All Creatures Great and Small Christmas Special

[Ginger1982]

Anyone else watching?

It's a shame the original series aren't re-run on normal TV - lots of other series of yesterday are constantly repeated, but I've never noticed All Creatures being re-run.

It's on Drama. I've watched a few episodes recently, it seems a bit stilted and slow by today's standards.

Was his wife in real life a farmer? I suppose he also used some artistic licence writing the books.

I love it and the house. Remember the original from childhood and had read the books

@ineedaholidaynow

Was his wife in real life a farmer? I suppose he also used some artistic licence writing the books.

Helen was a farmer's daughter anyway. Not sure he ever mentioned her driving a tractor or anything.

In the books James is very impressed at Helen managing the farm with her dad and striding about with trousers on (which he notes was a bit unusual in those days). I always thought that she must have been a very practical and down to earth person. Raised and working on a farm in Yorkshire in the 20s and 30s. Rather than someone a bit prissy in pearls!

I thought it was a nice heart warming Christmas story. Both Siegfried and Tristan are played well, I think.

I didn't see it but just before Christmas I did happen to stumble across a twee film on Channel 5 about an American opera singer who somehow ends up in Yorkshire at Christmas and meets cute with a hunky widower and his adorable young daughter. I kept thinking where have I seen that woman before, she looks SO familiar.....finally realised it was Rachel Shenton, who plays Helen, doing a flawless American accent.

Turns out she was in a US soap so I suppose she had plenty of practice to get the accent right (she also won an Oscar for the short film she created, The Silent Child ). Talented woman.

I thought it was boring and whizzed forward

Really surprised at some of the comments
Here

I love it
It's just a nice lovely watch, a bit comforting

I enjoyed it, also watched the 1990 Christmas special too which was easy-going entertainment.

Liked the series. This sounds terrible. What a shame.

I thought it was lovely and perfect Christmas TV.

I really enjoyed it even if it has strayed from the books quite a bit. This series has been so much better than the 1970s one IMO. Lots of Christmas feelgood factor. I agree that Dorothy is annoying though.

I loved it!

I read all the books when I was younger and watched the old series I even live in Thirsk and I really don't care if this one isn't exactly the same it's just based on the books it's not a documentary.

It's a lovely, cosy programme with great characters that I can watch with my dd.

loved it

i loved it.

i have fond memories of watching the original, curled up with Mom, and reading the books, i still have a little compilation of short stories from them.

Both of us are enjoying watching this new series.

I enjoyed it though I could do without Dorothy as well - can't Siegfried just get together with Mrs Hall? I wonder if some of what they included may have been drawn from life - e.g. I believe Siegfried was actually a young widower, which isn't in the books, and James did apparently have a slightly strained relationship with his own parents, who don't appear at all in the books.

Helen does have another friend/boyfriend in the stories though, Richard, who is a well off family friend who her dad initially prefers to James.

Captain I've recently reread all the stories to my DS having loved them as a child and certainly have seen all the drink driving, drunk vetting and general drinking with fresh eyes! He adores them though and they have become his comfort stories in lockdown.

Terrible, I gave up after 2 episodes. It's totally deviated from the books, I never understand why writers/producers feel they need to do this - if they don't like the story, go with another story, don't mangle the one you've got! Most of the plot is basically unrecognisable. Absolute disappointment. I wish the series with Christopher Timothy was available on BBC or Netflix etc. A big part of the charm of the books is that it's about rural life, there wasn't always a load of social drama & tension all the time, but obviously the producers didn't feel that would appeal to modern audiences, so they've changed it.

Given that Alf Wights own children were involved in the making of the new series I think it is probably very true to life. I remember watching the original series, read the books and am loving the new series and the Christmas special. Perhaps it is different, I actually can’t remember the books or original series in detail, perhaps the books were not entirely accurate but a bloody good read. Helen worked in an office apparently in real life. It’s been an entirely enjoyable series which came just at the right time for me.

"I wish the series with Christopher Timothy was available on BBC or Netflix etc."

There are some on youtube.

I really enjoyed it. Perfect Christmas Day feel good viewing.