Review: Call The Midwife – Christmas Special 2015

Exploding puddings, plenty of snow and the BBC want to head to Poplar. Yes, that’s right – our favourite Midwifes from Nonnatus House were back on Christmas Day for a one-off festive episode.

The show kicked off with some heartwarming scenes where Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) takes on the duty of making the annual Christmas pudding. However, when she ends up falling on the stairs of the house and leaving the pudding to boil dry, Nonnatus house ends up covered in the remains and starts the series off with little positivity.

Call the Midwife always seems to have a disaster of some kind, something that makes viewers gasp with anticipation and this has always added extra drama to the show.

This episode we get to see the Sister becoming increasingly excited for the festive season. This ends in Sister Evangelina (Pam Ferris) becoming increasingly annoyed and Sister Monica Joan leaving Nonnatus House after they have an argument, which leaves everyone worried for her safety.

As well as the regular story lines, the show also manages to tackle the most difficult situations of the 50’s and 60’s – whether it be homosexuality in Patsy’s (Emerald Fennell) character or mothers giving birth who are not married – or Trixie (Helen George), struggling with alcoholism in the end of the fourth series all of these subjects were difficult to discuss in the times the show is set.

Fans of the show, however, will be delighted to see that Trixie is back to her bubbling, excitable and positive self and hints frequently that alcohol is no longer a key item in her life – and I must admit it’s nice to see one of my favourite characters from the show become her usual self again.

There are also frequent signs that midwife Barbara Gilbert (Charlotte Richie) and Reverend Tom (Jack Ashton) are becoming closer, as the pair help to get the church choir ready for the BBC visit.

This is a storyline I am excited to evolve, as it could lead to an interesting and twisting plot line in the upcoming fifth series when Trixie finds out that her fellow colleague is close with her old flame.

It was certainly disappointing that Chummy (Miranda Hart) did not make an appearance in the Christmas special, mainly, because her positive spirit tends to give the show an uplift when it is at a low. But, hopefully, we will see her back with her funny anecdotes in series 5.

Overall, no matter how many challenges the nuns and midwifes face during their time in Poplar, the show still manages to leave me with that uplifting and happy feeling, perfect for a winters evening viewing. Period dramas have always been my favourite but this is one I will never get bored of.

Click here for the Christmas special episode, if you missed it and want to catch up.

Series 5 of Call the Midwife will begin in soon.