All Creatures Great And Small (2021) - General Discussion

[sugarbaker design]

6 minutes ago, MrAtoz said:

I find it best to just think of this as a kind of alternate universe All Creatures.  Being a comic book geek helps with things like that. 😀

I try to think of Book version and TV/Movie Version.  For example, there's The Outsider/Book, and then there's The Outsider/TV show.  Two different entities.  (The Outsider/Book) was way better.)

[Daff]

On 2/28/2022 at 8:02 AM, Llywela said:

The Yorkshire Dales are on high ground. Trees do not like the altitude. It is the reason their fields are marked out by dry stone walls rather than hedgerows. It is the reason they mostly farm cattle and sheep rather than grain. There would never have been much tree cover up there to begin with, because the land is unsuitable for that kind of vegetation. These farmers and their families have been working the land up there for, literally, generations. They know what their land can and cannot support, and extensive tree cover is one of the things it cannot support.

Thanks. Since you wrote this, I looked it up. Between 2-3K elevation, and climate considered “tundra”. I’d hate to have to bake anything there. And average summer temps in the 50s F. The phrase used was: “not conducive for woody vegetation.” 

[Cetacean]

3 hours ago, sugarbaker design said:

I try to think of Book version and TV/Movie Version.  For example, there's The Outsider/Book, and then there's The Outsider/TV show.  Two different entities.  (The Outsider/Book) was way better.)

Longmire is the same way. I like both equally but they are totally different.

2 hours ago, Daff said:

Between 2-3K elevation, and climate considered “tundra”.

Wow, I don't think of that when I think of the Dales!  But the shots of the scenery should have tipped me off.  So gorgeous!

[paramitch]

I'm just bingeing this, so bear with me y'all! Loving it so far. I've read the books dozens of times since childhood, and have a signed copy of ALL THINGS WISE AND WONDERFUL that I treasure.

So far I love this. Yes, I get that there are variations, but it's not as stilted as the previous TV adaptation (lovingly), and while there are differences, I am on S1 E 6 and so far I feel it's very true to the characters, feel and emotions of the books. Yes, Mrs. Hall is younger -- OR IS SHE? I'll address this farther on, but the actress looks like an attractive 30/40something person and it's certainly possible to me that she was within a decade of this or so in the books. It doesn't bother me and opens up the household to be more egalitarian and inclusive, honestly.

On 1/11/2021 at 12:33 AM, Sharpie66 said:

I just downloaded the audiobook for the first Herriot book and started listening tonight. Seigfried is definitely different in the book, but he is a ladies man, so Sexy Seigfried works for me.

The thing is, I disagree. I think Siegfried WAS like this in the books. He just wasn't about this about James, conveniently (AS FAR AS WE CAN SEE!). Meaning, I could totally see Siegfried being all, "So James I'm thinking of hiring you... but also not." He's incredibly changeful and mercurial (and attractive) in the books, but in the books it sneaks up on you, and instead in the show it's right up front and center. I'm okay with that so far, and the casting is wonderful.

On 1/13/2021 at 3:37 PM, DonnaMae said:

This Mrs. Hall is so young and attractive, you'd think Siegfried would want her to be more than his housekeeper. 🤭

Does her youth and attractiveness mean she is automatically a target for Siegfried? Or that they must hook up? I don't know -- I'm not a fan of this idea. I'm kind of happy that so far he is treating her with nothing but professionalism. Yes, she is younger but she seems very capable of doing her job and keeping the household running. (Now watch her marry Siegfried in the show, LOL)

On 1/14/2021 at 10:29 AM, SandyToes said:

This was done beautifully, but not as faithful to the books.  More of "inspired by" I think.

I think this is a little unfair. No, the show is not a literal, step-by-step case examination of the books but then, nothing really can be. I feel like the show is including enough genuine moments from the books (James's fish-out-of-water aspect, Siegfried's mercurial nature, the specific animal cases (all right out of the books so far), Tristan's impishness, James's immediate crush on Helen (and Yorkshire) -- for me, it's all very very faithful. Sure, there are differences but that's inherent in adapting from book to TV.

On 1/17/2021 at 7:53 PM, Driad said:

The cow did not seem to be in pain, so I doubted she had a broken pelvis. If someone said (before the standing-up scene) that she had calved recently, I didn't hear it.

In the book, James specifically addresses the fact that the cow's position -- hunkered down and calm -- meant that it could be in very little pain and it would be a common scenario. The cow would feel pain upon rising, then settle back down, feel much better, and just stay there.

On 1/18/2021 at 11:43 AM, SandyToes said:

Still beautifully filmed, but I find I'm missing so much of Herriot's humor from the books.  His storytelling ability is amazing.  Completely missed "Neville Longbottom" - even though I knew he was in the cast.  Liking Siegried's still mercurial yet more human personality this time.  Lots off character development this time, as opposed to the animal stories I more associate with the first series. 

For me a lot of the humor has shown up in a variety of little glimpses -- James falling backwards that first time in Siegfried's car (right out of the book, and I laughed out loud), his getting drunk his first night, the farmers coddling Tristan and ignoring him, Tricki Woo -- for me there's plenty and it's very true to the books so far.

On 1/18/2021 at 3:16 PM, eel21788 said:

A cat dies in chapter 9 of the third book, and I still haven't gotten over it. (I last read it in 1992)

Oh, I am so with you (and all) on this. I have read the books a dozen times since childhood,  but I just could never do this job. My sister is a 25+ year veterinary tech and sometimes even her stories about her day had me a weepy disaster. Sniffle.

Spoiler

(For those of you who have read the books, the sad stories I still think about are poor sweet Maudie, Amber, Wesley Binks's dog, the old farmer who had to say goodbye to his longtime workhorse, so many others. But Amber made me cry so hard I had to put the book down.) 

On 1/18/2021 at 4:29 PM, QQQQ said:

And I don't care how old he is, no one but Peter Davison will ever be Tristan in my eyes.

Then you're right, nothing else will probably satisfy you. But it's a shame to me, since his performance will always exist. Why not give another performance a chance? It doesn't replace Davison, it just offers an alternative take. I have loved half a dozen film/TV Sherlock Holmeses over my lifetime, for example. It doesn't mean I refuse to consider any others.

On 1/19/2021 at 9:15 AM, Doublemint said:

Now to be really unpopular - Diana Rigg.   I adore Diana Rigg, and she was a perfectly acceptable Mrs. Pumpfrey.  However, the original Mrs. Pumpfrey was better, along with her excellent butler/workman.   I miss the old series.

Again, this just feels like nitpicking. A new adaptation is not erasure. If you prefer the old series, you will always have it. That's my favorite thing about adaptations. There's zero risk for the viewer (which is why I'm mystified by so much high emotion around them, as if they are obliterating the previous).

On 1/21/2021 at 7:31 AM, Blergh said:

Though we never saw the Original Mrs. Hall's living quarters, but I believe she did   live in Skeldale House for two reasons:

1. She'd answer the phone in the middle of the night in her nightgown and robe with her hair down.

2. One time Tristan convinced James to bathe in bath salts (the perfumed kind NOT the drugs) that he said belonged to Mrs. Hall which she'd indulge in to make herself 'feel like Faye Wray' (though there's no record of any colossal  apes making a beeline for her). 

