Season 4 Discussion Thread

[DanaK]

Season 4 premiered this past Sunday on PBS

Edited January 9 by DanaK

[Orcinus orca]

I was expecting the kid to be one of those sent from London whose parents were killed.  That would explain his rough behavior.  But glad for him and for the poor, lonely farmer.  That lamb was beyond adorable!

[YorkshireLass]

From what was said by Helen and by his living conditions, Wesley probably did not have a happy upbringing.  There was no mention of his parents so they could be out of the picture.  Helen alluded to his difficulties at school.  He's probably one of the lost children that still exist today.  A very smart child, but not school-smart whose interest in learning was squashed by the education system.  I'm betting he learned more by doing the work at Skeldale House that one day with James encouraging him than he did in years at school.  My hope for him is that he blossoms at the farm and his experience there prepares him for a job in the farming industry.

As said by others, I don't think this episode was one of the series better ones.  Quite a few people on this forum have said for the last couple of seasons that they wanted the focus of the show to turn back to the animals and their stories.  Unfortunately, the show seems to be moving even further away even though the Executive Producer said in an interview that there were so many more "Herriott animal stories" in the books that they were looking forward to bringing to the screen in Season 4.  I'm hoping that didn't mean we'd get one story per show.  I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[Haleth]

I’m a little nervous that the writers are shipping Siegfried and Mrs Hall. The conversation they had about divorce and Gerald’s intentions seemed to throw Siegfried. 

[Sarah 103]

1 hour ago, Haleth said:

I’m a little nervous that the writers are shipping Siegfried and Mrs Hall. The conversation they had about divorce and Gerald’s intentions seemed to throw Siegfried. 

I took that as surprise at the direction Gerald and Mrs. Hall's relationship had taken. He knew they were close friends. I think the mention of divorce made Siegfried suspect that she was thinking about marriage, and he did not expect that or realize the relationship was that serious. 

[JudyObscure]

I knew the rock throwing boy and the lonely sheep farmer were going to end up together as soon as I'd met them both.  Which was still great to watch!  In  my mind Wesley and his Granny are both living with the farmer and all of them are eating scads of carrot & swede buns.

I'm just a sucker for this show; lambs, Jess and Dash, nice people, breathtaking scenery, set details to die for.  I really don't care if they actually have a plot, they could just mill around and I'd be happy.

Edited January 10 by JudyObscure

[Ilovepie]

22 hours ago, JudyObscure said:

I'm just a sucker for this show; lambs, Jess and Dash, nice people, breathtaking scenery, set details to die for.  I really don't care if they actually have a plot, they could just mill around and I'd be happy.

I waffle between feeling like this and frustration as a book reader. The show is lovely as is, but it's definitely straying from the books. I could live with whatever plot they are taking with Audrey, but I do miss some of the animal stories from the books. There are so many good ones, and it seems they are determined to focus more on the human drama at Skeldale than the book stories. I also miss Callum Woodhouse. It's not the same without Tristan.

I did love when Sigfried questioned Helen and she was like "If I said I did something I did it". She really sold it there, despite screwing up and ordering a lifetime supply of gauze!

[JudyObscure]

19 minutes ago, Ilovepie said:

I also miss Callum Woodhouse. It's not the same without Tristan.

Oh me, too.  He's the best comic relief actor!  He was my favorite Durrell.

[Orcinus orca]

46 minutes ago, Ilovepie said:

I waffle between feeling like this and frustration as a book reader. The show is lovely as is, but it's definitely straying from the books.

I equate it to another great series of books (Longmire) which bear absolutely no resemblance to the series on TV.  I just look at them as two completely separate things just having characters with the same names.  Helps me love both equally.

[Ilovepie]

1 hour ago, JudyObscure said:

Oh me, too.  He's the best comic relief actor!  He was my favorite Durrell.

That is a discussion for that thread, but I fluctuated between Leslie and Larry. I was thrilled when he was cast in this show. He is the perfect Tristan!

[tennisgurl]

You have to love a man who spends days running around town in a fury because a dog is in distress, what a guy. Helen is a very lucky woman. Its really nice having the show back, I liked this episode a lot although I was expecting there to be more dealing with the war really starting to ramp up. It probably helps that I have never read the books or seen the previous show so I have nothing to compare this to. I do certainly love episodes that focus on actual veterinary cases, but I also enjoy episodes that more focus on the human antics. 

Awww I hope that Wes and the lonely sheep farmer have a lot of lovely pastoral adventures with Duke, grandma, and those cute sheep and that Wes ends up succeeding in farming which is clearly where he shines. 

