All Creatures Great and Small (2020 TV series)

This article is about the 2020 TV series. For the 1978 TV series, see All Creatures Great and Small (1978 TV series).

All Creatures Great and Small
Title card
Created by	Ben Vanstone
Based on	If Only They Could Talk by James Herriot
Starring	Samuel West Anna Madeley Nicholas Ralph Callum Woodhouse Rachel Shenton
Composer	Alexandra Harwood
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of series	4
No. of episodes	24
Production
Executive producers	Colin Callender Melissa Gallant Hugo Heppell Rebecca Eaton
Producer	Richard Burrell
Production company	Playground Entertainment
Original release
Network	Channel 5
Release	1 September 2020 (2020-09-01) – present

All Creatures Great and Small is a television series, set in Northern England starting in 1937, based upon a series of books about a Yorkshire veterinarian written by Alf Wight under the pen name of James Herriot. The series was produced by Playground Entertainment for Channel 5 in the United Kingdom and PBS in the United States.

The series is a new adaptation of Wight's books, following the previous BBC series of 90 episodes that ran from 1978 to 1990 and a number of other films and television series based on Herriot's novels. It is filmed in the Yorkshire Dales, and received some funding from Screen Yorkshire. 

The first series, which consists of six episodes and a special Christmas episode, was filmed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the publication of the first book in the James Herriot series. The series premiered in the UK on Channel 5 on 1 September 2020 and in the US on PBS as part of Masterpiece on 10 January 2021.

Following a second series in late 2021, the show was renewed for two further series, each composed of six episodes and a Christmas special, in January 2022. Filming on the third series began in March 2022. The first episode aired in the UK on 15 September 2022 and in the US on 8 January 2023. The fourth series began airing on 5 October 2023 in the UK and is scheduled for 7 January 2024 in the US.

Premise

The show revolves around a trio of veterinary surgeons working in the Yorkshire Dales beginning in 1937. Siegfried Farnon (described as an "eccentric") hires James Herriot into his veterinary practice at Skeldale House. Besides Siegfried and James, there is Siegfried's younger brother, Tristan, and Mrs Hall, their housekeeper.

Cast

• Nicholas Ralph as James Herriot, a veterinary surgeon
• Samuel West as Siegfried Farnon, a veterinary surgeon and owner of Skeldale House
• Anna Madeley as Mrs Audrey Hall, the housekeeper at Skeldale House
• Callum Woodhouse as Tristan Farnon, Siegfried's younger brother
• Rachel Shenton as Helen Alderson (later Helen Herriot), a farmer's daughter; she and James fall in love and eventually marry

Recurring

• Diana Rigg (series 1) and Patricia Hodge (series 2-present) as Mrs Pumphrey, the wealthy owner of the Pekingese Tricki Woo
• Matthew Lewis as Hugh Hulton, a wealthy landowner who competes with James for Helen's affections
• Maimie McCoy as Dorothy, Mrs Hall's friend who has a brief romance with Sigfried (series 1)
• Mollie Winnard as Maggie, barmaid at the Drovers Arms who has an off-and-on romance with Tristan before marrying another man
• Tony Pitts as Richard Alderson, Helen's father
• Imogen Clawson as Jenny Alderson, Helen's sister
• Dorothy Atkinson as Diana Brompton, a flirtatious divorcée who has a casual romance with Siegfried (series 2)
• Will Thorp as Gerald Hammond, a local man who becomes close to Mrs Hall (series 2-present)
• Gabriel Quigley as Hannah Herriott, James's mother
• Drew Cain as James Herriot Snr, James's father

Production

Cast and characters

Actor Nicholas Ralph did quite a lot of research on James Herriot ("Alf" Wight) who died in 1995. He also met the vet's son and daughter, Jim and Rosie. "They spoke a lot about Donald and Brian, the real Siegfried and Tristan. They said to me that I had the hardest job because Alf is a kind of observer to these bigger, larger-than-life personalities", he recalled. Naturally, the actor required training in veterinary procedures for authenticity in the show. "Straight off the bat with our on-set vet adviser Andy Barrett, we were up close and personal with horses, sheep, kind of going through the procedures and things that we would be doing. Learning how to approach the animal and everything like that. Using the stethoscope on the cow's heart, then lungs, then stomach" the actor recalled.

