All Creatures Great And Small (2021) - General Discussion

[Haleth]

Wait, what?  Season 3 starts tonight?  I had no idea until I read a random article on the home page.

[Llywela]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

Wait, what?  Season 3 starts tonight?  I had no idea until I read a random article on the home page.

Can't be season 3, that hasn't been filmed yet. Season 2, perhaps. 

[Haleth]

49 minutes ago, Llywela said:

Can't be season 3, that hasn't been filmed yet. Season 2, perhaps. 

Oh, you are right. It’s season 2. I misread it. 

[HoodlumSheep]

It feels so good to have this show back.

James' momma was being way too pushy. His dad was doing a much better job at reading his feelings.

Oof. Tristan wwwhhhyyyyy. Can't believe he murdered that poor old lady's bird. 

Glad his not passing has finally been brought up. Couldn't keep it hidden forever.

the war is coming :(

James and his love for animals makes my heart ache sometimes. Glad the dog got a second chance.

Edited January 10, 2022 by HoodlumSheep

[AZChristian]

We watched the Christmas/non-wedding episode from Season 1 just before tonight's episode.

Anyone know why Helen and James were so standoffish?  One episode ends with them walking down the aisle out of the church hand-in-hand, and now they're suddenly barely speaking.  That didn't seem like a normal progression of their relationship.

[ECM1231]

45 minutes ago, AZChristian said:

We watched the Christmas/non-wedding episode from Season 1 just before tonight's episode.

Anyone know why Helen and James were so standoffish?  One episode ends with them walking down the aisle out of the church hand-in-hand, and now they're suddenly barely speaking.  That didn't seem like a normal progression of their relationship.

I was wondering the same thing, @AZChristian

 

[LittleIggy]

I remember Tristan and the budgie from the books. Herbert the lamb, too. IIRC, in the book, James had to put the pelt of the the stillborn lamb on Herbert before mom accepted him. Or did I misremember? It’s been decades!

[Pallas]

11 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Anyone know why Helen and James were so standoffish? 

Helen feels guilty for hurting Hugh, as well as for humiliating him in the presence of their families and the entire village: everyone who's known them all their lives. She is shocked to realize that she doesn't know herself or her own feelings -- that she allowed things to go so far with Hugh if she had not been devoted to him, or with James, if she was. And she's dealing all day long with a father who likely feels torn between his loyalty to Helen vs. the small rift she made in their place within the community, and the loss of the answer to their prayers about the farm.

Helen's a serious person and those aren't small concerns. She'd also want to show herself and everyone watching that whatever they may think, she didn't simply have her head turned from the local scion by the newcomer from Scotland, the one who's so good with the ewes.

[JudyObscure]

I had an Irish Setter when I was a little girl who looked just like Scruffy when he was young,  joyful and gangly legged.  I almost couldn't watch even though I know the show would never allow a healthy dog to be killed.  My dog also ran loose and once killed a chicken.  My father tied a dead chicken around his neck and made him wear it for days.  Yes, that was the old fashioned "cure" for a chicken killer.

It wasn't Tristan's fault that the bird died, sometimes  their hearts will stop from fear, sort of like the sheep who fainted and miscarried.  Poor dumb things.

[BusyOctober]

I’m confused…in the US, S1 Ep7 ended with Christmas, Helen calling off the wedding and walking out of the church with James. I assume that was “the Christmas Special”. Then S2 started here on 1/9 and it’s Easter.  James and Helen are barely speaking.  Was there another episode we didn’t get in the US?  Did Helen stay locked down on her farm from Dec 26 until March/April?  I know James went home to Scotland for a 2 week holiday for Easter, but what happened between Jan and James going home? There just seems to be a piece missing.  Or dis American PBS cur scenes like they do for Call the Midwife?

