place for birth, threatening the very existence of home-birth practices like those at Nonnatus. This tension provides a lot of the drama in the newer episodes.
The show is grappling with its own obsolescence. How does a group of nuns and midwives stay relevant in a world of high-tech medicine and shifting social morals?
Fans can expect:
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- More focus on community health: It's not just about deliveries anymore; it's about vaccinations, mental health, and the geriatric care of the people we met in Season 1.
- The Turner Family growing up: Timothy Turner’s journey into medicine has been one of the most rewarding long-term arcs.
- The impact of global events: We’re entering an era of industrial strikes and economic upheaval in the UK, which will undoubtedly hit Poplar the hardest.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Viewing
If you're catching up on Call the Midwife on PBS, don't just binge-watch it. This isn't a show meant for mindless consumption. It’s too heavy for that.
- Watch the Christmas Specials separately. They are designed as bridge episodes. They usually have a higher budget, a different location (like South Africa or the Outer Hebrides), and they set the emotional tone for the following season.
- Check out the PBS "Behind the Scenes" digital shorts. They often feature interviews with the historical consultants who explain the real-life medical cases that inspired the episodes.
- Listen to the "Call the Midwife" official podcast. It offers a deeper dive into the social issues raised in each episode, often featuring the actors discussing their character’s motivations.
Practical Steps for Fans and Newcomers
If you want to dive deeper into the world of Nonnatus House, there are a few things you should actually do.
First, read the original trilogy by Jennifer Worth: Call the Midwife, Shadows of the Workhouse, and Farewell to the East End. You’ll realize quickly that the show is actually less grim than the reality. The books are visceral. They provide a context for the poverty of the 1950s that the TV cameras sometimes soften with pretty lighting.
Second, if you're in the US, make sure you're using the PBS Passport app. It’s the easiest way to access the full catalog of past seasons. Because of licensing deals, the show sometimes hops around different streaming platforms, but PBS is the consistent home for the newest seasons.
Third, pay attention to the "Notes from the Midwives" blog on the PBS website. Real-life modern midwives write reflections on each episode, comparing the 1960s practices to how things are done today. It’s a fascinating look at how much—and how little—maternity care has changed.
Finally, just let yourself feel it. In a world that prizes being cynical and "edgy," Call the Midwife is unapologetically sentimental. It believes that people are generally trying their best. It believes that every life, no matter how brief or how "insignificant" in the eyes of the law, deserves a proper welcome into the world. That’s why we keep coming back. That’s why, after fourteen years, we still care.