Carpe Diem – As this episode of All Creatures Great And Small begins, Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) frantically searches for something while Audrey Hall (Anna Madeley) tries to help. Siegfried barges into surgery to ask James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) who has to apologize to Mrs. Stokes when the animals flee. After a brief pursuit, James returns the animals to Mrs. Stokes (Susan Hilton) and gives her instructions for caring for them. Siegfried learns why the goats are there. In private, Siegfried asks James what he was thinking. James reminds him he said they should ask owners to bring animals in when they can. Helen (Rachel Shenton) tells them that Mr. Cargill called because he is chasing payment for his invoice.

Helen asks James and Siegfried to calm down when Miss Harbottle (Neve McIntosh) arrives. Siegfried tells the others that he met Miss Harbottle at the Farmers’ Union dance last week. Once she sits down, Harbottle suggests Siegfried needs someone to take over the administrative burden. Siegfried seems to like the idea so he agrees to show Harbottle around. As he gives her a tour of the clinic, he finds the suture he has been looking for all morning. Harbottle is introduced to Vonolel. Siegfried reveals that rats are just as intelligent as dogs. She is surprised that they just stuff the cash in a jar and keep it there. Harbottle tells him that a few changes will need to be implemented before Audrey interrupts to say a cow has a torn udder. Harbottle thinks she can get the place in shipshape while Siegfried tends to the cow.

In private, Siegfried argues with James about hiring Miss Harbottle. James argues that she isn’t a vet, but Siegfried thinks she’ll allow them to be vets. Siegfried visits Mr. Dakin (James Bolam) to check on the cow. Siegfried checks on Blossom as Dakin explains another cow trod on her. Dakin is reminded this is the third time Siegfried had to stitch her up. Siegfried worries it will keep happening. He admits it may cost more to keep her going than she brings in. If there is no other option, Mr. Dakin will get Jack at Mallock’s to come and pick her up. Siegfried says he will sew her up again to make sure she isn’t in pain without charging. Miss Harbottle realizes she is going to struggle reading the others’ handwriting. Audrey says trying to understand Siegfried is a bit like code breaking.

Gerald Hammond (Will Thorp) comes over with gifts for Audrey. He is introduced to Miss Harbottle. Later, Gerald asks Audrey if she still wants to go to the pictures on Friday. She says yes before they begin talking about Harbottle. James catches up with Helen at the pub. When she asks about Miss Harbottle, James says she has been at it all day and has barely made a dent. They discuss the possibility of having kids although they said they’d wait. Helen isn’t sure what they’re waiting for. Maggie (Mollie Winnard) asks about Tristan. She believes they’ll all be home soon. At Skeldale House, Miss Harbottle tells Siegfried that she’ll drop the invoices in the post on her way home. She gives him paperwork to look at before leaving. At the pub, Joe Coney enters to play ferret roulette with the other guests.

James asks him if he trained the ferret to do that. Joe has had ferrets his entire life and they’re friendly if you treat them right. The ferret’s name is Wilf. When James notices something wrong with the ferret, he tells Joe to bring him over to the surgery so they can look at him. In the morning, Siegfried finds Miss Harbottle working in the studio because she believes it sends the right message to the clients. She wants to create an invoice for Mr. Dakin or money. When he goes to the cash vase, he learns that Miss Harbottle has a cash box for them now. Siegfried admits he sometimes dips into the jug when he is a bit short. She asks what good it’ll do if he doesn’t respect her methods. There is something else she wants to discuss too.

Miss Harbottle explains that every canceled or rearranged appointment costs them money. She goes on to say his clients are late paying their bills if they pay them at all. She recommends asking the client for a small bee when an animal is booked. If Siegfried wants an efficient system, he’ll have to be prepared to accept change. She thinks the rat should be somewhere else because she doesn’t want to upset it. Siegfried insists it likes company. He relents although he doesn’t move it far from her desk. Moments later, Siegfried asks James to lend him a few bob. After James gives him money, Siegfried says Miss Harbottle might take some getting used to but she could be exactly what they need.

Joe (Paul Bazely) brings Wilf to Skeldale House and books an appointment with Miss Harbottle. She tells him he’ll need a deposit. James interrupts and learns about the new deposit rules. Siegfried returns to Dakin who thinks lugging buckets of milk around is too much work for someone his age. Dakin says goodbye to Blossom. He tells Siegfried he remembers the night she was born. She still gives four gallons of milk a day. Siegfried tells Jack to stop. He mentions that Dakin said suckling calves is too much work, but Blossom has plenty of milk. He recommends putting Blossom by herself so she’ll live like royalty. Dakin agrees to keep Blossom. He says Siegfried saw there was a problem so he came up with an answer. It just wasn’t the right one.

At Skeldale House, Siegfried learns that Audrey had a polite disagreement with Miss Harbottle about the rat. Siegfried finds out where he is and takes him back. Gerald and Audrey go to the pictures. Audrey admits she didn’t know what to say when Miss Harbottle mistook him for her husband. Gerald wants to make the most of her day off. The next day, Audrey speaks to Siegfried about the young farmers. He asks for her advice. Siegfried knows he doesn’t readily admit to mistakes. Miss Harbottle believes she is right about everything so he isn’t convinced she’ll accept there is a problem. Audrey tells him to be kind and honest. Siegfried confronts Harbottle and attempts to speak to her. Moments later, he returns to Audrey and admits it is like some kind of sorcery.

Audrey realizes Harbottle doesn’t know she is being let go. Siegfried tells Helen and James when they enter the room. He comes up with a plan to help Wilf. James goes to Joe and apologizes because he should’ve never been treated that way. Joe is asked to bring Wilf by the surgery just after six. Later, Miss Harbottle asks Helen if she has seen Siegfried. She was hoping to see him before she went. She leaves behind letters and goes. Once they see her leave, James and the others prepare to go to Skeldale House but the ferret runs free. Joe catches Wilf before they take it to Skeldale House. Joe passes out as he listens to Siegfried talk about the operation. James notices that the lump is not an abscess or a cyst. Siegfried doesn’t like the look of it so he wants to make sure they get it all out.

Siegfried tells Joe it is good he brought him in when he did because they could’ve seen some metastases soon. Harbottle returns and learns about the operation. She complains that Siegfried has undermined her authority. Siegfried admits he should’ve never surrendered that authority. He goes on to say they’re vets so they put animals before profits. Siegfried isn’t sure this is a place for her. Harbottle resigns so he can’t sack her. Everyone meets Joe and Maggie at the pub. Dash comes in so James forgot him. James has been thinking about what Helen said. He is starting to think they should. They agree they want to start a family.

 

All Creatures Great And Small Review

This was a fun episode of All Creatures Great and Small as Siegfried met his equal in Miss Harbottle. He also dealt with a cow and recommended putting it out to pasture only to change his mind later. As for James and Helen, they’ve decided to start a family. Audrey may have ideas for her future with Gerald as well. Overall, this was a good episode although this series seems to be lacking emotion.

It is clearly building up to that with the storylines being spread across multiple episodes. All Creatures Great and Small remains an enjoyable, easy watch that hits the right buttons, but there is still room for the series to pull some emotional strings before the series ends. We’ll have to wait and see what happens before the series ends. This episode scores a 7 out of 10. Recaps of All Creatures Great and Small are available on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support our independent site at this link.

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