That's what's entertained me about the pearl-clutching on Mrs. Hall in this. And yet she could have been 30/40something.We got very little description of her at all in the books. So the reactions are all so much fun.

On 1/22/2021 at 8:08 AM, supposebly said:

I signed up for the Britbox trial and started rewatching the old series. I believe I don't need to watch this new version after all. The old one holds up quite nicely. Although I still find Tristan rather irritating.

Sure, fair enough. But why post here that you are literally not even going to give this new adaptation a chance? It just feels silly to me. Are you hoping others will join you? (The bummer is, you probably would have liked it. Or at least, parts of it.)

On 1/26/2021 at 11:06 AM, Doublemint said:

I'm a little put off by the "lead poisoning" - it seems so 2000's.   Did people know that there was lead in paint? It certainly wasn't recognized as a problem or a hazard at that time.     This scene is not in the books either.

The lead poisoning is directly out of the books, so it is definitely not a "2000s" thing. They absolutely knew there was lead in paint. The scene was right out of the books, although James took longer to diagnose there, because there was not such an obvious cause (it was a portion of the shadowy wall).

Onward! I'm almost done with S1, so more later. Cheers all!

Edited March 5, 2022 by paramitch
Forgot PS

[Quilt Fairy]

15 hours ago, paramitch said:

A new adaptation is not erasure. If you prefer the old series, you will always have it.

Thanks so much for your entire post.  You've said all the things I've been thinking as I've read so much endless negativity and nitpicking on this thread.  It's a show inspired by a series of books that were inspired by a man's life.  It's not a documentary just as the books weren't an autobiography. 

[QQQQ]

paramitch, the original tv series has been part of my life for nearly 45 years (probably the same for many others on this board). I was not able to watch this adaptation in a vacuum without comparing it to the first series. I hope there's room to express a range of opinions in this forum, both positive and negative.

[paramitch]

Thanks, @Quilt Fairy! I appreciate that very much.

Meanwhile, just a further note after finishing season 1.

One thing I love about the series that I forgot to mention the first time is, beyond the stunning Yorkshire countryside, I love the way it is handling the human/animal interactions. The animals are beautiful, all truly do show different personalities, and I love that you can see that James and the others (but especially James) feels deep affection and care for every animal he encounters.

I do have a quibble with the "Fair" episode, when James refuses the dog that is sick with a fever. In the book, he is fairly sure the dog has distemper and is righteously angry at the owner for not only bringing a sick (and probably terminally ill dog) to the track, but also because he is being cruel by keeping it there and resubmitting it over and over. In the show, this happens, but then the dog gets hit by a pumpkin, and Siegfried and Tristan do emergency surgery. It was very strange to me that after what has been established -- that the dog is clearly sick -- Siegried notices nothing, and the surgery is presented as being successful. What happened with the dog being visibly, worryingly sick? SO that one was weird... and didn't work so well for me.

In the S1 finale, I prefer the original scenario for Helen and James with Suzie and her pups, although I get that the impending wedding adds tension, etc. I've just always hated the "last minute mind-change about marriage" trope. People should know themselves well enough not to break someone's damn heart at the altar. I just think it adds an unnecessary level of cruelty, and did so again here, although the show kind of tried to have it both ways by not showing us the moment onscreen. 

(Although the scenes at the cottage were very sweet, the couple was adorable, and Suzie and her puppies were precious. Although Mrs. Hall being so angry with James for taking Helen on call with him just felt weird to me.)

But Siegfried's little romantic moment was nicely handled (and even a little hot!). Tristan's subplot with the donkey was really sweet, and I loved the moment Siegfried gave him the test results (I'm conflicted on the lie, though). Of course, everything to do with the beautiful animals and countryside was perfect for me. And I'm always a sucker for "found family" stories, so seeing James, Tristan, Siegfried, and Mrs. Hall together for Christmas was a lovely ending.

On 1/26/2021 at 11:37 AM, Ilovepie said:

I really hope at some time in the future we see Cedric the farting Boxer. Probably my favorite story out of all of them. I have never in my life laughed as hard at any piece of literature like I did when reading that story for the first time.

Cedric! Such a good one! I laughed out loud every time I read it. And the ending is so perfect! ("I 'ave no sense of smell.")

On 1/27/2021 at 8:03 AM, MrAtoz said:

You know, for years I wondered what Siegfried and Tristan's real names were.  I knew that those were pseudonyms, but surely their actual names were in some way Wagnerian, or operatic, or at least unusual enough that they stood out from most guys you'd meet in real life.  Just like in the books, right?

I was so disappointed the day I learned that the actual men had the perfectly ordinary names Donald and Brian.  That's not Wagnerian at all!

ME TOO! I felt the same way! I was like, "Surely they have incredibly odd or literary names!" BUT NO! James/Alfie definitely got us on that one. Although on reconsideration, I suspect he probably did it to make it less easy to figure out who they were in real life, maybe?

On 2/1/2021 at 5:55 AM, TVForever said:

Of course Hugh was freaking out, and rightly so. I thought at the time that, while the horse clearly needed to be put down, surely James could have waited for the owner to be located and notified. Hugh probably would have been okay at the time if the situation was explained before the deed; instead, he comes in to find that his beautiful prize horse has been killed. 

Hugh's probably not a BAD guy, but he'll likely be painted that way to make it all right for Helen to take up with James. 

I agree that I felt terrible for Hugh that he arrived just to hear the gunshot/humane killer. I definitely wished James could have sedated the horse and let Hugh arrive and say goodbye.

On 2/1/2021 at 7:03 AM, MrAtoz said:

This kind of leads into my general take on this version, versus the original adaptation.  Which is that the new version is sort of ramping up the drama of the various situations.  For example, in the original, as in the books, James had to put down a valuable horse.  The trainer questioned James's diagnosis, so Siegfried did a post-mortem and confirmed that James had been right.  And that was it.  All the stuff about Siegfried wanting a job at the racetrack, the village calling James "horse-killer," and the horse's owner being James's rival for Helen, is new to this adaptation.

It's fair for them to do that, of course--Herriot's books are only loosely based on real events, so I suppose they have freedom to adapt them as they see fit--but I think it's interesting to note the kind of changes they are making.

To be fair, the racetrack stuff was actually a major storyline in the book for Siegfried, it was just presented slightly differently. I liked the way it was integrated here because -- with adaptation to film/TV, every minute counts. The fusing of Siegfried's racetrack aspirations with James's terrible quandary I thought worked really well.

On 2/1/2021 at 7:55 AM, Rose Quartz said:

This is why I'm not liking the current version as much as I'd hoped to.  I love the books and have read them multiple times over the years, and have come to realize that what I like best about them is their slice-of-life aspect.  There's the little day-to-day victories and defeats, but there really isn't a lot of drama until the end of the second book when Siegfried and James join the RAF. 

