Call.the.midwife.s10e00.christmas.special.2020.... !!hot!! â Exclusive Deal
đ A Season of Surprises in Poplar: Call the Midwife Christmas Special 2020
Grab your cocoa and settle in! The 2020 Holiday Special delivered the perfect blend of heartwarming miracles and the "Nonnatus-style" drama weâve come to love. Set in December 1965, this 90-minute special brought a touch of circus magic to the snowy streets of Poplar. đȘ When the Circus Comes to Town The big highlight of the episode was the arrival of Percivalâs Circus . Guest star Peter Davison
(yes, the Fifth Doctor himself!) joined the cast as the ringmaster, Mr. Percival. A Whovian Easter Egg
: Fans loved the cheeky nod to Davisonâs past when Sister Monica Joan was found in the parlor eagerly "waiting for Doctor Who
to start"ânearly 20 years before his own era as the Doctor would have aired in that timeline! Nurse Crane Flies High
: In a truly magical moment, Mr. Percival helps Phyllis Crane fulfill a secret dream as she takes a stunning turn on the trapeze in a sequined costume. đ„ Heartbreak & Healing at Nonnatus Sister Monica Joanâs Fall
: The festive spirit was dampened when our favorite nun suffered a serious leg injury after a fall. Though initially stuck in the hospital for the holiday, a "Christmas miracle" and some persistence from Lucille and Cyril brought her home just in time for dinner. Nurse Valâs Departure : The episode began with the shocking news that Nurse Valerie Dyer
had left Nonnatus House. Following the death of her grandmother at the end of Season 9, Val transferred to the Hope Clinic in South Africa to work through her grief. A Touching Reunion Call.The.Midwife.S10E00.Christmas.Special.2020....
: Shelagh Turner reunited with an old acquaintance, Gloria Venables. After a history of tragic miscarriages, Gloria finally delivered a healthy baby girl in one of the most emotional scenes of the special. đ Trixieâs "Gift"
While others were decorating, Trixie was dealing with an unwanted gift from her godmother: a subscription to a marriage bureau! Her attempts at speed-dating were as hilarious as they were unsuccessful, including one "match" who insisted on a drink when Trixie preferred tea. Watch 2020 Holiday Special | Call the Midwife - PBS
MORE FROM * How to Watch Guide. How to Stream. TV Schedule. * Explore by Season. Season 15. Season 14. Season 13. Older Seasons. *
đ A Poplar Christmas: Magic, Memories, and the Circus! đȘ
Step back into December 1965 as the residents of Nonnatus House navigate a festive season filled with unexpected wonders and poignant challenges. Here is a look at what made the 2020 Christmas Special so memorable:
The Circus Comes to Town: Poplar is brightened by the arrival of Percivalâs Circus. While it brings holiday cheer to the neighborhood, it also presents unique medical cases for our favorite midwives.
Shelaghâs Surprise Reunion: Shelagh is delighted to cross paths with an old friend who is expecting a baby, bringing a personal touch to her holiday duties. đ A Season of Surprises in Poplar: Call
Sister Monica Joanâs Health Scare: The festivities are clouded when Sister Monica Joan is rushed to the hospital, reminding everyone of the fragility of life during the season of hope.
Trixieâs Modern Gift: In a classic Trixie move, she receives a subscription to a marriage bureauâan unusual gift that hints at her ongoing search for connection.
How to Watch:If youâre looking to revisit this classic episode, you can stream it via the PBS App in the US or find it on BBC iPlayer in the UK. It is also often available for BritBox subscribers.
Hereâs a write-up for the Season 10 Christmas Special (2020) of Call the Midwife, officially labeled S10E00 or "Call the Midwife Holiday Special 2020" :
Production Highlights: The Look of 1965
Visually, the special is stunning. Production designer Sarah Hauldren moves away from the earlier 1950s pastels into the bold, clashing colors of mid-1960s London. The Christmas decorations are a mix of homemade paper chains (reflecting the poverty of Poplar) and new, shiny aluminum tinsel (reflecting the coming modern age).
Key scenes include:
- The vaccination clinic montage: Set to a haunting, acapella version of "In the Bleak Midwinter," we see needles pierce skin, children cry, and adults faint.
- The midnight carol service: Filmed in a real, unheated East End church, the cast sings "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," their breath visible in the cold air. The juxtaposition of hope versus the clinical sterility of the isolation ward is breathtaking.
Historical Accuracy: 1965 in East End London
The Call the Midwife S10E00 Christmas Special 2020 excels at weaving real history into drama. Production Highlights: The Look of 1965 Visually, the
- The Thalidomide Scandal: By late 1965, the UK was grappling with the aftermath of thalidomide. The drug had been withdrawn in 1961, but babies with disabilities were now reaching toddler age. The show realistically depicts the lack of state supportâparents were often told to institutionalize their children.
- Smoke Abatement Act of 1956: The âGreat Fogâ that hits Poplar in the episode mirrors the deadly Great Smog of 1952. The midwives wear face masks while cyclingâa haunting parallel to 2020âs COVID masks.
- The Abortion Law Pre-1967: A subplot involves a teenage girl seeking a backstreet abortion. Sister Frances (Ella Bruccoleri) must counsel her without judgment, highlighting the desperation before the 1967 Abortion Act.
2. The Foster Childâs First Christmas
A subplot involves a young girl, Margaret, who is placed in a temporary foster home just days before Christmas because her mother is being treated for smallpox. The episode avoids saccharine sentimentality by showing the girlâs initial terror and the foster motherâs clumsy but genuine attempts to provide a stable holiday. In a tear-jerking final scene, the girl is reunited with her recovered mother on Christmas morning, only for the mother to whisper, "You smell like gingerbread and safety."
đ Setting & Timeline:
The special takes place in Poplar, East London, during the winter of 1965, leading up to Christmas. It was filmed and aired in 2020 under COVID-19 safety protocols, but the storyline itself is largely pre-pandemic in setting.
The Deliveries (Because of Course)
It wouldnât be a special without babies, and this episode delivers two unforgettable ones.
First, there is Marlene, a pregnant woman with a heart condition that makes labor a dangerous gamble. Her storyline is tense, highlighting the medical limitations of 1965. Dr. Turner (Stephen McGann) and Sister Julienne walk a tightrope of ethics and hope.
Second, and most heartbreakingly, we meet Rhoda, a mother whose baby, Susan, was born with severe deformities caused by thalidomide. This is not a new plot for the show (longtime fans remember the haunting Series 6 arc), but revisiting Rhoda and her family during the "season of miracles" is gut-wrenching. The episode refuses to offer a magical cure. Instead, it offers something braver: acceptance, community, and the fierce, unyielding love of a mother who sees her child as perfect regardless of the world's judgment.
A Very Poplar Christmas: Reviewing the Call the Midwife 2020 Christmas Special (S10E00)
Published: December 26, 2020 Series: Call the Midwife Episode: 2020 Christmas Special (Often indexed as S10E00) Original Air Date: December 25, 2020 (BBC One) / December 25, 2020 (PBS)
The Weight of an Empty Chair
The shadow of Sister Evangelina (the irreplaceable Pam Ferris) loomed large over Nonnatus House. Her recent death left a void that no amount of figgy pudding could fill. Watching Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) try to maintain order while clearly navigating her own quiet devastation was a masterclass in stoic grief. Meanwhile, Nurse Crane (Linda Bassett) used brisk efficiency as her armor, and Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) retreated into poetic melancholy.
The episode didnât rush the mourning. Instead, it allowed the nuns and nurses to fumble through their first major holiday without their formidable colleague. It was a stark reminder that even the most cohesive family can feel fractured by loss.