New All Creatures Great and Small Channel 5

[icelolly99]

Anyone else looking forward to this? Starts tonight at 9pm.

The Robert Hardy & Christopher Timothy versions will take some beating. From what I've seen from the first episode of the new version, I don't think it's anything special at all. May be OK for younger viewers who didn't see the originals, but not for those of us of a certain age who remember the 70s'.

I was glad they did the music at the end, even if they talked over it

I know the books inside out - and I enjoyed the first episode. Agreed re the mud and the horse but they have to try and insert some humour.

Siegfried is not quite right, but I like James. Mrs Hall is great and Helen seems good too.

Tristan will be the making or breaking of it.

We enjoyed it, and will watch next week, but it’s an odd time slot, definitely more of a Sunday evening series.

Beyond irritated that the opening scene, firmly titled 1937 showed a girl hula hooping, which wasn't invented until the 1950s...

The TV series wasn't "The original"., there was at least one film.made before it, starring Simon Ward and/or John Alderton.

Donald Sinclair (the real Siegfried) was incensed at his eccentric portrayal by "JH" in the books. But in reality it was a very kind depicton, he was apparently a complete nightmare.

Sadly both he and his brother Brian (Tristan) committed suicide.

According to the books. He bought the practice, from a vet in his 80's. I think about 2-3 years before he employed James.

It's thirty odd years since I read the books but I was so pleased that my nephew loved them as a teen.

Have watched it now.

With the horse, I think in the book there is a horse that persistently kicks James when he tries to pick up its foot. But I don't think he was kneeling in front of it at the time (who would?!) and it certainly wasn't standing ankle-deep in muck, which is patently ridiculous. They could have kept the story of him being kicked without putting in the silly mud stuff, which struck me as a pretty creaky way of going for laughs.

James is quite good but, although I do like Sam West, he just isn't physically right for Siegfried. And I don't remember Siegfried in the books being such a bully. Is Mrs Hall such an ally to James as she's made out to be here?

Yes, Sam West doesn't look at all like Siegfried should. Although I think he (Sam West) looks a lot younger than his age which is 54.

No, in the books Mrs Hall, though nice, isn't such an ally to James.

BalloonSlayer I'd never heard the real Tristan took his own life? I thought he died of a heart attack.

Donald Sinclair committed suicide 2 weeks after his wife died and 4 months after Alf White died.

'Tristan" (real name Brian) had died several years previously, I don't know the cause of death.

www.findagrave.com/memorial/86271458/wallace-brian-sinclair

Says a heart attack here for Brian's cause of death. (Tristan).

I thought I read it in the biography of James Herriot written by his son.

But happy to be wrong!

Was very good biography by the way. If anyone ever teaches creative writing there is a bit in there where he prints a first version of one of the stories in the books, which really isn't very funny, and then the final version where you can see how the changes he made and the exaggerations he added turn it into a funny piece of writing.

@user1497207191

The Robert Hardy & Christopher Timothy versions will take some beating. From what I've seen from the first episode of the new version, I don't think it's anything special at all. May be OK for younger viewers who didn't see the originals, but not for those of us of a certain age who remember the 70s'.

I remember the 70s and the first series. I quite enjoyed it as undemanding Sunday evening viewing, but it certainly doesn't stand out in my mind as outstandingly special or particularly high quality. The new series seems to be broadly similar.

Yes, Sam West doesn't look at all like Siegfried should

How can anyone say what Siegfried "should" look like? It's not as if the character in the book bore any realistic resemblance to the real life Siegfried.

I’m sad.

www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/342062534171359160/

Oh wow! I hadnt heard. I love the books so much and have happy childhood memories of the old one. Excellent!

Why is Mrs Hall so young and pretty? Not sure about that...but seems good so far. I wonder where it was filmed, it looks familiar. Thursk or somewhere like that?

I enjoyed it but I do have a bit of a thing for Sam West. Anyone else remember him as Prince Caspian?

Why is it on so late? We need something family friendly and comforting to cut through the 7-9 soaps and repeats crap on the other channels.

@Jamhandprints

Why is Mrs Hall so young and pretty? Not sure about that...but seems good so far. I wonder where it was filmed, it looks familiar. Thursk or somewhere like that?

It was filmed in and around Grassington. The original was in and around Thirsk (the original surgery is in Thirsk, but is now an ACGS museum). Thirsk itself is too busy and busy and “modernised” to easily “1930sised”.. The Yorkshire Post and local papers have been talking about it all week! So there’s another flaw for the “originalists hardcore” to pull apart.

How can anyone say what Siegfried "should" look like? It's not as if the character in the book bore any realistic resemblance to the real life Siegfried.
What I'm talking about is how Siegfried is described as looking in the books. I already have a mental image of him from them, which isn't matched by Sam West.

@Pelleas

Does anyone remember the film version from the 70s, starring Anthony Hopkins? That wasn't bad.

There is film version with Anthony Hopkins in? I need to see this.

I haven't read the books either which I know I would love.

So as I have nothing to compare it against, I loved this first episode.