This show seems determined to ramp up the drama on so many of the stories.  

I've read the books many times, and I think this is in part due to (as noted above) the adaptation process. I still think the show is including plenty of funny little moments -- Tricki Woo, for example, was prominent in several episodes. Sure, I'd like them to do more of that, but the books ARE a pretty 50/50 split between laughter and tears. There's just as much pathos as laughter.

On 2/1/2021 at 8:28 AM, magdalene said:

The guy who plays Hugh is a very good actor, you should watch him in The Queens Gambit, he is terrific there.

Matthew Lewis (Hugh) wasn't in The Queen's Gambit. Are you perhaps thinking of Harry Melling (who was in The Queen's Gambit, and who played Dudley in Harry Potter)? If so, I agree -- he was really good. And I thought Lewis was wonderful here. I still get a kick out of the fact that little Neville Longbottom grew up to be such a handsome guy. (And Melling too!)

On 2/1/2021 at 3:22 PM, peacheslatour said:

I love that they did the dog nobody wanted to deal with. He was so fierce and so they all kept saying "yes, erm, well, he looks pretty lively to me."

I love that dog story and got such a kick out of seeing him here. In the book, I always cracked up at him "womitin', sirr, womitin' bad!" And how everyone kept trying to examine him -- Siegfried, Tristan, James, but he would let out this big deep WOOF and they'd all turn pale and back up 3 feet. I wish they'd included the casual observance by James from the book that occasionally the dog would evidently just toss his owner down and "worry him" for awhile, as if for entertainment. 

[magdalene]

3 minutes ago, paramitch said:

Matthew Lewis (Hugh) wasn't in The Queen's Gambit. Are you perhaps thinking of Harry Melling (who was in The Queen's Gambit, and who played Dudley in Harry Potter)? If so, I agree -- he was really good. And I thought Lewis was wonderful here. I still get a kick out of the fact that little Neville Longbottom grew up to be such a handsome guy. (And Melling too!)

Oh, yes you are right -  I mixed them up!

[MrAtoz]

15 hours ago, paramitch said:

To be fair, the racetrack stuff was actually a major storyline in the book for Siegfried, it was just presented slightly differently. I liked the way it was integrated here because -- with adaptation to film/TV, every minute counts. The fusing of Siegfried's racetrack aspirations with James's terrible quandary I thought worked really well.

You're right about that.  Somewhat embarrassingly, as I was pontificating about the changes that the new version had made, I had completely forgotten the "Siegfried and the racetrack" storyline from the original/books.

I've enjoyed reading your posts.  I'll look forward to your take on season 2!

[paramitch]

On 3/6/2022 at 8:21 AM, QQQQ said:

paramitch, the original tv series has been part of my life for nearly 45 years (probably the same for many others on this board). I was not able to watch this adaptation in a vacuum without comparing it to the first series. I hope there's room to express a range of opinions in this forum, both positive and negative.

Of course, and apologies if I was thoughtless in my reply! I'm so sorry -- I didn't mean to be dismissive, and I was definitely a little assy.

I was just thinking of a friend of mine, who refuses to consider anyone in a literary adaptation that she feels is wrong for the role. It's infuriating because we both love literature and I'd love to discuss some adaptations that I felt were truly superb, from Master and Commander, to various Sherlock Holmeses, to The Lord of the Rings, to several excellent Pride and Prejudice versions, etc. But she refuses to consider that the actor/actress might be acceptable outside her opinion (so no Mr. Darcy beyond Firth, etc.).

Finally I got her to consider just watching Master and Commander with me, for instance, by saying, "Look, Crowe doesn't have to be THE Jack Aubrey. Or even YOUR Jack Aubrey. Just A Jack Aubrey -- one of several potential Aubreys. And he might surprise you."

So that's more the POV I was thinking of in your comment about Tristan. That of course you may always just think of one actor as Tristan. But I hope you would give this one a chance as "one potential alt-universe Tristan." But also YMMV. 

Edited March 8, 2022 by paramitch
apologized better darn it

[paramitch]

I finished season 2! Thank goodness for short UK seasons, given my one-week PBS pass to watch the show.

Overall, I liked Season 2 much more than 1, although that was perfectly nice. But this one really seemed to incorporate a lot more elements and situations from the books (even if, yes, some of them were all tossed together in salads).

But I really loved it overall and I admit it y'all, I sat here and sobbed through most of the Christmas finale. I can't handle hurt/dying animals on film anyway, and I'm a little tender right now since I've spent a month nursing my sweet 15 year-old cat Batty through an unexpected hind leg amputation. All is good but oh man! I'm exhausted.

On 2/15/2021 at 9:31 AM, Rose Quartz said:

According to the books it was not, probably because it wasn't yet mass produced.  In one of the later books James talks about the amazing results he saw the first times he used penicillin because there weren't any resistant bacteria yet.

They had sulfa drugs but not antibiotics yet. Herriot in the books talked very movingly in the books about the desperation he felt at the time with limited options to treat not just infections but so many parasites and diseases that now can be prevented or cured with a  single syringe.

On 2/15/2021 at 9:47 PM, Ilovepie said:

What really struck me this episode, and last episode too in thinking about Clive the bull, is how horrible this job must be in these circumstances. Having to tell people, some of whom are friends, you can’t save their animal knowing how financially devastating this is to their families. And the fact that not only are they their livelihood, but in these small farms, a kind of pet they are emotionally attached to! I mean, my brother in law’s family runs a huge dairy and I’m pretty sure all the cows just have numbers, not names.

There are some very, very moving interludes in the books that deal with this exact thing. Not just Mrs. Dalby and her stirks, but also there is another case where (spoilers)...

Spoiler

James becomes very close friends with a young man who is from a Yorkshire family but lived in the city, but he returns home as his dream to own a small dairy. He does everything right, he's born for it, but his one small precious herd gets wipes out and it is just devastating. He leaves, and later on James glimpses the small dairy building being used as a storage shed or something and his heart breaks. Mine did too, reading it. A beautiful but devastating chapter.

On 4/19/2021 at 6:59 PM, crankcase said:

Even the most cursory investigation reveals that the ACGAS book series is fiction. It’s “based on” people and events, no more. The biggest obstacle to Wight’s marriage was not another suitor, but his own mother, who seemed to view the “Helen” as a rival for his affections. The person on whom Siegfried was based threatened to sue Wight for defamation. A great number of the animal stories came from other vets.

Oh, come now, this is vastly oversimplifying things. Donald Sinclair (the real "Siegfried") was temperamental and pretty much exactly the way Alf described him in the books, only even more so if possible -- a lovely person but utterly unaware of what a contrary and often difficult (lovable) person he was. So when he read the books he was irritated and cranky, and at one point verbally threatened to sue Alfie, calling it a test of friendship, but it wasn't a serious disagreement and they remained lifelong friends and colleagues.

The hilarious part is, the actor who played Siegfried in the show, Robert Hardy, wanted to study him and be faithful to his mannerisms, and of course Donald was outraged at the result (which was pitch-perfect) because he remained the most blissfully unself-aware person ever. Which I love as it is so utterly Siegfried. Brian, Donald's brother, loved his portrait as "Tristan" in the books, however. Which is so very Tristan of him.

