Every season, the Drama After Dark team gathers ‘round the (currently virtual) conference room table to watch the latest and greatest in British dramas. This month we’re covering MASTERPIECE’s remake of the classic series All Creatures Great and Small. The series does not disappoint, with eccentric characters, adorable animals, and the vast, rolling hills of Yorkshire. I’m stepping in to recap the season as it happens, while Jackie Bruleigh will be your guide in recapping Miss Scarlet and the Duke (and don't miss us both covering the latter on this season of Drama After Dark!).
Another beautiful day has dawned in Yorkshire and (gasp) Leslie/Tristan appears to have fallen asleep on the parlor couch in a ~compromising position~: fully dressed, and cuddled up with Sly Girl. How untoward! L/T wakes up only when the phone begins to ring — which, of course, also rouses the rest of the house. So begins a game of cat and mouse, with Lesley/Tristan trying to distract Horrible Boss and Mrs. Ma’am as Sly Girl tries to slip away undetected. His primary tactic? Asking for money, since he’ll be returning to college to re-try his exams next week.
But no clever game of hide-and-seek (or pathetic plea for pocket change) will fool a housekeeper like Mrs. Ma’am. And while HB might not realize his gear closet is being infiltrated by a sneaky barkeep, it takes Mrs. Ma’am less than a minute to cotton on and become part of Extraction Team Alpha. They get Sly Girl out, but not before Sweet Baby James manages to get his own smirk in at L/T and Sly Girl.
With friends like these, eh?
Out in the field, SBJ head’s to Diana Rigg’s house; it seems that his royal fuzziness, Tricki Woo, has a horrible wheeze. While we have a split second of fearing the Spanish Flu (!!) it seems, instead, that his diet hasn’t been going quite to plan — or in fact, happening at all. Tricki has gained enough weight that it’s taxing his respiration, and Sweet Baby James is going to have to take stronger precautions.
At the practice, Horrible Boss is examining a creature rather less docile than the vets usually see: a large German Shepherd named Clancy who can’t be approached without barking and growling — except by his owner, Mr. Mulligan, a farmer who lost his hearing in the war. Unable to give the dog a physical, HB recommends a tonic for his tummy, and send’s the team on their way.
It’s then that James arrives home with Tricki and his entourage. And while Horrible Boss is a bit put out by all the little beast’s accoutrements, he’s not so upset that he’s not willing to keep a basket of meat pies and tinned delicacies “for Tricki.” I’m like, so sure. For Leslie/Tristan is more like, because your boy tucks in as soon as he sees that there’s treats to be had, leading a conversation about Tricki’s spoilage to become a veiled criticism of L/T, and then a down right row on Leslie/Tristan’s inability to be an adult.
The next morning, James is called away to see Helen about her bull, Clive — who’s not, ahem, performing up to expectations, it seems — leaving Leslie/Tristan in charge of Tricki for the day. I dunno about you, SBJ, and everyone in this household, but I know a bad idea when I see it.
Out in the field, Sweet Baby James meets with Helen and Mr. Dobson, a local farmer who’s looking to get his cows with calf. Naturally, Mr. Dobson is a bit wary of James; it seems that his work with Andante last week is still on many people’s minds. That said, Dobson is a bit of a grump, threatening to not pay Helen for the loan of Clive if the bull doesn’t serve his… purpose.
As SBJ examines Clive, he chats with Helen, quickly finding out that Hugh isn’t just her boyfriend, but also her landlord, and one of her close friends from childhood. Oof. You’re going up against a lot there, James…
Back at the practice, Leslie/Tristan is feasting on Beef Wellington, lazily tossing balls around for Tricki to amble after. This respite doesn’t last long, however, as Horrible Boss returns to the clinic with Clancy and Mr. Mulligan. We all feel much more relieved for Tricki as HB plucks him from L/T’s grasp; but much more concerned for L/T as he’s sent in to examine the barking, foaming Shepherd.
With Clancy’s tummy still not put to right, Leslie/Tristan sends Clancy and Mulligan home with a bag of dry biscuits to try out. A little needling from Horrible Boss makes it obvious that L/T didn’t actually do a full examination of Clancy; but two can play that game, and some taunting from L/T suggests that HB has never done a full examination of the dog, either.
Why do I suspect this will come back around, and its bite will be worse than Clancy’s bark?
Elsewhere, Sweet Baby James gives Helen a ride home from Dobson’s farm, only to encounter Neville along the way — with a flat. James, hoping to prove himself more manly then Neville, offers to change it. Unfortunately for him, this also gives Neville the opportunity to be be adorable and flirt with Helen. Gross.
On a walk with Tricki, L/T has made it… approximately 10 feet from the door. Despite bribes and cajoling, Leslie/Tristan winds up carrying the little mutt to the pub, to bend Maggie’s ear as he complains about Horrible Boss. And while Maggie has little to offer in the way of help (or sympathy, for that matter), L/T does find a solution to one of his problems: getting Tricki to walk.
