Call the Midwife
Call the Midwife
Now Showing

Call the Midwife

"In 1950's London, they delivered hope for all."

7.6
Yr 2012
Rt 52m
Status Returning Series
Drama
Your Verdict
Unrated

Rate this show to unlock picks like it. Create a free account.

Back
Series Brief

Overview

Drama following the lives of a group of midwives working in the poverty-stricken East End of London during the 1950s, based on the best-selling memoirs of Jennifer Worth.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 85 /100

Call the Midwife has earned widespread critical acclaim as an engaging, heartfelt period drama that balances comforting warmth with historical realism. Critics frequently praise the series for navigating the grim realities of poverty and healthcare in 1950s East End London without falling into pure sentimentality, noting that it contains just enough grit to balance out its sweeter tendencies.

Reviewers also highlight the show's exceptional ensemble cast, particularly the interplay between the young midwives and the seasoned nuns, as well as its educational value and positive role models. The drama has additionally received distinct commendation from health advocacy groups for delivering one of television's strongest portrayals of nursing autonomy and professional caregiving.

“There's just enough grit to balance out the sugar.”

“The show probably has the best overall portrayal of nursing autonomy of any major health-related series shown in the United States in recent years.”

“Formulaic but undeniably watchable—reliable Sunday evening comfort television with a talented cast and just enough emotional heft to keep you engaged.”

Why fans love it

Premiering in 2012, this 1950s period drama balances the stark reality of healthcare in London's poverty-stricken East End with an inherently comforting spirit. Adapted from the factual memoirs of Jennifer Worth, the series focuses on a dedicated group of nurses and midwives tackling the everyday challenges of hospital duty, home visits, and maternity care in a struggling neighborhood.

What keeps audiences returning is the show's remarkably consistent bittersweet tone. It approaches difficult medical cases and severe social hardship with quiet grace, offering a portrait of community resilience that feels grounded rather than sentimental. Supported by an ensemble cast that includes Vanessa Redgrave, the drama delivers an authentic look at the mid-century nursing profession, finding light and humanity in the unlikeliest places.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 11
Longest run 117 eps
Vanessa Redgrave
Vanessa Redgrave
as Jennifer Worth (voice)
117 episodes
Jenny Agutter
Jenny Agutter
as Sister Julienne
117 episodes
Judy Parfitt
Judy Parfitt
as Sister Monica Joan
117 episodes
Jessica Raine
Jessica Raine
as Jenny Lee
22 episodes
Molly Vevers
Molly Vevers
as Sister Catherine
8 episodes
Rebecca Gethings
Rebecca Gethings
as Sister Veronica
24 episodes
Jennifer Kirby
Jennifer Kirby
as Nurse Valerie Dyer
32 episodes
Linda Bassett
Linda Bassett
as Phyllis Crane
87 episodes
Show 67 more
Stephen McGann as Dr Patrick Turner 117 episodes Leonie Elliott as Nurse Lucille Anderson 41 episodes Pam Ferris as Sister Evangelina 39 episodes Alice Brown as Angela Turner 76 episodes Bryony Hannah as Sister Mary Cynthia 42 episodes Laura Main as Shelagh 'Sister Bernadette' Turner 109 episodes Ella Bruccoleri as Sister Frances 31 episodes Cliff Parisi as Fred Buckle 117 episodes Natalie Quarry as Pupil Midwife Rosalind Clifford 16 episodes Fenella Woolgar as Sister Hilda 31 episodes Georgie Glen as Miss Millicent Higgins 55 episodes Renee Bailey as Pupil Midwife Joyce Highland 16 episodes Miranda Hart as Chummy 24 episodes Oliver Rix as Matthew Aylward 30 episodes Victoria Yeates as Sister Winifred 48 episodes Kate Lamb as Delia Busby 20 episodes Jack Ashton as Tom Hereward 33 episodes Edward Shaw as Teddy Turner 30 episodes Francesca Fullilove as Colette Corrigan 20 episodes Grace Doherty as Alison Casey 8 episodes Annabelle Apsion as Violet Buckle 76 episodes Max Macmillan as Dr Timothy Turner 65 episodes Helen George as Nurse Trixie Aylward 116 episodes Zephryn Taitte as Cyril Robinson 45 episodes Emerald Fennell as Nurse Patsy Mount 33 episodes April Rae Hoang as May Tang 47 episodes Linda Hargreaves as Mrs Wallace 21 episodes Megan Cusack as Nurse Nancy Corrigan 28 episodes Ben Caplan as Sgt. Peter Noakes 27 episodes Trevor Cooper as Sergeant Aubrey Woolf 13 episodes Jo Herbert as Fiona Aylward 2 episodes Kathryn Wilder as Audrey Fleming 2 episodes Jack Colgrave Hirst as Derek Fleming 2 episodes Harriet Walter as Sister Ursula 3 episodes George Rainsford as Jimmy 7 episodes Amanda Daniels as Edith Mills 2 episodes Sophie Cosson as Ingrid Mason 2 episodes Amy McAllister as Mary 2 episodes Jake Bailey as Jack Smith 5 episodes Charlotte Ritchie as Nurse Barbara Hereward 11 episodes Elizabeth Rider as Peggy 2 episodes Cheryl Campbell as Lady Browne 3 episodes Dorothy Atkinson as Jane Sutton 6 episodes Leo Staar as Alec Jesmond 4 episodes Nicky Goldie as Auntie Florrie 6 episodes Kate Copeland as Miss Dawkins 3 episodes Maxine Evans as Mrs. Busby 3 episodes Daniel Laurie as Reggie Jackson 27 episodes Miriam Margolyes as Mother Mildred 4 episodes Gerrard McArthur as Mr. Kenley 5 episodes Liz White as Rhoda Mullucks 5 episodes Chris Reilly as Bernie Mullucks 4 episodes Archie O'Callaghan as Jonty Aylward 5 episodes Christopher Harper as Geoffrey Franklin 6 episodes Richard Dillane as Mr Scarisbrick 5 episodes Jack Hawkins as Christopher Dockerill 9 episodes Tipper Seifert-Cleveland as Alexandra Dockerill 4 episodes Ann Mitchell as Elsie Dyer 5 episodes Emilia Williams as Miss Graham 4 episodes Scarlett Courtney as Pupil Midwife Janice Cowan 3 episodes Rebecca Tebbett as Pupil Midwife Alison Hopkiss 3 episodes Karene Peter as Pupil Midwife Georgette Baines 3 episodes Rachel Nicholson as Pupil Midwife Kathy Downes 3 episodes Shamia Pills as Pupil Midwife Norelle Morris 3 episodes Timothy Harker as Dr. Threapwood 5 episodes Paul Bigley as Mr. Parry 6 episodes Max Ho as Christopher Tang 4 episodes
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Call the Midwife overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

london, england nurse nun based on novel or book midwife hospital doctor period drama historical nostalgic nursing social issues 1950s medical drama thoughtful medical clinic maternity loving convent clinical bittersweet factual sentimental comforting empathetic sympathetic
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
January 15, 2012
Status
Returning Series
Episode Runtime
52 minutes
Origin
GB
TMDB Votes
267