And yes, Alf talked openly about the fact that some of the cases were composites, cases he consulted on, and occasional inspirations from other vets as pure fiction. All I care about is that I am convinced every animal he described was real, at some point. His love for them was too palpable for him not to do so. The people? Yeah, I'm sure many were fictional. I don't care. I love the books and am enjoying the show.

And no, I don't care whether Mrs. Hall marries Siegfried. Although I think they'd be a lovely match, and yes, I did ship it until the sweet clock-fixer entered the picture.

On 1/16/2022 at 8:13 PM, possibilities said:

I agree that not putting the sow in a stall (or having her restrained in some other way) is ridiculous. It made no sense to me that they were needlessly risking both her and the vet's safety during the procedure. Siegfried not having the scalpel last time also seemed implausible. Is he losing his mind? Or pranking Tristan? Either way, it just seemed reckless.

The way it was presented in the book was that the sow was pretty irritable (and definitely huge) and that it would take an experienced vet to handle her calmly in the yard, where it was usual for her to be kept.

On 1/24/2022 at 5:12 AM, Blergh said:

Of course, I'm surprised that neither she nor James considered having her sell the silver tea set (by NO means typical for 1930's Yorkshire farmhouses) to raise funds to buy more hay and keep the farm going. Despite  it having been  prominently used during the episode (and even Mrs. Pomphrey would have been delighted to have it for herself), its origin and value went entirely uncommented by either adult. Perhaps we could imagine it had been a wedding gift for her and her late husband or even a family heirloom but, considering that she was on the verge of losing the farm and the only home her young sons had ever known, it made no sense that neither she nor James would have at the very least brought up  the possibility of a windfall from its sale. 

I actually loved this detail. In the books this was so moving because Mrs. Dalby's very ornate tea ritual was unwavering no matter how hard their circumstances. No matter what, no matter how many of their cows died, she would be there at the end for James with a perfect full tea for him to enjoy. So I liked the distinctive tea set as a callback to the books. And it was believable to me that even if she had had a silver service, its meaning for her would have meant she probably never considered selling it.

On 1/24/2022 at 12:08 PM, possibilities said:

If the fields can no longer be used for grazing, there's no future in keeping cattle of any kind is there? She'd need to feed them and keep them indoors forever! 

I really wish they'd talked more about what her options were, rather than leaving the impression that if she doesn't get a miracle, she'll lose the place, and the smart option would be to  just wait and see if a miracle arrives.

I think in the books they were able to strengthen the cattle on the cake and hay, and then eventually pasture them somewhere else. Which the show kind of suggested, but not clearly enough.

On 2/1/2022 at 5:11 AM, pasdetrois said:

Also, I thought the dog was too close to the electric fire.

THIS! That dog was WAY too close to the heater! I knew from the story that the dog was likely okay and just recovering by the heater, but the fact that it kept whimpering right next to the heater made me worry that it was (in TV mode) endangered.

On 2/8/2022 at 12:19 PM, Llywela said:

This version of the show has chosen to develop its female characters and make them a fully fledged part of the ensemble cast. I understand that many here are nostalgic for the more animal-focused previous adaptation, but I don't see what's wrong with that. 

I agree with you -- I love that Mrs. Hall is now a character who is a bigger part of the family unit at Skeldale House, and I enjoy what she adds to the family dynamic. I know it's not canon to the books per se, but I really don't care. She deserves a louder voice in the story anyway. She was there.

On 2/13/2022 at 8:03 PM, Sharpie66 said:

Mrs. Herriot has annoyed me, but I can see why she’s been fixated on getting James home—the countryside is utterly foreign to her, she has a husband out of a job, and her boy is hours away, with a possible war on the horizon. Mr. Herriot is just wonderful—I love his big hug for Helen.

As for the Aldersons, well, that’s been my big discovery this season! Mr. Alderson acts like the gruff farmer, but he loves and really knows his daughters deeply. He was just waiting for James to ask him, because he had that ring waiting. And Jenny just might be my favorite character this season.

100% agreed! I admit it, I couldn't stand James's mother (I haven't since the first episode -- she is consistently written as "deciding things" for him and then treating them as fact, ugh). And here she was insufferable (and openly rude several times). It was at least more palatable that his father was so sweet. Gah. The interesting aspect is that this isn't in the books but is evidently canon to real life.

On 2/13/2022 at 10:58 PM, Blergh said:

I must say that James's proposal and Helen's acceptance were both far more original than the usual 'will you marry me?/ Yes!' deals - and, yes, it actually fit James's character more than to have had him get all treackly. 

Also, Mr. Alderson sure proved that this surfacely simple man of few words was actually quite deep- even having saved his late wife's ring so James could use it for Helen (instead of selling it off as soon as she died to help with mounting farm expenses) ... then again, it seems for all his gruffness, he wanted the best for their daughters even if their happiness wouldn't guarantee their financial security. 

Liked Tristan's subplot of persuading Mrs. Donovan to take on the stray after her own beloved dog had died after being hit by the car. I wonder if Mrs. Donovan might have been an Irish Traveller since she seemed to live with in a squatters' camp with others AND expressly told the others to leave Tristan be since she'd invited him. Yeah, I knew she saw through his claiming to taking the stray to the dog pound to be killed if she didn't immediately adopt said stray. 

I was bummed that we lost the instant intensity of "Come with me" in S1 with Helen, much less all the Hugh stuff, but I was VERY happy with their sweet romance in S2, and the kiss and progression were lovely, as was her father giving him her mother's ring.

I knew the minute I saw Mrs. Donovan and Rex what I was in for, so I was prepared but I still cried. In the books it is much sadder and sweeter -- Roy is not just a stray, but a horribly abused, near-death dog that James says "just needs some special shampoos," but I loved the TV show turning it to Tristan's story, and oh goodness, Roy was so beautiful! It was lovely.

Although I admit that I did miss the moment when Mrs. Donovan, an old witchy and poor woman, turned to James and said, "Haven't I made a difference to this dog?" and Herriot notes that she was nearer to being kissed than she probably ever had been in her life. I will always love that so much.

On 2/21/2022 at 5:59 AM, laredhead said:

I loved this Christmas episode.  A little bit of everything for most fans of the show. 

I don't mind the drawn out underlying story line about the approaching war, because it reflects the true years long buildup to WW2 in Europe, and the fears of the citizens who could remember WW 1 and the destruction and deaths from that war. 

I loved it. I was a weepy mess through most of it, and thought the glimpse of the plane was a subtle lovely way to foreshadow the war without ruining the sweetness of the happy ending.

On 2/21/2022 at 8:15 AM, Blergh said:

I also liked the way she  gently held Tricki's front paw and kissed him while he was about to be anesthetized. The performer definitely seemed to truly have affection for her canine colleague beyond what the script called for Mrs. P. to do! BTW, the Season Finale Extra Interviews had the dog's other human colleagues say he was a joy to work with and an amazing professional who, after  flawlessly playing his character as mortally ailing, instantly bounded about as soon as the director said 'Cut!'

