All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s02e05 – The Last Man In

There’s not much veterinary procedural this episode. The most significant medical case involves Samuel West attending Patricia Hodges’s Pekingese on a sensitive matter. The only other animal is a pedigree bull, which Matthew Lewis offers to ex-fiancée Rachel Shenton and her family as penance for trying to get them to do bull fraud last season. Lewis is finally back from France; the episode starts with Nicholas Ralph heading out to his estate to attend the bull… and avoid Lewis’s questions about Shenton.

Instead of animals—or even romance, though Ralph’s frequently jealous of the returned Lewis—the episode’s about cricket. It’s time for the annual match between the farmers and Lewis’s wealthy friends. Every year, Hodges hosts the match on her private cricket pitch. She’s a cricket fanatic, it turns out, which I suppose her previous appearance this season did suggest, but it still all feels like a retcon. Especially the revelation Callum Woodhouse was the star player for the farmers in last year’s match; Ralph must’ve arrived in the village at the only time Woodhouse wasn’t home visiting from university.

Speaking of university, Woodhouse and West are still on the outs because West lied to Woodhouse about passing his exams and letting him think he was a qualified vet. The annual match is for farmers and vets, and Woodhouse is eager to remind him he’s not a vet, leaving the team a man down. No explanation why he was playing last year… it must be vets and those enrolled in veterinary studies, not unlicensed but practicing vets.

Woodhouse isn’t the only one mad at West about the deception; Anna Madeley is more frustrated than usual with West’s obstinance.

She gets a very sweet, very gentle romance arc with returning Will Thorp, who doesn’t know anything about cricket but goes to the match because Madeley will be there (scoring the game, in fact). Their courtship this episode repeats a couple beats from Thorp’s last appearance but does them better this time. Debbie O’Malley gets the writer credit this episode, and the script’s very thorough in finishing its character arcs. Ralph’s jealousy, Shenton’s apprehension, Lewis’s return, the episode works through all of them, and some outstanding arcs (not just Madeley and Thorp). It also introduces some new ones; Lewis observes Ralph’s got to impress Shenton’s father, Tony Pitts, now, as he’s no longer just a prospective suitor, he’s her fellow.

The arc with Hodges and West involving the dog—ever adorable and newly rambunctious Tricki Woo (the only animal on the show to get an acting credit; he’s played by Derek)—is pure comedy and pure delight. Since the matter’s so delicate, the rest of the cast doesn’t even know about it. It’s a good showcase for Hodges, who gets more of her own character this episode out of Diana Rigg’s formidable shadow.

It’s also O’Malley’s script. I really wish she’d written Hodges’s first appearance.

The show’s lack of continuity perplexes instead of vexes: it’s got source material. Non-fiction source material. Whenever there’s a seeming retcon, I wonder if it’s from the book. However, those moments pass quickly as the show’s charm—especially when it’s got a good script—is overwhelming.

Standout performance this episode from Lewis. It’s also another good one for Shenton, who’s got both farmer and love interest arcs here.

And, obviously, Derek is indispensable.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s02e04 – Many Happy Returns

“All Creatures” bounces back this episode, which isn’t a surprise, but this episode has the same director as last episode (Sasha Ransome). At some point between filming the last one and this one, Ransome figured out how to direct Nicholas Ralph and Rachel Shenton’s chemistry. The last episode took a dive because of the episode’s butterfingers handling of their first kiss, and this episode more than makes up for it. I was really expecting a different director; maybe it’s all the writers’ faults (and successes).

Anyway.

The A plot this episode is Callum Woodhouse out on his own. It’s his birthday, with brother Samuel West giving him the medical bag present (from the first episode this season) and then a day of assignments. Ralph’s going to be accompanying him, but not only to observe; Ralph’s got to go check in on Shenton’s farm—they’ve got a very important horse no one’s ever mentioned until now, so he’s got a full day.

