The BBC's beloved period drama Call The Midwife concluded its two-part Christmas special on Boxing Day, but the festive offering left a significant portion of its audience divided and voicing strong complaints online.
A Festive Trip Turns Dangerous
The special, which aired in two parts, saw a contingent of midwives and medics from Poplar travel to Hong Kong after the collapse of the Branch House building. Their mission to secure a new clinic site quickly turned perilous. Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) and Sister Hilda (Fenella Woolgar) found themselves held at gunpoint by a man linked to a local triad gang, who refused to return their building deposit.
Choosing to walk away from the violence, the nuns abandoned their money. They were not the only ones in jeopardy. Dr Turner (Stephen McGann) and Fred Buckle (Cliff Parisi) also faced the barrel of a gun from the same criminal during a taxi journey.
A Search for a Mother in Hiding
The tension was rooted in a parallel storyline. Dr Turner and his wife Shelagh (Laura Main) had travelled to Hong Kong to find Esther Tang (Yennis Cheung), the birth mother of their adoptive daughter. They discovered Esther and her young son living in dire conditions, hiding from the child's father, a notorious criminal known as The Cormorant.
When Dr Turner realised the boy needed urgent medical care, he insisted they return to London for treatment. This led to a confrontation with The Cormorant, who demanded the doctor gamble for the chance to take his son out of the country.
Viewer Reaction: From Ridiculous to Moving
The dramatic Hong Kong narrative proved controversial with many viewers, who took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express their dissatisfaction. A common complaint was that the plot felt out of place and undermined the traditional Christmas spirit of the show.
One viewer posted, "Should have stayed in Poplar. Hong Kong story line is ridiculous." Another added, "Not sure what to make of this episode for Christmas, not enjoying the Hong Kong storyline it’s lost that Christmas feel." Criticism centred on the perceived absurdity of the plot, with comments labelling it "awful" and a let-down for the special.
However, the episode also received significant praise. A contingent of fans found it deeply emotional, with one calling it "The most moving episode of #CallTheMidwife I’ve ever watched." Another praised the beautiful ending and expressed excitement for the upcoming fifteenth series, which is scheduled to begin on 11th January.
The episode concluded with police interrupting the standoff, allowing Dr Turner to take the boy to safety. The final scenes returned to Poplar, where the Turners introduced the child to their family as he awaited treatment. Call The Midwife is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