Although James Herriot/Alf Wight had a "soft, lilting Scottish accent", according to Christopher Timothy who played Herriot in the original TV adaptation, Timothy was instructed to keep his speech neutral for universality when the original BBC series was being filmed. That did not apply to Nicholas Ralph when filming this adaptation; the actor used his genuine Scottish accent.

The New York Times indicated that Donald Sinclair actually had more rough edges than the Siegfried character in the books (and in the TV productions). "Sinclair's real-life behaviour was much more eccentric (he once discharged a shotgun during a dinner party to let his guests know it was time to leave)".

Significant changes were made from the source material (both the previous television series and the memoir), such as Siegfried Farnon being a heartbroken widower and a dramatically increased role for Mrs Hall, who has been reimagined as a young, live-in housekeeper and a "slightly warmer figure" than in the novels. The role of Helen was also greatly expanded.

Working with animals

For his role as a veterinary surgeon, Ralph required training in veterinary procedures. For some scenes, however, the production used animal prosthetics: "the back end of the cow, fully functional and everything". One episode portrayed the birth of a calf; that was filmed separately and "was then spliced in seamlessly with footage of the main actors". Ralph admits that "for 90 percent of those scenes with the animals, the animals actually weren't there. It was just cleverly chosen and prosthetics and extremely well-trained, happy animals when we did see them".

Some of Ralph's work involved interaction with live animals, such as a bull in one episode and a horse rearing and kicking in another. "Straight off the bat with our on-set vet adviser Andy Barrett, we were up close and personal with horses, sheep, kind of going through the procedures and things that we would be doing", Ralph said. "Learning how to approach the animal and everything like that. Using the stethoscope on the cow's heart, then lungs, then stomach..." "I have huge respect for ... Andy Barrett and the animal handlers who worked on the show", Ralph told an interviewer.

In interviews after the filming of series three, Ralph said that the crew had experienced problems with getting cooperation from cats: one bolted off the set while he was trying to examine it. "They are impossible to train!", according to the actor. He was already confident and comfortable working with large animals but spoke of an incident when a cow went out of control after a scene was filmed: "The handlers were holding on to it and had to like roll out of the way as the cow basically galloped, so he had to hit the deck and rolled very professionally out of the way".

First series

The Square, Grassington

The first series was filmed largely in the Yorkshire Dales (often around Nidderdale); the village of Grassington in Upper Wharfedale was used for the fictional village of Darrowby. The BBC series, which was broadcast between 1978 and 1990, had been filmed in the northern part of the Dales, (Wensleydale and Swaledale), with the village Askrigg used for the fictional Darrowby.

When discussing the new series, actor Rachel Shenton was enthusiastic about the locations: "We ... shot in and around the Dales", she said. "The Dales are miles and miles of beautiful, undulating countryside and it really is breathtaking." Neither the BBC series or the new series was filmed in Thirsk (where the actual vet, Alf Wight, practised) since it had become too large for the small-town feel that the producers wanted. "The nice thing was that there weren't any modern houses in the town centre ... so we didn't have to change anything completely. What we did change were all the shop signs and the usual things like aerials, satellite dishes, alarm boxes and all of those things."

Bolton Hall at Bolton Abbey Estates

In Grassington, the Devonshire Inn was rebranded as the Drovers Arms, while the pub interiors were shot at The Green Dragon Inn at Hardraw. The village bakery, Walker's, was used for the Darrowby Cycles property; a private residence was used for the exterior of Skeldale House. The Stripey Badger book store became the greengrocers G F Endleby, the shoe store Helen Midgley was used for Handleys Booksellers and the Rustic Rabbit gift store became Higgins Bakers.

The home of Mrs Pumphrey, the owner of Tricki-Woo, was filmed at Broughton Hall in Broughton, Craven; the character was based on Marjorie Warner, a client of Alf Wight, who lived at Thorpe House near Thirsk. Many of the scenes for the series were filmed in a studio. Parts of the first episode (with the waterfall and pool) were filmed at Janet's Foss near Malham. Other locations included the Barden Bridge at the Bolton Abbey Estate and the Ripon Racecourse. The church featured in the Christmas special is St Wilfrid's at Burnsall, near Grassington, the crossroads are "on the roads above Pateley Bridge" in Nidderdale and the farm is in Airton.