Do not get me started on poor darling Tricki Woo! Y'all, I seriously sobbed through half of this episode. In the books it was a different animal, but I loved the way the show brought it back to a much-loved character, and honestly, don't we all love Tricki Woo? Seriously, I loved the way they used the plots from the books with poor sick ewe and Tricki (another pet in the books) and how healing simple rest can be. I also was very touched and appreciative of how concerned the entire practice was, and their understanding of how Mrs. Pumphrey's love for Tricki could truly change things (it can, my sis is a 20+ year vet tech, and I've seen it myself as a pet owner). So when Tricki awoke I was a complete puddle.

(VERY MINOR NITPICK: Why is it that they do not style S2 Mrs. Pumphrey like they did our lovely Dame Rigg? Why is she styled like a completely different woman? This annoys me deeply. Although I do like her anyway. But just sayin'.)

Anyway, lovely episode! And I know it wasn't in the books, but goddamn it to hell, the final scene of all the households coming together as one giant family to spend Christmas with recovering Mrs. Pumphrey and Tricki Woo? Do not get me started. I cried like a baby.

PS -- Added to note that while I get that we'll probably be moving on to the war next season, I deeply hope we will also be seeing something of a certain Granville Bennett...

Edited March 8, 2022 by paramitch
PS

[AZChristian]

Just came across The Yorkshire Vet on Amazon Prime.  Modern-day veterinary service that started out as "James Herriott's" practice at Skeldale House.

The real scenery of the area is even better than in the TV shows.

[peacheslatour]

Quote

There are some very, very moving interludes in the books that deal with this exact thing. Not just Mrs. Dalby and her stirks, but also there is another case where (spoilers)...

I got a new job in 1999 and decided to bring the books to read on smoke breaks. I hadn't read them since the first time in the late seventies. I remembered them as being fun, lighthearted and occasionally moving. I had to stop because I'd end up sobbing every damn time.

[paramitch]

7 hours ago, AZChristian said:

Just came across The Yorkshire Vet on Amazon Prime.  Modern-day veterinary service that started out as "James Herriott's" practice at Skeldale House.

The real scenery of the area is even better than in the TV shows.

This sounds wonderful! Thank you for the recommendation (and my parents will be overjoyed too, since they adored the show).

1 hour ago, peacheslatour said:

I got a new job in 1999 and decided to bring the books to read on smoke breaks. I hadn't read them since the first time in the late seventies. I remembered them as being fun, lighthearted and occasionally moving. I had to stop because I'd end up sobbing every damn time.

Oh, I know! There are so many laugh-out-loud moments in the books, and so much joy, but oh man, some absolutely devastating moments too. For instance...
 

Spoiler

 

Poor sweet darling Amber, that James is so so desperate to save, and he keeps trying, even bringing her home to live with him, and even with the horrible merciless progression of the demodectic mange, she is still so happy to see him every single day, shining in the headlights as he arrives home -- until he realizes that she is suffering despite her sweet temperament and he has to say goodbye. The final line still echoes with me:

I know several fine dogs in Darrowby who have survived, and when I see them in the streets, healthy and glossy-coated, the picture of Amber comes back into my mind. It is always dark, and she is always in the headlight’s beam.

It always moves me so much -- I always cry when reading it, and may have sniffled a bit just going in and copying this line from my Kindle version.

 

But this is my favorite thing about Herriot -- especially as the books go on, you can really feel a writer coming into his own. The storytelling is superb -- funny, heartbreaking, generous, vivid -- and the writing itself is really beautiful and underrated. The chapter I mention above being one of my favorite examples.

Now excuse me, I need to go look at pictures of capering sheep and sea otters holding hands.

[peacheslatour]

Veterinary work will break you if you don't have the right temperament. I had to quit  because I couldn't cut it. Spoilered below, don't read if you don't want to be sad.

 

Spoiler

We had a golden retriever puppy come in. He had been chewing on a tin can. He had the strangest "worried" look on his face. The vets were consulting their college text books, trying desperately to figure it out. At first they thought it was arsenic poisoning. The pup was so friendly but you could tell he was distressed. They figured it out. It was tetanus. They tried everything but he got more and more paralyzed. We finally had to prop him up like a saw horse. In the end the only thing he could  still move was his tail. He just kept wagging his tail. Damn, I have to go cry again.

 

[paramitch]

8 hours ago, peacheslatour said:

Veterinary work will break you if you don't have the right temperament. I had to quit  because I couldn't cut it. Spoilered below, don't read if you don't want to be sad.

 

  Hide contents

We had a golden retriever puppy come in. He had been chewing on a tin can. He had the strangest "worried" look on his face. The vets were consulting their college text books, trying desperately to figure it out. At first they thought it was arsenic poisoning. The pup was so friendly but you could tell he was distressed. They figured it out. It was tetanus. They tried everything but he got more and more paralyzed. We finally had to prop him up like a saw horse. In the end the only thing he could  still move was his tail. He just kept wagging his tail. Damn, I have to go cry again.

 

I'm so very sorry to hear about that poor puppy -- it's absolutely heartbreaking.

My hat is off to anyone who can do that job -- my sister was a vet tech for 25+ years. She's retired now but honestly I don't know how she did it. It did get to her sometimes (and I also did adopt several of her rescues, on the lighter side, and my little Batty is one of those).

Meanwhile, another of my good friends is a superb veterinarian, and it's just incredibly tough on her. I truly would not be able to handle the emotional side of the job (witnessing animals in pain, having to euthanize them, etc.), much less the human aspect -- especially in the social media era, when vets are harassed mercilessly by any patient unhappy with the smallest thing. Vets have one of the highest suicide rates among professions, and it breaks my heart, because almost all I have encountered have been such incredibly talented, caring people.

[peacheslatour]

7 hours ago, paramitch said:

I'm so very sorry to hear about that poor puppy -- it's absolutely heartbreaking.

My hat is off to anyone who can do that job -- my sister was a vet tech for 25+ years. She's retired now but honestly I don't know how she did it. It did get to her sometimes (and I also did adopt several of her rescues, on the lighter side, and my little Batty is one of those).

Meanwhile, another of my good friends is a superb veterinarian, and it's just incredibly tough on her. I truly would not be able to handle the emotional side of the job (witnessing animals in pain, having to euthanize them, etc.), much less the human aspect -- especially in the social media era, when vets are harassed mercilessly by any patient unhappy with the smallest thing. Vets have one of the highest suicide rates among professions, and it breaks my heart, because almost all I have encountered have been such incredibly talented, caring people.

One of my good friend's who worked at a different vet's office, came in one morning and found her boss dead from suicide. It's incredibly rough. Be nice to your vet.

[dcalley]

On 3/8/2022 at 8:30 AM, AZChristian said:

Just came across The Yorkshire Vet on Amazon Prime.  Modern-day veterinary service that started out as "James Herriott's" practice at Skeldale House.

The real scenery of the area is even better than in the TV shows.