I miss Tristan, I am very curious what will happen when James does get called up, it will be a very different show without two of the main characters. 

[Doublemint]

I realize Dr. Pol is a reality show - but it doesn't seem to have the "restrictions" working on animals that All Creatures claims prevent it showing more animal cases on the farms.  That was my point in mentioned the Dr. Pol show.
"

[Ancaster]

On 1/11/2024 at 10:33 AM, Orcinus orca said:

I equate it to another great series of books (Longmire) which bear absolutely no resemblance to the series on TV.  I just look at them as two completely separate things just having characters with the same names.  Helps me love both equally.

I've had to do this since the first couple of episodes, which were getting my blood up because they were so far from my beloved books.

Now I just watch it as a soapy drama with cute animals and the incomparable North Yorkshire landscape.

[Blergh]

Thankfully, Siegfried's 'storm' over Helen's getting six cases instead of six boxes of gauze was rather minimal.

However, little did they know in 1940  that from 1941 until 1949, clothing would be rationed so I can't help but think that Siegfried would have wound up being rather GRATEFUL to Helen for having previously obtained all these cases- and might very well have unthreaded some of thegauze bandages to extend the life  of the household clothing.

Of course, I seriously doubt that Skedale House's bounty will be kept hushed up in Darrowby!

 

Nice that the  newly  widowed farmer took in Wesley and his dog so that they'd have lots of open space to romp in between chores, but what's to become of Wesley's aged and struggling great-grandmother in their sketchy hovel? Even though she dismissed Duke as 'another mouth to feed', it seemed that she had outlived her husband and perhaps two generations of family between herself and Wesley and was getting frail instead of just being mean for no reason and fit as a fiddle!

While I know it was a sincere struggle to go against her own beliefs to file and recount the reasons for her divorce from her long estranged husband Robert, I hope Mrs. Hall is ready for all the other steps it w take before their union get declared to be legally done. I wonder if Robert can be found to have the papers served much less whether he will attempt to stop the proceedings? Also, I wonder how much monies will it cost Mrs. Hall to go through with it. Amazing that few if any in Darrowby have put together that she's an informal grass widow instead of a genuine widow!

Edited January 14 by Blergh

[HoodlumSheep]

4x02:

I didn't realize Helen had essentially quit doing paperwork, considering she was helping order supplies last episode lol.

Ngl I had the same ??? reaction as Siegfried to that secretary lady. The farmer's ball rings a bell but is it the same actress playing the lady from whatever season that was???

The secret ferret surgery sequence gave me a chuckle, but it was a bit ridiculous that the two bosses of the practice couldn't put their foot down to all the secretary's nonsense though.

I knew that Blossom wouldn't be given the boot!

Edited January 15 by HoodlumSheep

[Sarah 103]

I knew the secretary wouldn't last when she insisted on a form of cash payment (even if it was a deposit that would be counted towards the total bill). It demonstrated a complete lack of understanding regarding the kind of practice they had and the clientele they served. 

I was worried when I first heard the man at the bar mention ferret roulette, but after seeing what it was, I will award creativity points. 

I think this episode demonstrated how much Siegfried and James value the life of an animal. To them an animal in need of treatment deserves treatment no matter what kind of animal it is, and ending an animal's life should be the absolute last resort. 

[MaryMitch]

The practice definitely needs some kind of discipline when it comes to records and bookkeeping, but they don't need someone full time. Hopefully they can find a happy medium.

I really like this episode; I'm glad Siegfried found a solution for keeping the cow on the farm, although I'm surprised the farmer didn't come up with it on his own.

[magdalene]

I was so happy that sweet Blossum didn't go to the knackers after all.

I am glad Miss Arbuckle was an one episode character, what a prissy and snooty ..err...woman, with all the emotional intelligence of a turnip. Exactly the wrong fit for these folks and that practice. When she tried to get rid off Siegfried's beloved rat by putting it out in the cold I knew she was a goner.

They do need someone to organize them and do the paper work. Maybe Helen could give it another go.

Edited January 15 by magdalene

[Sarah 103]

 I agree with @MaryMitch and @magdalene. There needs to be someone doing the bookkeeping and keeping track of appointments, but I am not sure if Helen wants the job because she is still pretty involved with her father's farm. 

[dancingdreamer]

Well, for anyone  wanting people  in the waiting  room, and the vets doing surgery,  this had it all. 