Keighley & Worth Valley Railway train at Oakworth Station

The steam train in the first series was filmed on the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway line; Keighley Station stands in for a Glasgow station in the first episode, and Oakworth railway station appears in both the first and second episodes.

The six episodes and the Christmas special were filmed from 2019 into early 2020. Much of the outdoor work was completed "during winter and autumn, and it was freezing, with long, cold, dark days and rainy days", according to Ralph.

In March 2021, filming had started for the second series, and included some new locations.

Filming for the third series ran from March to July 2022.

Second series

Pre-production work had begun on the second set of episodes by early 2021. The production company made appeals for historic artefacts and props, as they prepared to film the next chapters of James Herriot's life. Due to lockdown restrictions, they were struggling to find everything from homeware to farming implements made before 1938. They planned to buy as many artefacts and props as they could because they expected to film multiple series.

Executive producer Colin Callender said in early 2021 that filming had been postponed due to restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. "We are using this time to commission Ben Vanstone [the writer] and the writing team to work on season two ... we're able to use this lockdown period to work on the development and script development". In February 2021, Vanstone said that most scripts had been written; he expected filming to start in late March (if the restrictions allowed). The writer hinted that the relationship between James and Helen would be developed; "we want to explore why they're together and why they work with one another". In the relationship between Tristan and Siegfried, the latter will be "desperate to move forward in his relationship with his brother". Siegfried's relationship with Dorothy would continue, but "there are still plenty of opportunities for him to mess things up", Vanstone commented.

In early 2021, Ralph told PBS that he expected to see all of the principal actors when filming started, saying "The cast will be back of course ... and I've heard a lot of the crew are coming back as well". West added that director Brian Percival would also be returning.

Actor Diana Rigg died after the first series had been completed. Callender said that the producers were uncertain as to "what we will do with the character of Mrs Pumphrey" (The Mrs Pumphrey character was based on a client of Wight's, Marjorie Warner, who owned a Pekingese named Bambi). In April 2021, an announcement stated that Patricia Hodge had been cast in the role. Other new cast members include Dorothy Atkinson as Diana Brompton, a possible love interest for Siegfried, and James Fleet as Colonel Hubert Merrick, a farmer who appeared in the Herriot book.

Filming began in March 2021 for the second series of six episodes and a Christmas special. Scheduled locations included the Bradford area (initially in Little Germany, Bradford, standing in for Glasgow), Kettlewell and Grassington (for the fictional village of Darrowby) as well as the Yorkshire Dales.

Third series

In January 2022, the show was renewed for a further two series. Filming on Series three took place in locations including Arncliffe, North Yorkshire, Grassington, Harrogate, Summerbridge, North Yorkshire and Pateley Bridge.

This series is set in spring 1939 and includes some changes. Tristan is finally fully qualified, James starts a new phase of life after marrying Helen and becomes a partner in the business; the practice gets involved in the new bovine tuberculosis testing programme. By then, World War II is on the horizon and people are being encouraged to enlist. Veterinary surgeons work in a "protected profession", so are not required to serve, but in the final episode James decides to enlist.

Fourth series

Set in 1940 during World War II, this series will consist of six episodes plus a Christmas special. The Tristan Farnon character was not expected to appear because he is said to have enlisted in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. One source added this information: "It was also announced that Woodhouse will be starring in horror film One of Us, the timing of which conflicted with ACGAS". Two new characters were added: student vet Richard Carmody (James Anthony-Rose) and bookkeeper Miss Harbottle (Neve McIntosh).

Filming was scheduled to commence on 3 March 2023 and reports in April indicated that the cast and crew had been seen in Grassington and in the North Yorkshire town of Thirsk.