I think little Scruff is adorable, but is he an Irish Setter or a mix?  If so, then I question how quickly Scruff could be trained.  My cousins had 2 Irish Setters and both were sweet, beautiful and good companions, but both were very ‘challenged’ when it came to training.  One was kicked out of a training course in the 80’s because he just wasn’t getting it.  They got the 2nd dog a few years after the first past away in the early 2000’s.  He wasn’t from the same breeder, so no known genetic connection to his predecessor.  He had trouble with commands too, and had to be constantly reminded where his bed was.

[JudyObscure]

Yes, I thought Scruff might be a mix, but in any case, remember we never actually saw him do much, but pull on the young actress's arm until I thought it was going to come out of it's socket.

My Irish Setter was no different than the ones you've encountered, but back then in the country, lots of friendly dogs ran loose and nothing was asked of them but to chase butterflies and come home for dinner. 

Mine wasn't stupid from another canine's point of view, one spring day I heard him panting and he was sitting next to me in my grade school class.  He had tracked me a few miles and found me in a school full of other smelly little kids.

They're just easily distracted and not likely to care whether or not you don't want the rose buses dug  up.  ( My mother went wild.)  No breed's more loveable and fun for a group of kids, though.

[Daff]

9 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

James had to put the pelt of the the stillborn lamb on Herbert before mom accepted him. Or did I misremember?

No, you did not! They also showed it being done in the old version of the show. They probably didn’t want to bother with the gore. Besides, there was at least a day between the still birth (if not more) and the attempt to get the sheep to accept the rejected lamb so, the stillborn would have been long gone. In the old show, the attempt was immediate. 

[Lovecat]

9 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I remember Tristan and the budgie from the books. Herbert the lamb, too. IIRC, in the book, James had to put the pelt of the the stillborn lamb on Herbert before mom accepted him. Or did I misremember? It’s been decades!

 

12 minutes ago, Daff said:

No, you did not! They also showed it being done in the old version of the show. They probably didn’t want to bother with the gore. Besides, there was at least a day between the still birth (if not more) and the attempt to get the sheep to accept the rejected lamb so, the stillborn would have been long gone. In the old show, the attempt was immediate. 

Good to know there are still some neurons firing in the back of my old brain, because this was my recollection, too!  Funny how some of these stories have clearly stuck with me for decades...I'm waiting for the dog who is "womiting...aye, he's womiting bad, sorr!" and for the cows that get sick after eating in a field infested with little worms that crawl up to the tips of the blades of grass at sunrise to get the dew.  

[Daff]

58 minutes ago, BusyOctober said:

I’m confused…

Christmas was over, cold and snow set in, the town (and Hugh) were shocked and dismayed. As Pallus explained above, Helen had multiple conflicting feelings, but ultimately decided she couldn’t go ahead. She’s feeling guilty and sticking close to the farm, minding its business because she knows her father is disappointed as well. During the hard winter months, there was never a lot of movement shown outside the town. We didn’t miss anything, they pretty much jumped ahead a few months (search for the month the events in the news occurred if you want to know specifically). However, it’s clear from the dialogue that James and Helen haven’t seen each other since the wedding day. 

[Daff]

When it opened, I was (sickly) afraid the other vet was the one to whom Siegfried “loaned” James. The one who insisted they drink til all hours after work. They can completely skip that character, as far as I’m concerned. I didn’t mind the actor or the character, just how they somehow couldn’t stick to their vow to say no!  Hated the scenes, which played out far too long in those episodes. Once was tedious, but then they kept on…and on!

[AZChristian]

5 hours ago, Pallas said:

And she's dealing all day long with a father who likely feels torn between his loyalty to Helen vs. the small rift she made in their place within the community, and the loss of the answer to their prayers about the farm.

Your points are valid, but it was her father who was telling her in the car on the way to the wedding that he didn't want her to do anything just because she thought it would be the best thing for him (inferring the business relationship with Hugh's family).

As someone mentioned above, it almost felt like there was a falling out between James and Helen that wasn't shown.

