All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s03e07 – Merry Bloody Christmas

Pun fully intended, Callum Woodhouse continues to show why he’s “All Creatures”’s trickiest casting but also its most successful. This Christmas special is set, appropriately, at Christmas, only war’s on, and no one’s feeling like celebrating this year. Especially not with Nicholas Ralph chomping at the bit for his chance to go—after the proper season’s finale where he and Woodhouse signed up, which was basically the season arc… it turns out they might not get shipped out anyway. They’re exempt because they’re vets or whatever.

There’s no annual Christmas party in the offing, not until Anna Madeley discovers her love interest, Will Thorp, is moving away. She invites him over and then has to put together a party, so it doesn’t look like she just invited him over.

The special filters much of the household goings-on through guest star Ella Bernstein. She’s playing a refugee from… somewhere, presumably in England, though maybe not. She’s Jewish, adorable, precocious, and fascinated by Christmas. She also basically fills the function of Ralph for the special. Ralph and Rachel Shenton are entirely support here.

The veterinary case this episode—outside Bernstein getting to meet Mrs. P. (I’m entirely on board with Patricia Hodge now, even if last we saw the manor, she was getting it ready for the war effort, and now it’s empty) and Tricki Woo (played, as ever, by Derek), who have a kitten problem only a little kid can help with—is about Samuel West and the racehorse he nursed back to health in the regular season. It was a great episode for West. This episode sort of hopes everyone forgets how emotional he got because he quickly finds himself letting old war buddy Michael Maloney bribe him into ignoring some medical conditions.

West’s change in behavior doesn’t go unnoticed, not when Woodhouse comes out to the stables to help out and discovers something suspect.

It’s a very emotion-filled episode for West, Woodhouse, and Madeley, as they once again have to contend with their abnormal but normal, actually, family structure, with great acting from all three. Woodhouse gets to be the stand-out; well, and Madeley, but not in the family arc, though she seems to have a realization about doing emotional labor for the boys).

Besides West’s slightly rushed character arc and a couple of places they obviously cut out another scene for time, it’s a stellar episode.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s03e06 – For Whom the Bell Tolls

In the way it has come for so many British television shows, movies, radio plays, and so on, war has come to “All Creatures Great and Small,” specifically the beginning of World War II. Or at least the King’s Speech beginning of World War II. The family gathers around the radio and everyone gets their demo reel clip. It’s exceptionally well-done. This episode is director Stewart Svaasand’s first “Creatures,” and it’s setting a high bar.

While everyone’s been worrying about the European conflict since the end of last season—with Nicholas Ralph moping about not getting to sign up for a few episodes, forced deferred because he’s a vet—it becomes real for everyone here. Great scenes for Samuel West and Anna Madeley, who get this quietly devastating arc about an abandoned dog. Someone drops him off at the vet’s, presumably on his way to enlist, and, while West is sympathetic as all hell, he doesn’t want people overloading them with abandoned pets.

Then Ralph and Rachel Shenton have a one-two gut-punch arc with the war coming, but also Shenton’s cattle coming in positive for tuberculosis. Not great, considering Shenton’s dad, Tony Pitts, was the one who vouched for the testing in the first place (and doesn’t have savings to get through a quarantine). Imogen Clawson’s around too, but entirely support for Pitts’s arc. Some excellent moments for Shenton throughout, especially an unexpectedly dramatic paperwork subplot.

Callum Woodhouse has the two fun arcs, obviously with significant caveats. He goes to dinner at girlfriend Sophie Khan Levy’s house and finds her father, Kris’s Dosanjh, not the villainous vet he’s been led to believe. Charming family dinner scene, setting Woodhouse up for his big reaction to the war arc. But first, he’s got to visit Patricia Hodge, who’s getting her house ready for the county to utilize in wartime. Adorable cameo from Tricki Woo (wonderfully essayed, as ever, by Derek), but he’s not the focus.

Adrian Rawlins (Ralph’s hard-nosed TB testing supervisor) and Will Thorp (Madeley’s not-romantic but romantic male friend) have great scenes.

It’s all very British and very good–script credit to Jamie Crichton.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s03e05 – Edward

It’s a great episode; easily the best of season three. The show takes a big bite into a challenging, oft-avoided subject—Anna Madeley’s character’s estranged son (Edward)—she called the cops on him when he robbed her previous employer. I think these are season one details, then in season two or maybe a Christmas special, the son was supposedly going to visit but never showed up.

