Rating: 
Summary: A wonderful series...
Review: I never thought much of this series because it usually came on at the same time as Star Trek and whenever I did see it I didn't know who anybody was. However, I bought this dvd collections for my mother, who loves the series and the books, for mothersday and now that I've been able to see it from the beguinning I really must say it is excellent. Great stories, great acting, great dialogue, great chemistry between characters, and most episodes leave me laughing for quite a while after watching them. Tristan and Sigfreude (bad spelling, sorry :o) ...) are hillarious, Hellen is enchanting, and James makes for an excellent main character. I have only 3 episodes left and there is also a documentary at the end on the real James Harriot which I have not watched. That is it for extras though. As a series I rate this easily at 5 stars. As a DVD collection though I would give it only 3 1/2 because while the video is pretty clean there is only so much you can do with an old BBC production, and the fact that the only extra is a documentary on James Harriot. Where are cast interviews, behind the scenes features, bloopers, ect. ???? The menus are also cumbersome to navigate threw, not a problem for me but for people who are not technical at all such as my mother, it really is a problem. Problems aside, this is definatly worth the money and I certainly hope they put other seasons out on dvd soon. :o)
Rating:
Summary: I LOVE IT!
Review: I remember growing up in the eighties I would watch the series on PBS with my parents, and I always loved the show since. James Herriot arrives at Siegfried Farnons house/veterinary building and it begins there. Christopher Timothy plays James, Robert Hardy plays Siegfried, and his brother Tristan is played by the well known actor Peter Davison, who later became the Fifth Doctor in Doctor Who. Full of comedy, and also some sadness, this video set is a must-have for anyone who liked Herriot's books or loves the program, it is worth the money.
Rating:
Summary: All Creatures Great & Small Series 1
Review: I was so excited to get this Series on DVD! It's well worth the money. Repeated viewing is a must! The shows remind you of a simpler time and make you feel as though you are amongst friends. There are no special effects - just true to life stories about people, animals and a time passed. Following James through his days is fun, interesting and heart warming. These shows have something for everyone - young and old. I can't wait for the second series to come out on DVD.
Rating:
Summary: A Warm Household of Eccentrics
Review: In the early 1980's, when I was in law school, my wife and I recorded many of the episodes in this collection on our old Betamax video recorder. At night, after a long and trying day, we would watch them over and over with our then little girls curled up on the couch in their blanket sleepers. This is one of the handful of television series I have EVER watched as an adult. There was an overwhelming comfort in entering into this warm household of eccentrics -- James, Siegfried and Tristan, with Mrs. Hall hovering in the kitchen. Of course, the animal stories and the forays into the landscape and characters of the Yorkshire Dales are fascinating, but isn't it really the inexplicable hominess of Skeldale House that draws us back again and again?For years my wife and I searched unsuccessfully for copies of these episodes. Our Betamax machine is, alas, long gone and our little girls are in college. But what a joy to see the series afresh after nearly twenty years. The music has a certain dated cheeziness about it, but how marvelous to be back in the sitting room or in the surgery again with James, Siegfried and Company. Some other thoughts: 1. While I hope to get the later series, this is the best by far from a dramatic point of view, with James struggling to prove himself, Helen still unattainable and the complex relationship of Siegfried and Tristan freshly viewed. 2. I do wish this set were available on DVD. 3. The acting -- especially from Robert Hardy as Siegfried -- is so superb from this little ensemble. There is the stuff of greatness about the inherent tension, irony and exquisitely restrained comedy of the trio.
Rating:
Summary: An Absolute Gem!
