# All Creatures Great and Small (1978)

> A young veterinary surgeon joins a busy Yorkshire country practice and navigates animals, eccentric colleagues, and rural life.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/6892

## Facts

- Seasons: 7
- Episodes: 87
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: drama, comedy
- Created by: Bill Sellars
- Network: BBC One
- Cast: Lynda Bellingham, Robert Hardy, Christopher Timothy, Carol Drinkwater, Mary Hignett, John Taylor, Margaretta Scott, Teddy Turner
- TMDB rating: 8.4/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075472/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: gentle, wistful, cozy, warm, nostalgic

## What critics say

Audiences and critics broadly regard the series as a warm, well-crafted period veterinary drama with gentle humor and affectionate character work.

## Synopsis

All Creatures Great and Small (1978-1990) is a British television period drama created by Bill Sellars for BBC One. Based on James Herriot's memoirs, it follows young animal surgeon James Herriot (Christopher Timothy) as he arrives in a small Yorkshire town to join a country veterinary practice run by the gruff, theatrical Siegfried Farnon (Robert Hardy) and his lively younger brother Tristan Farnon (Peter Davison). Each episode is built from the practice's daily work: calving in the cold, sick farm animals, anxious owners, and the constant pressure of rural life with little money and long hours. Helen Herriot (Lynda Bellingham and Carol Drinkwater across the run) anchors James's personal world. The show spans seven seasons and is largely episodic, with recurring characters and a steady friendship between the men who work together. Its tone is gentle, wistful, and cozy, with plenty of warm humor and affection for the landscape and its people. Fans of Doc Martin, Heartbeat and Last of the Summer Wine will find the same rural British comfort and eccentric community charm.

## Shows like All Creatures Great and Small

- [Once Upon a Small Town (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/110371)
- [Heartbeat (1992)](https://ember.film/tv/2457)
- [All Creatures Great & Small (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/90410)
- [The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1996)](https://ember.film/tv/36169)
- [A Country Practice (1981)](https://ember.film/tv/4113)
- [Last of the Summer Wine (1973)](https://ember.film/tv/4037)
- [Northern Exposure (1990)](https://ember.film/tv/4179)
- [Anne of Green Gables (1985)](https://ember.film/tv/5538)
- [The Vicar of Dibley (1994)](https://ember.film/tv/2630)
- [Call the Midwife (2012)](https://ember.film/tv/36515)

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