Advance information from the producers included this commentary:

"Picking up in springtime of 1940 with change on the horizon for everyone in Skeldale House. James and Helen wonder when the right time might be to start a family, not knowing whether or not James will be called up to serve in the RAF. Tristan’s absence is felt by all, but no one more than Siegfried who attempts to hold the growing household, and himself, together as he braves this new world. Mrs Hall and Helen’s friendship blossoms as they look to the future and new trainee veterinary student Richard Carmody arrives, causing complications in the house."

Episodes

Series	Episodes		Originally aired		Average viewership (in millions)
			First aired	Last aired
1	6		1 September 2020 (2020-09-01)	6 October 2020 (2020-10-06)	5.10
Special			22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)		4.99
2	6		16 September 2021 (2021-09-16)	21 October 2021 (2021-10-21)	4.62
Special			24 December 2021 (2021-12-24)		4.75
3	6		15 September 2022 (2022-09-15)	20 October 2022 (2022-10-20)	3.76
Special			23 December 2022 (2022-12-23)		3.86
4	6		5 October 2023 (2023-10-05)	9 November 2023 (2023-11-09)	TBA
Special			December 2023		TBA

Series 1 (2020)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
1	1	"You've Got to Dream"	Brian Percival	Ben Vanstone	1 September 2020 (2020-09-01)	5.49
Newly qualified veterinary surgeon James Herriot travels from his home in Glasgow to the Yorkshire village of Darrowby for a job interview at Siegfried Farnon's practice. Siegfried takes James to his first job treating an abscess in a gelding's hoof. James meets Helen Alderson while treating an injured calf and she urges him to stand up to Siegfried, who will respect him. The locals get James drunk and he mixes up a pair of cats while trying to feed them, resulting in Siegfried almost neutering the wrong one. James manages to prove himself after saving the lives of a cow and her calf, leading Siegfried to offer him a permanent job as his assistant.
2	2	"Another Farnon?"	Brian Percival	Ben Vanstone	8 September 2020 (2020-09-08)	5.03
James collects Siegfried's younger brother Tristan from the station and they accidentally crash Siegfried's car. Tristan announces he has graduated from Edinburgh veterinary college and joins the practice. James takes him on his rounds, and has trouble dealing with a cow suffering with milk fever. He fares better with Mrs Pumphrey and her Pekingese dog Tricki Woo, which leads her to invite him to a party, where he meets Helen's fiancé Hugh Hulton. While James and Siegfried are at Mrs Pumphrey's dance party, Mrs Hall plays a pencil-dice game of cricket with Tristan, and works out that Tristan has not been honest about his graduation. Technically, he did pass his last exam, but it was not actually his final exam, and he had failed earlier exams.
3	3	"Andante"	Metin Hüseyin	Lisa Holdsworth	15 September 2020 (2020-09-15)	5.22
Siegfried's application for the post of racecourse vet is jeopardised after Hugh—the owner of the surefire race winner and pride of the village Andante—disputes James's rationale for putting it down. Tristan revels in his new job collecting debts from clients, until he ends up frittering it all away in the pub—but then uses his insider knowledge to his advantage in betting on the second favourite to win it back. Mrs Hall tries to help Helen encourage her younger sister to realise that there is more to life than farming.
4	4	"A Tricki Case"	Andy Hay	Freddy Syborn	22 September 2020 (2020-09-22)	4.81
Alongside developing his relationship with Helen, James is enlisted to help Mrs Pumphrey's dog Tricki back to a healthy weight. Tristan, however, takes up the responsibility, determined to earn his keep so that Siegfried will fund his forthcoming return to veterinary studies. In so doing, he is not helped by the dog's indulging in the expensive foodstuffs given to the practice by Mrs Pumphrey to tide the dog over while he is away from home. Mrs Hall is troubled by the lack of correspondence from her son, while the Farnons pass the buck to each other in examining a rather ferocious dog.
5	5	"All's Fair"	Metin Hüseyin	Debbie O'Malley	29 September 2020 (2020-09-29)	4.87
On the day of the Darrowby Fair, James agrees to act as attending vet, judging the livestock and pet competitions, unaware that it is a taxing and unrewarding assignment. Siegfried, Tristan, and Mrs Hall all place bets on when James will resign in exasperation. James experiences pressure from nearly every competitor, and from Helen, anxious for a favourable assessment of her prize bull in hope of securing a profitable sale. Siegfried meets an attractive and unattached friend of Mrs Hall, Dorothy, but despite their mutual attraction, Siegfried still mourns for his deceased wife.
6	6	"A Cure for All Ills"	Andy Hay	Julian Jones and Ben Vanstone	6 October 2020 (2020-10-06)	5.17
James feels guilt over the cow a farmer purchased based on his recommendation, which is now morbidly ill with an abscess which he feels powerless to cure. Tristan becomes a zealous advocate for a risky procedure for the cow, which Siegfried, as head of the practice, strictly forbids. Tristan manages an overwhelmed surgery as best he can, while Siegfried is taken ill with flu. At James's surprise birthday party, Maggie, the barmaid, breaks off her tenuous relationship with Tristan, citing his lack of seriousness. Encouraged by Helen, James performs surgery on the cow, assisted by Tristan, which Siegfried reluctantly agrees with after initially attempting to stop it. The operation is a success. Later, at the Drover's Arms, Siegfried promotes James to Senior Vet.