Review: Of all the superb British productions, none touch the heart quite like All Creatures Great and Small. Certainly, this delightful comedy-drama is one of our entire family's all-time favourites--one which we've watched numerous times and continue to enjoy to this day. Though the names of people and places were changed, the series is based on the true stories of Yorkshire veterinarian, James Herriot (the nom de plume of Alf Wight, who sadly died of prostate cancer in 1995 at age 78). The series opens in the early 1930s with James (played by Christopher Timothy), a serious-minded and very conscientious newly qualified vet, arriving in the tiny Yorkshire farming town of Darrowby for a job interview at Skeldale House, the home/surgery of veterinarian Siegfried Farnon (Robert Hardy). Siegfried, though a very competent vet and an extremely generous man, is one of the most contrary and mercurial individuals. Heaven help the other members of the practice, who walk on eggshells most of the time as it is, should he get a bee in his bonnet about something! The third member of the practice (if one can call him that, for he's still a veterinary student in the early episodes), is Siegfried's younger brother (and polar opposite in temperament), Tristan (Peter Davison). Tristan is a gregarious, skirt-chasing practical joker and one of the laziest individuals around. Certainly, he'd rather have a pint, play a prank, or chat up the girls than study for exams or be on call at the surgery. The stage is set then for some very comical situations, which are rendered all the funnier and all the more welcome as relief from the very real drama of the stories. Apart from the vets, the series is peppered with a wealth of memorable characters. There's the Farnons' good-hearted but no-nonsense, mother-hen housekeeper, Mrs. Hall (sadly, the actress portraying her died after the third series); and who can forget the gruff, tight-fisted, cheap-skate farmer, Mr. Biggins--the bane of the practice; or wealthy (and demonstrably grateful!) Mrs. Pumphrey, whose pampered pekingese Tricki Woo suffers a host of complaints related to his rich diet and idle lifestyle. Of course, one mustn't forget James' devoted wife Helen (Carol Drinkwater, who was replaced by Lynda Bellingham in the fourth series)--their courtship provided the basis for much humour in the early episodes--or the larger-than-life Granville Bennett (James Grout), whose veterinary skill is matched only by his hospitality and his ability to consume copious amounts of alchohol (not to mention food!), much to James' immense discomfort and embarassment. With thirteen 50-minute episodes, this boxed set contains the complete first series. Produced in 1978 and set against the backdrop of the magnificent Yorkshire dales, this is a thoroughly entertaining series which, like the wonderful books that inspired it, takes one through the gamut of emotions--from laughter to tears. It is a series which transports the viewer back to a time and way of life that is, in many ways sadly, gone forever. It is sure to be enjoyed by anyone looking for quality entertainment that the whole family can enjoy, but it will especially be treasured by fellow animal lovers. There are, at the time of writing, four boxed sets (containing the complete first four series) plus a DVD with two special episodes (its video counterpart only contains the first special, unfortunately), and I highly recommend the entire series. If you enjoy the first boxed set, by all means go ahead and purchase the remaining sets (and specials), as the entire series is outstanding. There are still another two or three series that have yet to be brought to video/DVD, and I know I'm not alone in hoping the BBC will release them sometime soon. Indeed, if ever a series deserved to be released in its entirety, it is this one. Extremely highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: An Absolute Gem!
Review: Of all the superb British productions, none touch the heart quite like All Creatures Great and Small. Certainly, this delightful comedy-drama is one of our entire family's all-time favourites--one which we've watched numerous times and continue to enjoy to this day. Though the names of people and places were changed, the series is based on the true stories of Yorkshire veterinarian, James Herriot (the nom de plume of Alf Wight, who sadly died of prostate cancer in 1995 at age 78). The series opens in the early 1930s with James (played by Christopher Timothy), a serious-minded and very conscientious newly qualified vet, arriving in the tiny Yorkshire farming town of Darrowby for a job interview at Skeldale House, the home/surgery of veterinarian Siegfried Farnon (Robert Hardy). Siegfried, though a very competent vet and an extremely generous man, is one of the most contrary and mercurial individuals. Heaven help the other members of the practice, who walk on eggshells most of the time as it is, should he get a bee in his bonnet about something! The third member of the practice (if one can call him that, for he's still a veterinary student in the early episodes), is Siegfried's younger brother (and polar opposite in temperament), Tristan (Peter Davison). Tristan is a gregarious, skirt-chasing practical joker and one of the laziest individuals around. Certainly, he'd rather have a pint, play a prank, or chat up the girls than study for exams or be on call at the surgery. The stage is set then for some very comical situations, which are rendered all the funnier and all the more welcome as relief from the very real drama of the stories. Apart from the vets, the series is peppered with a wealth of memorable characters. There's the Farnons' good-hearted but no-nonsense, mother-hen housekeeper, Mrs. Hall (sadly, the actress portraying her died after the third series); and who can forget the gruff, tight-fisted, cheap-skate farmer, Mr. Biggins--the bane of the practice; or wealthy (and demonstrably grateful!) Mrs. Pumphrey, whose pampered pekingese Tricki Woo suffers a host of complaints related to his rich diet and idle lifestyle. Of course, one mustn't forget James' devoted wife Helen (Carol Drinkwater, who was replaced by Lynda Bellingham in the fourth series)--their courtship provided the basis for much humour in the early episodes--or the larger-than-life Granville Bennett (James Grout), whose veterinary skill is matched only by his hospitality and his ability to consume copious amounts of alchohol (not to mention food!), much to James' immense discomfort and embarassment. With thirteen 50-minute episodes, this boxed set contains the complete first series. Produced in 1978 and set against the backdrop of the magnificent Yorkshire dales, this is a thoroughly entertaining series which, like the wonderful books that inspired it, takes one through the gamut of emotions--from laughter to tears. It is a series which transports the viewer back to a time and way of life that is, in many ways sadly, gone forever. It is sure to be enjoyed by anyone looking for quality entertainment that the whole family can enjoy, but it will especially be treasured by fellow animal lovers. There are, at the time of writing, four boxed sets (containing the complete first four series) plus a DVD with two special episodes (its video counterpart only contains the first special, unfortunately), and I highly recommend the entire series. If you enjoy the first boxed set, by all means go ahead and purchase the remaining sets (and specials), as the entire series is outstanding. There are still another two or three series that have yet to be brought to video/DVD, and I know I'm not alone in hoping the BBC will release them sometime soon. Indeed, if ever a series deserved to be released in its entirety, it is this one. Extremely highly recommended!
