Something different to start off the new year; not a book, but a television show – Call The Midwife. For those in the UK or with access to BBC iPlayer, the first eight series are all available now, and Series 9 has just begun. For everyone else, the first seven series are on Netflix and presumably they’ll get the rest in due course.
The show tells the story of a group of nurses and midwives in a very poor area of London through the 1950s and 1960s. Around half the (very talented) cast are Protestant nuns of the medical order of St Raymond Nonnatus (don’t worry, the religion isn’t shoved down anyone’s throats); the rest are a diverse body of young nurses from all walks of life. It’s based around the memoirs of Nurse Jenny Lee, one of the main characters for the first couple of series, and most of the stories are true.
As you can guess this means the show has to be accompanied by warnings. There’s a lot of childbirth (obviously), and it’s real, not the usual sanitised television version. There’s blood and gore, kept to a minimum with camera angles. There are sad stories, with birth defects and complications. There are other medical cases not related to birth. There are stories concerning death and disease, abortion, prostitution, addiction, poverty, racism, mental illness, rape and abuse, and many don’t have happy endings.
You’re likely wondering why I’m recommending it, given all that (and given that I emphatically don’t do small children unless they have fur and four legs). Despite the sometimes grim content, it’s still overall a wholesome, hopeful show. More stories end happily than badly, particularly in the later series as medical science advances over time. The characters are fantastically portrayed (I will fight to the death for Shelagh) and most of the non-medical stories are sweet and with just the right amount of humour. Even when the main plot of an episode ends in sadness, it still often makes you smile. It’s gentle rather than grim, while still not shying away from the facts; real without being edgy. A great many authors could take notes – this is what real mature storytelling is.
It’s historically accurate, too. My parents grew up in this era and while they were far better off than the people of the borough of Poplar they’ve confirmed a lot of it, as have many reviewers. Those who read my fics may see some of my inspiration for certain backstories. A lot of it highlights just how fortunate we are in the modern era, and how far science has come in a relatively short space of time, and I appreciate the sense of wonder they bring to things I’ve never bothered to think about.
Also, the romance (yes, there’s romance). Again, authors should take notes. There are examples of bad romance tropes, abuse and unhealthy relationships, and they’re all reserved for patients who are only around for an episode or two; and all are called out and speculated about and discussed by the nuns and nurses. They’re not dismissed as acceptable, though often there’s an acknowledgement that it cannot be changed – yet. And the romance stories concerning the main cast are all sweet and believable and feelgood, even the ones that end badly, without being sappy or naive.
They try to be as inclusive as the setting allows, but Series 1 takes place in 1957 and at the time of writing Series 9 has just begun in 1965. Homosexuality is illegal, transgenderism is unheard of and racism and misogyny are rife. They introduce characters of colour to the main cast as soon as it’s plausible for them to do so, and there is one onscreen gay relationship, mainly dealing with the struggles of having to keep it a secret.
The soundtrack is great as well, by the by. There was a lot of fantastic music around at the time.
If your mental health can cope with the dark and sad moments, I encourage you to give it a try (maybe keep some cartoons or animal videos on standby for after the worst moments, if you need to, or watch with your furbaby if you have one). It’s overall a wholesome, sweet series, and there’s a sense of gentle optimism and strength that I think everyone can use more of these days.
A brief note – no more attempts at a schedule because life kicks my teeth in every time I try. I’ll do a spotlight whenever I have something to recommend. I’m still mulling over ideas for a new series, and there’s whatever we end up doing about Harry Potter. Time will tell.
Point Stick, Vent Spleen 