Meanwhile, Anna Madeley is putting together a last-minute dinner party for Woodhouse—everyone assumed he’d want to go to the bar, but instead, he wants to be classy—and West is hanging around the house, trying to think of excuses to go out and check on Woodhouse.

Woodhouse has two veterinary cases, though the first is multiple patients. He’s doing maintenance work on numerous horses at an afore unmentioned estate, where he knows the fetching daughter, Jessica Clark, and wants to invite her to his dinner party. Since Ralph’s now coupled with Shenton, he’s got lots of advice to give—though their subplot is him not having told her about his Glasgow job offer even as he tells Madeley he’s going to talk to her about it immediately.

Steven Hartley plays the stablehand who’d prefer experienced West to take care of the horses and very drolly observes Woodhouse on his first solo assignment. It’s a fun outing for Woodhouse and Ralph, with lots of charm from Woodhouse. And Hartley’s a delight.

The second patient is one of Jon Furlong’s cows. She’s having a difficult labor (presumably knocked up by some bull other than Shenton’s, which was a season one plot thread). Again, it’s a charming outing for Woodhouse, who seems to be having trouble but refuses to give up. The episode never points it out, but Ralph had a similar first day when he started at the practice.

There’s some cute stuff for Shenton’s family—little sister Imogen Clawson is waiting for the horse to give birth to her very own pony, with dad Tony Pitts hanging around for the scene. He seems to be there just so Clawson can amusingly tease him. Ralph invites Shenton to the dinner party instead of telling her about the Glasgow job.

The dinner party will have some society drama and a lot of gentle doting for West and now officially returning girlfriend Dorothy Atkinson. It’s the most Atkinson’s had to do on the show so far; she’s delightful. Clark and Shenton have a history separate from their hosts, which proves tense, but the focus is on brothers West and Woodhouse. West’s finally proud of his little brother, and nothing can go wrong now.

Except, of course, this season’s all about the secrets, and all of them get aired here. Well, most of them. Any outstanding secrets are now qualified.

The episode does a great job working through it all. Debbie O’Malley gets the script credit. Shame she wasn’t around last episode.

The episode also gives Shenton some of her first real acting all season, and she ably handles it. But the stars are Woodhouse and West. They both get a wide range of emotions to essay, and they’re outstanding.

It’s not the most ambitious “All Creatures,” but I think it’s the most successful. Even if it weren’t rebounding from last episode’s pratfalls, this one does exceedingly well.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s02e03 – We Can But Hope

“All Creatures Great and Small” gets away with a certain amount of sentimentality and near saccharinity because it’s about people caring about their animals’ suffering. The show’s about folks at their most empathetic (right or wrong), and that emotionality can cover a whole bunch. However, this episode veers away from that comfort zone as Nicholas Ralph finds himself losing the Kobayashi Maru. New widow Amy Nuttall has a herd of sick cows, and there’s nothing to be done about it. So Ralph decides to advise Nuttall to sell her farm (to one of the other men in the village, who don’t think a woman can cut it) and spends the episode distressed over how to do so. He keeps hoping Nuttall will realize the seriousness of her predicament, and he won’t have to mention it.

Except Ralph does mention it to other people, specifically Rachel Shenton, which leads to an argument on their first dress-up date. They go to the very fancy restaurant (where Shenton used to go with her rich ex-fiancé), and the whole thing goes so wrong the episode skips the presumably terrible second half of the date. It’s peculiar since there’s an entire comic subplot about Ralph’s muddy shoes leading up to the dinner, with Shenton’s little sister, Imogen Clawson, and dad, Tony Pitts, getting involved. It’s a particularly nice scene for Clawson and Pitts, who haven’t had a lot of just family time, not in service of a plotline.

