Search - All Creatures Great & Small - The Complete Series 3 Collection on DVD

Real Life Comedy Part 3

John D. Dooley | Southern California United States | 01/21/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The Production: The TV series "All Creatures Great & Small" started in Great Britain on January 1978 with no nonsense photography with the typical grain of that time period. This DVD box set is from the third season, which played in January through June 1979. Some photography scenes were taken direct off Yorkshire farms. There are very little special effects, the only ones I can think of is either drugged or fake animals to act out certain quick scenes. Were some of the animals trained to act like they were sick or dying? Sometimes certain operations were preformed with a human hand, checking the rear of certain animals for pregnancies or intestinal problems. At times when the actors themselves are seen performing inspections on the animals, their hands were either hidden behind the animals or the actors makes facial expressions with the lower parts of their bodies off the screen. In this series, in one scene the main Veterinarian uses his free hand to cover the area where the needle is "Supposedly" going into the neck of the animal. Very down to Earth & as real as possible with great effect.The Actors: Christopher Timothy plays James Herriot, a Scottish newly qualified Veterinarian as co-owner with Veterinarian Surgeon Siegfried Farnon, played by Robert Hardy, in the Yorkshire farming community of Darrowby during the late 1930's right before World War Two. Veterinary student & Siegfried's younger brother Tristan, played by Peter Davison continues to miss things up, but this time with the ladies & cooking. The housekeeper is Mrs. Hall, played by Mary Hignett, who leaves in a few episodes to care for relatives. James wife & part time secretary for the entire business is Helen played by Carol Drinkwater, who takes a second job to cover the bills.Commentary: The third season continues where the second season left off where several of the characters "Know" what the other characters will do or say, & sometimes repeat per word at the same time. This correctly & naturally reveals the growing bond between everyone in the household. Most episodes deal with the upcoming war & how it affects their relationships & the farming community at large. This ends the 1st section of the series with Siegfried & James going off to war leaving Tristan to hold the business, & Helen returns to her father's house. As with the first & second seasons, this box set comes with 4 DVD's: at three to four 50 to 55 minute programs per DVD with an added bonus of a few commentaries by the main actors & a 5 minute short review on the James Herriot museum.There are now two other DVD box sets, the first & second seasons, & a single DVD of 2 specials short in the mid 1980's. "All Creatures Great & Small" did return to British TV in the late 1980's with 4 seasons, but these are only on VHS at this time. A good buy if you're into real life comedy."

The coming of the war..

Mark Antony | United Kingdom | 07/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The third series of this classic series is set against the events leading to WW2, and concludes in the final episode with the partners departing their beloved Darroby to fight for all they hold most dear in the war, following it's outbreak.

James Herriot is very happily married to Helen, and a half partner to Seigfried, with the latters younger Brother Tristan, still struggling to qualify as a vet. Despite the impending disaster of the war, life must go on, and here it does with another joyful collection of episodes including "Charity Begins at Home" with Seigfried determined to teach his partners an example in cost cutting...if only he practised what he preaches! "Hair of the Dog" where James is unable to resist a visit from Granville Bennet, a gregarious local vet with a taste for drink! "Matters of Life and Death" Seigfried and Tristan attend a military function, with dire concequences for Tristan!

The last episode, "Big Steps and Little 'uns" sees both James and Seigfried depart for the war, and contains a great scene by the fireside where James explains to Seigfried why he loves hs life in Darrowby so much, yet has to leave to defend it.

Although intended as the conclusion to this wonderfuil series, All Creatures returned some years later, post war, to continue to stories of the life and times of the partners. It continued to be hugely entertaining, but after this series 3 was no longer based on the books by James Herriot, and new writers were brought in. Subsequently, it never quite recaptured the magic of the early stories. Even though at times, it came close.."