All Creatures Great & Small: Series 1 (1978)
Review by HTQ4
Film:
DVD:

Written by Johnny Bryne, Brian Finch, and Anthony Steven, based on Brian Clark's adaptation of the stories of James Herriot
Original Songs & Music by Johnny Pearson
Directed by Christopher Baker, Terence Dudley, and Peter Moffatt
Starring Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, Peter Davison, Carol Drinkwater, and Lynda Bellingham

Features:

• Writer's Profile
  
• Cast Who's Who
  

My Advice: Definitely rent it

James Herriot (Timothy) has just graduated as a certified veterinarian, then retreated to the Yorkshire Dales to begin his practice. What he is not ready for is the closed nature of the little farming community he has chosen. He takes up with Siegfried Farnon (Hardy), who is the experienced and well-respected vet in the area. Herriot is faced with many challenges in his new practice and his new life in the Yorkshire countryside. To make matters worse, he falls in love with a young farmer's daughter named Helen (Drinkwater), but still has to figure out a way to earn the respect of her father.

I know it sounds very boring. A television series based on the life of a small town vet in the 1930s produced by the BBC. Doesn't exactly pound the pulse when I relate it, does it? However, there is quite a bit more to it than that. I have honestly not read the stories by Herriot, but there must be something to them because they translate very well to the small screen. Timothy's character has quite a bit to do with that. In his performance, he created such a wonderful combination of naivete and earnest optimism that you just fall instantly in love with him. This makes it all the better because we get to see him grow in his practice and his personal life as the season progresses. He also gets full marks for working with so many different species of animals throughout the series.

The only thing we get in the way of bonus material is a BBC produced mini-documentary about the life and writings of the real James Herriot. It follows him around a day in the life of his practice later in his life. It's really nicely done and a good nod toward the man this series was based on. There is also a cast biography/filmography on the DVD, and the ones on the BBC DVDs are great. It's wonderful to see how well trained and active these actors are in their craft. The spend most of their time on the British stage. This is a practice I wish would make its way across the pond, but that's just a pipe dream I have.

It's a shame there isn't more to it, though. We still have the major cast and crew members with us...so a commentary on one or more episodes would be golden. Or even a featurette on this series in general, which ran for a tremendous length of time--that would be fascinating, especially to those of us on this side of the pond where series can be born and die within half a season.

Regardless, it must be seen. You have to rent it. I really believe that you will find yourself wrapped in the life of James Herriot rather quickly. You can decide for yourself whether or not it strikes your fancy enough to buy.