Skipping the second half of the date makes sense by the end of the episode, when Hope gins together a happy ending. The episode’s got a first-time scripter, Chloë Mi Lin Ewart, who’s charged with resolving a plot thread the show started in the first episode. Ewart’s also got the task of introducing Diana Rigg’s replacement, Patricia Hodge. Rigg passed away between seasons. The whole episode feels like it’s buried its lede, Hodge. Hodge’s part is far more verbose than Rigg’s; she plays it with an overabundance of personality. Of course, she’s suddenly got to compensate for the character having a comedic lack of decorum. It’s an unfair comparison—there’s only one Diana Rigg—but it’s also not a good recasting, which the show tries disguising with comedy.

Hodge might play better if the other ending weren’t so trite and vice versa. The show can get away with these lackluster moments, but two missteps in a row—at the end of the episode—are unfortunate. It’s the first unsuccessful “All Creatures Great and Small.” It’s also easily the most ambitious episode so far, both pragmatically and intentionally. If the show’s going to be about Ralph’s character development, giving him rushed, thin character development will be a problem.

In addition to the farm veterinary arc, there’s a house one. Anna Madeley is still prodding Samuel West to give little brother Callum Woodhouse more responsibility in the veterinary practice (even though Woodhouse didn’t pass his exam, which means he’s not licensed or whatever). West gets Woodhouse some hens to tend; also, so West can have eggs whenever he wants them. It’s a primarily comedic arc, with the hens going over to the neighbors, with the hens bullying Hodge’s adorable Pekingese, but also with the brother character relationship thing going on. It’s the much better arc this episode. Again, a problem since the A plot isn’t just crucial for the episode or season; it’s a defining development for the series itself.

Madeley doesn’t get a lot to do. I was expecting her almost beau to return from last time; instead, she just gets to feel lonely because she doesn’t have a subplot. Her game night’s canceled because the boys either have dates or professional obligations. Speaking of dates, West has an offscreen date with his new love interest, so she does seem to be sticking around.

Even after the unsteady conclusion, the series has more than enough stockpiled goodwill. It’d just have been nice for a real pay-off for one of the show’s only big swings.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s02e02 – Semper Progrediens

This episode’s a sequel to the Christmas special, with guest star Cleo Sylvestre conveniently returning to remind star Nicholas Ralph he’s actually going to have to tell his love interest, Rachel Shenton, he likes her for anything to happen. But we also get to see the dog from the Christmas special, so it’s all good. And having Shenton sit around the home veterinary office with Sylvestre and Anna Madeley is nice. “All Creatures Great and Small” seems to know its got strength in its homeyness, but it uses that strength sparingly.

Shenton’s hanging out because she’s waiting for Ralph to take her to the Daffodil Ball. In addition to following up on Christmas special story threads—it’s not just Sylvestre’s return—the episode also does some retconning. For example, the Daffodil Ball. If Ralph wasn’t in town for the Daffodil Ball the year before, he just missed it, so his utter unfamiliarity plays a wee contrived. Though the episode opens with him jogging through the countryside like they suddenly remembered they’d established him as a jogger in the first episode then forgot about it.

The other Christmas special followups aren’t guest stars but lack thereof. In this episode, we find out Samuel West’s love interest is off playing grandma on an island, never to return. Then Callum Woodhouse also needs a new one because his regular love interest, the local bartender, has apparently given up on him. Or something. It’s left a lot more unclear than West’s, which is decidedly over, so he can pursue fetching divorcée Dorothy Atkinson. Woodhouse’s love interest for the Ball—Ella Bruccoleri—seems more temporary. She’s a farmer’s daughter; Woodhouse and West were there earlier on a case, one Woodhouse determinedly finishes to ensure there’d be time to go to the Ball.

While Woodhouse’s romance arc is mostly comedic, West’s works to set him up as a more determined business owner. One of his most annoying clients, James Fleet, keeps threatening to take his business to the competition Kriss Dosanjh (who’s been absent from the series since maybe the second or third of last season), and West shows off for Atkinson. The show appears to be setting Atkinson up as a more constant love interest for West, which is fine. They’re charming together, and he’s not constantly unsure like with the last one.