This episode opens with Madeley taking the train down to meet him—Conor Deane’s voice accompanies her, reading his letter inviting her to hang out at a station. He’s in the navy now, so he’s making a connection. Madeley’s left instructions for the boys—just Callum Woodhouse and Samuel West because Nicholas Ralph and Rachel Shenton are up at her family farm—baked the son’s favorite cookies, and set off.

Once she arrives at the station, she meets a young woman, Lara Steward, working at a volunteer tea stand. Steward’s friendly and considerate, drawing Madeley into a more revealing conversation about herself and her relationship with Deane than we’ve ever gotten before. “Creatures” decided to give Madeley an episode on this subplot, and it’s a rousing success. Madeley’s fantastic.

But it’s not just a Madeley character development episode; there’s also loads for Woodhouse and West. Starting their day, West decides Woodhouse will handle all of Madeley’s duties. Woodhouse isn’t happy about it, but when schoolboy Austin Haynes shows up with a ticket for a day in the vet’s office (presumably a prize at the Christmas party), he changes his mind. Watching West be miserable showing some kid around the practice will be great.

However, it turns out Haynes is knowledgeable about animals and keen to learn more; he really wants to be a vet, and West loves finding this unexpected kindred spirit.

It’s a touching arc, which gets more complicated as Woodhouse goes from amused to indifferent to jealous.

Then out at Shenton’s family farm, she and Ralph check in to see what little sister Imogen Clawson’s been doing since the season premiere. Dropping out of school, it turns out, which upsets Shenton. It’s unclear why because Shenton never gets a scene not supporting Clawson and Clawson barely gets any scenes. Shenton and Ralph share some knowing looks, but he’s in the episode even less; it’s Madeley’s episode, and even the stuff with Woodhouse and West is a relief valve for her plot’s intensity.

Excellent script, credited to Karim Khan (his first credit on the series).

The show (and Madeley) have been building this episode since the first season; well worth the wait.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s03e04 – What A Balls Up!

No avoiding Nicholas Ralph’s desire to join up anymore. It’s front and center, complete with the questionable choice of playing instrumental cadences in the background when Ralph’s thinking about it. They only do it twice—maybe three times, and I’ve blocked one—but it’s the worst creative decision I can remember on the show.

Thank goodness the interludes are brief because it doesn’t take Rachel Shenton too long to figure out what’s up. Ralph’s been miserable with his genius idea to test the local cattle for tuberculosis, even getting in trouble with the Ministry of Agriculture, plus he’s also feeling like a heel for not going and fighting. He just doesn’t think he’s doing anything important.

Or something. It’s unclear because Ralph still keeps his own counsel, even as everyone else is in desperate need of talking. Shenton’s suddenly worried about her marriage to Ralph, even as they prove themselves a well-suited couple. Anna Madeley’s friendship with Will Thorp is getting near romantic, something Madeley’s been trying to avoid, but it’s finally hit the inevitable stage. Callum Woodhouse is fine, actually; he’s finally feeling comfortable and confident. However, Woodhouse’s confidence and Ralph’s busyness mean Samuel West doesn’t feel in charge of the practice anymore, so he takes to fussing on very special guest star Derek (as the profoundly adorable Pekingese Tricki Woo).

In addition to taking Ralph out of town to the previously unseen ministry (which West speaks about in hushed, fearful tones), the episode’s also got the first swearing I can remember on a “Creatures,” albeit old-timey British swearing. Adrian Rawlins guest stars as the blowhard Ministry guy who is sick of Ralph screwing up his paperwork on the TB testing. Rawlins is hilarious, with more depth than initially suggested.

There’s a lot of depth throughout the episode. Shenton finally gets her own arc, post-marriage. Madeley’s romance arc is devastating. West’s adorable with the dog and has a whole range of stifled emotions.

There’s an action sequence, which is phenomenal—director Andy Hay gets more drama out of thirties automobiles on a picturesque English roadway than most get out of fighter jets or spaceships. Woodhouse has a wonderful subplot, lots of good direction, and lots of good acting. Sophie Khan Levy is back as the rival vet’s daughter, who West learns is friendly with Woodhouse.

Chloë Mi Lin Ewart has the script credit again. It’s shaping up to be her season–this episode’s terrific.

