Call the Midwife - Ruf des Lebens

This is one of the most beautiful shows I've ever watched. The writing and acting are both superb, and the incredible stories take us on a journey to show us the true meaning LOVE. Do people with this much compassion actually exist? They do, and Call the Midwife reminds us of that.

This show epitomizes acceptance, patience, and perspective. It's the unconditional love and nonjudgemental views of the characters that make your heart swell while you watch.

I'm rewatching and this time with my 13 year old daughter. I recommend the show to all my friends and get excited when they tell me they've started.

If you want history at its truth, watch a documentary. As entertainment this show has it all. Every episode has had me in tears from either laughter or poignancy. The casting is perfect and beautifully shot. It really shows the diverse community that has embedded itself in our culture today. Who cares if the docks were not in the right place! The show is about people coming together in tough times and bonding with a community regardless of class and colour. It makes me yearn for that kind of spirit in todays world where everyone has so much and yet is never satisfied. I really hope the BBC invest in a new series - I already miss Miranda!

It's hard to believe that anyone could be as compassionate and tender as the midwives in Call the Midwife, compassion and tenderness being rare qualities in the increasingly disconnected world of the 21st century. I suspect those qualities are a real incentive for even the casual viewer of this series, which depicts the lives of midwives toiling in the east London of the late 50s- early 1960s. The world of almost 60 years ago was a very different one from today, both from a social and technological standpoint. I'm impressed by the attention to detail in the series, which allows viewers to immerse themselves in the stories, which touch upon issues such as abortion and incest, as well as the then real threats of polio and tuberculosis. More recent stories have even addressed the thalidomide tragedy. The acting is, without exception, top notch, especially that of Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan. I tend to be especially critical of shows that rely on lachrymose sentimentality to further the story. Call the Midwife is at times tender, sweet tempered and, well, nice, but never false as it displays the panorama of the human condition.

The first three seasons, based on the books by. Jennifer Worth, were among my favorites of all time. It had sentiment but not sentimentality, and dealt with the real problems of people in the East End of London and the women who provided them the service they needed. A lot of the cast changed over the years, but generally kept up the quality, and some characters who were rather stereotypical in the first couple years were allowed to mature, but the show continued to deal with real problems, such as, birth control, the strengths and weaknesses of the National Health service, the effect of certain drugs on pregnancy, etc. The Christmas shows are particularly wonderful. The past couple of years, however, have started to get away from the original idea of dealing with health and societal issues into more of a soap opera. Season 13 was a disappointment, and hope the writers either get back to the issue oriented approach or recognize it is time to wrap it up.

I have to say I am a bit of a BBC miniseries junkie. So, I am always looking for a new world to jump into. I have to say that "Call the Midwife" is one of the best series I have seen. I am enchanted by the young girls and their commitment to caring for their community. And what makes it even more perfect is that they work alongside nuns and can see the world through their eyes. I watch this show over and over again hoping to be dazzled once again (and I always am). I don't know how accurate it is (I have not studied the time), but I do think it is a fantastic commentary on poverty, the role of women, and social class differences. If this were only a drama I wouldn't watch it again and again. But the humor (CHUMMY!!) and the light hearted moments among the business of birth is perfect! Truly, I would love to drop myself into that time and live simply where my only goal was to help women and love people well. You will thoroughly enjoy this show it sisterhood, faith, love, and courage interest you.