ALL CREATURES GREAT & SMALL: Fighting Autumn Blues

Autumn blues is nothing pleasant, all the more so in these strange and ominous times. Lack of sun, constant rains, the approaching return to isolation – we need something that will stimulate a rush of serotonin. My proposal for this somewhat depressing period will not be a return to a sitcom that we know by heart, but rather getting to know a valuable product, namely All Creatures Great & Small, the adaptation of James Herriot’s prose about good-natured veterinarians, set in a small British town in the 1930s. It is a charming journey into a world of simple people, already distant, yet captivating.

Debuting Nicholas Ralph plays the alter ego of the writer, who arrives in Yorkshire Dales. Will he get a job with the pedantic, often unsubtle veterinarian, Siegfried Farnon (excellent Samuel West)? Throughout all episodes he will have to give really a lot of himself, and the creators will show the viewer how great things happened in this small, presumably forgotten by the world place. It is a lesson in humility for the viewer, while at the same time an extremely pleasant ride – with humorous dialogues, as well as a story told in a condensed way.

This series shows that the greatest difficulty in this profession is not working with animals, but rather dealing with humans – the clients. The beautifully recreated era emanates magnificence, and the intimacy of the series allows the viewer to bond with the presented characters, sympathize with them, feel pain together with them. A bullseye turns out to be setting most of the action in Skeldale House, a place where Siegfried has his practice, and at the same time lives.

We get to know not only the corners of the house (which becomes the second protagonist of All Creatures Great & Small), but also the rest of the colorful tenants. Tristan (Callum Woodhouse), Farnon’s brother, is a rebellious libertine who does everything to escape from work, responsibilities, and confrontation with his strict older brother. Taking care of the center, and at the same time of the moods of the men, is Miss Hall (Anna Madeley), a reasonable, compassionate being, who from the beginning takes care of the main character, and at the same time feels a thread of understanding with the Farnon brothers.

The magic of this series lies in the chemistry perceptible from the start between these four characters. It is on them that the screen time of the episode focuses, the creators skillfully placing them in all sorts of situations, often pairing them up so that there is some kind of interaction between each.

Not infrequently, therefore, we observe intelligent conversations, going through a given problem together, or verbal/personality duels sparkling with humor. There is no stumble in these moments, the viewer feels that the casting choice in this case appears as perfect.

That something is added by the visualization of Yorkshire Dales, being a kind of symbol of simplicity combined with order – the characteristic inhabitants not only make the veterinarians’ lives miserable, they can also listen and understand, and their attitude toward animals and behaviors tell the viewer a few words about the conventions and times in which the characters lived. Each episode seems to be a pretext to tell something about the presented world – one focuses on showing the style of the parties of that time, another talks about the condition of town festivities, the rest focus on the veterinarian’s dilemmas, making key decisions, or committing mistakes tragic in consequences.

The contrast shown between the ages of the characters gives the script a certain freedom to focus both on youthful, often light issues, as well as those not entirely pleasant for the viewer. James falls in love with a girl who has a partner, and his unrequited feeling begins to affect progress in his newly begun job. Tristan loves to have fun, but does not fully feel the value of sacrifices – this will lead to a quick lesson in decision-making. Siegfried four years earlier experienced a huge tragedy, the result of which are new traits, often unbearable for others.

Does he still have at least a bit of humanity in him? Mrs. Hall, meanwhile, experiences another personal misfortune, which she suppresses inside, which makes this noble person waste away day by day. Warmth mixes with short bursts of sadness, and we watch as if hypnotized. For it has been a long time since there was on television such a deftly executed production, which becomes a commentary on veterinary medicine of the 1930s, and at the same time rightly corresponds with the literary material.

In fact, this entire series releases the atmosphere of Christmas – halfway through we are gripped by fear that it will all end soon. And we do not want this ending. We want to live the moment given to us.