What a wonderful  episode. Siegfried was smitten  with Miss Harbottle when he danced with her, he just wasn't very keen on her as his  bookkeeper. Maybe the new vet will help out? Probably  not. If Helen is pregnant,  she may help, rather than go to the family  farm.

Blossom got another  lease on life, and I was so happy. Everything  looked beautiful  and green, very lush..

[Daff]

On 1/12/2024 at 4:36 PM, Doublemint said:

I realize Dr. Pol is a reality show - but it doesn't seem to have the "restrictions" working on animals that All Creatures claims prevent it showing more animal cases on the farms.  That was my point in mentioned the Dr. Pol show.
"

That would be because they are documenting qualified, licensed vets actually treating animals in need of the services. That would not be subject to any film industry restrictions, other than the owner’s willingness to have it filmed.

[magdalene]

1 hour ago, Daff said:

that All Creatures claims prevent it showing more animal cases on the farms

They don't just "claim" it - these rules do exist for the protection of animals on TV and movie productions nowadays.  I do admit I don't get the complaint that there is not enough of actual vet care in the show, this weeks episode alone had plenty.

I think this a fine production with great locations and wonderful acting. Any criticism I have is when the story lines don't go in the way I want, ha.

[Daff]

3 hours ago, magdalene said:

They don't just "claim" it - these rules do exist for the protection of animals on TV and movie productions nowadays.  I do admit I don't get the complaint that there is not enough of actual vet care in the show, this weeks episode alone had plenty.

I think this a fine production with great locations and wonderful acting. Any criticism I have is when the story lines don't go in the way I want, ha.

You plucked @Doublemint’s statement out of my post (with quote), therefore, your response was aimed at me when I never said that. I agree with you-film industry restrictions surrounding treatment of animals on set are very real and must be followed. (If you copy and paste print within the light blue background it will not be attributed to the person who actually said it, rather, it will be attributed to the person who quoted it to respond to it.)

[YorkshireLass]

Having been around quite a few people who are neuro-diverse, I feel some sympathy for Miss Harbottle.  She definitely wasn't the right person for the job at Skeldale House.  Most people would have picked up on the "vibes" that Siegfried, Mrs. Hall, James & Helen were sending out by their words and expressions.  Unfortunately for Miss Harbottle, she seemed incapable of acknowledging that anyone else's point of view needed to be considered (particularly when it's the person who is employing you).  Being inflexible and wanting things to be "perfect" (as long as perfect means it's her way) is a typical sign of quite a few pervasive development disorders.  Because of this, many neuro-diverse people struggle with long-term employment their entire life.

As others have said, perhaps Helen would be able to keep up with the financial aspect of the practice since everything has been organized.  You have to give Miss Harbottle credit for wading through that mess.  One thing that probably won't change would be the way the cash money is handled 😄.

My parents are from Yorkshire.  The beautiful scenery in the show makes my heart swell.  So many happy memories.  Mid to late spring is the time to visit if anyone ever goes.

[iMonrey]

On 1/10/2024 at 12:40 PM, JudyObscure said:

In  my mind Wesley and his Granny are both living with the farmer and all of them are eating scads of carrot & swede buns.

I was a little confused about the ending of this episode. When James went to see Wesley he asked him how Duke did with snow. There was no snow to be seen where they were, but when they got to the farm it was covered in snow. How far away was it? 

They've definitely been beating us over the head with the idea of James and Helen having a baby these last two episodes. Not exactly subtle. If they do have a baby I hope they find a place of their own to live. I hate to think of them with a baby up in that cramped attic room.

On 1/14/2024 at 9:15 AM, Blergh said:

While I know it was a sincere struggle to go against her own beliefs to file and recount the reasons for her divorce from her long estranged husband Robert, I hope Mrs. Hall is ready for all the other steps it w take before their union get declared to be legally done.

I thought it was funny when she told the clerk she wanted to get a divorce and everyone looked up at her like she was some kind of harlot. The scandal!

It also cracks me up to hear people refer to the movies as going "to the pictures." It's such a throwback to when "moving pictures" were still a novelty.

13 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

I knew the secretary wouldn't last when she insisted on a form of cash payment (even if it was a deposit that would be counted towards the total bill).

How much is half a crown? Is that the same as half a pound?

[DonnaMae]

On 1/10/2024 at 9:10 AM, Haleth said:

I’m a little nervous that the writers are shipping Siegfried and Mrs Hall.

I hope they are, but maybe not this season.  I think they are already like a couple.

