Young James Herriot

[Kveta]

did anyone watch this last night?

I was seriously underwhelmed. I love the Herriot books - am getting the complete set for christmas, and can't wait - so had high hopes of this show, but it was so painfully heavy-handed with the morals, and the 'student high-jinks' were dire. Plus which, James seemed to be played as if he was Dougal from Father Ted, which was off putting.

has anyone read the book it's based on yet?

I haven't read the books but was looking forward to watching. Sadly I was very disappointed

I've not read the book but read all the normal Herriot books. Was really bored watching this last night and didn't make it to the end. Shame as I'd been looking forward to it. The old TV series was fab.

Agree - found the episode last night rather grim and boring. Very 2 dimensional characterisation. Also seemed to be shot in a cellar as it was so dark all the time.

glad to hear I wasn't alone in my disappointment! I never saw the old TV series, it was a bit before my time, but have read all the Herriot books so many times (only my parent's copies though, which is why I'm getting my own set!).

I thought the gloomyness was fine, as it was Glasgow in the 30s, but the overall tone of the programme was awful - it couldn't make up its mind whether to be a comedy (students play pranks on eachother) or a drama (wee boy is seperated from his 'faither' by immature vet making wrong diagnosis, immature vet maks things better by giving wee boy a new mouth to feed, 'faither' accepts this and doesn't dole out traditional Glaswegian thanks of a massive beating, plus the subplot of the EMANCIPATION of WOMEN by a girl with a ridiculous name. Whirly, ffs.). It just didn't ring true, or sit right, and the plot line was so fricking predictable. It's such a shame, it could have been an amazing period drama.

DH is very pissed off now that we didn't watch the Brian Cox tedium on the other channel

I was very disappointed too.I read all the books when I was younger and enjoyed the original tv series.In fact I recorded it in the hope that dd1 would enjoy it,but won't be letting her watch it.It seemed very heavy handed on the equal rights for women bit,was shot in semi darkness,the pups seemed to have grown immensely in the few days between their birth and being gifted to the young lad.I also diagnosed that horse with Monday morning disease within seconds.so clearly missed my vocation. It might improve as it goes along,but I don't hold out any high hopes after last night.

Are there any books about James Herriot's student years? I've read all his books and thought the first one was about his first year in Darrowby. What is this new series based on?

Book is here. I've not read it, its not written by him but his diaries were used to write it.

www.amazon.co.uk/Young-Herriot-Early-Times-James/dp/1849902712/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1324311644&sr=8-4

Another disappointed viewer here. I switched over just before he shot the horse. He sounded as though he was talking with a very heavy head cold. Shame.

Disappointing. At first the screen was so dark I could not see the characters at all. Difficult to follow the plot at first.

I used to work at the old vet college in Edinburgh and I can assure you they were dark, gloomy buildings.

With a smell of dog and sheep shit everywhere

Mirage, I diagnosed the horse straight away as well, thought it was a fairly common complaint among working horses so no big mystery!

I was very disappointed in this, didn't bother watching the rest of it.