I haven't watched it, but I was just about to post about this show here. (The woman who recaps ACG&S at tellyvisions.org has mentioned it a few times.) It's also available at IMDB, Pluto, and Acorn. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5016662

[humbleopinion]

Mrs. Hall, actor Anna Madeley, is in the sexy Anatomy of a Scandal on Netflix.

No fry ups in this role.

[Driad]

Season 3 will air on PBS Jan. 8 - Feb. 19, 2023. 

Article with some plot details.

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

This is such a good series,beautifully shot in Yorkshire Dales,(?)  looking forward to Season 3 !

[dargosmydaddy]

PBS trailer for season 3 (which I believe is starting soon in the UK):

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/clips/all-creatures-great-and-small-s3-trailer/

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

In certain areas(?)  PBS is running marathons of season 1 tomorrow  and season 2 on Sunday. Times may vary? 

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

OMG, this series is so___ good.  Finally getting to see the first episodes I hadn't seen. 

[MerBearHou]

1 hour ago, One4Sorrow2TooBad said:

OMG, this series is so___ good.  Finally getting to see the first episodes I hadn't seen. 

Agreed.  I absolutely adore this series.  Can’t wait for the next season.  

[peacheslatour]

14 hours ago, MerBearHou said:

Agreed.  I absolutely adore this series.  Can’t wait for the next season.  

PBS is having another marathon today fro 10:30 am Pacific til 7:30! Season 2.

[chitowngirl]

That’s local PBS programming. 🫤 My PBS is showing The Seaside Hotel and the Miss Scarlett and the Duke this afternoon.

Edited September 4, 2022 by chitowngirl

[peacheslatour]

1 hour ago, chitowngirl said:

That’s local PBS programming. 🫤 My PBS is showing The Seaside Hotel and the Miss Scarlett and the Duke this afternoon.

Oh, well Miss Scarlet and the Duke are good too.

[John Potts]

3.01 - We're back!

I get that a Drama needs, well, drama, but the whole "Get me to the church on time!" trope was a little silly: it's the only church in town (and presumably there is no other event planned that day) so they can wait until the couple get there. Sure, I'm sure the Vicar would rather not hang around waiting for the couple to turn up, but he doesn't have anywhere else to be*. I wonder if Helen will wear her barbed wire(?) ring as her wedding ring or retrieve the ring James left in his jacket pocket?

Did like that we got some of the darker elements - not just the clear omens of the forthcoming war, but the fact that they can't save every animal. I also liked that the farmer accepted that fact too and just handed over the shotgun (even if Tristan couldn't actually take the shot).

* Unlike today, where he (or she) would probably have three parishes to cover 

[Llywela]

I forgot this was back on! And then having found it on my tivo and watched it, I forgot to comment here.

I know the big story of this episode was The Wedding, but I have to say, the sub-plot about the possibly TB-infected cows hit home. My dad had a sister he never got to meet because she died 6 years before he was born - from TB meningitis contracted from infected milk. She was 3 years old. We've got photos of her, taken just a couple of weeks before she died, such a happy, bonny little thing, and then boom, gone, just like that. My grandmother recognised the symptoms immediately because she'd had a sister who died of the same thing, 10 years earlier, but there was nothing to be done. It was 1942 and there was still no treatment available.

All that to say, I'm glad James took the time to test all those cows immediately rather than wait, even if it did almost make him late for his own wedding. And I'm glad they were all in the clear!

@John Potts Helen's wedding ring was knotted twine - as per Mrs Hall's story about her own wedding, which happened in such a rush there was no time to buy a ring, so they knotted a bit of twine instead. She saw Tristan panicking about the lost ring (which was 100% Siegfried's fault, although he will never admit it) and she found a bit of twine and knotted it into a ring to use instead, knowing Helen would remember the story and understand.

I really loved that little scene between Helen and Mrs Hall, btw - the mother without a daughter and the daughter without a mother, each finding in the other just a little of what she needed.

[John Potts]

3.02 - So Siegfried is a control freak - who knew!? At least he realised that making James a partner means actually ceding control. And I loved that Helen was actually better at making sense of the accounts than he was (I wonder who's doing the farm's accounts now she's left - her sister?).

I seem to recall from the original series that Helen couldn't cook (though James was wise enough to eat it anyway) so I guess that's in the original book, but I'm glad it means we're getting our "found family" back together around the dinner table. And Mrs Hall's dog walking friend is back, with Tristan making sure he's good enough for her... dog.

I'm glad though, that while we can be generally sure that things will work out, it doesn't mean it's always without a price. I did wonder if the calves had been licking the lead paint off the walls, though we'd had that plotline already (IIRC), so I thought it unlikely. I also wondered at the farmer being unable to read - primary education was compulsory from 1880 in England, though it was probably took a long time for it to be 100% (especially in rural areas) so I guess if she's either over 60 or just fell through the cracks.

3.03 - I was trying to work out how old Siegfried is meant to be to have been an officer in World War I - he was an officer, so he'd have been in his 20s in 1918 and so in his mid 40s to early 50s in 1939 (Sam West is 56 at time of writing), which is a good deal older than I'd imagined (particularly as Tristan seems to be in his 20s). It's true that the British army still used a lot of horses in 1918 (and armies were still in using them in 1939 - about 6 million horses were used on the Eastern front) and that they were, for the most part, put down at the end of the war. It's entirely believable that it would hit Siegfried hard to have to euthanise so many horses, particularly after his friend's suicide and the brewing war in Europe. At least he apologised to Helen (though he should probably apologise to Mrs Hall too).

Did like Helen trying to have James develop more of a backbone (though James has a point that there are limits to how far he can push Siegfried), even if she wasn't able to get the lady that had her cat neutered to pay! Glad her dad also backed her up and joined James' TB testing project - sure, people might prefer not to be tested because it could be disastrous if it comes up positive. I'm sure we're all much wiser today and wouldn't just ignore an infectious disease and hope it just goes away...

Edited October 2, 2022 by John Potts

[MissLucas]

Haven't caught up with episode 3 yet, so I just comment on episode 2. That little stove in the attic right beneath the ceiling gave me all sorts of anxieties. Glad they stopped that madness, it made no sense - especially if they are trying to save money. And I like that Helen is a bad cook, she'd be a tad too perfect otherwise.

That was a good episode for Tristan. He had some great scenes but I loved the moment he walked into the fight between James and Siegfried best. He came to the scene smiling, took in what was going on and just turned around. Small scene but it still made laugh.

Maybe farm lady with the perfect brows suffered from a form of functional illiteracy. If she struggled in school and then had her sister taking care of all literate tasks she could have lost even her rudimentary skills. And of course she would never have asked for help.

Yay, Mrs Hall both a winner on diplomatic and romantic fronts!

[MissLucas]

Episode 3 - that was tough too watch but a great episode. I'm not sure Helen really deserved that apology (or if she did then so did Mrs Hall). She's living in that house for a couple of weeks now, not long enough to criticize Siegfried for how he's handling business. And it's not as if she had any good solutions at hand for the problem. But then I've never been a big Helen fan. Glad she got her comeuppance with widded lady.

