Call the Midwife

With kids in felt reindeer antlers and santa hats, genial bobbies, Bing Crosby’s ‘It’s Beginning Look A Lot Like Christmas’ and Chummy (Miranda Hart) choosing her new baby over carol singing because ‘some things are worth staying in for’, saccharine levels are perilously close to overload in this festive edition of the popular period drama. Thank God, then, for the ugly babies, the amusing food-focused dialogue of Sister Evangelina, and the solid performances from the reliable Hart, Helen George and Jessica Raines as the midwives and Jenny Agutter as the ethereal, spiritual Sister Julienne.

The action centres around lapsed sister Bernadette (Laura Main, adding another lovely performance to a sterling group effort), about to marry Dr Turner and feeling guilty about rejecting her former path and sisters. As a more lively dramatic counterpoint to her ‘Sound of Music’ style dilemma, an unexploded bomb in the area means mass evacuations for all, the return of unwelcome memories for Alan, clearly shell-shocked, and the catalyst for a sad revelation from Trixie.

If you’re one of the few sensible ‘Midwife’ refuseniks having to watch this Christmas special with your mum, think of it as a big Christmas onesie that you can safely discard after the festive season.