All Creatures Great & Small back on Thursday.

[olderandnonthewiser]

I love this series, one of my all time favourites and a new series starts on Thursday. Lovely feel good tv, and a real sign of Autumn when a new one lands.

Anyone else?

That's ok, oh yes, I know Belvoir Castle, which is also "Bee-ver" isn't it? Some of these anglicised Norman names have lost their original pronunciation, obviously!

Really enjoyed tonight’s episode. Yes it was a bit sugary and sentimental, but it didn’t have the silly comedic bits and was much more the ACGAS that we like.

I’ve just watched the first episode. Had totally forgotten the time lapse between the Xmas special and this series, but that makes sense. Was confused at first!

I’m really not keen on Siegfried this series. He’s gaslighting, nasty, defensive and sexist. Why would Mrs Hall return to look after a middle-aged man who can’t be arsed to look after himself? He’s emotionally constipated, can’t apologise - I found it really uncomfortable viewing.

and why were S and Mrs Hall so uncomfortable with each other? S was pretty crappy to Susan too.

the first Siegfried was a much more attractive character - eccentric, and annoying at times, such as when he said one thing and did another, but he didn’t have the same relationship with Mrs Hall so there weren’t the same problems there. And he was funny. The first series was much closer to the books, which I liked.

That was such a beautiful episode. I do love ACGAS, perfect comfort tv

I agree, a lovely cosy episode. I do find them a bit heavy-handed with the analogies though - the goat hiding its pain like Siegfried, and the foal being like Jenny - there’s no subtle linking, it’s more like being hit over the head with an analogy sledgehammer!!

I agree @JoeTheDrummer . Hilda was lovely though 😍

Helen and Jenny really look like sisters!
Seems very unlikely that Helen would disappear to London for weeks leaving a child behind - especially in those days. I realise the actress was having a baby and they needed to write her out for a bit, but that was not a realistic storyline.

Agree! They all seemed very relaxed about Helen disappearing off to London, especially as we’d already determined there wasn’t any accommodation sorted.

Also hard to believe that Helen had her first baby 5 years ago (or however old Jimmy’s meant to be) and had only just remembered she owned a quilt that her female ancestors had all embroidered on whenever they had a baby!

I still love the show though, just have to suspend belief at times😀

Accommodation might have been sorted, all they had to go on at the point of the conversation was a two-page offer letter. I assume they checked and if necessary made arrangements.
I liked the billiards scene, I daresay Tristan went up in General Beauvoir’s estimation when he stood up for himself and highlighted the General’s quite ungentlemanly snobbishness.
A true gentleman should never shame or mock a guest, no matter the disparity of their relative positions.
The compromise of Tristan teaching him bar billiards was a gracious solution without anyone losing face.
It was a good illustration of the postwar shakeup of the class system.

I feel sorry for Mrs Hall being guilted into staying with them and being their cook, cleaner, receptionist and vet nurse! No wonder Siegfried doesn’t want her to go she’s a complete slave to them! I bet her son is pissed off with the situation as well.

I thought James was going to suggest his mum and dad come down to help with the kids when Helen goes to London, that would make sense.

Im surprised that James can’t afford a home of their own, he can’t be that poorly paid? And a house in those days wouldn’t be as expensive as it would now. I wouldn’t want to live with Helen’s grumpy dad moaning at me all the time.

I did tear up a bit at ‘you’re the sun’ though 🥲

James should build a lovely house on the farm. Student nurses lived in nurses homes.
But I like cosiness!

They actually lived at Skeldale House because when "Siegfried" remarried, he moved out.

Yes I couldn’t work out why they were worried about where Jenny would stay. She would have been sent very clear instructions on where to go, what to take etc. Helen will have to book a hotel and travel etc which would be expensive.

A vet is hardly a commoner anyway!

Also, a commissioned officer who had served in Italy!

I liked the parrot story, also how Jimmy and Siegfried get on! Loved S teaching him about animal droppings.
I think we may have an insight into why Tristan got the MM.

Yes, the "silly arse" bits were hilarious! Really sounded like a real parrot too.

" 'Bugger"? That's a new one!" Naughty Tristan!
Great storyline.

I loved the parrot too! I love ACGAS anyway and it is a good relationship between Jimmy and Siegfried. I’m wondering if it was the same kind of relationship for the real Jim and Siegfried

Yes, I was wondering the same. I know that he and his sister were very helpful with this production.

Loved last night's episode - much more focus on the animals with less of the soapline stuff. I wasn't so keen on Callum Woodhouse to start with but he's definitely grown into the role, and strikes the right balance between class clown and pathos. Still love Siegfried though - though it might be more Sam West...

Yes, Tristan is good, quite a rounded character rather than just a prankster. I think the point is made about the war changing him.

Was a bit weird watching Gaia West though - it was like her mum had time travelled from the past.

She is so similar to her mother, really in every way.

Yes, am I right in thinking they prefer this James to the original James? Also, was James’s hair dyed or something because to me, it seemed darker