 

[LittleIggy]

1 hour ago, Lovecat said:

 

Good to know there are still some neurons firing in the back of my old brain, because this was my recollection, too!  Funny how some of these stories have clearly stuck with me for decades...I'm waiting for the dog who is "womiting...aye, he's womiting bad, sorr!" and for the cows that get sick after eating in a field infested with little worms that crawl up to the tips of the blades of grass at sunrise to get the dew.  

I’m waiting for the dog that constantly breaks wind! 😆

[magdalene]

The show has been renewed for seasons 3 and 4.

[Pallas]

3 hours ago, AZChristian said:

it was her father who was telling her in the car on the way to the wedding that he didn't want her to do anything just because she thought it would be the best thing for him (inferring the business relationship with Hugh's family).

Very true: I was speaking more from what we saw here of Alderson's new, overt hostility to James, from his stressing that James is an outsider ("It's the way we do things here") to the in-case-you-fail-to-understand-me of, "Haven't you done enough?" Time has passed; Alderson and Helen have been living with the consequences, and he probably imagines it will go far worse on Helen and even Jenny, in the end. What local boy or family will want to pursue the girl who threw over Best-in-Show Hugh, at the altar? And what consequence has or will James pay for any of it? James makes a perfect target for Alderson's unexpressed, conflicted feelings.

[Driad]

About not telling Tristan that he didn't pass his exam -- wasn't there a requirement that he pass in order to be qualified to practice?  Or didn't it matter because he was working for Siegfried instead of having a practice of his own?  What if Tristan wanted to set up his own practice later?

[AZChristian]

14 minutes ago, Driad said:

About not telling Tristan that he didn't pass his exam -- wasn't there a requirement that he pass in order to be qualified to practice?  Or didn't it matter because he was working for Siegfried instead of having a practice of his own?  What if Tristan wanted to set up his own practice later?

I did some research a few months ago.  I think I remember reading that back in the time of ACGAS, licensing wasn't quite the same as it is now.  From what I read, Tristan was okay to do routine treatments without direct supervision, but was NOT entitled to all those fancy letters on the medical bag Mrs. Hall had ordered for him.  

I think Siegfried may have seen Tristan as a veterinary tech (able to trim beaks, etc.), but not qualified to perform surgeries without the actual completion of all his courses.

[possibilities]

Since the show airs on different schedules in different countries, I think it would help if we all post what ep we're commenting on, so I'll say I just watched S2E1.

I didn't really like this one. Too many plots turned on people not talking about things.

James is not telling his mother he wants to stay where he is. He's also not telling Siegfried et al that he has another offer. It's very convenient for plot tension. It allows him to be bolder in challenging the locals, because he has an out of he takes the other job. But I think he's being unkind to his mother and it's bound to set up problems later if they are really going to pursue his relationship with Helen.

This is a pet peeve of mine, but I just need to say that it's better to use a harness that takes the tension off a dog's throat, if you're going to yank on it. You can simply tie a rope leash around a different way. I can't draw a diagram here, but they're easy to find. Even now, though, people are yanking on a dog's throat, so I'm not saying the show's inaccurate. It's just not educational.

Likewise, training of dogs is even now not reliably done. Many people don't know how, or don't want to bother, or they try but get taught methods that are less than optimal. James was on the right track, but skipping steps, but TV always skips steps. So this is not a complaint. Just an observation. 

I still can't get over the lack of gloves while sticking your hand inside an animal. It's a wonder there weren't more cases of sepsis in those days. 

I find it surprising that the woman with the bird didn't have a cat or dog, and was content just to hear the fluttering. 

I would prefer the show was more on animals and less on bickering and UST, but I guess that's too much to hope for.

I was surprised they didn't do more to try to ensure the rejected lamb's survival, since sheep are so valuable. Why would it take James to suggest trying to offer it to the ewe that lost hers? It makes the locals look stupid.

[peacheslatour]

Quote

I was surprised they didn't do more to try to ensure the rejected lamb's survival, since sheep are so valuable. Why would it take James to suggest trying to offer it to the ewe that lost hers? It makes the locals look stupid.