Even with those lousy music choices.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s03e03 – Surviving Siegfried

Like they heard my questions, this episode has Rachel Shenton returning to her family farm to check in on things. Sort of. There’s no discussion of whether or not she’s still working at the farm or what’s up with little sister Imogen Clawson (who doesn’t appear in this episode; I keep forgetting this season is a Rona-season). She’s instead going to ask dad Tony Pitts to get on board with Nicholas Ralph’s TB testing program.

Other than the visit with Pitts, Shenton spends her entire time this episode hanging out with Ralph. Mostly at work. Farmer Isaac Crawford wants Ralph to falsify a cow autopsy to collect on the insurance, but Ralph doesn’t think fraud is cricket. It’s a subplot for Ralph and Shenton, giving them something to do, while the main plot belongs to Samuel West.

The episode begins with a World War I flashback, which is never good. Andy Sellers plays the young version of Ralph, who’s in the veterinary corps and protecting the horses. They’ve just found an injured one they think they can help. It’s devastating. The flashbacks are recurring, too, because, in the present, Ralph’s going through a couple things involving his old war buddies.

Michael Maloney, playing the old man version of Ralph’s commanding officer, has a skittish racehorse giving him problems and wants Ralph to evaluate. Depending on Ralph’s report, Maloney might put the animal down. As the present-day story progresses, with West trying to rehabilitate the horse, the flashbacks show how Sellers and Jolyon Coy (as young Maloney) squared off about the horses back in the war. Again, devastating stuff.

The episode—script credit to Ben Vanstone—knows there are only so many times they can dunk the viewer into despair, so Callum Woodhouse gets the lighthearted subplot about trying too hard to restock the dispensary.

Anna Madeley plays support to Ralph’s arc, the only person he’s willing to confide in. There’s a brief mention of the current war at the beginning of the episode, but nothing for Ralph to do with it. Given how much the season premiere foreshadowed Ralph’s interest in enlisting (again, I haven’t googled James Herriot for spoilers), it’s weird quickly he’s forgotten.

It’s a particularly great episode for West, who rarely gets this kind of extensive focus and character development.

Besides Ralph forgetting he wants to join up and Shenton not getting to establish herself post-wedding, living with her husband and his coworkers, “Creatures” is checking all its boxes this season.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s03e02 – Honeymoon’s Over

Having returned from his honeymoon and discovering the pleasures of the flesh, Nicholas Ralph is no longer obsessed with enlisting in the Army to fight in World War II. There aren’t even any references to it in the episode. It’s just about the changes at the veterinary hospital, with Samuel West getting annoyed at there being so many people around. The title doesn’t refer to Ralph and Rachel Shenton, while, technically, Honeymoon’s Over, they’re still in the adorable canoodling salad days, their burnt attic breakfasts giving way to… well, you know.

Ralph also wants to understand more about this practice in which he’s now a partner, but West tries to shut down all the conversations. Thanks to some needling from housekeeper Anna Madeley, West sees an opportunity to make Ralph sorry he ever asked to know more. Except then, it turns out West never expected Ralph and Shenton to work together, and he gets even more upset about the new arrangements.

Meanwhile, now full vet Callum Woodhouse has more responsibilities but still takes a somewhat relaxed approach to his profession. At least until he meets new customer Sophie Khan Levy, the daughter of the rival vet, who needs help with her Dalmatian. Woodhouse and Levy have a delightful arc, gentle, smart barbs, subtle flirting, and a solid veterinary case.

The main vet case is Lynda Rooke’s calves, who have a mystery ailment, and Ralph discovers sometimes you’ve got to play people counselor to be the best animal doctor–really touching stuff between the two of them, with Rooke opening up to an unprepared Ralph. It’s got a nice echo against West’s arc, which the episode directly emphasizes a couple of times.

Then there’s a scene with Will Thorp coming to tea after he and Madeley go for their walk, so he’s still around. Not much time for them to be cute together, but some.

Chloë Mi Lin Ewart and Ben Vanstone get the writing credit (principally Ewart, but Vanstone did “additional material”). I remembered Ewart’s name from a somewhat disappointing episode last season, but once Over gets rolling, it’s all good. The show just needs to establish how cantankerous West will get in this new situation.

Besides Ralph not being obsessed with battle glory, the one oddity is Shenton’s new day-to-day. Last episode suggested she was going to be still working her family farm, which could be where she’s biking home from, but the timing never seems quite right. It’s also the first episode in ages not to have her family appearing.