Christmas special (2020)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
7	7	"The Night Before Christmas"	Andy Hay	Ben Vanstone	22 December 2020 (2020-12-22)	4.99
At Siegfried's Christmas Eve party for the villagers, Helen grows weary of people talking to her about her pending marriage, so she joins James on an emergency call to the Chapmans' remote farm, where a dog is having a difficult labour. The two bond over the frailty of one of the puppies before fog traps them at the farm overnight; they struggle to contain their attraction to each other, and Helen ponders whether marrying Hugh is what she really wants. Siegfried seeks lessons in courtship from Tristan in an effort to spend some meaningful time with Dorothy. Mrs Hall is tense with excitement over her unreliable son's promised Christmas visit. Tristan helps Maggie's shy little brother with an ill donkey, and in return gets an early Christmas present under the mistletoe from his former girlfriend. On Christmas morning, Helen calls off her wedding to Hugh.

Series 2 (2021)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
8	1	"Where the Heart Is"	Brian Percival	Ben Vanstone	16 September 2021 (2021-09-16)	4.33
A brief return home to Glasgow sees James offered a permanent role at a local veterinary practice, and he has to choose between his mother's wishes for him to be closer to home and the place in Yorkshire he has come to love. His view of Yorkshire is later sullied after a clash with rural values when he resists the Aldersons' wishes to put down their dog, which has been terrorising local sheep. Siegfried struggles to keep concealing how Tristan did not do as well in his studies as he has led everyone to believe, especially when Tristan accidentally kills his first patient.
9	2	"Semper Progrediens"	Brian Percival	Ben Vanstone	23 September 2021 (2021-09-23)	4.24
The time of the Daffodil Ball has arrived, and each member of the practice is caught between their duties to their patients and their potential dates. Now in receipt of a formal offer from the Glasgow practice, James realises the only thing keeping him in Yorkshire is a possible future relationship with Helen, but goes too far in trying to respect her hesitancy at the dance. Tristan makes Siegfried realise he is getting too diffident, and Siegfried becomes determined to prove himself in front of his date Diana Brompton and a demanding client. Mrs Hall becomes enamoured with a new client.
10	3	"We Can But Hope"	Sasha Ransome	Chloë Mi Lin Ewart	30 September 2021 (2021-09-30)	4.95
The fate of a struggling young widow causes difficulties for James and Helen's burgeoning romance. Meanwhile, Siegfried has another scheme, involving chickens, to whip Tristan into shape. A visit from Tricki Woo creates mayhem in Skeldale House.
11	4	"Many Happy Returns"	Sasha Ransome	Debbie O'Malley	7 October 2021 (2021-10-07)	4.73
Tristan isn't best pleased with Siegfried's present to him on his birthday - he's going to be relied upon more in the practice.
12	5	"The Last Man In"	Andy Hay	Debbie O'Malley	14 October 2021 (2021-10-14)	4.69
The town converges on Mrs Pumphrey's estate for the annual cricket match, and the stakes are set higher than anticipated when James discovers his team will be playing against that captained by Helen's former fiancé, Hugh.
13	6	"Home Truths"	Andy Hay	Ben Vanstone	21 October 2021 (2021-10-21)	4.80
James proposes to Helen, who accepts. He later asks permission from Helen's father, who gives James his wife's engagement ring to give to Helen. James's parents visit from Scotland, expecting him to be leaving for a job there. James apologises for not telling them sooner, but he wants to stay where he is, and announces that Helen is his fiancee. Tristan helps out a heartbroken woman, who lost her dog after it was hit by a car.