The big romance plot is obviously Ralph and Shenton, who go on their first date together to the Ball (though they don’t call it a date), but the cutest is Anna Madeley’s entirely unexpected one. One of the veterinary cases is an injured dog in need of emergency surgery; as the owner, played by Will Thorp, waits around the house, he and Madeley work up a rapport. It’s the first time Madeley’s ever had the slightest bit of a romantic plot, and it’s very nice to see her get something else to do besides fret over the boys.

The main veterinary case is Fleet’s, which the episode ends up playing for some very good, very gross laughs. Besides Thorp’s injured dog, the cases all have a big humor component.

Also, there’s some unexpected progress on Ralph’s “moving back to Glasgow” subplot. He tells Madeley about it early in the episode and how his romantic interest in Shenton will be a deciding factor, so she’s concerned about it now.

It’s a very nice episode and seems to be setting up the season going forward. But who knows; someone else might move to an island never to return too. Can’t take “All Creatures” guest stars for granted.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s02e01 – Where the Heart Is

The season two premiere opens very similarly to the first episode, with Nicholas Ralph back in Glasgow. He’s visiting his parents (for Easter), so four and a half months after the Christmas special, and mom Gabriel Quigley wants him to move back home. There’s a job at the local vet office. The practice has the latest technology, serves household pets (a growing industry), and prospective boss Euan Macnaughton values Ralph’s opinion.

And dad Drew Cain is getting a little old for working on the docks.

So Ralph tentatively agrees to return home permanently for the job, which will be open in approximately six months. Potentially the present action of the season.

When he gets back to Yorkshire, he keeps this job offer a secret from everyone there. This episode’s all about secrets, big and small. The other big one is Callum Woodhouse not passing his veterinary boards and, therefore, not being board-certified. It’s unclear how much this exam result matters—can Woodhouse practice without the results—but brother Samuel West is noticeably uncomfortable when housekeeper Anna Madeley wants to get Woodhouse a gift recognizing the achievement.

So West’s lying to Madeley quite badly, and she suspects something’s going on.

Then Woodhouse—who’s mostly just stocking the dispensary at the practice—has his own secret. Thanks to a busy schedule, he gets to attend guest star June Watson’s parakeet. Except it drops dead, so Woodhouse gets the idea to just replace it with another, as Watson’s blind. It’s the comic subplot in the episode, also involving West and Madeley to fine result.

The other veterinary case involves Philip Hill-Pearson’s sheep and the neighbors’ dog. Unfortunately, the dog’s terrorizing the sheep, leading to some severe consequences. Complicating things is the dog’s owner—it’s Imogen Clawson, little sister to Ralph’s love interest, Rachel Shenton; both Clawson and Shenton are pals to the practice in general, so when Ralph finds out the dog’s in danger of being put down, he and Clawson cook up a scheme to save the pup.

Also, under the surface is whatever’s gone on with Ralph and Shenton since Christmas, when she canceled her wedding (at her wedding), leaving Ralph open to pursue her.

The arc’s got some humor thanks to Woodhouse and Clawson gently teasing Ralph about his crush on Shenton, but it soon gives way to a conflict between city slicker Ralph (who doesn’t think you should kill a dog for barking at sheep) and the country folk. West, Pitts, and even Shenton don’t take kindly to Ralph’s input on the matter.

Amid all the contemporary drama is Madeley wanting to make Ralph feel at home again on his return—he was away visiting a couple of weeks—and seeing how West’s aggressive attitude is affecting Ralph, without knowing Ralph’s contemplating that job offer.

Lots of quiet drama, genial humor, and fine acting. Ralph does particularly well with the personal conflicts, guest star Hill-Pearson’s great, and Clawson and Woodhouse are both excellent.