That oddity’s more curiosity, though; she needs the time to be around the house to piss off West, after all.

The last episode’s season premiere seemed a little overcooked; this “All Creatures” is on firmer ground.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s03e01 – Second Time Lucky

Last season’s Christmas special ended with World War II getting started (or as close as they could get to the war starting without it starting); this season begins with the recruiters in Darrowby, but the vets are exempt from service. It’s a running subplot throughout the episode, initially very gentle, as Nicholas Ralph discovers you can override your exemption and opt-in. Everyone else starts wondering why he’s so keen.

Because it’s not a “James Herriot goes off to war” episode—one thing about “All Creatures” being based on memoirs is you could just google and spoil the story; I’m going to let myself be surprised, or not. No, it’s a wedding episode. Ralph and Rachel Shenton are heading down the aisle, complete with bachelor’s night at the Drovers, Ralph’s parents coming to town (Gabriel Quigley and Drew Cain have surprisingly little to do), and everyone worrying Shenton’s going to have second thoughts again.

There’s a lot of nice character stuff for Shenton, with the various people in her life asking how she’s feeling about this wedding, including little sister Imogen Clawson, who’s ready for Shenton to move out (even if Shenton isn’t), vets’ housekeeper Anna Madeley, and, of course, dad Tony Pitts, who gets gruffer and more adorable every episode.

But Ralph’s arc is muddled, partially through intentional obscurity (the enlistment subplot), partially because part of the story is Ralph, Samuel West, and Callum Woodhouse getting blackout drunk at the Drovers for the bachelor’s party. Madeley’s got to get them motivated and moving, with a veterinary case making it hard to make the church on time.

The episode feels more like a special than a season premiere, with nothing really being established for what’s next. There’s also this weird moment when Woodhouse comments on Ralph’s Brobdinagian sense of duty, based on something in the veterinary case, but the example was someone class shaming Ralph, not his sense of duty. It’s a disconnect.

The episode’s good; the performances are rock solid; nothing feels off; it just doesn’t feel like we’re really back in Darrowby yet. Even the Tricki Woo (essayed, as ever, by Derek) cameo feels too forced for a regular episode but just right for a summer special.

It also might just be the “missing wedding ring” subplot, running through the entire episode, is the closest the show’s ever gotten to saccharine. “All Creatures” has always been exceptionally well-balanced (save a couple times), and it’s always weird when they go too far.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s02e07 – Christmas Special

This Christmas special, “All Creatures,” goes for the jugular: the main veterinary case is a very sick Tricki Woo, whose illness panics pretty much everyone who’s ever met him. When Patricia Hodge calls for assistance, Samuel West heads out, but he, Callum Woodhouse, and Nicholas Ralph all have significant involvement in the A-plot as the episode progresses.

There are a lot of subplots going on—with the threat of imminent war (it’s Christmas 1938, after all) undergirding the whole episode. The subplots (not in order of importance): Woodhouse waiting for his exam results, which echoes back to last season’s Christmas special, Woodhouse and bartender love interest Mollie Winnard sort of reuniting for a rendezvous, housekeeper Anna Madeley’s proto-romance with now pal Will Thorp, West’s romance with Dorothy Atkinson (who’s barely in the episode but excellent as always), Ralph and Rachel Shenton talking about married practicalities, Ralph tending jerky farmer James Burrows’s cow, and, finally, Ralph and Shenton having two Christmas Day commitments. He promised Madeley they’d be having Christmas lunch with the practice; Shenton thought they were having lunch with her family; her little sister, Imogen Clawson, has been going all out putting it together.

Plus, Ralph waiting to talk to his parents on the phone, not having heard from mom Gabriel Quigley since he told her he wasn’t coming home to Glasgow in the last episode.

And it’s not even a particularly long Christmas special. It’s a few minutes longer than a regular episode, and half that time is the sentimental (albeit well-executed) Christmas tracking shots.

The practice is also throwing their annual Christmas party, which throws various characters together and helps their plots along, but it’s mostly background to the veterinary case with Tricki.

It’s a great episode for Hodge, who’s now entirely out of Diana Rigg’s shadow (it helps the character’s quite different), including her friendship with Ralph. Oh, and, of course, Ralph is terrorizing Woodhouse to find out about his exam results. I’m not sure there’s a wasted moment in the episode; they’ve got so much to get through.

