Every season, GBH Drama prepares to bring you coverage of the latest and greatest in British dramas. This month, we get the long awaited third season of MASTERPIECE’s remake of the classic series All Creatures Great and Small. Featuring eccentric characters, adorable animals, and the vast, rolling hills of Yorkshire, this series does not disappoint. GBH Drama contributor Amanda-Rae Prescott is here to recap the magic as it happens.
The Season 3 finale of All Creatures Great And Small offers some belated Christmas cheer. The war everyone feared is finally here, but the residents of Skeldale House still try to have a good time. There’s a new houseguest, plus an update on James and Tristan volunteering for military service. Let’s discuss what happens during Christmas 1939.
Not In Kansas Anymore
Remember during the last episode James and Helen saw a bus of evacuees arriving in Darrowby? It’s finally Skeldale’s turn to pitch in and provide shelter. Eva Feldman is a Jewish girl from London. For those who think her character is unusual for the era: James Herriot mentions a Jewish resident of the Dales before WWII. In addition, Jews had lived in the British Isles for centuries before Hitler seized power in Germany in 1933.
Mrs. Hall is well used to providing animal owners and guests comfort, but Eva’s arrival in the middle of the holiday festivities presents a challenge. Mrs. Hall and the others work on incorporating Hanukkah into the rest of the traditional Christmas festivities. Eva is also excited to experience her first Christmas. James jokes that receiving gifts for 8 days in a row is way better than Christmas.
One of Eva’s favorite stories is the Wizard of Oz and the themes are interwoven throughout this episode to symbolize her homesickness. She compares everyone to the characters in the book. Eva visits Mrs. Pumphrey and we see a stray female cat and her kitten that's turned up at Mrs. Pumphrey's house. Eva names the kitten Toto. Siegfried uses this story to connect to Eva despite her wishes that the red sparkle pumps have enough magic to send her back to her family.
An Unwanted Quid Pro Quo
Major Sebright-Saunders calls Siegfried back to the manor. River injured his leg but he’s expected to race on Boxing Day. Siegfried is not sure if this is a great idea but the Major tells him that Tristan’s name could be called up for service and curing River for the race can make Tristan get skipped over.
Siegfried brings River to the Skeldale stable and tells Tristan to keep applying ice to his leg. After seeing the injury Tristan questions Siegfried’s treatment course. Tristan realizes Siegfried’s prioritizing being the overprotective big brother over what’s best for the horse. He reports to the racecourse vet that River is unfit to race. Siegfried is mad as hell that Tristan intervened. Tristan fires back, saying Siegried was always jealous of him as the unexpected younger brother. Tristan gets the official recruitment letter and he tells Siegfried he intends to sign up because he needs to become his own man. We’re scared for him, but go Tristan go!!
The “Not Really A Party” Holiday Party
The annual Skeldale House holiday festivities are once again an opportunity for Darrowby’s cheapskate farmers to drink on Siegfried’s dime. There’s always a conflict between characters and some relationship drama, and the 1939 party is no different in that regard. Before the gathering, Mrs. Hall has to get creative and cook around the new rationing rules. While shopping, she runs into Gerald. He tells her he’s leaving Darrowby for a new job in Hull. She invites him over for drinks and says it’s just some friends gathering for some sherry.
At the party, Maggie ends up bringing a bunch of people from the Drovers. Mr Dinsdale and some of the other farmers show up as well. This year, it’s Richard Alderson underneath the Father Christmas costume and he’s not exactly warm and friendly. Eva gets an orange and she considers the holiday a bit weird.
This year’s party is especially stressful for the ‘shippers. The only remotely happy couple is Helen and James, because they’re already canon. And speaking of Helen’s looks…
Maggie thanks Tristan for being a good friend. Sorry, Tristan/Maggie shippers, there’s no rebound rekindling. Mrs. Hall tells Jenny to stall Gerald from leaving as long as she can because she wants to have a private word with him. At the same time, Siegfried admits to Mrs. Hall he’s not doing OK because of the possibility of Tristan finally spreading his wings. Mrs. Hall leaves Siegfried just as Gerald is about to leave. He ends up coming back because there was a mix-up on the coat rack. Mrs. Hall meets Gerald to say goodbye and good luck on the new job and she ends up kissing him! Siggy sees them which makes things even more confusing. Is it just a kiss goodbye or an expression of feelings yet unsaid?!?!?!
Vale Tristan
Tristan uses the annual Christmas speech to be the opposite of his unserious self. The finality of Tristan’s decision to join the military has guided the brothers’ behavior. He sincerely thanks Siegfried for being a good big brother/father. Siegfried’s mood has changed and he genuinely tells him not to do anything stupid. Tristan also tells Mrs. Hall to take care of Siegfried. We all know she’s definitely going to do that! The Farnon brothers finally hug and Siegfried makes sure to say he’s proud of his little brother. Aww!! Eva also reassures Siegfried that it’s ok for him to be sad that Tristan is leaving. Although Tristan did some major leveling up this season, he pulls two last tricks before he leaves: he stuck Siegfried with the massive bar tab at the Drovers and he didn’t pay for his train ticket!
Although this year’s Christmas-themed episode of All Creatures Great And Small leaves the audience with some warm fuzzy feelings, there are a lot of questions left unanswered. Will James get his enlistment letter? Is this really the end of Mrs. Hall’s and Gerald’s friendship? And where does that leave Siegfried? Will Eva see her family again? What other changes are coming for the farmers and pet owners of the Dales? We’ll have to wait until January 2024 to find out the answers to those questions!
