Review by C.J. Bunce
The creators of PBS Masterpiece’s latest remake of James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small have made something of an art of time jumping. This year the show’s sixth season flashed forward three years to the last days of World War II, an older Jimmy, and new baby Rosie for the Herriots. Moving beyond the strictures of the novels and earlier adaptations clearly has had a freeing effect on the writing staff, with traits of characters you thought you knew getting twisted this way and that. We’re looking at the six regular season episodes and holding back on what has somehow replaced what had been a Doctor Who’s annual tradition–the Christmas episode. With two more seasons in process, the sixth season is streaming now on PBS Passport. If you loved those earlier seasons you won’t want to miss this one.
Just as you’d expect, returning for the sixth season is Nicholas Ralph as vet James Herriot, Samuel West as his mercurial mentor Siegfried Farnon, and Callum Woodhouse back from the war again as Tristan Farnon. Anna Madeley returns as the matriarch of Skeldale House Mrs. Hall, along with Rachel Shenton as the charismatic Helen Herriot, Patricia Hodge as the wonderfully sophisticated Mrs. Pumphrey (with her adored pampered Pekingese Tricki), Tony Pitts as Richard Alderson, and Imogen Clawson as Jenny Alderson.
The latest adaptation of James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small masterfully maintains a perfect balance and tone–for its characters and its story. It juxtaposes an idyllic setting with personal issues of life and death, all as a world war is happening not all that far away. The series that made it into the borg Top 10 television series of the past decade continues a new spin on the stories of James Herriot, as viewers return to Darrowby to join its unconventional and much-loved Skeldale House family and the colorful ensemble of farmers, animals and townsfolk living in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1940s, filmed on location.
But this year are the stories more fun? It sure seems that way. The writers leaned into the personalities of each character almost to an extreme, except for Rachel Shenton’s Helen, who was sidelined a bit for Shenton’s real-life pregnancy–although that’s her real-life baby in the later episodes and Helen is showcased in an episode where Jenny decides to move to London for nursing school. But viewers will see Samuel West as an even more crotchety than ever–and often even unlikeable–Siegfried, Nicholas Ralph’s James more uptight than ever, and Callum Woodhouse’s Tristan more comical than ever. Even Tricki the Pekingese gets his own adventure this season. And of course Patricia Hodge’s Mrs. Pumphrey and Anna Madeley’s Mrs. Hall ground the show and hold it all together.
But just as Siegfried acts inexplicably when it comes to Mrs. Hall when she returns from living with her son and daughter-in-law, it’s Tristan who shines brightest this year. Something is holding him back all season long, but it’s pushed aside when the daughter of a local, well-known man of wealth and owner of many horses takes a shine to Tristan. That’s Gaia Wise (star of The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim) as Charlotte, who also has seen her time in the service recently. Wise has an Emma Thompson-like presence (probably because she is the real-life daughter of Emma Thompson!) that pairs well with Woodhouse’s balance of humor and shyness. This commonality brings two people of different economic situations together, and it’s much better than the will they/won’t they that’s always sneaking around in the scripts between Mrs. Hall and Siegfried.
But beyond a very sweet romance between Tristan and Charlotte is more dramatic fare for Woodhouse. Back from the war Tristan hides his personal WWII version of post-traumatic stress disorder, which comes to a head when Japan finally signs its surrender. With what will likely be the last of the war-driven drama of the series, Tristan’s story smartly reflects and honors the trials and successes of a British community during wartime. For seasons 7 and 8 there will hopefully be the opportunity for Charlotte to share more of her experiences in the war. Recurring character Mollie, played by Mollie Winnard, is hit hard with the death of her husband off in Burma, but her story is only included as a smaller side story with all the main cast drama happening.
Don’t worry–the series never forgets the animals. The best of these may be Richard Alderson’s pregnant cow, who may or may not have lost her newborn calf. Or maybe it’s Mrs. Ambrose’s new parrot who keeps Tristan on his toes. Elexi Walker introduces new character Sister Rose. She steals the show in every scene, a nurse who takes in and adopts out dogs around the community. It’s too bad she didn’t get tapped as a regular character. She’s a brilliant addition to the show. Her episode, “Old Dog, New Tricks,” along with the next episode “Captain Farnon?” are some of this year’s best hours of television.
Herriot’s books are autobiographical, and the TV series is likely more pastoral and tranquil than the gritty realities of the 1930s and 1940s–although this season breaks with that tranquility the most. The balance of the calm and the heart-pounding is a big part of why this series works for today’s audience. Then again, our blood pressures could all probably do just fine to watch the staff at the Darrowby office sit quietly for an evening in front of the fire with no animal maladies or missing family members.
Catch the first six seasons (that’s six “series” in the UK) of All Creatures Great and Small, UK Channel 5’s highest rated drama ever, via PBS Passport, the PBS app, or the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel. Look for Season 7 in 2027. Subscribe (at right column or below depending on your viewing device) and keep coming back to borg for more coverage of the series in the coming years.