Horrible Boss is happily singing along to Gilbert and Sullivan and digging into the hamper of Tricki’s treats when Mrs. Ma’am arrives back to the practice. Rather than inform any of us what she’s been up to (sus!) she scolds HB for spoiling his appetite for that night’s roast beef.
Later, as said roast beef is being prepared, Mrs. Ma’am and Horrible Boss argue about HB’s treatment of Leslie/Tristan. But that’s not all that’s up for discussion, as HB points out that she’s been keeping herself peculiarly busy that day; is there, perhaps, something on Mrs. Ma’am’s mind? Supposedly not, but she chases HB out of the kitchen all the same. A mystery for later, then.
L/T and Tricki return just in time to tuck in to dinner — roast beef for L/T and Tricki to his treat basket, which was suspiciously moved to the floor at some point during the day.
The next morning, Leslie/Tristan is roused from bed by a phone call from a minorly depressed Diana Rigg — she simply hasn’t been able to sleep a wink without her darling Tricki. After that it’s non-stop calls, including one letting the vets know that Clive-the-Bull is ~back in action~. Good news for the Dobsons, and good news for Sweet Baby James, who’s off like a flash to tell Helen the good news.
Meanwhile, at the practice, we see the source of Mrs. Ma’am’s distress; a package she had sent to her son was returned to sender. When Horrible Boss comes across her mid-cry, he offers to take her to Scarborough to find her son, Edward… but no. She says she’s chased her son long enough.
Leslie/Tristan comes in then, back from another walk with Tricki. Eager to see his progress, he goes into the practice to weigh the little dog, closely followed by HB. Unfortunately for our boy, it seems that Tricki has actually gained wait. As L/T and HB quarrel about Leslie/Tristan’s inability to be responsible and follow directions, Tricki is set on the floor — and happily ambles off in the direction of the food hamper, still on the floor in the study.
After both men storm off in a rage, Mrs. Ma’am is left to answer the door for a distraught Diana Rigg, who just couldn’t possibly stay away any longer. As Mrs. Ma’am heads to the kitchen to make her tea, she spies a trail of wrappers from the food hamper in the study, and with a *tsk* closes the basket and moves it to the pantry.
When HB and L/T finally find their way back to the practice, it’s to find a super stressed Mrs. Ma’am, who can’t seem to find the little mutt anywhere. The vet staff tear the house apart, until Sweet Baby James, returning from the field, goes for a snack in the hamper, and instead encounters our little runaway. But the outlook isn’t brilliant for Mudville today: it seems Tricki got into a package of chocolate liquors, and is going to need his stomach pumped. Two mysteries down, but one emergency to go.
As Mrs. Ma’am tactfully escorts Diana Rigg out (read: lies to her to get her to go home), the vets rush Tricki into the surgery. As they prepare the little guy for the procedure, Sweet Baby James confronts Leslie/Tristan about Tricki’s misfortune, while Horrible Boss stays suspiciously quiet — at least until Mrs. Ma’am forces him to confess that it was his fault that the hamper was on the floor.
That night, while Tricki convalesces from his brush with a chocolate-induced death, Horrible Boss ponders the money Leslie/Tristan has asked for. James, probably still feeling guilty about his latest bout of wild accusations, sees HB in the study, eyeing his checkbook with concern. In a move that further proves just how much he’s beginning to understand Horrible Boss, SBJ reminds him that nobody can be successful unless they’re given a chance (or in L/T’s case, a second or third chance).
The next morning sees the return of Tricki Woo to a delighted Diana Rigg, who instantly cuddles her “boofums” close, declaring him much lighter. And while she swears up and down that henceforth she’ll feed her son properly, the second the men leave the room, it’s back to the treats.
While some people never learn, it seems the Horrible Boss does. Why send Leslie/Tristan to college, he postulates, when he can just train L/T himself and save the money?! Brilliant!
Unsurprisingly, Leslie/Tristan is… less than pleased. But his sulks soon turn: upon arrival back at the practice, L/T is confronted by the return of Clancy and Mr. Mulligan. It seems that the poor (grumpy) creature’s stomach still hasn’t been put to rights. And with the Mssrs. Farnon confronted once again with the seemingly angry creature, they finally pay attention. Clancy might growl and bark, but that’s only because his owner can’t hear him. Showing some initiative for once, L/T steps forward to try and examine Clancy — and is met with a face full of puppy kisses.
Perhaps training at home won’t be so bad after all.
You can watch episode four of All Creatures Great and Small on GBH passport today!
Read the recap of All Creatures Great and Small, Episode 3 here.
Read the recap of All Creatures Great and Small, Episode 2 here.
Read the recap of All Creatures Great and Small, Episode 1 here.