“All Creatures” is off to a somewhat strange start for the season—not sure there were any secrets in the first season—but it’s a good start.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s01e07 – The Night Before Christmas

“All Creatures” goes into its Christmas special with it being, well, a special Christmas even before the events of the episode. It’s going to be the (presumably) first time lead Nicholas Ralph goes home to Scotland to see his folks since he left in the first episode. Veterinary practice favorite patient’s owner Rachel Shenton is marrying her longtime beau, Matthew Lewis, on Christmas Day. Callum Woodhouse is expecting the results of his latest attempt at his exams. Anna Madeley has invited her estranged son to their Christmas party, and he seems like he’s going to make the trip. And finally, Samuel West is excited to see Madeley’s friend, Maimie McCoy, at the party and continue his romantic pursuit.

There are two veterinary cases in the episode. First, Ralph’s got a pregnant dog whose having some troubles, and then Woodhouse tends to a donkey with (life-threatening) indigestion. West briefly consults on Woodhouse’s case, but he’s so preoccupied with McCoy (and Woodhouse’s unknown exam results), he exits early. Also, West is just too much of an ass to the donkey’s owner, Jake Hayes. No pun intended.

Well, not initially.

Hayes is hesitant to trust Woodhouse because Hayes is Mollie Winnard’s little brother. She and Woodhouse had a summer fling, followed by her dumping him but mostly—apparently—because she thought he was going to dump her. All three men have a romantic arc in this episode, and all three of those arcs adjust where the series had left things. At the end of the season proper, McCoy did not share West’s level of romantic enthusiasm. Woodhouse had seemingly given up rekindling with Winnard. Only Ralph—who was very mopey about Shenton’s engagement and is still just as mopey—has a congruent arc.

I’m also curious how long it had been between shooting the regular season and this Christmas special. Presumably long enough for someone to decide they needed a more diverse quaint British village, even if it is 1937. Ralph’s mother-to-be dog’s owners are an adorable old interracial couple, Cleo Sylvestre and Dave Hill, whose backstory eventually becomes a plot point. Ralph’s got to go back out and check on the dog, with nervous bride-to-be Shenton tagging along to take her mind off the wedding. Sylvestre sees Ralph’s crush and shares her own story; if she and Hill could get over rural Yorkshire racism in the 1920s, surely Ralph can handle the social awkwardness of stealing Shenton away from Lewis.

The episode doesn’t get too saccharine or dramatic about the potential for scandalous behavior. Other than it being a short arc for Madeley, who apparently didn’t notice Ralph was mad-crushing on Shenton either, not until Woodhouse tells her, and it’s then entirely inappropriate Shenton accompanied him on a call. Woodhouse alternates between gossiping and teasing on the subject, depending on who’s in the scene with him.

The special runs about ten minutes longer than a regular episode, which is fine since the finale has a couple endings. There’s the initial resolution (and set up for next season), then there’s a Christmas Day finish, complete with the king’s speech on the radio. It’s like a regular episode, but they kept going for a couple more dramatic beats.

In addition to the more diverse village—West holds the big Christmas party partially as advertising for the veterinary practice, and there’s a Black guest—the special also makes Woodhouse and West a lot cuter. West’s whole nervous thing with courting McCoy, Woodhouse bonding with Hayes, they’re both more generally agreeable than ever before.

Maybe it’s the Christmas spirit.

Madeley, unfortunately, gets the worst arc. She ends up supporting everyone else’s arc at one point or another, including McCoy, before doing a backstory reveal close to the end of the episode. Unfortunately, there’s not time to do anything more with it because it’s Christmas Day, and almost none of the episode’s initial problems have been solved. The show handles the dramatics beautifully, though director Andy Hay gives it away when there’s a country driving sequence without the “toot toot” enthusiasm the show’s always had before.