It was certainly tough for a farmers to lose their herd due to a positive test but I thought they were compensated? Though I don't think they ever mentioned it in the episode. And of course money can't compensate for the heartbreak. I remember some very upsetting stories from the times of the BSE outbreak in the UK in the 90s.

The cat in the car thing brought some comic relief but it didn't do much for James' reputation as a vet. I've transported cats in cars before pet carriers were easily available and would have known better than to trust an old cardboard box and an anemic bit of string.

[Llywela]

On 10/4/2022 at 11:57 PM, MissLucas said:

It was certainly tough for a farmers to lose their herd due to a positive test but I thought they were compensated? Though I don't think they ever mentioned it in the episode. And of course money can't compensate for the heartbreak. I remember some very upsetting stories from the times of the BSE outbreak in the UK in the 90s.

Compensation was mentioned, yes - £5 standard per animal (which they said was usually below market value for the animal if healthy, but better than nothing for a diseased animal), or the farmer could request a valuation (just one of the forms driving James demented in the episode). The entire herd would only be destroyed if the disease was found to be running rampant among them. We saw in the episode that for the farmer who had a cow test positive, just that one animal was destroyed, but he had to close his farm (i.e. was not permitted to sell milk) until the entire herd had been re-tested, necessary to ensure that the disease hadn't spread any further. If more positive cases were then found, that would be when trouble would really strike.

Tough for farmers, sure - the BSC outbreak happened when I was growing up and it was devastating - but necessary, and it really did save lives, lots of them. As I mentioned up-thread, I had an aunt and a great-aunt who both died of TB meningitis contracted from infected milk. There was no treatment, at the time, none at all. Infection was an automatic death sentence. The great-aunt died in 1932, she was around 30 - photos of her show a lively, stylish young woman hanging out and relaxing with her many siblings. The aunt died in 1942, she was just 3 years old - photos taken just a few weeks before she died show a happy, bonny toddler playing with her big sister. The family was devastated by both losses. If the infected cows whose milk they each drank had been tested, if that infected milk had been kept from entering the market, they both would have lived. Phyllis would have married her young man, had the family she dreamed of. Little Hazel would have had the chance to grow up; she'd be in her 80s now. And those are examples from a single family - now imagine that same impact replicated across the country. Before pasteurisation of milk, TB testing was the only way to ensure that milk was safe for human consumption, and it was a godsend, it really was. Absolutely revolutionary.

ETA - we also heard as an aside in episode 3 that if a farmer had his herd tested and it was clean, he could charge more for his milk, because it came with that guarantee. A nice reward for Alderson, for supporting James.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Llywela

[John Potts]

3.04 - So I get the impression some major international event might be about to happen later in 1939! I didn't think conscription was introduced before the outbreak of war, but I was wrong - an act was passed in April 1939, well before war was declared in September (PM Neville Chamberlain - rightly - has received a lot of criticism for selling out Czechoslovakia in 1938, but he is rarely credited for using the time it bought the UK to prepare for war).

Wow, that guy from the MAg is absolutely terrible. It's hard to believe people get confused over what forms have to be filled in when he goes through all ten in about 30 seconds, (though that does sound like typical government bureaucracy). But good on Siegfried for sticking up for him, and backing up Helen in wanting to keep Jim in the practice rather than feeling he's "not doing his part".

Spoiler

Though he will end up joining the RAF after war breaks out - as does Tristan, I think?

I was wondering about the backstory of Tristan's date (and loved Siegfried banning him from seeing the daughter of his rival vet, which Tristan rightly just laughs off) - there were about 7000 "Indians living outside India" (which would include what is now Bangladesh and Pakistan) in 1932 according to the Indian National Congress (though whether that includes those born in the UK - like Florence, presumably - is unclear), overwhelmingly male and concentrated in the big cities. So while it would be possible for there to be a non-white, female vet practicing in the Dales in the 1930s, it would be pretty unlikely - even today, the (self described) Indian population of Yorkshire is only 1.3% and that is concentrated in the cities like Leeds and Bradford. I'm glad they didn't just ignore her ethnicity completely, but it did seem a very 21st Century insertion.

3.05 - So we get more backstory on Mrs Hall - her husband is still alive (divorced rather than just separated, I presume?) and we finally meet Edward. I'm glad they reconciled (and you just knew the deaf ladies distributing tea had to be relevant to the plot somehow) and I hope that doesn't mean he's about to die - since it's a true (well, truish) story it doesn't have that "he forgave her now he can die" narrative completion, but naval losses early in the war were pretty horrific, so we'll have to see.

Loved Siegfried with his "Mini-me"! Hope he turns up again. Also, I remember this episode from the original series as the "Bangers and Mash" episode - it was about the only thing the Farnons could manage to cook while Mrs Hall was away. I did think it ironic (or possibly, wise!) that Tristan chose to make a Shepherds Pie* which is lamb topped with more mashed potato to welcome back Mrs Hall.

* Which generally doesn't include cream or sponge fingers, whatever Rachel Greene might think!

[Llywela]

1 hour ago, John Potts said:

WoI was wondering about the backstory of Tristan's date (and loved Siegfried banning him from seeing the daughter of his rival vet, which Tristan rightly just laughs off) - there were about 7000 "Indians living outside India" (which would include what is now Bangladesh and Pakistan) in 1932 according to the Indian National Congress (though whether that includes those born in the UK - like Florence, presumably - is unclear), overwhelmingly male and concentrated in the big cities. So while it would be possible for there to be a non-white, female vet practicing in the Dales in the 1930s, it would be pretty unlikely - even today, the (self described) Indian population of Yorkshire is only 1.3% and that is concentrated in the cities like Leeds and Bradford. I'm glad they didn't just ignore her ethnicity completely, but it did seem a very 21st Century insertion.

Florence isn't a vet. We've seen her assisting Tristan once or twice because she is the daughter of a vet and knows a lot about vetinary medicine thanks to working in her father's practice as an unofficial nurse. But she isn't a licenced or practicing vet herself.

Statistics never tell the full story. I live in one of the most multi-cultural cities in the country, the first mosque here opened way back in the 1860s and there have been mixed marriages for at least that long, so I didn't question Florence or her ethnicity for a second. People have always migrated, whether in smaller or larger numbers, and Florence is just one person in the entire cast. There may not have been many people of Indian extract in Yorkshire in the 30s, but they did exist, so there's no reason Florence shouldn't exist.

Haven't watched 3.05 yet - Thursday is a wretched night for the show, I keep forgetting it's on! I'm pretty sure we already knew, though, that Mrs Hall's husband is still alive. I'm not sure about whether they are divorced or not, but we learned (back in season 1, I think? Possibly in conversation with Dorothy, an old friend who knows the full history) that they separated because of his drunken, violent behaviour after the war. And I've an idea that being married, still considering herself married, is part of why she is so reluctant to be drawn into another relationship.

Edited October 14, 2022 by Llywela

[MissLucas]

Has Tristan hidden depths of scientific curiosity? I'm pretty sure space-time continuum hadn't made it into the vernacular at that time. (I also think he used the term wrong but I'm not a physicist). Maybe he likes to read Sci-Fi? 

