Birdsong, BBC One (Photo: BBC)

up together. The cynic in all of us would highlight the fact that the trenches looked bleak, unpopulated and trite, whilst the rose-tinted flashbacks to rural French played out like a wartime, Laura Ashley pastiche. However, this is unfair. The scenes in the trenches are both moving and tragic and Stephen’s life in France is passionately served up to the viewer in both a believable and warming manner.
Although I occasionally got confused as to where the war horse was going to trot in, the first episode, at least, was wholly consuming and a prime example of pure escapism. The second episode, possibly due to its focus on his relationship’s breakdown opposed to its formation, lacked something the first revelled in. In Episode 1 the focus is very much the two lovers’ whirlwind romance framed by Stephen Wraysford’s wartime duty. However, such was the graphic nature of his thoughts it felt, at times, like every raunchy flashback should end with him flushing a dutifully discharged Kleenex. Birdsong is a tremendous piece of television which, at it’s worst was quaint and at it’s best was utterly moving – praise be to the BBC.

Another televisual treat, Call the Midwife, has recently cycled onto schedules forceps and warm towels at the ready. Starring Jessica Raine as the new girl midwife in post-war East End London, the 10 part series on BBC One gives a dramatic insight into the life of the midwife. The series is funny, moving and more graphic than I would have liked on a Sunday afternoon while having dinner – never have steak whilst watching a programme which deals heavily in placenta! Miranda Hart, as expected, is very entertaining as the bumblingly and clumsily posh Camilla Cholomondely-Browne or ‘Chummy’ to friends. Based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, the series charts the lives of the midwives, their patients and the various problems they encounter. Tragically, Worth died before the series aired.

Call the Midwife, BBC One (photo: BBC)

Although a lot of flailing limbs and screaming women, the series brilliants evokes thrilling tension in the birth scenes with complication a plenty. I feel I could now be a midwife, such is my new encyclopaedic knowledge of breaching, umbilical cords and enemas! Each episode’s drama is primarily based around the plight of a new pregnant person – obviously we’ve already had the pregnant prostitute and the surprise black baby. But the delicacy of childbirth and the peril that can occur from any small complication, as is the case with anything both medical and critical, create immediate, thrilling tension. Anything like ‘the baby is upside down’ has you immediately on the edge of your seat. The series has already been recommissioned for 8 more episodes – due later in the year.

Luke Jones
(KCL)

@lukejones03