Last week we left our man Purple Haze in the distinctly dangerous position of being led away at gunpoint by Disreputable Bowler Hat Guy, and I’m sorry to tell you that his circumstances have only gotten worse since. To wit: this episode kicks off with Purple Haze, M. Master Key, and Ginge Nellie Bly stuck in a lifeboat in the middle of a stormy ocean as their ship steadily chugs away from them.

We’ve officially crossed the halfway mark for All Creatures Great And Small Season 2. This is a rare episode where the human drama outweighs the animals with medical issues. Who ruined Tristan’s special day? Here’s what happened.

Having made it through India, our semi-fearless trio find themselves, finally, in Hong Kong, mostly not the worse for wear. Arriving at the bank, Purple Haze sets off to get enough cash to cover their hotel for the night, tickets to their next stop (Japan) and anything else they might need. And while M. Master Key and Ginge Nellie Bly are amused by how happy their buddy is to be back in a bank, where there are, after all, rules, regulations, and paperwork, they’re all in for a rude awakening. See, even though Purple Haze sent a telegram to his bank at home, asking them to forward along the needed funds, the teller claims no such note has come through.

Episode 3 starts off on a very somber note yet manages to end on a very sweet note. Through the ups and downs of the episode, people caring for one another through small annoyances, grief and the good times are what is at the core of why we love this show so much! Here’s what happened:

It’s episode four, and so if you for some reason thought the course of rail travel would suddenly run smooth, I don’t know what show YOU’VE been watching the last 3 weeks. Anyway, the squad is in India, and despite what Ginge Nellie Bly’s published works claim, the railway across that country is still not complete. Purple Haze is very put out.

Episode 2 of Season 2 revolves around the social event of the season: The Daffodil Ball. The event promises a night of dancing and drinking designed to raise money for repairing the church. Of course with dancing comes romantic drama! Here’s what happened before and during the ball:

I’m going to say this up top: given that our trio is heading straight for the Suez Canal, I am not going to be able to restrain myself from repeatedly mentioning that boat getting stuck there last year.

All Creatures Great & Small kicks off the second season with a four-month time jump from Christmas, where we ended season 1, to after Easter. Spring in the Yorkshire Dales means lots of sheep giving birth to lambs. The stakes are life and death for the animals James, Tristan, and Siegfried attend to, but there’s still room to set up the overarching conflicts and plots for the season ahead.

Well, we’re back. Last week, our trio of adventurers made it out of Paris on a hot air balloon. Do they know how to pilot it? No! Do they have snacks for the road? No! Will they be able to land the thing? Time will tell.

Every season, I sit down to watch the latest and greatest in all things drama, and this month we have been blessed wtih two super exciting shows, starting wtih MASTERPIECE’s newest offering: Around The World in 80 Days. Adventure! Travel! Hijinks! What more could you want? Miss an episode? Check in each week for a recap following the show on Sunday evenings.