‘YOU’VE GOT TO DREAM’
Please feel free to comment on my review.
Who knew I would like the new ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ TV series as much as the original?
I watched and reviewed the original ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ BBC TV series on DVD from 2018 to 2020. In the summer of 2019, it was announced that a new ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ TV series would be made for Channel 5. I didn’t know what to make of the announcement, as I was still watching the original.
I know Carol Drinkwater who played Helen Herriot in the original ‘All Creatures’ expressed her concerns about Channel 5 ‘sexing’ the show up. I wasn’t sure whether I would watch the new ‘All Creatures’ series, since I love the original TV show with Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy and Peter Davison.
The first series of the new ‘All Creatures’ show was filmed from late 2019 to early 2020. This included six episodes as well as a Christmas Special due to be shown in late 2020. I’m glad the cast and crew got everything in the can in early 2020 before the Covid-19 pandemic happened in that year.
As the time drew closer for the new ‘All Creatures’ series to be shown on Channel 5 from September to October 2020, I decided to check out the new TV series along with my parents. This was due to curiosity on whether the show would be good or not as well as wanting to watch some new content.
The result was an enjoyable six weeks of watching a brand-new interpretation of ‘All Creatures’ by Channel 5. It was rocky to start off with, but as my parents and I got more into the series, we really liked what the new series was doing with it being an adaptation of the original ‘James Herriot’ books. 🙂
I hope to explain why I feel the new ‘All Creatures’ series is as good as the original show and how it provides its own take on the established format of the series compared to the original. Series 1 of the new ‘All Creatures’ TV series on DVD is presented as a 2-disc set. The special features are on Disc 2.
Like with ‘Great British Car Journeys’ on DVD, an advantage of watching the new ‘All Creatures’ series on DVD is that there aren’t any commercial breaks to sit through, as was the case when watching the show on Channel 5. Mind you, I knew what breaks were to come from the blackouts. 😀
It was rather fortunate that I’d seen every episode of the original ‘All Creatures’ 1978-1990 TV series on DVD and reviewed them on ‘Bradley’s Basement’. I knew how the TV series was meant to work. 🙂
I also have a deeper appreciation of the characters featured in the original series. So, I was dubious about the prospect of a new ‘All Creatures’ series being made and I saw no need for a remake to be made.
I’m not sure why it was decided to make a new ‘All Creatures’ series. Remakes can often hit their mark or they don’t, and I wasn’t convinced that a new version of ‘All Creatures’ would hit its mark. 😐
After finishing the original series in early 2020, I ventured forth to find out what the remake would be like. I watched the first episode of the 2020 TV series on Channel 5 on the 1st of September 2020.
I didn’t think the series would be good as the original, but I hoped it would be entertaining. Upon re-watching the first episode again on DVD, I was able to appreciate the story and the characters more.
At the time, I hoped the new series would evoke something of the original as well as bring in something new. I hoped nothing derogatory would be found in the first episode whilst watching it. 😐
After seeing the first episode on TV, I found the 2020 remake of ‘All Creatures’ very fascinating. My parents and I greatly enjoyed the first episode when we watched it and that was quite a surprise, even for us. 🙂
Don’t get me wrong, I did have some issues with regards to the storytelling and the casting of characters so far. But I found it an intriguing new interpretation of ‘All Creatures’ whilst watching it. 🙂
I believe the new series tried to follow more closely to the books compared to the original TV series. Series 1 seems mostly based upon the first book by ‘James Herriot’ called ‘If Only They Could Talk’. 🙂
Just to remind you, ‘All Creatures’ follows the early career of James Herriot, a young vet who goes to Darrowby in the Yorkshire Dales. There, he’s appointed to be Siegfried Farnon’s new veterinary partner.
However, along the way, James encounters mishaps in trying to impress Siegfried as well as prove that he can do his job. It could mean having to sacrifice old habits and routines to become a Yorkshire vet. 😐
It was intriguing to see how the new series began with James starting off in Glasgow before he heads off to catch the train to Darrowby. We see James with his parents at the beginning of the episode. 🙂
James is more Scottish-sounding compared to how Christopher Timothy played the character in the original TV series. Mind you, that is more faithful in the books, as James is meant to be Glaswegian. 🙂
Nicholas Ralph stars as James Herriot, who I believe is a relative newcomer to the world of TV and drama. I like Nicholas Ralph’s performance as James, and I hope that he’ll go on to do great things.
It was quite fascinating to see this young man starting off as an inexperienced vet in the Yorkshire Dales. It was also intriguing to see James often getting into trouble when he’s doing the job he’s got.
There’s also Samuel West as Siegfried Farnon. At the start of the series, I found him to be an intriguing choice to play the character. He’s very good, but I couldn’t help feel he was too serious. 😐
He was also perhaps a bit too hard on James when he started out as a new vet. I preferred Robert Hardy’s interpretation of Siegfried, as I found him to be a lot friendlier to James upon first meeting him.
Anna Madeley stars as Mrs. Hall, the housekeeper of Skeldale House. I found Anna Madeley rather young to play Mrs. Hall in the new series compared to Mary Hignett as the character in the original show.
Also in the new series, Mrs. Hall seems more supportive of James as a vet compared to Siegfried. That might be good. Mrs. Hall is a more active character in the new series compared to the original. 🙂
This episode also features Rachel Shenton as Helen Alderson, who becomes James’ love interest in the series. I did feel the first episode crammed in too much for us to be introduced to the characters. 😐
The original TV series was more leisurely in how it introduced its characters in the earlier episodes. Mind you, this is early days. I didn’t know that I would grow to like the new series more and more.
Was it worth it seeing the first episode of the new ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ series? In my mind, yes! 🙂 I’m glad I saw the new version of the series at the time, as it was thoroughly entertaining indeed.
I didn’t think it was as good as the original series at the time, but then again that is bound to happen. I do feel more loyalty to the original series compared to its remake, but I like them both all the same.
I didn’t want to judge the new series too harshly at the time, with it being early days and I had just seen the first episode. I was looking forward to seeing more of the new series as the weeks progressed. 🙂
I wanted to find out more about how the characters progressed. Was it a worthwhile remake? Only time would tell. But it was so fascinating to watch. I was so keen to get more into the series later on.
I was looking forward to the next episode where we would be introduced to Callum Woodhouse as Tristan Farnon, Siegfried’s younger brother and Diana Rigg as Mrs. Pumphrey, who owns Tricki-Woo.
I did wonder how Tristan and Mrs. Pumphrey’s introductions would be handled compared to the original. It would be entertaining regardless of whether the introductions would be good or not here.
Incidentally, I heard the original Johnny Pearson ‘All Creatures Great and Small’ theme music during the first episode’s end credits. 😀 A shame they didn’t use it again for future episodes of the series. 😦
‘You’ve Got to Dream’ rating – 8/10
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