Customer Reviews

All Creatures Great & Small - The Complete Series 4 Collection

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I just wanted to say that, yes, James does seem much more serious in this set of stories, but the changes aren't surprising. He's older, he's been through a war and he has a lot more responsibility now. In other words, he's middle aged. But the series is still wonderful and worth adding to your collection. The funny thing is, I remember when I first saw the new Helen on TV many years ago I thought she was so old. It's a shock to see her now and realize that at the time she was younger than I am now. Time passes!

I wanted to answer a comment made by one of the reviewers about the animals used in the series. One of the earlier DVDs has a commentary by Robert Hardy and others that discusses this point. What they did was advertise for animals with the condition being shown in the script and would offer free veterinary treatment for the illness in return for being allowed to film the treatments. When the camera draws in for a closeup showing surgery being done, a real vet is performing the surgery and correcting a real illness. Robert Hardy does say that they would never be able to make the series today because of the rules regarding the use of animals in film and TV. But the point is, they didn't make an animal ill in order to film a segment. Rather, they found an animal that was already ill and provided free treatment in return for filming.

Set after the end of WWII, this series was taped about eight years after the previous series. As one would expect, there are a lot of changes - but the show is still as wonderful as ever. In this series, Carol Drinkwater (Helen) has been replaced by Lynda Bellingham, and although "The Changing of the Helens" (as I think of it) takes some getting used to, Lynda Bellingham is very good. Also, Helen and James have two children now.

Of course, all of the actors look older than before (with the possible exception of Siegfried, who seems not to have aged in 8 years), but it doesn't matter at all. They are just as much fun to watch as ever. (And Tristan is still very, very cute.)

Although all the episodes are great, my personal favorite is called "The Bull With The Bowler Hat". It's wonderful, but I'm not going to spoil it for you - you'll have to buy the series and watch it! :-)

Those who've followed the Herriot story from its humble beginnings are in for a surprise! Series 4 opens with a "new" Helen, two little Herriots, no Mrs. Hall and is set some time after WWII. With Series 3 closing on such a powerful emotional note, I had hoped we would follow the fortunes of the cast through the war years and their subsequent return. After such a long period with this group, it took some adjusting to the cast changes. It didn't help that the writers recycled some earlier themes from past programs, and my copy of episode 1 had an annoying scratchy soundtrack. It left me altogether just a little frustrated.

But my disappointment was brief. This series is every bit as powerful as its predecessors. James and family are in the thick of life, dealing with everything from buying a home to attending school concerts to deciding whether to leave the practice. Siegfried is his usual brilliant self, Tristan loafs..ahem, works for the Ministry of Agriculture as an Artificial Inseminator (perfect!), and we are treated to a new vet in the practice, Callum. The bagpipe-playing, haggis-eating Scot soon wins the heart of Tristan's girlfriend while his menagerie of wild pets drives Siegfried to distraction. Even Granville weighs in with an hilarious episode resulting in the typical mess.

Buy this series! Yes, it looks different, and yes, there are some reprised scenes from prior programs, but for my money you'd have to go a long way to equal the acting and quality of writing seen in this entire series. So call the dogs in, gather the kids round and settle down for a tasty treat from the Yorkshire Dales. You won't be disappointed.

These videos are good, but I can't help but feel that I'm getting a bit less for my money. Now there's only 5 videos instead of 6, (as had the previous 3 series) and only 2 episodes per video, instead of 3, as some had. And I really miss Carol Drinkwater. The new Helen (Lynda Bellingham) is good enough, once you get used to her, but I can't help but feel like James Herriot is somehow cheating on his original wife. The new Helen is a bit frumpy for my taste. But all in all, it's still All Creatures and great fun to watch.

I have had the opportunity to review all of the previous "All Creatures Great and Small" series of DVD's and since this is the final group I felt obligated to acquire it despite critical reviews posted by VHS owners. Of course, we as fans love the charm of this series and I hoped for the best. But I must report that there is a strange loss of magic to this particular group. You get the feeling of characters just doing what is necessary and matching the "austerity" of the era that they are trying to convey. I think it is due to a more stern attitude and as one other writer had said "loss of innocence" on behalf of the "James Herriot" character coupled with the unfamiliar nature of the actress assigned to play his wife. The filming also seems a little cheaper, not as colorful and Robert Hardy does not shout about as much probably due to the successful employment of Tristan in the Agriculture industry. In positive light we have a few repeat characters, Biggins, Dr. Granville Bennett, etc. but the episodes definitely reflect the hard times that Britain went through right after the war. We would like the characters to go on eternally, like 'Star Trek' became to Science Fiction fans but in my gut feeling I think we would have been better off if they had ended it with Carol Drinkwater and the Christmas Specials that still complied with Herriot's original book. I still strongly recommend the Reader's Digest 1983 book published in company with St. Martin's press, "The Best of James Herriot: The Favorite Stories of One of the Most Beloved Writers of Our Time" This delves into what you see on screen and says a LOT about gadgets and lifestyles that you see on the Dales. Complete with illustrations and photos. Series 4 recommended for the dedicated among us.