[bigmag]

33 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

I was a little confused about the ending of this episode. When James went to see Wesley he asked him how Duke did with snow. There was no snow to be seen where they were, but when they got to the farm it was covered in snow. How far away was it?

I noticed that too, but IIRC earlier in the episode Siegfried (or maybe it was James) made some comment to the farmer at one of the prior visits about the difference in the climate between the farm and the surgery, specifically commenting on the snow. 

I'm just worried about the boy's Granny - was she left to live on her own in the little hole in the wall?

Edited January 15 by bigmag

[Blergh]

One thing's become clearer than ever is that Helen seems to know the gossip about virtually everyone in Darrowby!

 I wonder if she had known that Joe Coney wasn't using his original name? He somewhat whispered it but it seemed either Portuguese or Italian (and it should be noted that the performer Paul Bazely's parents had been from Chennai, India).

I definitely think Mrs. Hall needs to level with Gerald about having filed for divorce from her long-estranged husband as soon as possible. If she truly doesn't intend to 'set her cap' for Gerald, she can spell that out to him when she explains her transitional marital status!

BTW, I KNEW that stack of letters on the desk would play into some drama involving Miss Harbottle. I mean, why else would they have been given their own close-up?

 Well, at least Blossom got a new lease on life  in her own stall as. ..a wet nurse for other cows' calves, I guess.

Not surprised that James and Helen decided to go ahead and try for children but, in that time and place, babies were considered a matter of course for newlywed couples unless the husband worked/was stationed some distanced from his wife and/or it was known that there were physical impediments re one or both of them preventing conception.  Was the audience supposed to believe that PDA James had been sleeping on the floor in another room all this time? Of course, now that they're trying for babies, they may find out they're not instantly rabbit-like. We shall see, I guess.

[voiceover]

On 1/12/2024 at 10:52 AM, tennisgurl said:

I am very curious what will happen when James does get called up, it will be a very different show without two of the main characters.

All Things Wise & Wonderful, the third book in the trilogy, had James doing his military service, and flashing back every chapter to a previous experience in Darrowby, pinged by something — or someone — in his present-day experience.

I know they don’t really follow the books but I expect they might this time.

[possibilities]

Where I live, there are a lot of microclimates, due to the terrain being rather varied, with changes in elevation, tree-coverage vs open fields, wind directions, proximity to large bodies of water, etc.

Sometimes there will be torrential downpours in one spot and then a short distance away, absolutely no precipitation at all, for instance. Likewise, my particular location tends to have a lot of very high winds, whereas other places quite nearby do not. In summer, there is often a 10 or 15 degree (F) temperature change between my home and the town where we go to buy groceries, due to the combination of change in elevation and urban vs rural landscape. 

I think this could explain why the one farm had snow while the center of town where Our Heroes and The Boy and his Dog lived with Great-grandma had none. 

It does seem that there are a lot of hills and valleys in the scenery, and those do tend to buffer some areas while exposing others.

[libgirl2]

3 minutes ago, possibilities said:

Where I live, there are a lot of microclimates, due to the terrain being rather varied, with changes in elevation, tree-coverage vs open fields, wind directions, proximity to large bodies of water, etc.

Sometimes there will be torrential downpours in one spot and then a short distance away, absolutely no precipitation at all, for instance. Likewise, my particular location tends to have a lot of very high winds, whereas other places quite nearby do not. In summer, there is often a 10 or 15 degree (F) temperature change between my home and the town where we go to buy groceries, due to the combination of change in elevation and urban vs rural landscape. 

I think this could explain why the one farm had snow while the center of town where Our Heroes and The Boy and his Dog lived with Great-grandma had none. 

It does seem that there are a lot of hills and valleys in the scenery, and those do tend to buffer some areas while exposing others.

I have had this happen many times..... I'm driving and all of a sudden there is a torrential downpour or snow. One mile later, nothing. We were on vacation one year and we had stopped at a gas station. It started pouring when we went back to our car. We pulled out of the lot and not even a quarter mile down the road, it was dry. 

[dancingdreamer]

3 hours ago, YorkshireLass said:

Having been around quite a few people who are neuro-diverse, I feel some sympathy for Miss Harbottle.  She definitely wasn't the right person for the job at Skeldale House.  Most people would have picked up on the "vibes" that Siegfried, Mrs. Hall, James & Helen were sending out by their words and expressions.  Unfortunately for Miss Harbottle, she seemed incapable of acknowledging that anyone else's point of view needed to be considered (particularly when it's the person who is employing you).  Being inflexible and wanting things to be "perfect" (as long as perfect means it's her way) is a typical sign of quite a few pervasive development disorders.  Because of this, many neuro-diverse people struggle with long-term employment their entire life.

