User Reviews

This episode revolves around a motherless child of mixed race in late 19th century Britain and the reactions of the staff of the Thrift and Dr. Bramwell's family and their social circle to the situation the child presents. The common people and the middle-class (Aristocracy, too for that matter) of that period were a bit ethnocentric, to say the least. The majority of the population probably were never exposed to some of the issues brought up in this episode, but I am sure that they were all represented by the cast in this episode. Their noble deeds and their foibles are laid bare for all to see.

This episode was well executed in that the character's address the issues raised with pure 19th Century British demeanor. It isn't always pretty nor logical, but it is always entertaining to learn a little more about the past, warts and all.

Idris Elba in one of his earliest roles as the father of a biracial child birth in 1890 England. This episode deserves a much better rating as it shines a harsh light on attitudes in mostly white London, with the worst stereotypes. Some would say we have not progressed that much in 100 years.

I just watched this particular episode, and even though I have always enjoyed this show, I must say that this particular episode left little to be desired. The whole theme bothered me, especially when the Black baby is treated as though it is simply Black and nothing more. The white mother was of no consideration at all, and this in itself is unrealistic. I just didn't like the way the story was written, with such a warped sense of understanding about the nature of human beings in regard to skin colour. There was a superiority about this episode that related to the audience that while it is perfectly normal to be White it is abnormal and strange to be of another ethnicity. Racism does exist and this is a fact, but the way the show portrayed this story line was extremely offensive to me and displayed the efforts of an irresponsible writer, who should never have tackled a subject matter such as this one without knowing the facts. Black people, whether in that time or now, are just as worthy and human as anyone else. The father and child were portrayed as anything but human and this is what really bothered me.