'Call The Midwife' Back For Holiday Special, Season 2

Chris Harnick
(Photo: )
(Photo: )

"Call The Midwife" will be back for a second season in March, but fear not, there's a holiday special to tide viewers over until the 2013 premiere. The holiday special of "Call The Midwife" airs Sunday, December 30 at 7:30pm EST and Season 2 kicks off on March 31 at 8 p.m. on PBS.

"'Call The Midwife' has now proven itself to be a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, attracting record audiences in the UK and taking huge rating strides in the US in its first season," Matt Forde, executive vice president of sales and co-productions at BBC Worldwide Americas, said in a statement. "The show is a great complement to PBS’ popular line-up of powerful dramas and we are certain the show’s second season will continue to captivate and inspire."

According to PBS, Season 1 of "Call The Midewife" averaged 3 million viewers.

"We were so pleased with the overwhelming response we received to 'Call The Midwife' that we, along with our fans, can't wait until the second season premiere," John F. Wilson, senior vice president and chief TV programming executive at PBS, said in a statement. "It's exactly the kind of inventive, quality programming people expect from PBS, and it has helped us strengthen our Sunday night programming block into a true destination for drama fans."

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In the holiday special, Christmas is coming and the nuns and midwives are busier than ever. An abandoned baby is discovered on the steps of convent, leaving the whole community to rally to find the mother.

"PBS has been the perfect home for our show," Pippa Harris, "Call The Midwife" executive producer said in a statement, "and we are all thrilled that American audiences have embraced the midwives and nuns of London’s East End so warmly. It’s a testament to the enduring appeal of Jennifer Worth's books, the skill of screen writer Heidi Thomas and the huge talent of our cast and crew. The show is a celebration of birth, community and care for the most vulnerable in society, and we all look forward to delivering another season of moving and uplifting episodes next year."

"Call The Midwife" stars Jessica Raine as Jenny Lee, Jenny Agutter as Sister Julienne, Pam Ferris as Sister Evangelina, Miranda Hart as Chummy, Judy Parfitt as Sister Monica Joan, Helen George as Trixie Franklin, Bryony Hannah as Cynthia Miller, Laura Main as Sister Bernadette, Cliff Parisi as Fred and Vanessa Redgrave as the voice of mature Jennifer.

"The Office"

Original UK Series: "The Office" Ricky Gervais' British sitcom "The Office" premiered in 2001 and followed the employees of the fictional Wernham Hogg Paper Company. Though it only lasted two seasons in the UK, it lives on in the US. The American version starred Steve Carell and made him a highly-coveted film actor, and did the same for John Krasinski, Jenna Fischer and more of its stars. Now going into its ninth season, the dry humor and mockumentary-style series about the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company employees set the tone for many more comedies to come (i.e. "Modern Family").

"What Not to Wear"

Original UK Series: "What Not to Wear" The BAFTA-nominated original UK series "What Not To Wear" had Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine makeover some of the UK's most awfully dressed Brits for five seasons (before they left and Lisa Butcher and Mica Paris took over for the show's sixth and seventh seasons). Though the US installment of "What Not to Wear" premiered shortly thereafter with a bit of a rough start with Wayne Scot Lukas, the American version found its footing in Season 2. The dynamic between Stacy London and Clinton Kelly has helped the show last for nine seasons and counting.

"The Inbetweeners"

Original UK Series: "The Inbetweeners" Though time will tell if the MTV adaptation will be able to rival the cult appeal of the original, the first three episodes of the new comedy prove just as charming as the British show, albeit in distinctly American ways. British humor may be dry and acerbic, but the new cast has undeniable chemistry and comic timing, and it will be interesting to see where the show goes when it starts utilizing its original material, rather than the six episodes it based on the UK series.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.