SOS Sages-Femmes

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.

Whether or not this series' depiction of the East End in the 50's is completely accurate or not seems of little relevance to me. The characters are very likable and the acting, even by the guest actors, is brilliant. However, the main reason I love and wholeheartedly recommend Call the Midwife is because it is so well written, without avoiding the harsh realities of life yet filled with hope and incredible human connection. Miraculously, it manages this without ever becoming cheesy. Every episode leaves me feeling proud to be a human being. I don't think many TV series are able or even try to achieve this and it feels especially important in our times when faith in humanity seems to be in decline.

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!

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.

Obviously I am a man, and will say without any hesitation that we are hooked on this series! My wife and I are best friends and there is nothing more we enjoy than finding a good British series to immerse ourselves together. We have done this for many years, initially finding them in our travels to Britain, and find that British shows seem to "out weigh" our American television on many levels.

The subject matter is really unique and absorbing and the acting superb! The complexity of the characters and their interaction, the humor, the secrets, the context, and the weight and undercurrents of its gracious messages have impacted us and continue to do so.

So many times it seems that these British series don't last and are canceled just as we are dedicated to them. It is rewarding to see "Call the Midwife" continuing on and we hope it does so for many years to come. We will continue to be fans as long as "Call the Midwife" lives!