All Creatures Great and Small Season 6, Episode 1, “Gathering the Flock” Spoilers Ahead
The All Creatures Great and Small Season 6 premiere brings an unexpected mix of hope and frustration. I’ve never been a fan of time jumps in serial shows. Still, the almost four-year fast forward since “All God’s Creatures” is a welcome alternative to several more seasons set against the backdrop of World War II. As victory in Europe approaches in Darrowby, the phrase plus ça change is both a lament and a comfort. Members of our favorite found family make their way back to Skeldale House and quickly contend with disordered dynamics and familiar individual faults.
All Creatures Season 6, Episode 1 is an enjoyable season debut. Yes, it might feel like a rupture in a major arc developing over the last several seasons. However, “Gathering the Flock” remains faithful to the show’s tradition of emotionally honest storytelling.
Blasts to the Past in All Creatures Great and Small
The Season 6 premiere welcomes us back to the heart of the Dales from the first frames. An aerial view of two dogs herding sheep cuts to the trademark shot of James Herriot smiling as he drives among the rolling hills. If not for the “May 1945” caption, fans might be lulled into thinking “Gathering the Flock” is a classic springtime opening episode. The first confirmation we’ve leapt forward — at least in chronological time — is when Jimmy comes bounding out to greet James. The chirpy young boy, a babe in arms last time we saw him, reports that his mother, Helen Herriot, is preparing breakfast with Rosie.
This greeting casually reveals that, in the intervening years, the Herriots have had a second child and moved to Heston Grange. Despite now being a father of two and a partner in the vet practice, James seems caught in a past phase of life. Old-fashioned Richard Alderson refuses to have flirty banter or a devilish telephone under his roof. This latter quirk keeps James stretched between town and country when he’s on call, which is often. His years of professional experience afford him little authority against an increasingly erratic Siegfried Farnon.
Our first look at Siegfried in “Gathering the Flock” is a zany shock. While birthing a lamb, Herriot and his son are luckily on scene to help a wounded shepherd dog in need of urgent treatment at the Darrowby surgery. On arrival at Skeldale House, we find a veritable rats’ nest. The senior vet has resumed his roving bachelor ways, and he is far from distinguished. Visibly hungover, Siegfried stealthily ushers a lady friend out through a window while ordering little Jimmy to keep the secret. As the episode develops, Siegfried’s regression to the worst version of himself is flagrant. He carelessly undermines James with Farmer Tredwell, shrilly rejects offers of care or supportive conversation, and generally displays the obliviousness and brittle emotionality of a new widower. This Siegfried of seasons past is a maddening reminder of how close he was to becoming a real boy by the end of Season 5.
Tristan Farnon returns during the madcap scene of Siegfried’s attempt to cover up his bender. The younger brother’s arrival from a long tour on the frontlines is a very different reunion from the one we saw in “Homecoming.” Tristan has brought home a captain’s title, a giant service medal, and his juvenile carefree attitude. Viewers suspect there’s much more baggage as he chats with Maggie at The Drovers. A long run leads Tristan to reflect on the dark past (and his possible future) at the memorial for local men lost in the Great War. Happily, his inner journey puts Tris in the right place to rescue a second wounded shepherd dog. He also presses James to take the one step that could save Siegfried.
Audrey Hall is the one character who seems to have moved forward in the early minutes of “Gathering the Flock.” She appears happily settled in Sunderland, enjoying a healed relationship with her son. After the emotional strain of the Season 5 finale, seeing Edward contentedly holding Audrey’s new granddaughter is a wonderful treat. Still, Audrey expresses some unease about feeling underfoot in their rented rooms. The Darrowby boys step into this opening with unexaggerated tales of Siegfried’s deterioration. They beckon Mrs. Hall back to Skeldale “just for a few days.” She arrives to sweet and nasty reminders of her past life. Her impeccable house is in disarray, her plentiful cupboard is dusty and empty (other than a mustachioed rat), and her companionable former housemate is clumsy, then vicious. Mrs. Hall cuts short her “visit.” She lays down her apron and purchases a one-way ticket away from the chaos and back to her future.
