‘ALL’S FAIR’

Please feel free to comment on my review.

I saw the fifth episode of the new ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ TV series called ‘All’s Fair’ via Channel 5 on the 29th of September 2020. My parents and I were really getting into this series at the time. 🙂

At this point, I felt the new ‘All Creatures’ series surpassed my expectations greatly. I even pre-ordered the DVD of Series 1 of the new ‘All Creatures’ series via Amazon after I had seen the fifth episode.

In the penultimate episode of Series 1 of ‘All Creatures’, Nicholas Ralph as James acts as the attending vet for the Darrowby Show! Now this was intriguing, since this story had been done before.

In the original 1978-1990 TV series, an episode of James acting as the attending vet for the Darrowby Show had been done, except that was done in Series 2. Not Series 1 as seems to be the case here. 😐

The episode in question from the 1978-1990 TV series was called ‘Judgement Day’. Now there are certain elements I did recognise from the original series episode being put in the new series episode.

There are also arguably noticeable differences in how the two shows adapted from the book into their versions of the story for TV. I enjoyed comparing the two versions whilst watching the episode.

For one thing, James and Helen aren’t married by this point as in the original TV episode. I wonder if the Darrowby Show story was adapted from the first ‘James Herriot’ book instead of the second book. 😐

Another thing is that James seemed to fail in his duties as an attending vet for the Darrowby Show in the original episode, whereas here in the new series episode, he sort-of doesn’t. I quite prefer that here.

The fair also takes place around Skeldale House instead of being in some country field. 😐 I wonder if setting the fair in a country field was an artistic choice on the part of the original 1978-1990 TV series. 😐

The reason why I say that James sort-of doesn’t fail in his duties as an attending vet in the new TV series episode as opposed to the original TV series episode is that he stands up to the people of Darrowby.

Most of the Darrowby folk attempt to cheat their way into winning certain events in the Darrowby Show! This includes the pony riders who believe that their ponies fit within the right measurements.

I’m not sure whether it’s a good thing or not for James to win as opposed to failing as an attending vet as in the original TV series episode, but I do like how James’ honesty comes into play by the end.

James is commended for defending himself against the people of Darrowby, especially when he’s given a pint by someone. I really wish Christopher Timothy’s James was given the chance to do that.

Samuel West as Siegfried and Callum Woodhouse as Tristan also approve of James’ actions, despite having placed bets on him earlier on. It was very funny to see James’ reaction to that in the episode.

Another difference between the original series episode and the new series episode featuring the Darrowby Show is that Mrs. Pumphrey and Tricki-Woo aren’t in the new series version of the story.

I would have thought Mrs. Pumphrey would have brought Tricki-Woo to the pet competition. It would’ve meant another Diana Rigg appearance, which I would’ve liked. 😀 Sadly it wasn’t to be in this.

By the way, the man who wanted his dog to be in the pet show but James wouldn’t let him in from ‘Judgement Day’ in the original series also appears in ‘All’s Fair’ for the new series. That’s uncanny! 😀

The man is played by James Foster and is called Mr. Happy! 😀 Also, the boy with the goldfish who won in the original series episode also won in the new series episode. It’s quite amazing similarities!

It’s nice Imogen Clawson as Jenny Alderson’s ferret won second prize in the pet companion. Tony Pitt guest stars as Mr. Alderson, Helen’s father, Steven Blakely guest stars as Mr. Foyle who guides James in the fair. 🙂

An interesting aspect to Siegfried’s character gets introduced in the new series. It turns out, according to Anna Madeley as Mrs. Hall, that Siegfried is a widower, which took me by surprise here.

So, Siegfried was married one time. I don’t recall that being the case in the original series. In the original series, Siegfried was clearly ‘unmarried’ before he got married in the 1983 Christmas Special.

Siegfried also admires someone in this. 🙂 It turns out that there’s a thing going on between Siegfried and Mrs. Hall’s best friend in the show, Maimie McCoy as Dorothy, who was in ‘Another Farnon?’. 🙂

I liked the scenes between Tristan and Siegfried where the little brother encourages his big brother to pursue a relationship with Mrs. Hall’s friend, though Siegfried is very bitter about it in the episode.

It’s intriguing how that gets explored in the new series. It’s something that I appreciate when it comes to doing a new take of a TV drama series that I’ve grown to love and cherish for many years. 🙂

At the time of watching this on TV, I didn’t feel there was enough comedy in the fifth episode as there was in the fourth episode. Re-watching it again on DVD however, I found myself laughing a lot.

There are some moments featured in the fifth episode that I found genuinely amusing. This comes from getting engaged with the characters and having got to know them well in a short space of time.

As well as the placing of bets on James, Siegfried and Tristan make funny noises when they give demonstrations during tours for Skeldale House. I wondered if that was necessary in the episode. 😀

There’s an interesting development in the James/Helen romance plot for the series. Apparently, James discovers that something is very wrong with Clive the cow who was in the previous episode. 😐

It transpires that Matthew Lewis as Hugh Hulton may have lied to Rachel Shenton as Helen Alderson and her family. Jon Furlong as Mr. Dobson also keeps something hidden when James questions him.

I wasn’t sure if this would change anything in regards to James and Helen’s relationship. I didn’t know whether Helen would break up with Hugh Hulton by the time we reached the end of Series 1.

Come to think of it, there hasn’t been much of a romance between James and Helen in the new series thus far as was in the original. Perhaps this would be made up for when it comes to Series 2. 🙂

As well as Siegfried’s relationship with Dorothy being explored, I like how Tristan’s relationship with Molly Winnard as Maggie gets explored. It does seem to be a stable relationship between the two. 🙂

This is quite a contrast compared to Tristan having multiple girlfriends in the original series. Tristan is anxious about whether to get into a serious relationship with Maggie and whether to meet her parents.

‘All’s Fair’ has been a very enjoyable episode in the new ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ series! I’m very pleased my parents and I were able to see this new ‘All Creatures’ show on Channel 5 in 2020. 🙂

I was pleased to hear that the new series had been renewed for a second season already by the time of watching this fifth episode. I did wonder what would occur when it came to watching the final episode of Series 1.

‘All’s Fair’ rating – 9/10

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