I hesitated to watch it when it first aired., probably because the title was so bland and even the description on my PBS Channel did little to intrigue me.

But one Saturday I happened to watch a partial episode and like you was immediately caught up in the storyline. I then spent the next three hours watching the series On Demand so that I could catch up. What a wonderfully warm hearted serie with engaging characters and excellent acting. Chummy was the best!

The only false note and this is minor - was the nuns.
Was it just me or did they seem to be unusually understanding and accepting of 'different' lifestyles - especially for the 1950's. I know we're considered all too prudish here in the states and it certainly didn't detract from the story but after spending 12 years in Catholic school it seemed odd. Is that how they were portrayed in the book ?

I just hope that the series continues.

Yes I agree about the "nuns". Having been schooled for 12 years by them I can't imagine any one of them being so generous of spirit but then, this was the behind the scenes of their lives. I love the show, especially the last of the season showing. Sooo good.

Fabulous, wasn't it?! Chummy was the best!

I also found Call the Midwife by accident. Loved the one episode I did see, but kept forgetting to watch it.

In the 50's some of my favorite aunts were nuns. Fun ladies, who acted differently outside the class room.

ML (9 years of Catholic school)

I would encourage you to read the book. It delves into the extreme poverty that all the midwives witnessed in the East End at that time. The book also gives more background on the nuns. The nuns/midwives were in charge of these life and death situations, as well as filthy surroundings on a daily basis. A quick story about Chummy that was explained in the book: The show showed her attempting to learn how to ride a bike. A young neighborhood boy named Jack came to Chummy's rescue-local kids were making fun of her because of her awkwardness and size and he became Chummy's protector of sorts. Chummy thanked him by purchasing him a bike of his own and he would follow her making sure she would reach her destination. Many years later, Chummy sees this young man on tv -he had raised himself up out of the tenaments of London to become a footman for the late Princess Diana. So sweet. BTW, I just saw the book on the racks of target a few days ago.

I started watching it when it first aired and loved it. At one point, I was wishing that I had also set my DVR to tape Upstairs Downstairs which aired right afterward. I had some free time recently and decided to watch that series on PBS online. I got so caught up in that series that I ended up spending the last two days watching all the episodes. I was bummed to find out that it was canceled after its second season. So now, I'm looking forward to the next season of Call the Midwife and Downton Abbey!

Have not watched it-- need to! But, I can comment on nuns in the '50s, or at least some of them. My mom was a nun then, and so were many of her friends. They are very open-minded. Many of them went into the role as a Peace Corps position (wanted to work abroad helping make changes in communities), but PC wasn't around back then. You'd be surprised at what nuns did/thought/went on to do . . .

Completely agreed, anele...and I think that the nuns who would serve in the East End would kind of self-select for open-mindedness. You can't be rigid when you're dealing with the realities of poverty, or at least you can't be rigid and survive very long.

I too love that show--it reminded me of my mom who chose to go into maternal and child public health, and what she said she saw when she worked in poverty-stricken areas of Baltimore, MD back in the 50s. Cried my way through the first episode and have not failed to tear up (not feeling manipulated--they earn every bit of it) at some point in every succeeding episode so far. We had seen the woman playing Chummy on a Graham Norton show probably over a year ago now - she's a comedian...thus proving that comedians *can* make the deepest, most affecting actors in straight drama.

fourkids - I loved the new Upstairs Downstairs too! We've learned some British history (or rather DD and I have--e.g. DH evidently knew about the intimate history of fascism and England before WWII -- I knew about the Duke & Duchess of Windsor, but not about that group that attracted membership across socioeconomic levels, and the protest day--blanking on the name) from it too. Love Riversong's character : ) She's had a nice career, hasn't she!

RATS, it did it again! I'm not having good g'web luck these days : (

I came home very hungry from grocery shopping this evening, and before I put everything away I made myself a salad for supper. While putting it together I noticed the dishes (oops!) I left in the sink earlier in the day, and figured I'd get to them as soon as I ate.

So I sat down in front of the computer to eat my salad (it's near the woodstove, and I was cold as well as hungry), and before I finished I came upon this thread. Since an interest in birthin' babies is something I never outgrew (I'm a retired La Leche League leader), I was intrigued. I went looking for the show online--and found it!

I watched the first episode, and loved it. Thanks so much, everyone--especially Ratherbesewing--for sharing your enthusiasm for the show. Now if someone would just stop by and put away my canned goods.......and do my dishes.

Flyleft: I think Miranda Hart (Chummy) is always hysterical when she's on the Graham Norton Show!

Now I need to go find that on line!
But...I was fascinated by Anele's statement that her mother was a nun....
That has to be a story....please share a little ...if you will.