It's what happened in the books. They were his reminiscences of things that actually happened.

[Daff]

4 hours ago, magdalene said:

The show has been renewed for seasons 3 and 4.

I’m glad, that’s good news. You would expect this, because some stories are universal and timeless. To know that it still has appeal gives me hope in a world where, sadly, there doesn’t seem to be any. I was just today feeling appreciative of streaming (older programs) because not much produced lately has any promise. 

[Daff]

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

Since the show airs on different schedules in different countries, I think it would help if we all post what ep we're commenting on, so I'll say I just watched S2E1.

I didn't really like this one. Too many plots turned on people not talking about things.

James is not telling his mother he wants to stay where he is. He's also not telling Siegfried et al that he has another offer. It's very convenient for plot tension. It allows him to be bolder in challenging the locals, because he has an out of he takes the other job. But I think he's being unkind to his mother and it's bound to set up problems later if they are really going to pursue his relationship with Helen.

This is a pet peeve of mine, but I just need to say that it's better to use a harness that takes the tension off a dog's throat, if you're going to yank on it. You can simply tie a rope leash around a different way. I can't draw a diagram here, but they're easy to find. Even now, though, people are yanking on a dog's throat, so I'm not saying the show's inaccurate. It's just not educational.

Likewise, training of dogs is even now not reliably done. Many people don't know how, or don't want to bother, or they try but get taught methods that are less than optimal. James was on the right track, but skipping steps, but TV always skips steps. So this is not a complaint. Just an observation. 

I still can't get over the lack of gloves while sticking your hand inside an animal. It's a wonder there weren't more cases of sepsis in those days. 

I find it surprising that the woman with the bird didn't have a cat or dog, and was content just to hear the fluttering. 

I would prefer the show was more on animals and less on bickering and UST, but I guess that's too much to hope for.

I was surprised they didn't do more to try to ensure the rejected lamb's survival, since sheep are so valuable. Why would it take James to suggest trying to offer it to the ewe that lost hers? It makes the locals look stupid.

Most who are watching this are reminiscing on either reading the beloved books or watching the original, long-running television show (perhaps both). You might enjoy it more if, while you’re watching, you keep telling yourself, “Look how far Veterinary Science has progressed since 1938!”

[Lovecat]

5 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I’m waiting for the dog that constantly breaks wind! 😆

And the owner who is completely unbothered by the stench!

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

I find it surprising that the woman with the bird didn't have a cat or dog, and was content just to hear the fluttering. 

Just a guess, but birds generally don't get underfoot like dogs and cats do.  Yes, I know dogs can be trained to be safe for a blind person.  Maybe the lady has allergies, or just prefers birds!  It's a gentle, happy teevee program, I'm not going to overthink it :)

[Sharpie66]

I really liked Jenny here in S2Ep1! They’ve done a good job of making her a believable young teen, with parental conflicts and lashing out by running away for the morning and eating as far away from her dad as possible. They also have developed her relationship with Helen, as hinted at last season—I loved them bonding over appreciating James’ looks.

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, Sharpie66 said:

I really liked Jenny here in S2Ep1! They’ve done a good job of making her a believable young teen, with parental conflicts and lashing out by running away for the morning and eating as far away from her dad as possible. They also have developed her relationship with Helen, as hinted at last season—I loved them bonding over appreciating James’ looks.

That was adorable!

[possibilities]

8 hours ago, Daff said:

Most who are watching this are reminiscing on either reading the beloved books or watching the original, long-running television show (perhaps both). You might enjoy it more if, while you’re watching, you keep telling yourself, “Look how far Veterinary Science has progressed since 1938!”

I really don't need advice on how to enjoy the show. I usually do enjoy it. I was irritated by the lack of communication in this episode, and whether it's because that's how it was in the books or original tv series or not, it still annoyss me. It seems, though, that they do take liberties with details, so however true to life it is, I'd think some of those things are debatable. There have been lots of comments over that issue here in the forum, with things like the portrayal of Mrs. Hall, or whether Helen is period-accurate or a modern re-imagining, and none of those came from me, so I think we all watch in our own ways.

