The Best PBS Dramas If You Enjoy Call the Midwife
For more than a decade, Call the Midwife has delighted PBS viewers with its rich, moving storytelling, taking us inside the world of midwifery during the mid-twentieth century. Based on the critically-acclaimed books by Jennifer Worth, the series follows the nurses, midwives and nuns from Nonnatus House as they care for their expectant mothers and patients of Poplar, London.
Luckily, we here at PBS carry a wide selection of unforgettable series that champion some of the strongest elements of Call The Midwife — high stakes drama, unforgettable characters, and of course, irresistible romance.
Read more below to discover more.
1. All Creatures Great and Small
What’s It About: Adapted from the internationally celebrated books, All Creatures Great and Small follows James Herriot’s adventures as a veterinarian in 1930s Yorkshire. Nicholas Ralph portrays the iconic vet and is joined by a lovable cast of characters including gruff senior vet Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West), wild child Tristan Farnon (Callum Woodhouse), hardworking farmer Helen Alderson (Rachel Shenton), and the backbone of Skeldale House, Mrs. Hall (Anna Madeley).
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: Like Call the Midwife, All Creatures Great and Small features a British cast and a strong focus on medicine with a cozy, wholesome atmosphere! Plus, who can resist cute animals?
How Many Seasons: Five (Season 6 will premiere in January 2026).
Watch All Creatures Great and Small on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States and Canada.]
2. Funny Woman
What’s It About: It’s the height of the swinging 60s, and Barbara Parker has just been crowned Miss Blackpool — but she’s certain there has to be more to life than being a beauty queen in a seaside town. With the bright lights of London calling, Barbara packs her bags and heads off to the city where she looks to take on the male-dominated world of comedy by storm.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: Just as Call the Midwife highlights a cast of strong female characters, Funny Woman features the unstoppable, brilliant Barbara Parker (played by Gemma Arterton) as she navigates the highs and lows of the entertainment business. Viewers will adore the fashionable, period costumes as well as its empowering message.
How Many Seasons: Two
Watch Funny Woman on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States.]
3. The Durrells in Corfu
What’s It About: Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard, Line of Duty) stars as an intrepid widow decamping from dreary England to a sun-drenched Greek island with her four recalcitrant children, ages 11 to 21, in this charming and witty adaptation of Gerald Durrell’s memoir, "My Family and Other Animals" and its two sequels.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: Who doesn’t dream of an escape to the Greek islands? PBS fans will marvel at this relateable, period drama with its wholesome premise. So make sure to grab your sunhats and buckets as we head down to the stunning beaches for our Greek-filled getaway.
How Many Seasons: Four
Watch The Durrells in Corfu on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States.]
4. Mr. Bates vs The Post Office
What’s It About: Based on the real-life British Post Office scandal, Mr. Bates vs The Post Office follows the story of a consequential government scandal. This is the story of decent, ordinary, and real-life people who were relentlessly pursued, coerced, and controlled by a powerful corporation, and their seemingly insurmountable battle to right so many horrific wrongs.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: Similar to Call the Midwife, Mr. Bates vs The Post Office centers around a British cast with an uplifting message that will leave viewers inspired. Witness the determined efforts of hard-working, ordinary people as they stand up to a domineering government presence.
How Many Seasons: One
Watch Mr. Bates vs The Post Office on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States and Canada.]
5. Around the World in 80 Days
What’s It About: Set sail in Jules Verne’s iconic hot air balloon with the indomitable duo — Phileas Fogg and his valet, Passepartout — in a thrilling, modern adaptation of the classic adventure novel "Around the World in Eighty Days," starring David Tennant.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: Whether we’re looking for it or not, adventure is always an arm’s reach away. Just as Call the Midwife highlights the importance of friendship and found family, the characters in Around the World in 80 Days remind us of the fulfillment that comes from camaraderie. Plus, who can turn down a British period piece with David Tennant?
How Many Seasons: One
Watch Around the World in 80 Days on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States, Canada and Mexico.]
6. Little Women
What’s It About: Loved by generations worldwide, Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” is a truly universal coming-of-age story. This three-part TV adaptation follows iconic sisters Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy March on their journey from childhood to adulthood with guidance from their mother, Marmee. Stars Emily Watson, Michael Gambon, Angela Lansbury, Maya Hawke and Jonah Hauer-King.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: Heralded as a long-standing American classic, Little Women encapsulates the triumphs and trials that come with young womanhood. Just as the nurses of Nonnatus House share a specific sisterhood, the March siblings remind us what it can feel like to find one’s standing in the world. Viewers will also adore the wholesome, family-friendly element of the show.
How Many Seasons: One
Watch Little Women on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States.]