Christmas special (2021)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
14	-	"The Perfect Christmas"	Andy Hay	Ben Vanstone	24 December 2021 (2021-12-24)	4.75
On Christmas Eve, James and Helen find themselves expected at two Christmas lunches the next day. Siegfried throws his annual Christmas Eve party for the villagers. Tricki Woo, Mrs Pumphrey's Pekingese dog, has fallen seriously ill with gastro-enteritis, with James, Tristan and Siegfried all trying to save him. James suggests giving the same anaesthetic shot to Tricki Woo that earlier saved Mr Kitson's apparently dying ewe, and this ultimately also works for Tricki Woo. Everyone changes their plans for Christmas lunch to make sure that Mrs Pumphrey is not spending her day alone. Tristan passes his final exam, so he can now be a fully-fledged vet. However, he also discovers that Maggie has become engaged to another man.

Series 3 (2022)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
15	1	"Second Time Lucky"	Brian Percival	Ben Vanstone	15 September 2022 (2022-09-15)	3.93
It is spring 1939. Tristan is now a qualified vet and can take on more work at the practice, although he is not always ready to do so. James and Helen start to realise that when married they will need to adjust to each other's priorities. At James's stag night he ends up drunk and sleeps in the barn at a farm, where next morning, his wedding day, he finds himself testing a whole herd of cows for TB. Tristan and Siegfried lose the wedding ring, but everyone manages to get to the wedding in time. James and Helen depart for their honeymoon, after Siegfried makes James a partner in the practice. The signs of war grow as recruiting for the armed forces starts locally.
16	2	"Honeymoon's Over"	Andy Hay	Chloe Mi Lin Ewart	22 September 2022 (2022-09-22)	3.76
Helen and James begin married life in the bedsit in the Skeldale House attic, but although happy together they have to contend with Siegfried's reluctance to hand over any real responsibility to James despite the new partnership, or divide earnings fairly. Helen offers to help with the chaotic practice accounts when she is not working at the Alderson farm, but Siegfried undermines this. There are arguments over the practice becoming involved in TB testing. Tristan saves the life of a dog and finds himself in closer contact with its owner, Florence Pandhi. Siegfried and James together work out what is causing calves at a local farm to start dying, and are reconciled. Local men start to join the armed forces.
17	3	"Surviving Siegfried"	Brian Percival	Ben Vanstone	29 September 2022 (2022-09-29)	3.70
James still feels exploited in the division of work as Tristan claims to be fully occupied with small animal work. Siegfried starts to spend a lot of time trying to save a racehorse which has become terrified of being ridden and may be put down. The problems he encounters bring back the traumas he went through as a horse vet in World War I. Helen and James become embroiled in disputes with farmers about TB testing. Tristan is made to tidy up the dispensary, but a salesman talks him into buying useless sedatives. Later, Tristan is attacked by a cat whose owner is reluctant to pay for it to be spayed. Siegfried struggles to cope with bad news, but persists with his efforts to save the racehorse.
18	4	"What a Balls Up!"	Andy Hay	Chloe Mi Lin Ewart	6 October 2022 (2022-10-06)	3.80
James is finally succeeding with the farmers' uptake of the Ministry of Ag's TB testing scheme. Tristan is outgrowing running the small animal surgery and buys a car to help with errands at the practice, enabling him also taking a date out.
19	5	"Edward"	Andy Hay	Karim Khan	13 October 2022 (2022-10-13)	3.86
When Mrs Hall takes time off to meet up with an important person from her past, Siegfried immediately puts Tristan in charge of housekeeping duties, while he focuses on running the practice and educating a visiting work experience boy.
20	6	"For Whom the Bell Tolls"	Stewart Svaasand	Jamie Crichton	20 October 2022 (2022-10-20)	3.71
James finds a case of TB while testing his father-in-law's herd. Could it be the end of the farm? Meanwhile, Tristan proposes marriage while Mrs Hall tries to save an abandoned dog. Suddenly, Britain declares a state of war.