When I watch something, whether it's true or not, some parts will annoy me and others won't. I don't object to others who watch it to reminisce. We all have our own ways.

I think the evolution of veterinary medicine is one of the most interesting lenses to watch through, plus I frankly find the scenery delicious. The interpersonal dramas I usually find irritating. Seigfried is a jerk, Tristan is a manchild, blah blah blah. They may have been so in real life, but they're also tropes I take no joy in.

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by possibilities

[monakane]

I'm so happy this show is back.  I've been hate watching Yellowstone and it's nice to watch a show where all the characters aren't assholes!  I always feel happy when I watch All Creatures.  I love all the characters especially Mrs. Hall.

 

[Driad]

Re sheep:  Relatives of mine had a farm around the same time and earlier, in the US.  They used a wood stove and carried water from a spring.  They had sheep, cows, and chickens.

When a newborn lamb was rejected or orphaned, they tried to get another ewe to adopt it.  If they couldn't, they put it in a crate in the kitchen and milked a ewe so they could bottle feed it.  I think lambs needed this care for just a month or so.

Once my relative "R" saw a dog kill one of his sheep, and recognized the dog as a favorite of his neighbor "N."  He went to talk to "N," and said that if it was "N"'s dog, he would like "N" to keep it tied from then on. "N" called the dog; it showed up with blood on its mouth and chest.  "N" picked up his shotgun, killed the dog, and said, "I won't keep a dog that kills sheep."

[Doublemint]

I can't say I enjoyed this episode S2ep1.    Certainly James & Tristan would never have been spending what seemed like hours together on the sheep farm in real life (or the books).  There were certainly many otherurgent calls to make (ala Dr. Pol).   So much of this is unbelievable to me.  I also want to echo that Helen does not dress like a 1930's  farm woman.   Same for Mrs. Hall, where's her "housedress and cardi"?   No one would scrub floors or kitchens with a lovely blouse, skirt, etc.   She's a 1930's June Cleaver.   Also not enough animals, too much emphasis on the main characters and not much interaction with the local farmers and their animals.

[pasdetrois]

I've learned a hard lesson about descending into the reality TV cesspool, which was a desperate act for me during COVID. I cannot believe I missed that this series was launched anew in 2021, and my reality-TV-diminished brain missed it.

I still have the books that I bought after watching the original version. They made the cut when I forced myself to lighten my bookshelves.

So I've been binging 2021's first season. Love the proper Scottish nod (not to mention the language), and of course the glorious Dales. Loved seeing the Dame (in every sense of the word) and Callum Woodhouse from the Durrells.

Perhaps it's nostaliga, but I remember being more captivated by the original series. I miss a starchy, older Mrs. Hall. And Herriott seems a bit overshadowed  by all of the strong personalities. The actor's voice reminds me of the late, great Ian Charleson, and I believe that's Nigel Havers playing the stuffy thoroughbred track overseer - both actors so great in "Chariots of Fire."

Still, I'll keep watching for the animals and the Dales.

Edited January 13, 2022 by pasdetrois

[Kiki777]

Where is Jess??? Did she die? 🥺

[dargosmydaddy]

47 minutes ago, Kiki777 said:

Where is Jess??? Did she die?

Siegfried mentioned her (something like "where's Jess?" after making his rant about how dogs shouldn't be pets), so she's presumably around.

[tennisgurl]

Its great to have this show back, even with its conflicts its just such a calming show to watch, with the likable characters, cute animals, and beautiful countryside.

