Call the Midwife-Series 2 (2012)

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General		Extras
Category	Drama	Main Menu Audio & Animation Featurette-Making Of
Rating
Year Of Production	2012
Running Time	548
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Multi Disc Set (3)	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Philippa Lowthorpe Jamie Payne Roger Goldby China Moo-Young
Studio Distributor	Roadshow Home Entertainment	Starring	Jessica Raine Miranda Hart Jenny Agutter Pam Ferris Judy Parfitt
Case	?
RPI	?	Music	Peter Salem

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	English Dolby Digital 2.0
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.78:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	1.78:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English	Smoking	No
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

     The BBC has done it again, turning out another high quality drama. This series, which has now completed its second season on the ABC here in Australia, is a wonderful production, emotional, heartfelt and touching. The show is set in the East End of London during the 1950s, a time of great poverty amongst the working classes. The show centres on an institution called Nonnatus House, a local medical service with a focus on midwifery. The House is run by a group of nuns who are assisted by a number of young secular nurses, whom the stories tend to focus on. The show is based on a series of memoirs by a nurse, Jennifer Worth who worked in the East End during the 1950s. Her books were bestsellers and the series has a realistic quality to it which reflects the reality of the situation faced by nurses at the time.

     The main character, Jenny Lee (Jessica Raine) is based on the author, Jennifer Worth and is a young midwife from the better parts of London who arrives in the East End in Season 1. By the beginning of Season 2 she is well established at Nonnatus House with her colleagues, Camilla 'Chummy' Noakes (Miranda Hart), Cynthia Miller (Bryony Hannah) & Trixie Franklin (Helen George). These four are all young midwives who work with the nuns who include Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter), the leader of the group, Sister Evangelina (Pam Ferris), a curmudgeonly older nun with lots of experience in midwifery, and Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt), an older nun who is growing slowly less and less able. A new character is introduced in this season, medical orderly, Jane (Dorothy Atkinson). She is quiet and does not reveal much about her past. There is also a Doctor who supports their work, Dr Turner (Stephen McGann).

     Each episode focuses on different stories of the locals and their challenges mostly related to childbirth such as miscarriages, attempts at abortion (which was illegal at the time), stillbirths, childhood diseases plus the personal lives of the young nurses and the challenges of being nuns in such an environment. The stories can be quite intense and dramatic but there is always an undercurrent of real feeling to them bringing out the emotion in the stories without resorting to soap opera tendencies. There is sadness, joy, love, hope and emotional devastation. There are also lighter moments, usually involving Chummy or the nuns' handyman, Fred (Cliff Parisi). The screenplay is very well written bringing out all the emotions I have mentioned. The cast does a quality job of their roles and the production is well put together overall providing an enjoyable and emotional viewing experience.

     This set of 3 DVDs includes 9 episodes including the 2012 Christmas Special as episode 1. The episodes are approximately 1 hour each, however, the Christmas Special is slightly longer.

     A great second season of a high quality English drama series set in 1950s London.

Video

     The video quality is very good.

     The series is presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio which is the original aspect ratio for this show. It is 16x9 enhanced.

     The picture was quite sharp without being crisp. There was some grain at times. Shadow detail was quite good.

     The colour was good however lips sometimes look blue and there is some light colour bleeding.

     There was also some blocking during fast motion.

     There are subtitles available in English which are clear and easy to read.

    There are no noticeable layer changes during playback.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

     The audio quality is good.

     These discs contain a English soundtrack in Dolby Digital 2.0.

     Dialogue was reasonably clear and easy to hear and understand although some lines were a little indistinct.

     The music used was from the period and suited the show well.

     The surround speakers and subwoofer were not used.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Menu

     The menu included music and motion.

Midwifery (28:47)

     An interesting doco on the books, the adaptation and the series. It features discussion of the books, the screenplay, the author, locations, filming, casting and more. It includes interviews with cast and crew. Well worth watching.

    This show is available in the same format in the UK but not in the US at this stage (pre-order only). The local version is probably the go at the moment.

    The video quality is very good.

    The audio quality is good.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall