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[tab title="Movie Review"]

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What’s a historical dramatic series to do when its lead actor hungers to star in some serious science fiction movies while its ratings grow? That’s the dilemma the talent behind the BBC’s Call the Midwife faced at the conclusion of its third season. Jessica Raine – who plays Jenny Lee and is, essentially, the voice of the narrative – announced her intentions to look for work in Hollywood. Based upon her character’s memoirs, Call the Midwife was facing a bit of a conundrum. While they braced audiences for her possible departure during the run of the third season, they had only just begun the uphill climb in trying to refocus their narrative as fans and the rest of the cast wanted more of the hit show.

Enter Season Four. Beginning with the Christmas episode, the writers and continuing cast didn’t merely reshuffle their playing deck and give in; they created a winning hand and found a pretty creative way for the voice of old Jenny (Vanessa Redgrave) to continue narrating the series as they introduced Charlotte Ritchie to the established cast of Miranda Hart, Jenny Agutter, Pam Ferris, Judy Parfitt, Helen George, Emerald Fennell, Ben Caplan and Stephen McGann as Dr. Patrick Turner. The year is 1960 and London’s East End is experiencing some significant growing pains. The midwives and the nuns of Nonnatus House, a nursing convent, part of an Anglican religious order, still struggle to service the deprived Poplar district while balancing their own lives.

Immensely engrossing, there is no other show written as beautifully on television right now than this one. Each season balances the demands of many characters in eight episodes plus the bonus Christmas episode and manages to land satisfactorily at the end. Since 2012, the show has flexed some serious dramatic muscle as its audience, growing in size each year, are rendered speechless by the emotional beats the writers administer. This season, with its inclusion of homosexuality as a topic within Nonnatus House, continues to make for some seriously great dramatic television without becoming weary. I doubt anyone, especially when pitching a show about women carrying for other women, regardless of their financial situation, would ever be received with open arms here in America.

Because we don’t get it. Most of Hollywood doesn’t understand decent storytelling. They understand marketing. While there are exceptions (Mad Men for example), Hollywood is simply about selling a product. Call the Midwife doesn’t sell a damn thing. It tells honest stories that live beyond its closing credits. Countless times I have been touched by an episode and can only sit there and let the credits play as the exit song – usually a standard from the late 1950s – washes over me. This female-led series is all about the fairer of the species and makes no apologies. Having acknowledged that, it has a serious loyal fanbase that stretches across the sexes and manages, like with me, to keep men coming back for more.

Created by Heidi Thomas, the show was originally based on the memoirs of former nurse Jennifer Worth but – upon running out of material (combined with the departure of Raine) – the writers now include new, historically sourced material concerning birth, life, death and a community on the brink of huge social change. The intense birth scenes are realistic. The newborns are legit. The drama is intense. And, surprisingly, the level of humor gracing each episode is one of natural harmony. Everything works in Call the Midwife and, arguable, its fourth season is one of its most important. Indeed it can survive a pretty major cast shakeup and continue to soldier on without falling out of line. That, in itself, is pretty damn impressive.

Call the Midwife answers the call in Hollywood’s S.O.S when it attempts to talk about equity. There are females in some pretty damn fine programming on television and they aren’t scantily clad or prostitutes or girlfriends or wives or housekeepers. They are saints and social servants working their fingers to the bone in the pursuit to make London breathe again. Call the Midwife is worth the time investment.

Both inspiring and heartbreaking, Call the Midwife is a staple in my house. What’s your excuse for not watching?

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

Blu-ray Details:

Available on Blu-ray - May 19, 2015
Screen Formats: 1.78:1
Subtitles: English SDH
Audio: English: LPCM 2.0
Discs: 50GB Blu-ray Disc; Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region Encoding: A

The BBC presents the 1080p transfer with sharp images, realistic tones and no errors whatsoever. Colors are bright. Details are crisp. Shadows are thick and only occasionally splotchy. The Arri Alexa camera continues to be the relied upon articulator for this period drama. No reason to change when the results are this perfect. Audio boasts clear dialogue and is presented in Dolby Digital with good levels.

Supplements:

Commentary:

• None

Special Features:

If you enjoy "extras", the release of season four might disappoint because they are nonexistent BUT, hey, with 10 additional minutes per episode that didn't air in the US, this series is still a must own for British TV fans and anyone looking for a superb, feel-good show.

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