Aunt Google tells me the term first used in a paper by Einstein in 1921 and made it into Sci-Fi in the 1930s - various short stories by H. P. Lovecraft. 

Edited October 16, 2022 by MissLucas

[Llywela]

1 hour ago, MissLucas said:

Has Tristan hidden depths of scientific curiosity? I'm pretty sure space-time continuum hadn't made it into the vernacular at that time. (I also think he used the term wrong but I'm not a physicist). Maybe he likes to read Sci-Fi? 

Aunt Google tells me the term first used in a paper by Einstein in 1921 and made it into Sci-Fi in the 1930s - various short stories by H. P. Lovecraft. 

Well, we know Tristan reads for fun (there was a discussion last season about a novel he was seen reading, which would have been very newly published at the time and which he would therefore have had to go out of his way to acquire, it wasn't just lying around) so Lovecraft short sci fi stories do strike me as being right up his street.

[John Potts]

3.06 - Well, I'm glad we did get some background on Florence -  I guess that does answer my question from last week. Though I'd have thought Tristan would manage to find a ring better than his key ring! It really must have been a spur of the moment decision (and I guess there aren't any jewellers in Darrowby). So she was the one that (accidentally) convinced Tristan to join the RAF alongside James?

You just knew that the letter that was left on the kitchen table was going to end up getting posted. I'm glad Helen unflinchingly took James' side - obviously, she knew how discovering TB would affect her family, but also how much being seen as corrupt (and getting struck off) would destroy James' career. They really should have got their stories straight first though ("It's not the crime, it's the cover up", as they say). Surprised the Ministry backed down so easily, though.

I like Mrs Pomfrey (even if I preferred her as Diana Rigg, though they can't do anything about that), though I felt her appearance was a little unnecessary. I guess the older generation knows (or at least, think they know - England didn't see much bombing in WW I) what a world war will be like.

On 10/16/2022 at 3:43 PM, MissLucas said:

Has Tristan hidden depths of scientific curiosity? I'm pretty sure space-time continuum hadn't made it into the vernacular at that time. (I also think he used the term wrong but I'm not a physicist). Maybe he likes to read Sci-Fi? 

Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury and Arthur C Clarke were writing their first published works (mainly short stories) at this time, so it's possible if he bought magazines like Astounding Science Fiction (that seems more likely than that he peruses the latest scientific papers). I'm sure Siegfried would decry it as trash fiction, but it is possible (if unlikely).

Edited October 21, 2022 by John Potts

[MissLucas]

Episode 5 - 'Andrew' was probably the best episode of the whole show so far. The scenes between Andrew and Mrs Hall were riveting and so well written. And I loved how the writing let all the different emotions between those two breathe and in the end things were not resolved with a nice little bow but still good enough for that ground shifting feeling Mrs Hall talked about. I wasn't quite sure where they were going with Siegfried and Tristan's plot but by the end it was equally moving. Helen and James' plot felt a bit tacked on but it did not take up too much time and it also had some good character moments. Well done.

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

Catching a couple of season 2 episodes on Sunday. Even though I've seen these before, they are such a joy to see again. Looking forward to Season 3 !

[Llywela]

Christmas special airs on...I want to say Friday this week. Should be good!

[Panopticon]

I enjoyed the Christmas special. It was a bit sad, but that’s almost a given considering the historical backdrop. 

There was a heavy enough hand with the callbacks to earlier episodes that I might have thought it was the permanent end of the series if I didn’t know better. Tristan stowing away on the train the was he did when he first arrived. Siegfried making up words to Mrs. Hall’s amusement. Mrs. Pumphrey wanting Christmas visitors in her empty house. And of course “merry bloody Christmas!”

But basically the script just asked Sam West to milk Siegfried’s pseudo-parental angst for an hour and he delivered. I never thought anyone but Robert Hardy could play that role… and I have so enjoyed being so, so wrong. Also, that was a very patient horse. And I swear it looked sad when Siegfried explained he was going to let the horse compete when it wasn’t sound because he had to protect his brother. 

[Zaffy]

Not very Christmas spirit of me, but really I just  hope that annoying kid won't be in the next season cause the writers don't seem to know how to write for a kid. 
A rather "meh" episode, best scene Mrs Hall and her love finally kissing!

Edited December 26, 2022 by Zaffy

[One4Sorrow2TooBad]

Looing forward to Season 3 coming to PBS early in Jan. 2023 !

[John Potts]

I'm glad we saw that while Siegfried is generally a model of rectitude, he did bend the rules for his brother. And good on Tristan for refusing to have strings pulled on his behalf, even if it did take Mrs Hall playing mother to get the two to settle their differences. I was slightly surprised there even was still a Royal Army Veterinary Corps by 1939 given the widespread mechanisation of the army, though it was still going at the time (in fact, it still exists today, mainly concerned with treating army dogs). No mention of how James' training was going (he joins the RAF), at least that I recall.

I quite liked the little Jewish evacuee (I thought they were going to say she arrived on the Kindertransport, but maybe that would be a little too tragic for a generally upbeat show), though I was surprised we didn't see Siegfried's "Mini-Me" from last Season. Maybe they couldn't get the child actor back. 

On 12/26/2022 at 2:38 PM, Zaffy said:

A rather "meh" episode, best scene Mrs Hall and her love finally kissing!

Well they were under the mistletoe...

[DonnaMae]

On 12/26/2022 at 6:38 AM, Zaffy said:

A rather "meh" episode, best scene Mrs Hall and her love finally kissing!

I haven't seen it yet because I'm in the US, but I don't look forward to that scene.  I want Mrs. Hall and Siegfried to be together.  I don't care that this season veers away from the books.  It's a new interpretation by the writers.

[Panopticon]

3 hours ago, DonnaMae said:

I haven't seen it yet because I'm in the US, but I don't look forward to that scene.  I want Mrs. Hall and Siegfried to be together.  I don't care that this season veers away from the books.  It's a new interpretation by the writers.

I think the writers are pretty clearly playing both sides still, so you may not be entirely unhappy with the scene. She throws the entire not-party as an excuse to see Gerald... and then proceeds to ignore Gerald so completely in favor of Siegfried that Gerald walks out without talking to her. He only returns for the kissing scene because he grabbed the wrong coat. And Siegfried staring at the two of them as they kiss is most definitely open to the jealousy interpretation.

[HappyHanna]

Count me as probably one of the very few who doesn't want Siegrid and Mrs. Hall to get together.  He's her employer! Why can't men and women ever stay friends? Team Gerald here. So I'll have to wait on the next season with fingers crossed.

[Cetacean]

11 minutes ago, HappyHanna said:

Count me as probably one of the very few who doesn't want Siegrid and Mrs. Hall to get together.  He's her employer! Why can't men and women ever stay friends? Team Gerald here. So I'll have to wait on the next season with fingers crossed.

Table for two. I don't see any romantic attachment between them at all. He depends on her, she's a great housekeeper and manager. Leave it at that.