Its hard to watch things being awkward between James and Helen, and while her being cold to him and her dad being outright pissed is unfair to James, but I do get it. Its easier for her father to blame the whole messy situation on James then on its just being a mess for everyone, and Helen probably feels guilty for dumping Hugh on their wedding day, which will certainly end up being for the best but is still awful for Hugh, who didn't actually do anything wrong, and nervous about being around James now. Hopefully the ice has been broken now though, thanks to sheep and Scruff. I am so glad that the farmer gave Scruff another chance, people sure were quick to kill dogs back then, damn. I get that it was probably considered pragmatic when your income counts on animals staying alive and being useful, but good god, thank God James was there. Just train the poor thing. 

Oh Tristan. I get why Mrs. Hall and Seigfried don't want to tell him the truth about his exam, but he really does need to know, especially if he ever meets up with anyone from his old school. He wont stay in the village forever. 

James's mom sure can be pushy, she was throwing out some major guilt trips trying to get him to stay in Glasgow. At least his dad was supportive of staying where he is if that's what he wants. 

Even with all the pastoral hijinks and young love, this season seems like its going to have a real dark cloud hanging over it, knowing the war is just on the horizon. The season even started with James reading a paper about pacts between the UK and Italy and hearing about troubles in Europe, I am guessing it will be coming by at least the start of the third season. 

Edited January 12, 2022 by tennisgurl

[Blergh]

Mrs. Herriot already seemed to be determined to one-up Mrs. Hall even though the twain have yet to meet!  I wonder how they'd react to each other (once they'd gotten the de rigeur pre-War British civilities out of the way).

Edited January 12, 2022 by Blergh

[peacheslatour]

32 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Mrs. Herriot already seemed to be determined to one-up Mrs. Hall even though the twain have yet to meet!  I wonder how they'd react to each other (once they'd gotten the de rigeur pre-War British civilities out of the way).

“I'll bet you anything you like that half an hour after they have met, they will be calling each other sister.
Women only do that when they have called each other a lot of other things first.”

― Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

[Kiki777]

 

On 1/11/2022 at 8:38 PM, dargosmydaddy said:

Siegfried mentioned her (something like "where's Jess?" after making his rant about how dogs shouldn't be pets), so she's presumably around.

Whew-  I had a weird feeling when James was out at the doghouses petting Scruff.  He had a disturbed look on his face as he looked down at the ground and I was wondering if he’d seen something (or someone)

[pasdetrois]

I'm laughing at the thought of the young, impulsive Scruff being perfectly trained after a couple of training sessions. Better still keep an eye on the sheep.

[Sharpie66]

On 1/13/2022 at 9:02 AM, pasdetrois said:

I'm laughing at the thought of the young, impulsive Scruff being perfectly trained after a couple of training sessions. Better still keep an eye on the sheep.

Jenny did reassure the neighbor that she would be sure to keep Scruff on their land.

[Leeds]

On 1/10/2022 at 8:55 AM, LittleIggy said:

I’m waiting for the dog that constantly breaks wind! 😆

Ah, Tricki Woo and his flop bot.  Patricia Hodge as Mrs Pumphrey has big shoes to fill. 

On 1/10/2022 at 1:39 PM, peacheslatour said:

It's what happened in the books. They were his reminiscences of things that actually happened.

It's generally acknowledged that while the stories were indeed based on fact, they didn't all actually happen to him.

[Blergh]

5 hours ago, Leeds said:

Ah, Tricki Woo and his flop bot.  Patricia Hodge as Mrs Pumphrey has big shoes to fill. 

It's generally acknowledged that while the stories were indeed based on fact, they didn't all actually happen to him.

Yes, I think it's safe to say that  Mr. Wight 's stories were his way of depicting a somewhat idealized version of how he might have liked his life to have been while willing to acknowledge the actual glories and shadowsides of vet life in the mid 20th century rural UK!

One thing that this series somewhat diverged re  the Books and Original Series was having James keep ties with his original Scottish family while considering how (or if) to make an entirely new life for himself in Yorkshire. In the Books and OS, James seemed to have popped out of thin air fully grown on the bus to Darrowby with NO previous hint of biographical details beyond him having just finished veterinary college. 