The first three series of All Creatures Great and Small, based on the popular James Herriot books, told the story of how Herriot, (Christopher Timothy) newly qualified, travelled from native Scotland to Yorkshire to join the practice run by Siegfried Farnham (Robert Hardy)

It was the story not only of the humourous, touching dramas involved in running a vetinery practice, but also the story of Herriots romance and subsequent marriage to local girl Helen, played by Carol Drinkwater in the early years. The series concluded with the partners joining the war in 1940.

After two Christmas specials, the series began again after the war, starting with this series four. This time with Lynda Bellingham playing the role of Helen, instilling the character with a mumsy charm, as opposed to the more alluring Drinkwater.

The series was a classic, making much of people love of nostalgia, the cosy fireside chats in evenings, listening to Lamplight on the radio, and following historical events as the story unfolded.

Some thought the series was not quite the same after the war. One issue was the series was not taken from the books of Herriot, but written by new writers, who perhaps did not understand the characters as well as the splendid cast who had grown into their roles. Some continuity errors came up, for example, the age of the Herriots children, the second born just after the war, was somehow aged 12 around the Queens coronation year, in 1952.

Nevertheless, there were still some wonderful moments to enjoy, mostly involving the great interplay between Siegfreid, superbly played by Robert Hardy, and his phillerandering Brother, Tristan (Peter Davison). Some slow paying clients, best illustrated by the crusty Biggings making Herriots life a misery, and some hilarious cases, all mingled around the Yorkshire community and their colourful characters.

This series sees James and Helens struggles to own their first home and the introduction of a new character, Callum Buchannon, a colourful, outgoing Scottish vet, with a fascination for wildlife, among other things, and his subsequent romance with the former girlfreind of Tristan, Diedre.

Perhaps not the best All Creatures and Small series, but still wonderful.

To the person who commented on the great changes in time period and circumstance between Series 3 and 4: Check out 'The Specials' DVD. It contains 2 movie specials that cover the time period between Series 3 & 4 and help to fill in the gaps.

Yes, I wish for the 'old' Helen, but that is not enough to keep my whole family from loving this series as much as the earlier ones. It is true that some of the themes are 're-used' from earlier shows, but our family watches the whole series of series at least once a year so some repetition is OK with us. Think of it like seeing an old friend once again.

When is Series 5 coming out on DVD? I have seen some episodes on cable that were not part of this series, so I assume that there must be more to come.

At the end of Series 3, James & Siegfried had signed up and were off to war. I thought that might be the end of the show, but was happy to see Series 4 and looked forward to finding out how it would handle the war years. It handled them by skipping over them entirely, and the first episode drops the viewer, with no transition, into a post-war Yorkshire in which there's a new Helen and a new housekeeper, everyone is older, James & Helen have a couple kids, Tristan is almost respectable, and you still can't understand a word the locals say. And I was hoping for fewer scenes of James sticking his arm into cattles' orifices, but no such luck. However, after the shock of all the changes sinks in the series is still enjoyable, although getting a bit predictable; and Tricki Woo is still here!

Lynda Bellingham compromised this series. She was wooden and lacked the softness and warmth of Carol Drinkwater. Made me miss the "real" Helen... Other than that, another fine job by Robert Hardy, Chris Timothy, and Peter Davison. Undoubtedly, Creatures is the finest program ever produced, in my opinion.

I absolutely adored the first three, and the specials... but this seems to have lost its way. There's the replacement Helen, and the trouble is that she's been replaced by someone who lacks the heart and the charm of Carol Drinkwater. Linda Bellingham seems more like someone's slightly stern nanny, and everyone in the cast reacts that way to her. And that's what's really wrong... the lightness of touch is gone, the actors seem awkward and uncomfortable with each other (especially when Helen is present), and it's not so much that they're older but that they're, I don't know, going through the motions, I suppose... with the possible exception of the ever-stellar Robert Hardy. You'll want to see these once, if you're a fan, but I don't think that I'll ever want to watch them again. I prefer to think of James off somewhere in the Dales, living happily ever after with the real Helen.