It’s a lovely Christmas special. I’m very curious how far away from these events—most will have significant repercussions—next season will pick up.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s01e06 – A Cure for All Ills

“All Creatures” has a very nice close for season one proper, which isn’t really a surprise; the show’s always nice. What’s so impressive about that quality is the show never gets saccharine about it. It’s full of British derring-do, just in a setting where that derring-do doesn’t, you know, go a-colonizing. Also, Samuel West. This episode, in particular, shows how important West is to maintaining the tone. He’s a sympathetic, good-hearted ass; West does a phenomenal job with that part. He spends most of the episode with a man cold, only refusing to acknowledge it until he can’t stay upright.

The episode begins following up the previous, with Nicholas Ralph heading out to less and less likely love interest Rachel Shenton’s farm as they send off their once prize bull for the slaughterhouse. Last episode, Ralph had to go back on vouching for the animal; he failed Shenton for principled reasons. The visit—and the vouching—will play into the main plot later on as Ralph finds himself in a not dissimilar predicament.

The visit also forces Ralph to see Shenton’s more enthusiastic romance with Matthew Lewis. It upsets Ralph so much he’s willing to let Callum Woodhouse set up a double date with some nurses (Harriet Slater and Charlie May-Clark). The setup’s actually a welcome development; at the beginning of the episode, it seems like Ralph’s just going to mope over Shenton the whole time.

Unfortunately, some of the reason he’s not moping over a broken heart is because of the main plot. Another animal he inspected at the fair last episode—a cow—has developed a breathing problem, and there might not be anything to be done about it. It’s the only significant medical case this episode and the most involved one on the show so far, eventually involving the entire regular cast. Anna Madeley steps in with a very simple gesture at one point, and it’s incredibly affecting. There are no stakes to the case but empathetic ones, to the suffering cow, to the potentially suffering owner (widower Alexis Platt, who spent his entire savings on the animal).

But Ralph’s veterinary procedural plot is somewhat secondary to the house-based stuff. The show’s balance between Ralph, the undeniable protagonist, and the rest of the cast is sublime. Though this episode’s a little different because the house-based story is often focused on him, even when he’s not there. Especially when he’s not there. Madeley and Woodhouse find out it’s Ralph’s birthday coming up and plan a celebration. Unfortunately, Woodhouse is ignoring his exams, which sends sick West on numerous tirades.

While the episode’s set up for Ralph to have the big arc, Woodhouse’s plot is the more effective. Ralph’s contending with reality, Woodhouse acknowledges and overcomes his own failings. And doing so under fire—West’s incredibly nasty when sick. It’s also the least showy part in the episode. Woodhouse does very well here.

There’s a little more with Shenton in the second half of the episode. While the episode doesn’t try to wrap up too much in the season finale, it’s definitely aware some elements need to get settled. Thanks to the plotting, the episode gets to do a couple resolution scenes, with the second one putting the cast and show nicely (of course) to bed for the season.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s01e05 – All’s Fair

This episode takes place over a single day—it’s town fair day—and has a whole bunch of plots. I’m not sure if it’s the best episode of the show so far, but All’s Fair is certainly the most logistically ambitious and successful.

The day starts with Nicholas Ralph on his way to play “Attending Vet” at the fair; he’s going to inspect ponies, judge a pet show, and just be around for whatever veterinary question an attendee might have. Steven Blakeley plays the annoying event coordinator, who hounds Ralph throughout the day, occasionally resorting to calling for him through a megaphone. It’s not an enviable position (before you even get to the shitty people who want Ralph to help their animals cheat to win), and everyone at the veterinary practice except Ralph knows it.

In fact, they bet on it. As Ralph heads out, Callum Woodhouse and Samuel West gleefully wager on when Ralph will break down. Even Anna Madeley, who tells them she disapproves of gambling, places a bet.

But Ralph’s arc isn’t just going to be contending with angry pony and dog owners; he’s also going to get himself into a moral quandary regarding potential love interest Rachel Shenton’s prize bull. Specifically, whether or not the bull’s much of a prize anymore, Shenton and her family are trying to sell it, needing the money. So, in addition to staying ahead of Blakely and not trying to offend Shenton, Ralph’s scurrying around the fair trying to track down Jon Furlong, another farmer who should know whether or not the bull’s got what it takes.

