What the Boxed Set Actually Contains

The Call The Midwife Boxed Set is a physical DVD collection that groups multiple series together in a single package. The most common editions you'll find bundle Series 1 through 6, with some variations including additional discs for special episodes or behind-the-scenes material. Each disc typically runs about 45 to 50 minutes per episode, plus extra featurettes that are worth ten minutes each if you're planning your watch time. I picked up the Series 1 to 6 boxed set a few years back from a high-street retailer. The packaging is standard DVD size, roughly 135mm by 194mm, and it sits neatly on a shelf. Inside you get individual slipcases for each disc, a booklet with episode guides, and sometimes a poster depending on the edition. The discs themselves are region-free on most versions, which matters if you live outside the UK and pick up a second-hand copy.

Call The Midwife Boxed Set: Where to Get It and What to Watch For

You can find it on Amazon, eBay, and occasionally in charity shops or second-hand bookstores. The trick is checking which series are actually included. Some sellers list a "boxed set" that turns out to be just the first four series, while others include all six. I once bought what I thought was the complete collection only to discover it was missing Series 5 and 6. I contacted the seller and got a partial refund, but honestly the process took three weeks and I was out of pocket the whole time. The workaround was straightforward — always check the disc count in the description before buying. A full six-series set should have at least six discs, sometimes eight if bonus material is included.

The pricing range is rough. Brand new copies on Amazon sit around twenty-five to thirty-five pounds, while used copies on eBay often go for ten to eighteen pounds depending on condition. Keep in mind that used discs can develop scratches, and while DVD players are generally forgiving with minor scuffing, deep scratches will cause skip issues. I learned that the hard way with a copy that had a fine hairline crack across Disc 3. It played fine until the scene transitions, where it would stutter for about five seconds. I ended up using a disc repair kit from Half Price Books — the kind with the UV-cured resin fill — and it fixed most of the stuttering. Not completely, but enough to make it watchable. There are a couple of things about this boxed set that nobody really mentions upfront. The first is that the extras are not evenly distributed across all discs. Series 1 and 2 have fuller documentary content, while the later series lean more toward cast interviews. If you're watching for the historical context, start with the earlier discs. The second thing is the audio setup. These are all formatted in Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, not 5.1 surround sound. That's standard for television broadcast content from that era, but it catches people off guard if they're expecting a cinematic audio experience. It sounds perfectly fine on a basic soundbar, but if you're using a home theatre setup, the surround channels will remain inactive. I should also mention one real limitation: the subtitle options are minimal. There are standard closed captions for the hearing impaired, but no optional subtitles in other languages on most editions. If you're watching with non-UK viewers who struggle with the East London accent and 1950s medical terminology, you're mostly on your own there. The only real workaround is to run the DVD through a media player like VLC and try the auto-generated subtitles, though those are never great. A better approach is just to let the younger viewers sit through the first two episodes without subs — the accent settles after that, and most people adapt within a day or two of watching.