A number of the plots just get stirred, so they don’t stick to the sides, arranging things for further development next season. As a result, the episode’s not exactly done in summary; it’s just in a hurry, starting with Ralph’s unkempt appearance when he goes out to Burrows’s farm on an emergency.

There’s lots of good acting from the cast, not just Hodge. Ralph, Woodhouse, Madeley, and Shenton all get some excellent scenes. Shenton once again is floundering between plot points, but they seem to have gotten it squared for next season. Unfortunately, there’s a little less development on Madeley’s romance—and the “should be a bombshell” revelation she’s still married; unless I’m forgetting something, the show always made it seem like she was a widow.

It’s a particularly good veterinary case, too, and not just because it’s the show’s most adorable regular animal. There are twists and turns, with West having to consult the other boys on medical treatment and best bedside practices. The show never gets saccharine about the plot either, which is impressive. Though it might seem like they could easily go that route because the patient’s obnoxiously cute.

As Christmas specials go—in general—it’s a good one, and as “All Creatures”’s actual season two finale, it’s a splendid capstone to the season. They did have that one stumble (well, two stumbles in one episode) without further unsteadiness. Next season’s going to be a lot—based on how they’ve paced the first two seasons, World War II’s breaking out in the last couple episodes of the regular season (September 1939)—but I’m expecting them to ably handle it.

All Creatures Great and Small (2020) s02e06 – Home Truths

This episode takes place in late September 1938. The episode opens with Nicholas Ralph and Rachel Shenton going to the movies and watching a newsreel about Chamberlain going to meet with Hitler. Shenton keeps telling Ralph not to worry about world events, which isn’t a great recommendation for taking Shenton’s advice.

The date’s not all doom and gloom, with a client, Mike Harding, amusingly hassling Ralph.

However, back home, Anna Madeley is similarly concerned with the possibility of war. She gets a bigger arc than usual, including going on what ought to be a romantic walk with love interest Will Thorp, except they instead talk about the looming conflict. Madeley’s worried her son will enlist for king and country. It’s a nice plot for Madeley, who rarely gets to talk to the veterinary boys about anything except them.

The main plot this episode is Ralph’s parents visiting. He hasn’t told mom Gabriel Quigley he won’t be going back to Glasgow, which the show also hasn’t expressly stated until this episode either. And it’ll turn out Ralph also didn’t tell some other folks he should’ve told about it. Waiting for him to break the news to his parents—which comes after another big announcement—is rather suspenseful, just because Ralph’s so bad at confrontation.

And decisiveness. Ralph’s other personal plot in this episode is the fallout from Samuel West telling him to hurry up and propose to Shenton, something Ralph hadn’t been planning on doing, what with Shenton leaving her last groom-to-be at the altar last season. It turns out to be a pretty good subplot for Shenton, who doesn’t get to talk through all of her feelings, but she does get to experience them on screen.

The veterinary case this episode is widow Amy Nuttall’s cows again. The episode breezes through her grazing land being infested with a parasite, and now they’re just worried about the cows having salmonella. The first scene with Nuttall and Ralph has a very brief recap of her last appearance and some catching up—the script, credited to Ben Vanstone, rushes through the specifics. Then it’s all fine, with the Nuttall plot working nicely into Ralph’s parents’ visit. It’s a nice redemption of Nuttall, who I dreaded after her last appearance, but that episode seems to be “All Creatures”’s season two (and series, actually) low point.

The main “house” subplot is whether or not Callum Woodhouse is going back to college to try for professional certification. Third time’s the charm, perhaps. West is pressuring him, Madeley’s telling West to leave him be, while Woodhouse is more concerned with finding a good home for a local stray. The stray story involves a local nomad, Frances Tomelty, who doesn’t see much point in veterinarians, and she and Woodhouse have a genially tense relationship. The story’s the most agency Woodhouse’s gotten on his own as a vet, which makes West’s ill-informed character attacks even more grating than usual. Intentionally and to good effect. There’s a lot of drama in the episode, even if the stakes are reasonably low.

Especially since they’re all set against the Munich Conference.

Quigley and Drew Cain (as Ralph’s dad) do particularly well in the episode, getting far better character material than ever before. Madeley, Shenton, Woodhouse, and Tony Pitts are the other acting highlights.

It’s a foreboding but reassuring—the great British resolve and all—close to the season. Well, save the Christmas special.

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.