Studding wise.

It’s a direct follow-up to last episode, including Tony Pitts as Shenton’s dad. Her actual beau, Matthew Lewis, is also around, putting his fingers on the scale as needed. While not a high-stakes arc, it’s a good one for Ralph in terms of character development and performance. He gets to do a varied lot amid the rest of his busy episode.

Meanwhile, both Woodhouse and West have romantic arcs. Woodhouse is trying to figure out the next steps in his relationship with bartender Mollie Winnard and doing what he can to avoid talking with her about it. West tries to provide brotherly counsel but soon needs some of his own when Madeley’s friend, Maimie McCoy, pops in for a visit. McCoy’s from a few episodes back, where she and West’s genial flirtations quickly gave way to automotive discussions. Here, they stick to the genial flirtation.

Madeley’s arc proper kicks off thanks to McCoy’s visit and some discussions of the past, which affect Madeley in the present. Also, correction from earlier because I looked it up finally—Madeley was not in a nursing corps in the First World War; she was in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. They do not appear to have done any nursing. My bad.

Her arc eventually involves Imogen Clawson, calling back to their bond from a few episodes ago.

The episode doesn’t culminate any outstanding story threads; it just brings some background elements in those threads to the fore, getting “All Creatures” ready to move forward.

It’s a packed episode—script credited to Debbie O’Malley—and director Metin Hüseyin does a great job keeping everything coherent.

Ralph’s got the best arc, probably followed by Madeley, who’s got the least of the three supporting arcs, but definitely the most intense. Though this episode does reveal some critical backstory on West, who it reveals to be a widower. That history also informs on Woodhouse. So, again, not a big wrap-up, rather a big unwrapping.

It’s impressive.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s01e04 – A Tricki Case

No causes for concern or alarm this episode, and not just because Diana Rigg’s back. Even with the village still talking about how Nicholas Ralph handled the sick horse last episode, he seems cemented in the community. Though there is one significant eyebrow raise with Callum Woodhouse. Turns out he might not be a regular cast member after all; his arc in this episode is all about getting money for university out of big brother Samuel West. West’s determined to make Woodhouse prove he’s worth the investment this time, which leads to Woodhouse volunteering to monitor Rigg’s adorable Pekingese.

Once again, everyone in the veterinary practice gets an arc, though Ralph and Woodhouse get the big ones. For instance, pretty much everything West does this episode is support on someone else’s arc. There’s a major subplot about Rigg sending over a box of (human food) treats for her dog when Ralph takes the dog back for observation. And to keep Rigg from overfeeding, obviously. Both West and Woodhouse find it difficult not to help themselves to the treats, which messes up housekeeper Anna Madeley’s plans for an elaborate dinner. At the start of the episode, she gets some concerning personal news and keeps it to herself (from both the boys and the audience). West figures out something’s going on and offers to help.

Woodhouse also has a little arc with bartender girlfriend, Mollie Winnard, who accidentally sleeps over, and there’s an elaborate comedy sequence getting her out of the house.

Speaking of romance, Ralph’s main medical case involves Rachel Shenton’s bull, who’s supposed to be studding at farmer Jon Furlong’s. Only the bull’s disinterested in the lovely cow lasses, so Ralph’s got to get him functional again, or Shenton’s family won’t get the payday. Shenton’s relationship with local landed gentry Matthew Lewis comes back into play, as it turns out they’re a lot more involved than she made Ralph think last episode. Not giving a timeline for Woodhouse’s immediate future last episode is one thing, but Shenton letting Ralph think she and Lewis weren’t quite romantic is another. Lewis’s stopped on the bridge with a flat and is too rich to have ever learned to change a tire; when Ralph and Shenton happen across him, Lewis’s first or second move is to caress Shenton’s posterior as Ralph’s heart breaks a little.

It’s a surprise but shouldn’t be.

Anyway.

