The cast is marvelous, the gritty, post-war set pieces are meticulously recreated and, even with all the warm-water enemas and splattered afterbirth, the story always has its eye on uplift and good cheer.
This is a heady concoction of trauma, but there is, of course, plenty of light relief, and it is to the credit of the writing that we never feel an inappropriate lurch in mood.
The themes of women’s rights and sociological progress are strong throughout this season. Contraception, that was so controversial in earlier seasons is becoming commonplace. ... Call the Midwife stays in step with its times. Only seven episodes this season is simply not enough.
The first episode offers a somewhat overwhelming dose of midwifery, to the point that some viewers may wonder how Call the Midwife won't grow tiresome with repetitive birthing stories. The addition of Chummy to the cast in episode two and a broader role for the midwives--in episode three Jenny simply spends time with an elderly man--allows the series to avoid growing stale.
[Rosie] Jones's condition was also central to the plot of the returning Call the Midwife. As you would expect from a classy drama series, though, it took a rather more intelligent, humane approach than a bunch of moronic trolls.