PBS Masterpiece All Creatures Great and Small
For the past couple of Sunday evenings, I’ve been making the trip to a cozy and familiar landscape via PBS’s “All Creatures Great and Small.” I was gifted the books of beloved author and Yorkshire veterinarian, James Herriot, when I was in high school. I return every now and then to the warmth, humanity, and humor of these stories. PBS Masterpiece recently released a new adaptation in a weekly series. It does not disappoint and captures the stories in the books perfectly.
Reading these treasures in high school, it was always my dream to visit the hills and dales of Yorkshire to see where it all happened. Through my travels and tours, I’ve been lucky enough to do that. I’ve occasionally taken tour clients along for the wild scenery, historical sites, and homey pubs. The undulating rock walls and herds of sheep are as iconic as the moors dotted with heather.
While in the Yorkshire Dales, one can imagine the manor house here that might have been Mrs. Pumphrey’s who lived with her little companion Pekingese, Tricky Woo, who often goes “Flop Bot” until “Uncle Herriot” can call round to set things right. Seeing an old farm holding there, you can imagine that it could have been the scene of the cow that ate a frozen turnip, causing great distress and suffering. Then there’s the corner pub where Mr. Herriot could have drunk too many pints before eating pickled onions that caused him great distress and embarrassment (as one might imagine!)
Whether you’ve never heard of James Herriot and his stories or if you want to be reacquainted, I think you’ll find the new PBS Masterpiece series delightful. I also highly recommend the books. The titles are based on the hymn written by Cecil Frances Alexander in 1848.
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
the Lord God made them all.
James Herriot had a gift similar to Mark Twain’s, that of explaining an everyday occurrence in a hilarious way. This is great escape literature and series-watching that will make you feel good about the world and people in general. We all need that right now! https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/shows/all-creatures-great-and-small/#