All Creatures Great and Small: Another Farnon?

January 27, 2021 12:22 PM - Season 1, Episode 2

Siegfried's younger brother Tristan arrives back home from vet school and attaches himself to James like a limpet who doesn't intend to do any work at all. James and Siegfried attend a party, where James meets Helen's current beau (Matthew Lewis) at maybe the most awkward moment possible. Animal-related events: a cow stands up successfully, and a dog enjoys some very rich food.
posted by Ipsifendus (4 comments total)

It feels like I'm having the most trouble settling into their casting of Tristan; maybe the biggest shadow cast by the original series? They've leant harder into Tristan being a boorish public-school type but so far that makes him kinda unlikeable; and it doesn't yet feel particularly believable that he and Siegfried are brothers.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 1:09 PM on January 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

I eventually warmed up to Tristan but it took quite a while. I had read the books a long time ago but didn't see the series. Something about this character type always puts my teeth on edge – and something about the set of this actor's chin made him seem petulant and irritating to me rather than charming.

That said, I was enthralled by the whole series and plan to watch it again.
posted by profreader at 1:15 PM on January 27, 2021 [1 favorite]

My wife and I both found Tristan a bit of a annoyance, which this episode was clearly going for, but they may have succeeded too well, since we found it hard to believe that James would throw in with him so easily at the end. But then again, we're both oldest children, so we put it down to bias on our part.
posted by Ipsifendus at 2:28 PM on January 27, 2021

I so enjoyed seeing Diana Rigg as Mrs. Pomphrey. I wouldn't have thought of her, but it's really good casting. Watching this series makes me want to re-watch the original, which was an absolute staple of PBS for years. I was working in bookstores when it came out, read and enjoyed the books, watched the shows. It's good-natured but not horribly treacly. Herriott was writing about the 1930s–1950s; it's an interesting look back.

I'd enjoy seeing the original series again, maybe it will show up on PBS at some point.
posted by theora55 at 4:20 PM on January 27, 2021