All Creatures Great and Small: Series 6

Welcome back to James Herriot's wonderful world in twelve more heartwarming episodes set in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. Free-spirited Tristan (Peter Davison) returns to Darrowby just in time to advise young Calum on matters of the heart. Despite Siegfried Farnon's efforts to bring his veterinary practice into the modern age of the early '50s, James (Christopher Timothy) stays as busy as ever. There's always another sick cat, ailing rabbit, or thieving dog to make life interesting, along with their endlessly entertaining human companions.

Includes the episodes: Here and There, The Course of True Love, The Call of the Wild, Nelson Touch, Blood and Water, Where Sheep May, Safely Graze, The New World, Mending Fences, Big Fish, Little Fish, In Whom We Trust, The Rough and the Smooth, The Best Time

In 1937, a young, newly qualified surgeon arrives in the picturesque village of Darrowby to take up his first job in the established veterinary practice of Sigfried and Tristan Farnon. But in rural Yorkshire, with few medicines available, the treatment of sick animals still seems to be rooted in the Dark Ages. This, together with the country-folk's inherent suspicion of strangers, poses problems for James Herriot in the early years of his career.

Here and There - James meets Basil Courtney, a cowhand for a local farmer. Basil has worked in a circus, been a teacher, has knowledge of art and a nose for good wine! James is intrigued until he discovers that Basil has not been giving the farmer's calves their treatment and, as a result, they are showing no signs of improvement.

The Course of True Love - The romance between Calum Buchanan and Deidre McEwan flourishes. Siegfried has been hoping that the love affair would quiet down but instead it seems to be going full blast. However, the course of true love never runs smoothly, and it is left to Siegfried to help solve the young couple's problems.

The Call of the Wild - Deidre and Calum are busy planning their wedding. Deidre discusses her future with Helen, who hopes the couple will stay in Darrowby. However, Calum gets offered a job in Nova Scotia. Siegfried, believing he has forced Calum into applying for the job, hopes he can now persuade him to reconsider.

The Nelson Touch - Siegfried visits a farm to treat a sick cat and pulls off a brilliant piece of human diagnosis at the same time. He also gets an unexpected visit from the puritan Mr. Hopps -- who does not have an animal with him.

Blood and Water - James meets a pair of elderly twins. Oliver and Roland Strong, rabbit breeder and prize cabbage-grower respectively, have divided the cottage left to them by their mother and have not spoken to each other for 50 years. Now Oliver is convinced that Roland has poisoned one of his rabbits.

Where Sheep May Safely Graze - When James treats a sick cat, he finds himself in an awkward position with Mrs. Pumphrey and Mrs. Tibbett. These two formidable and mutually ferocious Darrowby matrons compete both in presents for the invalid and in hounding James for information of the patient's progress.

The New World - When Lady Hulton's cat falls ill, Siegfried embarks, with typical zeal, on updating the practice to cater for such refined clients. Lady Hulton, however, catches him out at every turn. James' problems lie with an affable but lazy farmer, Vernon Harker, whose plans to save himself from work even extend to marrying a tower of strength with a grown son to match.

Mending Fences - Jenny Garston and David Rayner, individually charming farmer and horse-breeder, have been sworn enemies since their earliest school days. When a triple birthday is marred by tragedy it falls to Siegfried to negotiate with the stony-faced neighbors.

Big Fish, Little Fish - James is persuaded to play for the "Gentlemen's" team in the annual village cricket match. The village players are to be captained by the young, and already legendary, Freddie Trueman. Siegfried persuades Freddie to bowl flat out at the pompous Colonel Jenkins, captain of the "Gentlemen's" side. He lives to regret this when James is injured fielding and Siegfried is himself forced in to bat against "Fiery Fred".

In Whom We Trust - An old friend of James and Siegfried, an itinerant traveler called Roddy Travers, arrives in Darrowby. He appears to be stealing instruments from the practice but Siegfried and James are relieved to discover that Roddy's recently acquired lurcher dog, Murphy, is the culprit. However, the situation turns serious when an elderly local farmer accuses Murphy of sheep killing.

The Rough and the Smooth - Siegfried insists on singing the praises of his new time- management system, a personal diary, much to the annoyance of James. James is particularly put out by Siegfried's successful demonstration to his bete-noir, the redoubtable Mr. Ripley. However, Siegfried's morning is spoiled when he has to deal with Humphrey, an exuberant Great Dane.

The Best Time - Siegfried is perplexed when the usually-caring Grandma Clarke snubs her neighbor, Franco Pedretti, who is the new shepherd on the estate where she is a tenant farmer. It soon becomes apparent that she blames Franco for the untimely death of her son in Italy during the war and the subsequent death of his wife in childbirth.

James Herriott	---	Christopher Timothy
Tristan Farnon	---	Peter Davison
Siegfried Farnon	---	Robert Hardy
Helen Herriot	---	Lynda Bellingham

Written by James Herriot
Adapted by Brian Finch, Alfred Shaughnessy, Anthony Steven, Roger Davenport, Michael Russell, Christopher Penfold, Johnny Byrne
Produced by Bill Sellars
Directed by Bob Blagden, Jeremy Summers, Tony Virgo
Incidental Music by Johnny Pearson

When you visit Thirsk someday, be sure to amble through the spacious sweep of grass called the Flatts in nearby Sowerby. James Herriot (real-life veterinarian James Alfred Wight,or "Alf") loves this peaceful open space, and often walked with his dogs here.