Rating:
Summary: ACGS on DVD- Close to Perfection
Review: Oftentimes, the memory of something is better than the reality. But in the case of the new DVD of ACGS, I am delighted to say, the reality is easily equal to the memory!!! Back in the late seventies I would eagerly watch each episode of ACGS on American public TV. But when I moved to another state that didn't carry it, I thought I may never see it again. So, when I saw that it was offered on DVD, I immediately bought it. And what a payoff! I am once again laughing out loud at Siegfried's hypocracy, Tristan's devilishness and James's look of "I can't believe these guys!" And once again, I am totally enchanted with Helen's radiant smile and Mrs. Hall's hearty cooking. The animals, townspeople and late 1930's rural life are lovingly created down to the smallest detail. This show is what great entertainment is all about. American TV has nothing over great BBC fair. I have been watching TV for over 50 years and I enthusiastically proclaim this series as one of the very best acted, best written and most consistently en"joy"able shows ever made. I only hope the BBC doesn't wait 20 years to put out the ENTIRE series on DVD.
Rating: 
Summary: All Things Wise and Wonderful
Review: One of the great joys of my childhood was when my family would gather round, each and every Saturday night, and watch an episode of this series on PBS. This charming little series is based on the wildly popular, real-life James Herriot veterinary stories set in the Yorkshire Dales. A mixture of drama and very witty comedy, the main characters are played to perfection by Christopher Timothy, Robert Hardy, and Peter Davison, supported by a fine cast of British character actors as the "good country people" of the dales.
The DVDs are pretty standard - the interior video footage is quite clean and nice, but the 16mm film exteriors is often grainy and dirty (this is improved somewhat on the series 2 set). The only supplement is on disc 4 - a one-hour 1980s interview with the real James Herriot, veterinarian Alf Wight. Still, the real joy is in the episodes themselves. Although the series is set in the '30s, it has dated a little bit; it can be unusually slow on occasion. Nonetheless, this is recommended viewing for BBC fans, as well as families who enjoy gentle comedy and (of course!) animals.
Rating:
Summary: Real Life Comedy
Review: Our Background: My wife, who was born in Russia, yet lived near Kiev Ukraine in a Soviet commune farm, loved reading the books "All Creatures Great & Small" from James Herriot (real name: Alf Wight). When we got married & she moved to the United States, we both fell in love with movie adaptations from Jane Austin's novels. This lead to a British TV series invasion in our house, starting with "Darling Buds of May" & later when we found the DVD book set of "All Creatures Great & Small". Let's give it a try... The Production: The TV series "All Creatures Great & Small" started in Great Britain on January 1978 with no nonsense photography with the typical grain of that time period. Some photography scenes were taken direct off Yorkshire farms. There are very little special effects, the only ones I can think of is either drugged or fake animals to act out certain quick scenes. Were some of the animals trained to act like they were sick or dying? Sometimes certain operations were preformed with a human hand, checking the rear of certain animals for pregnancies or intestinal problems. At times when the actors themselves are seen performing inspections on the animals, their hands were either hidden behind the animals or the actors were making faces with the lower parts of their bodies off the screen. Very down to Earth & as real as possible with great effect. The Actors: Christopher Timothy plays James Herriot, a Scottish newly qualified Veterinarian traveling down to Yorkshire England for a job interview with Veterinarian Surgeon Siegfried Farnon, played by Robert Hardy, in the town & farming community of Darrowby during the 1930's. Later Veterinary student & Siegfried's younger brother Tristan, played by Peter Davison (later to become the fifth Dr. Who), who travels back & forth during college. Also in the house is the housekeeper, Mrs. Hall, played by Mary Hignett. At last after dating James through the first of the series & then marring him is Helen, played by Carol Drinkwater. Our favorite minor character is Mrs. Pumphrey, played by Margarette Scott, a rich widower who has a Pekingese dog Tricki Woo. Mrs. Pumphrey constantly over feeds the dog almost to death, which James rescues with a diet, & he is awarded grommet treats of cigars & Port. Commentary: The first program started out rather slow with references to British & Scottish language problems & it was not until the third or fourth program that we both started to understand & enjoy the series. In the end it was like experiencing new neighbors in our family room each night. This box set comes with 4 DVD's: at three to four 50 to 55 minute programs per DVD. The last DVD comes with an interview with the real James Herriot: Alf Wight. If you like the first DVD box set series, there are now two other DVD Box sets, the second & third seasons, & a single DVD of 2 specials from the mid 1980's. "All Creatures Great & Small" did return to British TV in the late 1980's with 4 seasons, but these are only on VHS at this time. A good buy if your into real life comedy.
Rating:
Summary: All things cozy & well
Review: Similar to the BBC series 'Upstairs Downstairs', 'All Creatures Great & Small' invites one into a cozy family setting. A setting in which there is comfort, humor and everything has a way of working itself out. My wife and I found ourselves looking forward to being part of the Farnon household & veterinarian practice, not so much for the storyline as experiencing the Yorkshire Dale lifestyle and its characters. We heartily recommend this series!
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