All Creatures Great and Small Season 6, Episode 3, “Captain Farnon?” Spoilers Ahead

With “Captain Farnon?” All Creatures Great and Small edges perilously close to transforming Siegfried Farnon into a veritable antagonist. One strength of the show has been that even deeply flawed characters generally remain lovable or at least somewhat scrutable. In All Creatures Season 6, Episode 3, “Captain Farnon?” the volatile vet is aggravating. Even with the brief peek at his suffering in “Old Dog, New Tricks,” Siegfried’s obstinate obliviousness feels disturbingly hopeless at times.

For All Creatures fans not used to wanting to hurl things at the screen, “Captain Farnon?” can be a jolt. Thankfully, as other characters adapt and scheme to contain the prickly senior partner, the episode has more than enough delightful elements to smooth out the viewing experience.

Highbred or Hybrid in “Captain Farnon?”

The episode begins on a somber note as Darrowby residents file out of church. Audrey Hall and Siegfried reveal that they’ve just attended a memorial service for lives lost in the war. Siegfried’s foray into cluelessness begins when he suggests a happy explanation for why Tristan Farnon did not sit with them at the service. Siegfried discovers Tristan puffy-eyed and alone, staring at the stream behind the church, but jokes and rushes Tristan along. As the brothers and Mrs. Hall leave the church grounds, Siegfried highlights his “difficult years” rather than lingering on the “chaps in uniform” and their “rough go of it.” Eager to deflect attention, Tristan mentions that Maggie at the Drovers has no news from her Arthur.

Meanwhile, at Heston Grange, James Herriot is still stretched. He oversleeps a breakfast date; instead of a relaxing conversation with Helen, James gets run over by his son’s toy car. Later, with no access to a real car, James bicycles back from Skeldale House just in time to miss Helen for lunch. The disconnects as James and Helen try to mix veterinarian life and farmer life are mild compared to other class frictions in “Captain Farnon?”

The plan for a Tricki Woo dynasty launched in Season 6, Episode 2, takes over James’ work life in Episode 3. Having forced the case on James, Siegfried petulantly refuses to let the junior partner use the Rover. Instead, James sets out for another hilly bike ride. On arrival, he discovers that Mrs. Pumphrey’s “urgent” demand is for a sex ed refresher seminar for Tricki. The following day, James and Mrs. Pumphrey watch as a jalopy pulls up to her cottage. The driver, Mr. Bolton, is as unrefined as his car, clashing with Mrs. P’s elegance. More shockingly, Bolton retrieves a toy poodle with whom he intends to breed our beloved Pekinese as a canine hybrid experiment.

Siegfried’s behavior in “Captain Farnon?” causes everyone to question whether he, too, has designs on merging with a noble lineage. A precious invitation to Orley Castle sets his eyes twinkling, while the arrival of the “utterly horse mad” Beauvoir family brings out his pompousness. Despite Tristan’s promotion, Siegfried presumes the specific request for ‘Captain Farnon’ refers to himself. His highbrow references and unctuous manner with Charlotte Beauvoir recall every social-climbing Regency suitor. Worse yet, Siegfried sneers at growing the small animal practice and abandons James to chaos in the waiting room. He ignores Tristan’s feelings, actively undermines his professional advice (as with James in “Gathering the Flock“), and pulls rank as “senior partner.” And worst of all, Siegfried keeps Audrey in the dark about his intentions.

Tristan has no pretensions toward the highbred horse owner in All Creatures Season 6, Episode 3, “Captain Farnon?” He seems to accept his place in English society, though not his physical return to England. At Skeldale House, Mrs. Hall and James are sensitive to the ways coming “home” might be affecting Tris, but he puts on a brave face. At the Drovers, Maggie gets closer to the truth, provoking Tristan’s angry hammering on a keg tap. Surprisingly, it is at the high-society estate where low-brow Tristan finds space to open up. When Miss Beauvoir shares her own tales of returning from the Sicilian front, she initially strikes a nerve. The next day, with a slight twinkle in his eye, Tristan learns Charlotte’s views on the class system. He then vaguely acknowledges his post-war adjustment challenges, and the debutante boldly invites him to the castle soirée as her date. Tristan’s smile is pure joy.