All Creatures Great and Small’s “Gathering the Flock” Scrambles the Script
All Creatures Season 6, Episode 1 feels like catching up with an old friend who hasn’t taken the path you hoped they would. It takes a beat to accept that, even in the idyllic Dales, war disrupts lives and relationships and (reasonably?) expected storylines. What emerges from the time jump reset is neither a fresh start nor a narrative break. Instead, the creators have crafted space for deeper insights into characters viewers thought we already knew very well. Will they find new ways to get their boulders up the hill?
The series’ veteran writer Ben Vanstone serves a bittersweet blend of familiar and new in “Gathering the Flock.” He, of course, weaves together animal-human storylines to provide dual perspectives on relationships and personal growth. Tredwell’s failure to appreciate Fly as a partner and Dash’s despair at leaving a friend (again) are only two of the poignant dynamics the doggos illustrate.
Other old elements are equally powerful but frankly less delightful. As in Season 5, Episode 2, “Holding the Baby,” Siegfried spitefully wields the word “housekeeper” to describe Mrs. Hall. Gasping and cursing are the only appropriate responses. Going back even further, we had almost forgotten about Gerald. But there he is in rat form! More subtly, Vanstone recalls the painful almost-separation between Audrey and Mr. Farnon in “The Home Front.” Siegfried again tells Audrey he understands her life may take her elsewhere. In contrast, we see signs of growth this time, when he confesses that they’d like her to stay.
Vanstone’s dialogue is first-rate. He sprinkles in pithy lines that the cast delivers to perfection to convey information powerfully while keeping it punchy. James adds “yet again” to his explanation about the housekeeping; we know instantly that Siegfried has chased away many would-be replacements for Mrs. Hall. Mr. Farnon lets out that he skipped Edward’s wedding because he was “incredibly busy,” a flimsy excuse. Audrey tacks on the words “one way” to her train ticket order, and we fully understand she is done with the nonsense. Laugh-out-loud lines, such as James and Tris mocking gallant Siegfried’s “tiny little horse,” keep the mood light.
Another series veteran, Brian Percival, takes the director’s chair for “Gathering the Flock.” He spoils viewers with the aerial views we crave. As the men search for the lost flock, we see gorgeous panoramas behind them. A mix of drone and fixed camera angles during Tristan’s ascent to the memorial reveals the beauty of the Dales and Tristan’s isolation.
Percival also provides viewers with clear insights into the characters’ thoughts and emotions. He lingers on faces individually to highlight an unspoken doubt or disconnect, as with the awkward first meeting for Siegfried and Audrey. We’re shown expressions of concern or “I told you so” as in the emergency consult after Lad is attacked. The slight movement as Audrey ruminates on being reduced to the status of a former employee suggests her mind is reeling.
Two unexpected scenes add freshness. As little Jimmy rides his tricycle through the hallway of Skeldale House, it’s impossible not to think of The Shining. Alexandra Harwood’s notes of playful suspense (and it being ACGAS) tell us to expect something startling but not sinister. In a rare action scene, Siegfried runs across the train tracks as steam billows, showing the urgency of his errand. His bravery is rewarded (as are viewers) with a long-awaited tight hug from Mrs. Hall to celebrate the end of the war … and to all appearances, nothing more.
Samuel West’s performance is annoyingly excellent. He portrays Siegfried’s brashness and bile so convincingly that it’s painfully difficult to watch the vet we’ve been learning to love make terrible choices once again. Siegfried’s petulant bleat, “Why does everything have to change?” perhaps strikes a chord with many viewers.
All Creatures Season 6, Episode 1 closes on the Skeldale flock gathered to look skyward in celebration. Thankfully, peace appears to be restored between Mrs. Hall and Mr. Farnon. A timely observation from Tristan reminds us, however, that “We have to fight for [what we have]. Not just be grateful.”
The All Creatures Great and Small Season 6 premiere shows us that progress isn’t always linear, people sometimes fall apart, and adapting is often a struggle. It also promises us that if we’re fortunate, forgiveness and friendship are sustaining graces.
Now streaming on PBS: What are your thoughts on All Creatures Great and Small Season 6, Episode 1, “Gathering the Flock?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Playground Entertainment and MASTERPIECE / Photographer: Helen Williams