7. Land Girls
What’s It About: Follow the lives, loves, highs and lows of members of the Women’s Land Army working at the Hoxley Estate during World War II. As men fought on the battlefields, women from all walks of life worked the farms that fed the nation, doing their part to keep the home front running.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: When men are called to the front lines during World War II, the women at Hoxley Estate confidently step up to the plate — and in big ways, too. Viewers will fall in love with the endearing display of friendship shared among the four leads in this satisfying British period piece.
How Many Seasons: Three
Watch Land Girls on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States and Canada.]
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8. RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service
What’s It About: Based on remarkable real-life stories, this gripping drama series follows the modern-day heroes of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Watch as these medical experts navigate private lives as turbulent and profound as the heart-stopping emergencies they attend to across some of the most beautiful and inhospitable places in the Australian outback.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: Call the Midwife possesses no shortage of high-intensity moments that embody the everyday heroics seen in the midwifery field. In RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service, viewers will feel similarly moved by the compelling display of valiant medical achievements.
How Many Seasons: Two
Watch RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States and Canada.]
9. Frankie Drake Mysteries
What’s It About: Set in 1920s Toronto, the series follows the adventures of Frankie Drake (Lauren Lee Smith) and her partner Trudy Clarke (Chantel Riley) at Drake Private Detectives. As the city’s only all-female detective agency, they find themselves fighting crime in the age of flyboys, gangsters, rum-runners and speakeasies.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: PBS viewers will be obsessed with this stylish, period piece that spotlights women-centered storytelling. Just like how our favorite characters of Call the Midwife exhibit supportive friendships, Frankie Drake Mysteries will remind you of the remarkable achievements that can come from women teaming up together.
How Many Seasons: Four
Watch Frankie Drake Mysteries on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States.]
10. Seaside Hotel
What’s It About: At Andersen’s Seaside Hotel by the North Sea dunes, meet the chambermaid Fie, the merchant's daughter Amanda, and the local fisherman Morten, whose fates are intertwined, as they seek to emancipate themselves from the plans other people have made on their behalf. From Walter Presents, this series is in Danish with English subtitles.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: Seaside Hotel is a wonderful, historically-grounded series anchored with strong women characters and gripping storylines. Revel in the drama, romance, and emotions of this beloved Danish series.
How Many Seasons: 10
Watch Seaside Hotel on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States and Canada.]
11. All Heart
What’s It About: Step inside the halls of Turin’s Le Molinette hospital in the late 1960s. As the world changes, is brilliance any match for chauvinism? From Walter Presents, in Italian with English subtitles.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: There’s no shortage of drama in any hospital, and that’s definitely the case for both PBS series, All Heart and Call the Midwife. Take a deep dive into the day-to-day challenges at play in the medical field — and the romances that also blossom along the way.
How Many Seasons: Four
Watch All Heart on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States and Canada.]
12. Davos 1917
What’s It About: Amid the chaos of World War I, a young woman in neutral Switzerland will do anything to find her daughter while secret agents lurk. From Walter Presents, in German with English subtitles.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: If you want a moving display of resilience and determination, look no further than Davos 1917 — a show that will undoubtedly pull at your heartstrings. Moments of struggle are all-pervasive during times of war, a fact that many midwives of Nonnatus House can also attest to. Nevertheless, amidst those trying moments, the most heroic acts of bravery can prevail.
How Many Seasons: One
Watch Davos 1917 on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States and Canada.]
13. The Good Apprentice
What’s It About: In Rome, Alice is a medical student who falls in love with forensic medicine. Can she manage her private life at the same time she’s struggling to be a great medical examiner? From Walter Presents, in Italian with English subtitles.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: Similar to Call the Midwife, The Good Apprentice depicts the unrelenting challenges and complexities that come from working in the medical field.
How Many Seasons: Three
Watch The Good Apprentice on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States and Canada.]
14. In Flanders Field
What’s It About: Follow the story of the Boesman family's attempt to survive in the city of Ghent during World War I, focusing on each of the five family members’ different experiences. From Walter Presents, in Dutch with English subtitles.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: During times of war, people are pushed and tested to their limits — a reality that many of the Nonnatus House midwives experienced during World War II. Prepare to be transported to a story filled with the highest of stakes, where family members are tested during the most perilous of circumstances.
How Many Seasons: One
Watch In Flanders Field on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States and Canada.]
15. Miss Friman’s War
What’s It About: Dagmar Friman returns to Sweden after spending some time in London. When she sees the poor quality of food in Stockholm, she decides to make a change. From Walter Presents, in Swedish with English subtitles.
Why Call the Midwife Fans Will Like This Show: Similar to Call the Midwife, Miss Friman’s War is a period piece that showcases a cast of unstoppable, strong female characters. Viewers will leave the show feeling inspired by these women’s empowering display of resilience in the face of adversity.
How Many Seasons: Four
Watch Miss Friman’s War on PBS Passport. [Available to stream in the United States and Canada.]