I've altered this to say that it seems he DID keep ties with his mother for the rest of her long life but, for whatever reasons, chose to have James having no interactions with his original family before or after his arrival in Darrowby.

Edited January 17, 2022 by Blergh

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, Leeds said:

Ah, Tricki Woo and his flop bot.  Patricia Hodge as Mrs Pumphrey has big shoes to fill. 

It's generally acknowledged that while the stories were indeed based on fact, they didn't all actually happen to him.

Correct. I was replying to a post that seemed to suggest the show was making the farmers look stupid. The truth of the matter was that many of the locals were indeed uneducated and superstitious to a fault.

[Daff]

31 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Of course, what's sad is that it seems Mr. Wight was on strained if not totally estranged terms with his original Scottish family from early adulthood on.

I find it very interesting that you know this. While I read and enjoyed the books years ago, I never delved into any bio on the author. Since you offer this bit of information, I’m wondering if the writers of this new version are using the estrangement to instruct their portrayal of James’s parents? While his dad is shown as being proud of his accomplishments, it’s pretty clear his mom sees no distinction between the two types of labor available to James, and simply wants him near. 

[Daff]

10 minutes ago, peacheslatour said:

Correct. I was replying to a post that seemed to suggest the show was making the farmers look stupid. The truth of the matter was that many of the locals were indeed uneducated and superstitious to a fault.

Malloch leading the way: “stagnation at loong (lung)”! Pipe in hand, shaking his head. I’m kind of glad they didn’t make a big thing of that in season one, because the older, blonde woman naysayer kind of substituted. I found the educational fight against the old superstitions, and doing it while preserving their customers’ dignity the most endearing thing about the stories!!

[peacheslatour]

9 minutes ago, Daff said:

Malloch leading the way: “stagnation at loong (lung)”! Pipe in hand, shaking his head. I’m kind of glad they didn’t make a big thing of that in season one, because the older, blonde woman naysayer kind of substituted. I found the educational fight against the old superstitions, and doing it while preserving their customers’ dignity the most endearing thing about the stories!!

Agreed. I'll never forget the old farmer who thought he could cure his cow of milk fever by cutting of just a bit of it's tail. Or the sow that was savaging her young, the old farmer dumped a gallon of ale into the trough, she drank it down and was right as rain.

[Blergh]

3 hours ago, Daff said:

I find it very interesting that you know this. While I read and enjoyed the books years ago, I never delved into any bio on the author. Since you offer this bit of information, I’m wondering if the writers of this new version are using the estrangement to instruct their portrayal of James’s parents? While his dad is shown as being proud of his accomplishments, it’s pretty clear his mom sees no distinction between the two types of labor available to James, and simply wants him near. 

Forgive me for saying otherwise in my original comment but according to his son Jim (who wrote a bio of his late father Alf), Mr. Wight's late mother WAS a good part of their lives who scrupulously saved ALL kinds of memorabilia about her son (and she'd live to 1980 dying at age 90). However, it appears that for whatever reason/s, the late Mr. Wight seemed to deliberately avoid alluding to any pre-vet family for James in his work,

I suppose the writers in this later series decided to bring in the characters of the Herriot parents to try to help humanize James more- even if his mother appears to be counterproductive to his wishes to expand his horizon. But then it seems he's truly considering both parents' input before making any decisions AND he has had no blow ups and/or unspoken estrangements.

[4merBachAddict]

I was a huge fan of the books & really enjoyed the original series. As I watch the new series, I find myself saying:  "That wasn't in the books" or "No - that's not what happened". I will keep watching, but I don't understand why changes were needed.

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by 4merBachAddict

[Driad]

In "Semper Progrediens," one line reminded me of "Modified Rapture!" in The Mikado.

Buttercup: why didn't they put her in a small pen, or at least drive he into a corner so she couldn't charge the vet?

Names of animals: In some novel a man has a red horse named Copperhead. Someone asked, "Because he's red?" The horse owner replied, "No. Because he bites."