I'd been aware of Call The Midwife for a while, whilst having never really watched it. My parents, your very average middle class BBC devotees, have watched it probably since the beginning and, quite frankly, I've never grown out of the reasoning that I've held since approximately aged seven that them enjoying something is generally a reason for me to write something off entirely.
I do, however, have rather a penchant for vintage style and as such I was halfway through watching Mad Men and thoroughly enjoying the aesthetics of it when I found myself one night with a little work to do, wanting some noise on in the background but not wanting to watch Mad Men, a show that has a season long narrative and requires proper watching. I still wanted that vintage fix though and, as luck would have it, Netflix was busy promoting to me that Call The Midwife would soon be removed.
I figured 'Well, it's period drama with 1950s costumes, I'll stick it on as background noise and I won't be too bothered when Netflix take it off because I'm generally not into a medical drama and I'm really not a baby person.' (Yes I'm sorry, I'm one of those strange women for whom babies stir up absolutely nothing other than vaguely disgusted 'Ehh it's dribbling, could you wipe it before I get its saliva on me please?' feelings.)
Fast forward to now and I've finished the existing ten seasons, I've cried over almost every episode and I'm bothered enough to write up a blog post about it urging you all to get on board.
And whilst it is off Netflix, its fully available on BBC iPlayer, which is free, though your house does require a TV license to use it.
So, what is it that got me emotionally invested in a show I purely turned on for background noise and pretty 1950s dresses?
Well, it might sound a bit obvious, given the title. But the show isn't a medical drama as such (though yes, there have been some slightly squeamish moments) - it's a show that is specifically about women.
"Women write their history in the words that pass between them. Too often, we leave no trace beyond the children born, the clothing stitched, the service given, the choices made - if there was choice at all."
-Season 5, Episode 8
The group of midwives that the show centres around, who serve the working class area of Poplar at the London docks, are based at Nonnatus House under the leadership of the Sisters of St Raymond Nonnatus, a group of nuns who are also qualified midwives. The midwives are split between the sisters of the order and some 'regular' midwives - as in, not nuns - who board at Nonnatus house.
In itself, this throws up a myriad of issues that are skillfully and sympathetically explored - one of the many things the show covers is the introduction of the pill as a means of contraception and it explores the stances taken by the mainly single, non-religious midwives around this versus the conflict that the medically qualified religious sisters experience when faced with the new development.
A huge storyline across the seasons has also been around abortion. Without giving you any spoilers, the show covers the things women did to secure abortions when they were still illegal, the differences in what working class women looking to rid themselves of an unwanted pregnancy were forced to do versus the privileged middle and upper class women who could check themselves into private clinics and have the procedure carried out, whilst 'officially' being checked in on the paperwork for other reasons. The issue has been explored from multiple points of view - age, class and religion. Season ten saw Trixie speak up both in a newspaper and on a radio show about the horrific sights she has seen in her working life, things that she has witnessed as a direct result of the illegality of abortion as the show goes in to the run up to the 1967 Abortion Act being passed. In particular, these storylines have been so impactful and affecting to watch in this historical context because they remain terrifyingly relevant to what's still happening to women across the world.
Another historical storyline that has been played out is the thalidomide babies storyline. Whilst the show is mainly focussed on woman - midwives and mothers - there are a few recurring male characters and one such is Dr Turner, the local doctor who works closely with the midwives. Through the uncovering of the damage the thalidomide drug caused, we follow the story of baby Susan, born without properly developed arms and legs, and how her family adapt to their new daughter and the group they join with other thalidomide parents to demand some kind of justice for the children affected. We also see Dr Turner's mental health issues being worked through, both historically - we see how time taken off work for mental health before the show then affects his application to adopt a child years later - and, through this storyline, the guilt he feels for prescribing the drug, even though the affects of it were covered up for so long and he trusted that it was safe.
Without wanting to give spoilers or touch on non historical storylines, I just want to underline that first and foremost, the writing on this show is wonderful - absolutely beautiful, joyous, heartbreaking and incredibly, incredibly clever. Heidi Thomas is a genius. The level of research, particularly medical research, that goes into her storylines shows, but her innate understanding of humanity and of women, is what makes this far more than the medical drama I had presumed it was. The show has love at its heart - romantic love, religious love, platonic love, family - found and biological - love and, of course, love of one's vocation - and it's one of the most emotionally affecting pieces of entertainment I've experienced.
It's a true ensemble show and I could wax lyrical about almost every character - I really wish I had discovered this show earlier and could break down a season by season review for you that would actually be relevant rather than trying to give you an overview on a show I am 10 seasons and 10 years late to the bandwaggon of.
My adoration of the quality of the writing and, of course, the acting - there really are no weak links in the cast at any point - aside, I also have to mention how much I love the visual aspects of the show. The medical aspects of the show are always obviously researched, but so too are the costumes and the beauty products mentioned in the script and sourced by the prop department.
We see a bottle of Norman Hartnell In Love talc nestled unassumingly in Patsy's case. Trixie references my beloved Guerlain L'heure Bleue as 'Not a perfume anyone's maiden aunt would wear' when she smells it on a woman's scarf in her boyfriend's car and is asked if it suggests a problem. Guerlain are name checked by her again when she wears their Chant d'Aromes on a date.
Across the ten seasons we see the fashions change from the '50s to the '60s, we see red lips, liner, lashes, pixie crops, curl and sets, beehives - the lot. It's a veritable feast for the eyes. My only complaint about the show is that it's left me desperate for a vintage style houndstooth coat - I'm praying British Retro bring out their glorious Wonderland Coat in a classic black and white houndsooth check sometime! In the meantime, I'll be applying my lipstick from Guerlain's Pied De Poule lipstick case and channeling the glamour of the show that way - just hoping no one will kill my vibe by having their waters break over my shoes!
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