As others have said, perhaps Helen would be able to keep up with the financial aspect of the practice since everything has been organized.  You have to give Miss Harbottle credit for wading through that mess.  One thing that probably won't change would be the way the cash money is handled 😄.

My parents are from Yorkshire.  The beautiful scenery in the show makes my heart swell.  So many happy memories.  Mid to late spring is the time to visit if anyone ever goes.

It's  stunning,  it makes me want to go back home, and live on a farm. 

[Orcinus orca]

1 hour ago, Blergh said:

He somewhat whispered it but it seemed either Portuguese or Italian (and it should be noted that the performer Paul Bazely's parents had been from Chennai, India).

I have closed captioning on and when he was talking to the ferret it said "speaking Tamil".

[Daff]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

There was no snow to be seen where they were, but when they got to the farm it was covered in snow. How far away was it? 

It wouldn’t need to be very far, perhaps a mile or so. There are many parts of the US where that happens as well, whether due to elevation or geographical features such as large lakes or proximity to ocean. Around the Great Lakes, which produce “bands”, heavily laden with moisture, you can have a dusting in your front yard and drive five miles to encounter 4-5 feet of snow! It’s crazy. I’ve actually been driving in sunshine and encountered a literal wall of blizzard-very eerie (no pun intended).

[Blergh]

Forgive me but I'm not sure whether it was a foregone conclusion that Miss Harbottle was supposed to have been neurodiverse- or just a self-important jerk who expected everyone else connected to the practice  to conform to her own standards.

FWIW, in the OS there was an episode with a new secretary who was  attempted to reform Siegfried and the clientele who wound up intimidating Siegfried so much that he'd wait until she left the premises to sneak back into Skelldale House before it was all over.I can't recall if the OS secretary was called Miss Harbottle or not but she was more openly a steamroller who had even less charm or likability than this character had had.

[Daff]

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

I think this could explain why the one farm had snow while the center of town

It also explains why the town was first settled in that location.

[peacheslatour]

3 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Forgive me but I'm not sure whether it was a foregone conclusion that Miss Harbottle was supposed to have been neurodiverse- or just a self-important jerk who expected everyone else connected to the practice  to conform to her own standards.

FWIW, in the OS there was an episode with a new secretary who was  attempted to reform Siegfried and the clientele who wound up intimidating Siegfried so much that he'd wait until she left the premises to sneak back into Skelldale House before it was all over.I can't recall if the OS secretary was called Miss Harbottle or not but she was more openly a steamroller who had even less charm or likability than this character had had.

It was that way in the books too. And she was called Miss Harbottle.

[Llywela]

3 hours ago, iMonrey said:

How much is half a crown? Is that the same as half a pound?

No, this is old money, rather than our current, decimalised system. Half a crown was two shillings and sixpence. A pound was twenty shillings (240 pence). A shilling was 12 pennies. Two shillings were a florin. Five shillings were a crown. And a guinea was a pound and a shilling.

As for there being snow on a farm but not in the centre of town - the town would be in the valley, a warmer location. The farms are scattered about the hillside, and it is colder at that higher elevation. There is often snow up in the hills and not down in valleys. Also a centre of population like a town will always be warmer than an isolated farm out in the countryside.

Edited January 15 by Llywela

[Daff]

2 hours ago, bigmag said:

James) made some comment to the farmer at one of the prior visits about the difference in the climate between the farm and the surgery,

In one old version episode, the roads were impassable. James tried to ski to the farms. It did not end well.

[Orcinus orca]

24 minutes ago, Daff said:

Around the Great Lakes, which produce “bands”, heavily laden with moisture, you can have a dusting in your front yard and drive five miles to encounter 4-5 feet of snow!

Exactly the situation right now. In the "big storm" two days ago, I got just over an inch because I live on the Lake Huron shoreline.  Inland, four miles away, they go almost a foot.

I had to feel a little sorry for poor Miss Harbottle.  Apparently Siegfried may have given her a different impression during that foxtrot than he meant to.  It doesn't sound like there was a formal interview that included what her duties might be.  One does wonder why she left her old position, though.

From what I can find, half a crown is worth 12.5 UK pennies today.  Not sure what that would be equivalent to in 1939.

Edited January 15 by Orcinus orca

[Daff]

11 minutes ago, Llywela said:

No, this is old money, rather than our current, decimalised system.

We’re totally confused over here, especially when the slang terms are thrown around. 

