Call the Midwife returned to our screens on Sunday night for season nine, and viewers have already taken to Twitter in tears to talk about the emotional episode, which saw our favourite characters deal with an outbreak of diphtheria, a bacterial infection that is highly contagious and can be deadly. In the episode, a pregnant mother-of-two is giving birth when her son collapses after contracting the infection.
Fans loved the first episode
Discussing the episode on Twitter, one person wrote: "#CallTheMidwife might superficially seem like a cosy Sunday night drama but it’s anything but, never shirking from the social issues of the day in which it’s set. Those social issues/attitudes are as relevant now as they were then. That’s what makes it such a special drama." Another person added: "The tears on a Sunday evening are back...nice tears though....so beautifully written and acted." A third person tweeted: "Somewhere between tears and joy! Am an emotional wreck now! Brilliant episode can't wait until next week."
The episode looked at the dangers of diphtheria
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Helen George, who plays Trixie, recently opened up about why she thought people loved the popular series so much, telling The Guardian: "It lulls people into a warm, cuddly trance, but the subject matter is thought-provoking. If it was purely a hard-hitting drama about social equality and feminism, it probably wouldn’t be as popular. We covered the thalidomide controversy. Our abortion storyline was on air at the same time as laws were being passed in Ireland. The NHS was a big election issue, and our show champions the NHS while also recognising its flaws. It might be wrapped in a cosy blanket and set in the past, but it still reflects modern society." Find out what happens next on Call the Midwife on Sunday 12 January at 8pm on BBC One.
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