If you’ve spent any time in the 1960s—at least the televised version of it—you know that Poplar is a place where heartbreak and hope live in the same drafty tenement. Honestly, by the time we reached Call the Midwife Season 12, there was a real risk the show could have felt repetitive. How many breech births or tuberculosis scares can one neighborhood handle before the audience checks out? Yet, this season proved that Heidi Thomas still knows exactly how to twist the knife while handing you a handkerchief.
It’s 1968. The world is changing. Fast.
The season kicks off with a shift in the atmosphere that feels heavier than previous years. We aren't just dealing with individual medical cases anymore; we're seeing the slow, painful modernization of the British healthcare system and the shifting social fabric of the UK. You've got the introduction of the new sister, Veronica, who brings a certain... let's call it "energetic" approach to community nursing that rubs some of the old guard the wrong way. She’s savvy. She knows how to navigate the bureaucracy. It’s a far cry from the quiet piety we saw in the early days of Nonnatus House.
The Racial Tension and the "Wind of Change"
One thing Call the Midwife Season 12 didn't shy away from was the political climate of the late sixties. Specifically, the shadow of Enoch Powell's "Rivers of Blood" speech looms large over the East End. It’s uncomfortable to watch, which is exactly why it’s necessary. We see Lucille Anderson, played with such heartbreaking nuance by Leonie Elliott, struggle with the mounting hostility in a community she has served tirelessly.
It isn't just a "issue of the week" subplot.
The show tracks the psychological toll of systemic racism on a healthcare professional who is simultaneously a pillar of the community and an outsider. When Lucille leaves for Jamaica, it doesn't feel like a convenient TV exit; it feels like a necessary survival tactic. Most viewers expected a quick fix—a letter, a phone call, a return in two episodes. But the show chose honesty over comfort. Life in 1968 was becoming untenable for many Commonwealth immigrants, and the writers didn't sugarcoat the bitterness of that reality.
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Marriage, Mayhem, and the Trixie Franklin Milestone
Let’s talk about Trixie. Finally.
After years of being the show’s most stylish but arguably most tragic figure, Trixie Franklin (Helen George) gets her moment. Her relationship with Matthew Aylward has been a slow burn that fans have dissected for seasons. The wedding in the finale was everything a Midwife fan wanted, but it was grounded in the usual Poplar chaos. Thrown out of their venue? Check. Trixie doing her own makeup in a tiny mirror? Check.
What's interesting here is the class dynamic.
Matthew represents the wealthy redevelopment of the East End, while Trixie is firmly rooted in the grit of the nursing world. Their union isn't just a romance; it's a bridge between the old Poplar and the new, sanitized London that's starting to emerge. But beneath the white lace and the champagne, there's a lingering sense of "what now?" The season ends on a high, but if you look closely at the financials of Nonnatus House—which are always in a state of "almost-collapse"—the threat of the building being torn down or the order being disbanded hasn't actually gone away. It's just muffled by the wedding bells.
Medical Realism: The Cases That Stuck
The medical side of Call the Midwife Season 12 shifted its focus toward the long-term consequences of 1950s and 60s pharmacology. We saw a massive emphasis on the aftermath of the Thalidomide scandal, particularly through the character of Susan Mullucks.
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It’s easy for period dramas to treat a medical crisis as a closed chapter once the "cure" or the "ban" happens. This show doesn't do that. It shows the struggle of a child growing up, the parents' exhaustion, and the legal battles for compensation that actually happened in the UK.
Other key medical themes this season included:
- The rise of the contraceptive pill and how it fundamentally changed the midwives' relationship with their patients.
- Early detection of cervical cancer (smear tests were a terrifyingly new concept for many of the women in the district).
- The persistence of "hidden" illnesses like Hepatitis and the stigma surrounding them.
One episode that sticks in my mind involved a mother with a congenital heart defect. In earlier seasons, she simply would have died. In Season 12, the medicine exists to save her, but the infrastructure to support her post-op life is crumbling. That’s the recurring theme: science is winning, but the system is tired.
Shelagh and Patrick: The Emotional Anchor
If Trixie is the style and Lucille is the soul, Shelagh and Dr. Turner are the heartbeat. Honestly, they’re the "mom and dad" of the show. Their dynamic in Season 12 remains one of the most stable depictions of marriage on television, but it isn't boring. They are the ones who have to bridge the gap between the religious origins of the nursing convent and the secular, clinical future of the NHS.
Watching Patrick Turner deal with his own health scares while trying to maintain the health of a whole zip code is a lot. It’s a reminder that the "heroes" of the story are aging. They aren't the young, wide-eyed nurses who arrived at the docks in 1957 anymore. They are tired. And that fatigue is palpable throughout the season’s eight episodes.
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Why This Season Matters Now
You might wonder why we’re still talking about a show set nearly sixty years ago. It’s because the problems in Call the Midwife Season 12—striking doctors, a lack of funding for public health, racial integration, and women’s reproductive rights—are the exact same headlines we're reading in 2026.
The show acts as a mirror.
When we watch Sister Veronica fight for better housing for a family, we aren't just looking at the 1960s. We're looking at the fundamental human right to dignity. The show manages to be "cozy TV" while simultaneously being a brutal critique of social inequality. It’s a hard tightrope to walk, but they do it.
The Verdict on the Finale
The finale was a masterclass in emotional payoff. Between the bonfire and the wedding, it felt like a culmination of a decade of storytelling. However, the real takeaway isn't the happy ending. It's the resilience. The East End is changing, the buildings are being replaced by high-rises, and the nuns are fewer in number. But the core mission—that every person deserves to be "ushered into the world with love"—remains the constant.
Actionable Steps for Fans and New Viewers
If you’re looking to dive deeper into the world of Season 12 or prepare for what’s next, here is how you should approach it:
- Watch the 2022 Christmas Special first. It sets the literal and metaphorical stage for the events of Season 12, especially regarding the fallout from the train crash and the financial state of the house.
- Look up the real-life history of the Thalidomide Trust. The show's portrayal is incredibly accurate to the British experience, and understanding the real struggle adds a layer of weight to the Mullucks family scenes.
- Pay attention to the background radio and news clips. The writers use real BBC broadcasts from 1968 to ground the episodes in a specific month and year. It’s a great way to track the "real" timeline.
- Keep an eye on the clothing. Costume designer Amy Roberts uses Trixie’s wardrobe to signal her emotional state—the transition from sharp, armor-like suits to softer, more romantic silhouettes this season was a deliberate storytelling choice.
Season 12 isn't just another year of babies and bicycles. It's the beginning of the end for the old world and a bumpy start for the new one. Whether you're here for the medical drama or the fashion, there's no denying that Call the Midwife remains one of the most technically proficient and emotionally honest shows on the air.