I've never watched Call the Midwife

[BertieWoostersChaps]

Inspired by another thread talking about how hard our grandmothers / great GM's lived were. Many people have mentioned CTM on that thread.

It got me thinking I've never seen it but it's the sort of thing I would probably enjoy. I've actually read the book, way back before the TV show came out. I love period dramas and historical fiction.

If you're a fan, should I watch it? And start all the way at the beginning? How many series are there?

I haven't either. My sister keeps telling me I should and that I'd enjoy it but I don't know.

Only watch the early series based on the books.

After that it became sentimental tosh.

IMO!

It's one of my favourite tv shows. Definitely watch from the beginning. There's a lot, but the later series aren't as good IMO.

Yes!! It is absolutely brilliant I'd highly recommended

yes it’s nice and warm hearted stuff . If you liked shows like heartbeat then you’ll like it

Yes watch it from the start!! Enjoy…

Definitely start at the beginning, the earlier series' are much better than later ones.

Yes, definitely a good watch! Like any show, after the first 2 or 3 seasons the plot lines can get a bit repetitive or off-track.

It really does show what working class London was like in the 50's and 60's, and the issues around childbirth and motherhood during that time.

I didn't watch it when it first started because I hadn't read the book and assumed it would be vacuous rose-tinted stuff. Then a friend of mine who would never watch anything like that told me that CTM was in fact not of that ilk and quite hard-hitting. So I gave it a go and was hooked from the start. I agree with others that it's not nearly as good now, but those early series really were great.

I’ve also read the books but never watched the TV adaptation. And I don’t think I ever will. Trouble is, an adaptation rarely fits your own mental image. I fear I will just grump at it because the unsentimental love in the books will be made twee and cheesy in the show.

I've stuck with it but it really has descended into sentimental tosh.

There's also really inaccurate portrayals of inclusivity. My( sadly passed away )sibling had Downs syndrome and I know that people living with disabilities back then 60s/early 70s were generally not included in "mainstream" stuff.

I was born early 60s so it's not hearsay from me, it's my lived experience of non inclusivity of differently abled people.

I absolutely love Call the Midwife! Even the sentimental tosh. It’s brilliant.

I really like it, it can be quite twee though. My Sunday evening guilty pleasure is to drink just a little bit too much wine and then inevitably cry watching it.

I absolutely loved the early series, they're highly recommended. A few years later and I found myself bawling at almost every episode and I just couldn't take it anymore.

A good balance between hard hitting reality and a heart warming (if slightly unrealistic) community. I love it (though I hate most period drama type shows)

Love it.

Going from -god knows when - to the 1960's etc.

It's reality about how women gave birth during the 50's/60's/70's etc.

I'm old enough to remember Jenny Agutter (sp?) from her being in a kid's series....

Be thankful you can have an abortion if you want to.

As someone else who was late to the CTM party, I would recommend that you start at the beginning, when it was much more gritty and realistic. After (I think) about series 5/6, it starts to go downhill as it is very sentimental, everything is sunshine and rainbows, and it becomes, "Call the Turners".

Agree.

And although I haven't read the books the early series were so much better in terms of script as well as the horrors of some of the conditions people were living with.

I stopped watching because quite honestly the later series are an insult to the quality of the early ones.

They really are so bad. And if you remember or maybe dont, that Till Do Us Part portrays a similar period, sadly I think Alf Garnett was much closer in reflecting attitudes at that time.

It would have been better to have just started something different.

Nor have I. It looks a bit twee.

Thanks, appreciate all the replies!sounds like I'd enjoy the first few series then. I'll give it a go at some point.

I love it. I binged watched the first 5 seasons. Been hooked ever since.

I can't stand the seasons with Miranda Hart in them. Not her fault but she towers over everyone else. Doesn't look like any sort of 1950s-1960s woman. I can't get past how out of period she looksl

But there was a tall, awkward nurse in the original books. Maybe that’s who MH portrays? She was definitely a misfit among those dainty 1950s women. IIRC she had to learn to ride a bike in order to do her rounds.

Yes, Chummy was a real person and I am sure I read that Jennifer Worth wanted Miranda Hart to be cast.