I've been downloading this series on ITunes so I can watch it during a flight. I have a few of those coming up, having a series to look forward to sure helps pass the time.

Am I the only one that has a love/hate relationship with having access to a whole series at once? It is so easy to get sucked in and want to continue watching even when you have more important things to do! A few years ago someone loaned us their DVD set for The Wire. Dh and I would watch it every night after putting the kids to bed. We'd watch at least 2 episodes and then look at each other and say, "Another?" and hope to stay awake. And then dh would make me promise not to watch any while he was at work (can't say I didn't cheat sometimes!).

Since getting hooked on Downton Abbey, then Call the Midwife (which I only watched as it aired from the beginning so I had to wait for Sunday nights!), I went searching for Upstairs Downstairs and found myself looking for excuses to get to watch the next episode. Have to say, got all my laundry folded this weekend LOL. I watched the entire second season over the course of two days!

fourkids, try to find the Portlandia "Battlestar Galactica Boxed Set" episode...

Thank heavens childbirth practices have changed!! I'm all for home births, but not with that "high, hot, and heck of a lot," or however the nun put it.

I'm surprised, though.....didn't they have stethoscopes in the 1950s?

Fourkids, I've heard others talk about the temptation to keep going (and going) when entire seasons are available. I'm lucky this hasn't been a problem for me, because streaming and DVDs are almost the only way I watch TV. I do, however, deal with a seductive Internet addiction, and often employ a program that cuts me off from online access when I need to be writing.

flyleft - that Portlandia skit is hysterical. And so true (although I haven't watched Battlestar..)

flyleft, it's Season 2 of Portlandia, called "one moore episode" -
I have it in my ITunes library and have not watched it yet. I will soon.

four kids, DH are the same with our boxed sets, we started season one of Revenge and it's like we're on crack, we want more more more. we've been averaging 3 episodes a night.

we don't always have a series to watch so we enjoy having them once in a while;
I also have the latest season of Mad Men waiting in the wings.

Season One of Homeland was a real treat to watch all in a row.

The money I spend on boxed sets I justify by the fact that we rarely find movies we both like in theatres, and we never see live shows, etc and we pass along the dvd series to our friends and families.

The Portlandia skit is free on youtube -

Here is a link that might be useful: Battlestar Galactica

I looked upthe battlestar episode on youtube, here it is

Here is a link that might be useful: portlandia episode

alisande- I wondered about the stethoscopes too. My guess is perhaps the modern ones were too expensive. They are using an old fashioned fetal stethoscope, the bell shape helps them hear the heartbeat of the embryo.

Nurse here. Taped and watched every episode! Loved it!

Now, I'm have the "Dust Bowl" on DVR, the Ken Burns documentary.
Really amazing!

I absolutely loved the series. I caught it because I was looking to find something to watch before Dexter. I missed the last two episodes and must make time to catch them.

They are not on Netflix yet but they are on Amazon-- both streaming and the season1 set. I believe I'll buy this for my grandmother for Christmas. Mom is getting the full Rosemary & Thyme set-- they can swap when they are done!

I am not seeing it On Demand.. unless it is hidden, I will have to kick out the 1.99 an episode on Amazon Instant Video. :(

la jan, we saw the first episode this past week and loved it. He has a way of bringing all these things you kind of knew about in isolation *together* so they all make sense...like, I didn't know that Woody Guthrie was from Oklahoma and specifically was caught in the same big storm that had just been described, and expected the world to end. We've sung "so long, it's been good to know you" since I was a kid at camp...has a completely different meaning now!

Funkyart, go to PBS.com video and you can watch all the episodes for free until 12/3

Olychick.. thank you!! I thought to check there but just didnt bother when I saw it wasnt on the other venues. I will check it out tomorrow!

Call the Midwife: I downloaded the series in november and just got around to watching it this last week, oh my I so loved the episodes and I'm looking forward to season 2 .

it's an amazing touching series, so well done.

Did anyone catch the Holiday Special. Really good! I didn't know there would be a season 2! Nice to look forward to!

Season 1 has been running on PBS here in my area again. I think I saw they are up to ep 2 or 3.

I am so grateful that someone here posted about this show - I'm not sure if it was ratherbesewing in this thread or somewhere else, but thanks. I love it! I don't have tv but was able to watch it on the computer, as well as the Christmas special, which was wonderful, too.

ratherbesewing, thanks for posting about this! I ordered the first book for my kindle and am truly enjoying it. I hope to see the show too.

I watched the holiday special this morning, how nice that was !! I might get the books now, I wonder if they are quite different than the shows.

Watched the whole series (including the Christmas episode) in a weekend marathon. I bought it from Amazon, $1.99 per show, but the first episode is free. It is wonderful!!!! I can't wait for the second season.