Review of All Creatures Great And Small: Series 3

Introduction

Apocryphally known within the BBC by the nickname "All Creatures Grunt and Smell", ACGS was based on the best-selling memoirs of Yorkshire vet James Herriott recalling his years in practice during the 1940s. The series ran for twelve years, producing seven seasons of shows and 91 episodes.

It was the show that revealed to a stunned public that a veterinarian appears to spend most of his working life with his right arm stuck up one form of farm animal or another. Presumably "inarian" is Latin for "man with arm up" and "veter" is Latin for "cow".

The BBC launched the series in 1978, following the success of an EMI theatrical movie starring Simon Ward in 1975. Produced by BBC Birmingham, the show was a mixture of light comedy and drama and picturesque settings that caught on with the viewing public immediately.

Season Three had the show in its stride. Originally shown in early 1980, the show still had its three main characters Herriott (Christopher Timothy) and the Farnon brothers (Robert Hardy and Peter Davison) having jolly adventures in wartime Yorkshire.

Viewing the episodes, one realises there was far more to the show than arms up cows` jacksies. The series was very agreeable, easy viewing, and filled with familiar tv faces. Episode four has the distinction of including two Doctors Who in the cast (Davison and an almost unrecognisable Pat Troughton buried under a huge wig and beard like Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid). Episode Twelve features Nicholas Courtney (Dr Who`s Brigadier) and Christopher Timothy gets to shove his arm up a pig.

There are fourteen episodes in this four disc set.

Video

ACGS was produced like most shows of the era on a combination of studio-bound videotape and 16mm location filming. In spite of the age of the material and considering there hasn`t been a Restoration Team style restoration performed on the episodes, they look startlingly fresh.

Audio

Dolby 2.0 Mono

Features

None, but all the episodes are fully subtitled.

Conclusion

One of the most charming series of the 1980s, All Creatures Great and Small paved the way for shows like Ballykissangel and Monarch of the Glen. Universal Playback have done their usual excellent job of producing a no-frills but top quality release, and fans of this classic show won`t be disappointed.