‘Call the Midwife’: How Real-Life Rabies Scare Inspired the Latest Episode

Season 15 of Call the Midwife continues to blend personal stories with larger social anxieties, and in Episode 2, it’s fear, not festivity, that takes center stage. The annual Easter egg hunt for the wee ones of Poplar quickly unravels when a sick dog is discovered in the courtyard, bringing the wholesome celebration to an abrupt and unsettling halt.

What follows is near hysteria in the neighborhood as fears of infection from even the slightest scratch, talk of rounding up pets, and a community on edge as it is told to “sit tight” while authorities wait for answers.

For many American viewers, the reaction might seem extreme, as the nuns and midwives of Nonnatus House quickly shut down the event and make sure no one comes into contact with the animal. But in reality, Call the Midwife is once again delivering a sobering history lesson.

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While the dog is ultimately revealed to have ingested rat poison, not have rabies, the reaction is rooted in very real history. In the early 1970s, Britain was gripped by intense fear of a rabies outbreak as the disease spread across mainland Europe. The result was a kind of national panic, where even the suspicion of rabies could lead to hysteria, animal seizures, and the potential euthanasia of pets to prevent an outbreak.

It is not the first time that Call the Midwife has drawn on darker chapters of history to shape its storytelling. In Season 10, the series brought the nation’s thalidomide crisis to the forefront, exploring how the drug, once prescribed to ease morning sickness, led to devastating birth defects and forever changed the lives of countless families, including those in Poplar. It was a storyline revisited over the years as those children grew, reminding viewers of the long-term impact of medical missteps.

In Season 15 Episode 1, new patient Thelma Cutler (played by Outlander regular Izzy Meikle-Small) was in the midst of a difficult pregnancy that Dr. Turner (Stephen McGann) feared might be hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of nausea. “It’s the lowest I’ve ever seen a pregnant woman brought, mentally as well as physically,” the doctor explained. “There’s not really any medication for it, is there? Not after thalidomide,” inquired Sister Catherine (Molly Vevers). To which Dr. Turner gravely replied: “There will never be any medication for it after thalidomide.”

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Revisiting dark moments in history, such as the thalidomide crisis or the 1970s rabies scare, isn’t just about adding drama. It’s part of what gives a show like Call the Midwife its weight and purpose. TV Insider talked to actress Molly Vevers about the show’s use of historical moments for emotional stakes and authenticity.

“I was talking to my mom, and she said, ‘Oh, I remember that, I remember the adverts on the TV,'” said Vevers about the depiction of the rabies scare on Call the Midwife. “She said, ‘It was terrifying.’ She was probably, like, 10 years old at the time.”

According to Vevers, shows like Call the Midwife that explore the more difficult chapters of history are successful because doing so links generations.

“I think the fact that the show does that very successfully is part of why it’s so well loved and has continued to be so successful — for this is the 15th series — is that it revisits moments in history,” explained Vevers. “And I think it’s a generational thing as well. I’m talking about my mum recognizing a moment, because we’re now into the early 1970s, but you know, people say they watch it with their grandparents, or different generations of the family, and can recognize different moments.”

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“Reflection is a really important tool in society to look at how things were done then, and also, to be honest. There are lots of societal issues that come up in the show that you can also reflect on and go, ‘Has this changed that much? Or where are we at in terms of that?'” continued Vevers. “I’m thinking like feminism, racism, and different societal issues that come up. I think that reflection gives us a chance to think about how far we’ve come. Or not.”

The rabies fear ripples into other storylines as Ernest Bagnall’s (Nicolas Tennant) son Joel (Callum Burns) returns from Tibet eager to share yoga with the community, but becomes increasingly ill, having contracted rabies himself. Sadly, with no way to treat the disease at this point, Bagnall can only offer comfort as he watches his son die.

The medical case of the week centers on two expectant mothers, sisters-in-law Estelle (Julie Lamberton) and Hope (Mimi Joffroy) Glennon. When Hope goes into labor, the delivery turns difficult and traumatic, causing Estelle to fear for her life.

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Elsewhere, Cyril (Zephryn Taitte) and Rosalind (Natalie Quarry) prepare for a tense first meeting with her parents. Sadly, it does not go well, as they decide that Cyril is “not the chap” for their daughter. Regardless, the couple decides that they have each other, and that is enough.

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Trixie (Helen George) hopes to modernize methods by introducing epidurals, even helping Estelle confront her phobia. The use of the method results in an easy, non-traumatic birth.

Last episode, Sister Veronica (Rebecca Gethings) shared tea with Geoffrey Franklin (Christopher Harper) and made a shocking confession about wanting a child of her own. This week, she is still very much dealing with a crisis of faith.

And on a somber note, the clinic is up for sale, and the future of Nonnatus House is uncertain, as the fear of strict National Health Service supervision will require the convent-based nursing home to face possible requirements from the sisters to abandon their habits. “Sister, if you close down, so do we. Our practice is enmeshed with yours,” Dr. Turner begs of Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter). “I know,” says a crying Julienne. “If we don’t agree to the new terms, we will receive no new funds until the end of this year. I said I would give my decision at the end of August.”

Call the Midwife, Season 15, Sundays, 8/7c on PBS, PBS.org, and the PBS app

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