Christmas special (2022)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
21	-	"Merry Bloody Christmas"	Stewart Svaasand	Ben Vanstone	23 December 2022 (2022-12-23)	3.86
As Christmas is overshadowed by war, the Farnons have taken in an evacuated child. Siegfried must choose between the wellbeing of a racehorse and safeguarding Tristan's future. Mrs Hall also grapples with upsetting news.

Series 4 (2023)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
22	1	"Broodiness"	Andy Hay	Jamie Crichton	5 October 2023 (2023-10-05)	3.73
It is Spring 1940, and without Tristan, Skeldale House is busier than ever. James and Helen dream about the future, hoping that he will not be called up for military service. And a chance encounter with young lad, Wesley Binks, leaves James worrying whether his dog, Duke, is being mistreated
23	2	"Carpe Diem"	Andy Hay	Helen Raynor	12 October 2023 (2023-10-12)	N/A
Siegfried hires an experienced bookkeeper, but her efficient approach doesn't suit everyone. James and Helen arrive at a big decision, and a ferret presents a challenge for the practice.
24	3	"Right Hand Man"	Stewart Svaasand	Maxine Alderton	19 October 2023 (2023-10-19)	N/A
When new vet Richard Carmody joins the practice, James feels his place by Siegfried's side is threatened. Conflicts come to the surface at Mrs Pumphrey's community tea party, and Mrs Hall takes a big step forward in her relationship with Gerald.
25	4	"By the Book"	Stewart Svaasand	Maxine Alderton	26 October 2023 (2023-10-26)	N/A
26	5	TBA	Jordan Hogg	Jamie Crichton	2 November 2023 (2023-11-02)	N/A
27	6	TBA	Stewart Svaasand	Jamie Crichton	9 November 2023 (2023-11-09)	N/A

Christmas special (2023)

No. overall	No. in series	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original air date	UK viewers (millions)
28	-	TBA	TBD	TBD	December 2023 (2023-12)	TBD

Reception

The first episode was watched by 3.3 million viewers and earned an audience share of 20.4% in the UK, making All Creatures Great and Small Channel 5's highest rated show since February 2016, which went on to become its most popular show ever. In the United States, the first series averaged more than 10 million viewers over the course of its run.

Metacritic assigned the show a score of 83 out of 100 based on six critics. The Daily Telegraph's Michael Hogan gave the show four out of five, and commented "Revisiting the world of All Creatures Great and Small felt like meeting old friends. Any viewers missing the classic triumvirate of Robert Hardy, Christopher Timothy and Peter Davison were surely converted by this well-crafted opener, confidently directed by Downton Abbey alumnus Brian Percival". Hogan went on to call the show "family-friendly comfort-viewing. A soothing balm in febrile times".

As of March 2021, aggregator Rotten Tomatoes indicated that 96% of reviews had been positive. Variety was one of the publications that praised the first series. Its chief TV critic Caroline Framke wrote that All Creatures Great and Small "finds key ways to distinguish itself from depictions past, especially as it makes the most of a handsome budget and embraces a welcome, earnest warmth in its storytelling"; she added that the update made "a beloved property worthwhile". NBC News praised the series as "pastoral perfection", commenting that the show was "never meant to be pandemic escapism... but it's hard to think of a better moment for something as simple and charming".

The Los Angeles Times's Mary McNamara disputed the apparent consensus of the show as being a necessary sanctuary in the pandemic and calling it "a disappointment" because it deviated too much from the source material.

Caroline Hallemann of Town & Country called the first series, "comforting...warm [and] uplifting". Norman Vanamee of Town & Country called the second series "the perfect getaway".

See also

• All Creatures Great and Small

External links

• Official website
• All Creatures Great and Small at IMDb 
• All Creatures Great and Small at epguides.com
• All Creatures Great and Small at TheTVDB