[iMonrey]

3 hours ago, Blergh said:

BTW, I KNEW that stack of letters on the desk would play into some drama involving Miss Harbottle. I mean, why else would they have been given their own close-up?

Yeah it was obvious she was going to come back for the letters and bust Siegfried and James.

50 minutes ago, Blergh said:

Forgive me but I'm not sure whether it was a foregone conclusion that Miss Harbottle was supposed to have been neurodiverse- or just a self-important jerk who expected everyone else connected to the practice  to conform to her own standards.

Yeah, I don't think it's necessary to diagnose the character, she's just a one-off and I rather doubt the writers put quite that much thought into it. I understand she could potentially be read that way but the intention was most likely the simpler explanation you suggest.

[Llywela]

29 minutes ago, Orcinus orca said:

From what I can find, half a crown is worth 12.5 UK pennies today.  Not sure what that would be equivalent to in 1939.

Like I said above, a crown was two shillings and sixpence (30 pence, in a system where a pound was 240 pence). 

[Orcinus orca]

25 minutes ago, Llywela said:

Like I said above, a crown was two shillings and sixpence (30 pence, in a system where a pound was 240 pence). 

Sorry, that doesn't tell an American much of anything!  Not sure what a pence or shilling are or were in relation to US money.

[Tiggertoo]

I was thinking the snow scenes at the farm might have been because of filming on different days. And the weather changed. Just another theory.
 

Hey @YorkshireLass, you mentioned visiting in the spring.  I’m going to Yorkshire at the beginning of May. We’re studying just outside Harrogate.  I’m very excited and hoping for good weather!

Miss Harbottle annoyed me.  The way she acted with her bosses. I’m glad she didn’t last any longer. 

I’m torn about Siegfried and Mrs Hall.  Not sure if I want them to end up together. 

[Sarah 103]

5 hours ago, Blergh said:

Not surprised that James and Helen decided to go ahead and try for children but, in that time and place, babies were considered a matter of course for newlywed couples unless the husband worked/was stationed some distanced from his wife and/or it was known that there were physical impediments re one or both of them preventing conception.  Was the audience supposed to believe that PDA James had been sleeping on the floor in another room all this time? Of course, now that they're trying for babies, they may find out they're not instantly rabbit-like. We shall see, I guess.

Birth control existed, it was just unreliable. I can't imagine James buying condoms (although they did exist) but the rhythm method is possible although it was/is incredibly unreliable and not that effective. 

[howiveaddict]

6 hours ago, libgirl2 said:

I have had this happen many times..... I'm driving and all of a sudden there is a torrential downpour or snow. One mile later, nothing. We were on vacation one year and we had stopped at a gas station. It started pouring when we went back to our car. We pulled out of the lot and not even a quarter mile down the road, it was dry. 

Once when I was in Florida, it was raining on one side of the street, but not the other.

I'm surprised Miss Harbottle hadn't joined the military.  She had a lot of qualifications.  She'd do good organizing for an officer.

I've heard and said going to the pictures many times.

 

[iMonrey]

20 minutes ago, howiveaddict said:

I've heard and said going to the pictures many times.

May I ask are you British? Is that a British thing? I don't know anyone who says "going to the pictures."

[Llywela]

11 hours ago, Orcinus orca said:

Sorry, that doesn't tell an American much of anything!  Not sure what a pence or shilling are or were in relation to US money.

Half a crown was 30p, in a pre-decimal system where a pound was 240p. That's all I can tell you. If you need to understand the modern US equivalent, I recommend Googling for a currency converter.

(ETA Someone up-thread talked about slang terms, so I want to stress that shilling, crown, guinea etc aren't slang terms, they were defined, official measures of currency. If a character mentions a 'bob', though, that is a slang term, referring to a shilling.)

Edited January 16 by Llywela

[JudyObscure]

14 hours ago, Sarah 103 said:

Birth control existed, it was just unreliable. I can't imagine James buying condoms (although they did exist) but the rhythm method is possible although it was/is incredibly unreliable and not that effective. 

I think the rhythm method  was probably better than we think.  My parents generation had the baby boom after WWII but I think the average number of kids in America was only about 2.3.  I think couples were probably planning the first two and then some had a third by accident.  That's how I got here after my two brothers.

  Considering that the average age of marriage for women was early twenties, that means lots of successful rhythm time. Oddly enough, the abortion rate and the unmarried birth rate was a fraction of what it became after the pill became widely available.  Let's face it.  They were more responsible than we are.