All Creatures Great and Small Mixes Pain and Pleasure in “Captain Farnon?”

I am a fan of long story arcs and nuanced character development. So, I admire the commitment of the All Creatures team to crafting a continuous, emotionally authentic narrative over five seasons. But in “Captain Farnon?” there’s something about Siegfried I don’t enjoy watching. He’s lost, he’s in pain, and he believes he can rely only on himself. I get it! However, at this particular moment in history, seeing a grown man — who has shown he knows better — behave so imperiously, selfishly, and sometimes, dishonestly is trying.

For those who can take Siegfried’s foolishness in stride, this is an enjoyable episode that packs in all the well-loved elements. “Captain Farnon?” also introduces promising new storylines with the introduction of Charlotte Beauvoir and her posh family. And the creative team again pulls us back from the brink of abandoning faith in humankind generally or Siegfried specifically.

Writer Robin French, who helped us say farewell to Richard Carmody in “Pair Bond,” once again delivers robust character-driven stories. Recurring characters gain more nuance. Mrs. Pumphrey’s petty habit of misremembering names when she dislikes someone reappears, comically highlighting her disdain for Mr. “Burnley.” But we see a deeper repulsion when Tricki reverts to his animal instincts, brutally shaking her obsessive humanization of the dog. French subtly stresses Maggie’s central position in the Darrowby community as she shares with Tristan intelligence gleaned from bar chatter.

French crafts scenarios and dialogue that cleverly show tacit understandings and evident misunderstandings among the Skeldale family. Despite Siegfried’s orders, James and Mrs. Hall align with Tristan in the “fraternal madness” surrounding Charlotte and her horse. James’ hasty deduction and town gossip lead everyone to assign scheming suitor motives to Siegfried. Yet, his bizarre air cello and “trilling like a lark” show sincere anticipation of an evening with the Stratton Quartet.

The scenes treating Tristan’s mindset show sensitivity to the topic and the established character dynamics. Mrs. Hall is bothered but forthcoming when she discovers Tristan’s hidden medal. She knows what secrets to keep and what truths to share. Siegfried finally comes around to Mrs. Hall’s view that something is wrong when Tristan minimizes the honor. The two-part conversation with Charlotte confirms a more guarded Tristan. It also provides a believable scenario for sharing private thoughts with a stranger. French also deftly incorporates social issues, including delightful Jane Austen references.

In All Creatures Season 6, Episode 3, “Captain Farnon?” it is director Stewart Svaasand’s wider shots that create a pleasing viewing experience and enhance the narrative. We see Tristan’s isolation in the view of the church and babbling brook. The wide angle as the Farnons arrive on opposite sides of the Beauvoir driveway sets up the sibling rivalry. Stunning views of the Dales and sloping stone walls reveal James’ uphill struggle and explain his physical exhaustion. A soothing flyover accompanied by Alexandra Harwood’s cheerful melody allows us to exhale as James finally enjoys a drive in the Rover. The mix of full body and tighter framing as Tris and Charlotte dance in the stables perfectly shows their playfulness.

There are a few tighter frames that also provide important elements. As Audrey and Siegfried share their concern about Tristan, the pair sit side-by-side in their living room. This intimacy, like the linking of arms in “Gathering the Flock” or the promise to be back for game night in “Old Dog, New Tricks,” implies they are again joined as a team. However, shots of Mrs. Hall darning alone in the kitchen and knitting alone by the fire create a different impression. Mrs. Hall extracts an apology. We’ll see if it brings true repentance.

The episode ends with an apparent truce between the Captain Farnons. Siegfried’s upset at being the other Farnon seems to have faded, and Tristan seems to have cause for being happy to be home. The hero’s cross and Siegfried’s reaction to it bring a shift. Most importantly, seeing the elder brother tap his capacity for empathy allows viewers like me to give him another week’s grace.

All Creatures Great and Small 6×03, “Captain Farnon?” revives the eternal Farnon feud and renews hope that they’ll one day bury the hatchet for good.

Now streaming on PBS: What are your thoughts on All Creatures Great and Small Season 6, Episode 3, “Captain Farnon?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Masterpiece PBS