REVIEW: All Creatures Great And Small, Series 1 Episode 3 'It Takes All Kinds'

 REVIEW: All Creatures Great And Small, Series 1 Episode 3 'It Takes All Kinds'

In honour of Peter Davison's 70th birthday, here is a look-back at my thoughts on episode three of the original All Creatures Great And Small's first series.

When people talk of cosy family dramas, there seems no greater definition of what they mean than the original All Creatures Great And Small. It's the show that provides the very definition of comfort viewing, with its excellent sense of humour combined with a light dramatic approach that makes it an easy watch on a lazy Sunday evening. A great example of this is the third episode of All Creatures' first series, 'It Takes All Kinds', which provides one of the series' most entertaining instalments.

From Tristan (played excellently by Peter Davison) drunkenly watching the wailing dog to Mrs Pumphrey (Margaretta Scott) holding a welcome home party for her loveable pooch Tricki Woo, there are a lot of fun moments here. All Creatures Great And Small is a show that embraces the eccentricities for the clients at the veterinary practice, and there really is no greater example of this than with Mrs Pumphrey. That dog, it's fair to say, is well and truly pampered, and it's frequently amusing to see Mrs Pumphrey talk of her pet almost as though he is human.

You also cannot underestimate the excellent comedic skills of Peter Davison, in his role as Tristan Farnon. Peter Davison brings a great sense of fun to the series that adds considerably to the show's charm; he provides the spark behind All Creatures Great And Small's warm undertones, and truly brings the series to life. His drunk acting is hysterical to watch, and provides some of the episode's most memorable moments.

The battleaxe secretary Miss Harbottle (Madge Ryan) is absolutely hilarious with her no-nonsense attitude, especially when she criticises Siegfried's (Robert Hardy) handwriting. It's genuinely quite a pleasing moment to later see Siegfried get one-up over her stern behaviour, by deliberately nit-picking her own work in regards to the empty cash pot and the accounts. By default it does mean that Siegfried is being a little hypocritical, seeing as he was the man directly responsible for the cash flow problem and who was supposed to be going over the accounts with Harbottle, however it is perfectly in character for Siegfried given what we have already been shown in these early episodes. He has, after all, previously demonstrated his double standards with James and Tristan, in the way that he will occasionally dismiss their suggestions only to then perform the action that they previously suggested in the first place. It is an interesting character flaw for sure, and shows that even someone as experienced as Siegfried isn't without his faults.

In this episode we're also introduced to James's love interest Helen (Carol Drinkwater), and I really love their relationship here. The actors Christopher Timothy and Carol Drinkwater have so much chemistry together, and the beginnings of their romance is quite sweet to watch. The scene where the pair cross a river and mutually agree to call each other by their first names is a lovely moment, and highlights how there is already this attraction brewing between them from their first meeting. It genuinely feels like watching the emergence of a romantic relationship between two like-minded individuals, and I'm interested to see how it develops in later episodes.

Overall, 'It Takes All Kinds' is an enjoyable third entry in All Creatures Great And Small's first series, featuring some excellent comedic moments featuring Peter Davison as Tristan, and yet more delightfully eccentric sequences involving Mrs Pumphrey and Tricki Woo. It also features the beginnings of the romantic spark between James and Helen, in what already promises to be a sweet amorous relationship between the pair. All Creatures is a show that defines what it means to be a cosy teatime drama, and you couldn't go much wrong by sticking an episode of this iconic television series during a cold Sunday night.

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What are your thoughts on All Creatures Great And Small's third episode? Let me know in the comments section.