We finally get to meet Shenton’s dad later on, played by Tony Pitts. Shenton finds out some of the patients’ owners cook meals and treats for the vets and wants to try her hand at it for Ralph. It’s a funny sequence, starting with Pitts not knowing why Ralph’s loitering around his farm.

However, the main plot—outside Ralph being the show’s protagonist—is Woodhouse dog-sitting the Pekingese. It’s hilarious. Rigg’s got a handful of scenes, which start comedic and then get a little more dramatic as the episode carries on. Even though she absurdly pampers this absurdly adorable dog, the show goes out of its way to acknowledge she’s going through a lack of companionship arc. It’s a really good episode for Rigg.

Also, for Woodhouse, who’s got to stay active even though it’s all about his lack of agency.

The finale’s particularly affecting; West’s only medical case this episode is Sean Carlsen’s giant, ferocious dog (contrasting Rigg’s adorable little one). It eventually ties in with Woodhouse’s arc and echoes the companionship theme.

While there are some intense emotions throughout, the episode works its way to a very nice resolution. The amount of positive sentiment the show gets from everyone being empathetic to animals is immeasurable.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s01e03 – Andante

This episode very nicely alleviates most of my (limited) concerns about “All Creatures,” even without bringing back Diana Ring for another guest spot.

As with the previous two episodes (so, all the previous episodes), new veterinary assistant Nicholas Ralph again has an arc where he needs to be worried about losing his position. However, it’s the plot here, not just a quick resolution or foil to move things along. The episode’s third act is just Ralph—and new pal Callum Woodhouse (they need to team up to cope with the boss, Samuel West) and housekeeper slash den mother Anna Madeley—freaking out about him losing his job. It’s even worse this time because everyone in town knows about it, so they’re either congratulating Ralph (because his latest potential mistake affected a bet) or mocking him.

It could all go wrong, and every episode going forward could have this same beat, but they finally seem to have it addressed here. West’s got a whole lot more agency this time around; he’s not just the overbearing boss, he’s the sympathetic colleague.

The other outstanding concerns—can Woodhouse be a non-competitive, not twerp effectively, and can Madeley get a real arc–also get answered. Both in the affirmative. Woodhouse gets a very amusing turn about trying to collect payment from the local farmers, and discovering the best way to do it involves getting them drunk before hitting them up. He even makes a new friend: bartender Mollie Winnard, who seems like his imminent love interest.

Meanwhile, Madeley’s arc involves babysitting Imogen Clawson so older sister Rachel Shenton can… do things. Clawson’s nearing her terrible teens and no longer minding Shenton, who’s had to play mom in addition to sister, and Madeley brings a new perspective to the entire situation. It also gives Madeley and West’s relationship some depth because they can bond over parenting, though West’s just older brother parenting Woodhouse. It’s an amusing arc, too; Clawson’s impetuous and overconfident, so Madeley’s got to contend with attitude.

Then West’s got an arc where he’s interviewing to be the vet at the local racetrack. Initially, he’s only able to get his foot in the door because of local rich guy Matthew Lewis (who we met last episode as Ralph’s rival for Shenton’s affections), but then he and stuck-up track owner Nigel Havers have a great bonding scene. It’s West’s best-acted episode of the series so far; it’s also the most significant real arc he’s gotten.

Ralph gets the veterinary procedural cases—a horse with colic and then a cow showing signs of heat exhaustion. Lots of terrific acting from Ralph on both cases, where his expertise is questioned repeatedly. Susan Jameson’s great as the nasty cow owner, who delights in mocking Ralph.

After the taut third act, there’s a nice resolution with West and Madeley. They’re quickly becoming the show’s most tangible, developed, and rewarding relationship. It’s particularly nice since they both have a strong episode apart, then bring it together throughout and at the end.

Hopefully, this episode will be the last time Ralph has an “am I fired” arc for a while. It certainly seems like they’re comfortable being done with it. Fingers crossed.