SPOILERS ALERT!!!

Hello everyone! 🙂

Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley!

It’s that time again to share my thoughts on the latest Christmas Special in the new ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ TV series shown on Channel 5. I look forward to checking out these Christmas Specials every year. They’re a delight to check out when I see them.

Mind you, this Christmas Special was pretty tension-driven throughout compared to the previous new series ‘All Creatures’ specials. Not that’s a bad thing really. There was one point where I quite thought the Christmas Special wasn’t going to end on a happy note. 😐

Thankfully, it did, but it’s wondering how things are going to turn out for our regular characters when you watch the special, including a character you’ve grown to love over the years since the new TV series began. The writing and the acting is very well-handled.

‘All God’s Creatures’ has our main Skeldale House characters preparing for Christmas and for Jimmy’s birthday. There’s Nicholas Ralph as James, Samuel West as Siegfried, Callum Wodehouse as Tristan, Rachel Stenton as Helen and Anna Madely as Mrs. Hall. 🙂

If you’re new to the series, little Jimmy was born on Christmas Day in the previous Christmas Special ‘On a Wing and a Prayer’. Unfortunately, news breaks out that Edward, Mrs. Hall’s son, might have ended up missing aboard his ship, the HMS Repulse.

I checked and apparently, there was a sinking of the Prince of Wales and the Repulse, a naval engagement in World War II, as part of the war in the Pacific that took place on the 10th of December 1941. So, I commend the show with linking to an historical event in that regard.

Understandably, Mrs. Hall is shaken by the news and throughout the special, she must put on a brave face whilst everyone is trying to prepare for Christmas and Jimmy’s birthday. But it’s not easy. There are points where she breaks down into tears in this story.

Edward, Mrs. Hall’s son, as played by Conor Deane, was a character who appeared in a Series 3 episode of the new ‘All Creatures’ TV series. Mrs. Hall hasn’t had the easiest relationship with her son in the series, but I felt for her when she was worrying about him.

I was relieved when on Christmas Day, Edward phones Mrs. Hall from Singapore, and she’s overcome with joy and tears upon receiving his phone call. James, Siegfried, Tristan and Helen are also thrilled with the news that Edward’s okay, as they worried for Mrs. Hall.

There’s a subplot involving Tristan having to attend to some carrier pigeons for the war effort and getting some from ‘dinnerladies’ and ‘Emmerdale’ star Duncan Preston as Enoch Sykes. It was very amusing, especially with Tristan almost making a mess of things.

The special also features Tony Pitts as Richard Alderson, Helen’s father and Imogen Clawson as Jenny Alderson, Helen’s sister, who come to Skeldale House for Christmas dinner on Christmas Day by the special’s end. The two are also there for Jimmy’s birthday.

There’s a bit of friction between James and Helen’s father where James wishes for Jimmy to be a vet when he grows up and Richard wishes for Jimmy to be a farmer. Thankfully, that issue is resolved on Christmas Day, as Richard apologises to Helen for his behaviour.

I’ve noticed that the series is less focused on James as a character lately, especially when Mrs. Hall is taking centre stage in this special. That might be just for this special, and I’m sure there’ll be more to look forward to with James and Helen’s relationship in Series 6. 🙂

It’s a pity Mrs. Pumphrey and Tricki-Woo weren’t in the 2024 Christmas Special, but I’m sure we’ll be seeing them again soon in 2025. As well as pigeons, the special also features a subplot about a fox whom Mrs. Hall feeds for a bit before he’s being seen to by Siegfried.

‘All God’s Creatures’ has been a very worthwhile Christmas Special in the new ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ TV series. I’m pleased with how the special concluded with all the main characters gathered for Christmas at Skedale House and it’s snowing at the end. 😀

Incidentally, this is the first Christmas Special in a while where Tristan is in it, since he wasn’t in ‘On a Wing and a Prayer’ last year and Richard Carmody was in that. I’m sure we’ll be seeing these characters again soon in Series 6 in 2025. I’m looking forward to it. 🙂

Thanks for reading!

Bye for now!

Tim 🙂