Having enjoying Herriot’s books back in the day and the show that aired in the late '70s, I was looking forward to the new Masterpiece series. The scenery was breathtaking! However I was nonplused by the plot itself. Maybe my memories have grown more saccharine over the years, but the new show wasn’t quite the feel-good show I expected. Especially at the start with the somewhat disapproving parents and cold Siegfried.
I guess I’ll have to dig up one of the old books and see how they were depicted, it’s been decades since I’ve read any of them (indeed, if I still have them). I’m curious what others thought of the show?
I enjoyed it. I liked seeing the backstory showing how desperate James was for a job and the poor circumstances he came from in Glasgow. The scenery and settings are better than the old show; better digital film for a clearer picture, I suppose.
I am disappointed that they didn’t use the old show’s theme music which was iconic and which played over and over in my head as I drove around Yorkshire two years ago.
As for the actors, I loved the new James Herriot. I like the new Helen better than the old one. Mrs. Hall is a softer and much younger character than the previous one. No one could touch Robert Hardy’s portrayal of Siegfried and I’m not surprised the current actor didn’t try to match him, so a new take on Siegfried is not unexpected. I did love the Robert Hardy character much better though.
I was pleasantly surprised. One problem I have with adaptations of programs I view as classic is the modernization of them so I was really pleased to find this version of All Creatures not that far off from the original. I expected slightly different portrayals because we have a new group of actors but as long as they stayed within certain parameters I was going to be ok with it. I loved the books when I was young and enjoyed the original television program. I will definitely continue watching.
After I watched the program I went down a hole on Youtube looking for snippets to do with the original program and found a documentary that interviewed some of the original actors. That was fun.
I too was disappointed that they didn’t use the old theme music!
DD’17 and I enjoyed it. I did watch the original, way back when but I was probably in upper elementary so I don’t remember details to compare how this was different. DD was asking me tonight if it could be watched another time (looks like last night’s episode now available online), so I wonder if her vet tech roommate wants to see it.
I’ve read through the books and DD did too, in middle school. Her teachers were always surprised to see her reading them.
I liked it! It’s very easy to watch. I did the see original show but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen it. My father watched the original one and he said the picture quality is so much better on the new one
I enjoyed the books, loved the first BBC series, and it was so long ago, that I’ve sort of forgotten both, which makes it possible for me to enjoy this one, too, without thinking, “They got this wrong! And he/she isn’t as good as the first production.”
My only complaint? That I have to wait a week between episodes!
I enjoyed it. My memories of the earlier version have faded so I didn’t have that to deal with. I really enjoyed Tristan. He seems more human than I remember. I am so happy to have a fun show to watch right now.
I’ve been recording and just got to the first two episodes on this rainy Sunday afternoon. I never saw the original, so can’t compare, but I loved every minute. Just what I needed right now. Glad I get another episode tonight when #3 airs.
I really like it…such an antidote to all the usual programming I have been watching. I watched the original series as a kid in the UK and I like this version better. I think Sam West is great as Siegfried and much closer in age to the vet the character was modeled on ( not to detract from Robert Hardy ) but I think Sam West really captures the complexity of the character and all the actors are much closer in age to the real characters the books were bases on which makes a difference I think. Beautiful photographically too.
I’m very much enjoying the new series, too. I read all of the books as a kid, and shared them with my grandmother, so watching the show brings back some nice memories.
I’m enjoying the series - loved the original series, as well as the books. My first introduction to the books was in HS at a forensics tournament, when someone read a passage from a book that had us all in tears.
The latest episode, with the German Shepherd and Tricki Woo, had my dog going crazy. He’s the second dog I’ve had that watches TV.
I like it, but it’s not that exciting. Definitely good for recording and watching when convenient, but not ‘stay home for’ TV (like I have so many options on Sunday nights!)