All Creatures Great and Small: I watched the popular Channel 5 show starring Nicholas Ralph, Samuel West, Rachel Shenton and Callum Woodhouse for the first time and it perfectly captures the soul of Yorkshire

I’ve spent the last two years writing about the Channel 5 show All Creatures Great and Small and interviewing people about it. I’ve read thousands of overwhelmingly positive comments about the series from Yorkshire and international fans.

In June this year, I went on a tour of the filming locations led by Tim Barber, owner of Real Yorkshire Tours, and I was blown away by the breathtaking views of the Yorkshire Dales - this was before I watched the series.

As I walked around Grassington, which is transformed into the fictional town of Darrowby for the show, the charming aesthetic looked so perfect it felt like I had stepped into a scene of a film or TV show. No wonder they chose this part of the world to film the series.

Mr Barber told me how American visitors would burst into tears when they saw the landscapes and I wasn’t surprised. I felt emotional.

People have often recommended that I should watch the series; they told me it is right up my street and I’ve been intrigued by it but I’ve just not had the time to sit and watch it.

All I can say is - what was I waiting for?

Maybe I was waiting for this time of year when I can snuggle up in my blanket, with my Christmas tree in front of me, to really get into the spirit of it. I’m glad I did, I feel like it set the scene brilliantly.

There are so many elements to the first episode that made me feel at home - just as I expected. It perfectly captures the soul of Yorkshire.

The opening scene of the first episode instantly made me feel nostalgic when we were introduced to James’s Scottish family who got emotional when he left for Darrowby to work as a vet at Skeldale House.

I spent half of my childhood in Falkirk and Dunblane, Scotland, and I even still have a hint of the accent. His journey from Scotland to Yorkshire very much emulated mine, although I was much younger of course.

I’ve had the honour of talking to The Yorkshire Vet’s Peter Wright about his encounters with Alf Wight, the man behind James Herriot, so I already felt a connection with this man. After watching the first episode, that connection grew stronger.

James’s career progression hits home for me too as I also work in a competitive industry that requires perseverance, passion and having a thick skin. Watching him try and try again at doing something he loves feels very familiar.

The glorious Yorkshire Dales scenery and even various challenges that come with the weather up here portrayed in the series made me smile (and laugh) fondly. There’s nowhere like it.

Just like so many people have told me, the show is wholesome. While there is a lot of drama, tears, laughter and joy - all the emotions balance out.

In the beginning you notice a contrast between the personalities of Siegfried Farnon and James; Siegfried is sharp and serious but witty, while James is a lot more docile, though you can tell he has an authoritative side too. But as you watch more of the episodes, you start to see Siegfried’s vulnerable and soft side and a tougher side to James too.

Throughout the first series, there is an obvious spark between James and Helen Aldersen and I found myself rooting for them. Even during their first scene together, there is a tender moment between them when she helps him during a procedure, he quietly says ‘thank you’ and she smiles.

I really enjoyed seeing Mrs Hall become like a second mother to James when she reassures him through everything and even when he makes mistakes and gets yelled at by Siegfried, Mrs Hall is quick to jump to his defense.

Every character is likeable too, including the rogue Farnon brother, Tristan, who first appeared in the second episode. I’ve come across many comments gushing about him and now that I’ve seen the series, I’m not surprised. Callum Woodhouse plays the character very well.

I was introduced to the soothing sounds of the theme song and the beautiful animated illustrations of Yorkshire Dales scenery at the beginning of the second episode.

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I was so impressed by the opening scenes that I researched who was behind it all. Just like with all artforms, a team of people were responsible; Alexandra Harwood composed the tranquil sounds of the music, which features a piano line, strings, woodwind and harp. Alexandra’s intention behind the music was to make the viewers feel comfortable and she did a brilliant job. The opening credit sequence was created by Ben Marshall and Ed Dalton and Gary Redford was the illustrator.

I really loved the way the illustration smoothly transitioned to real scenes of the Dales.

The brief encounter between Helen and James at the beginning of the second episode was enough to make you swoon. They have great chemistry.

Throughout the series I grow fond of the bond between James and Tristan and it’s incredible how they manage to capture the various dimensions of every single character. You become attached to everyone.

The pivotal moment during episode three was James’s heartbreaking diagnosis of the horse, Andante; he wrestled with guilt after having no choice but to put him down. His vulnerability and deep attachment to an animal he had only just met as well as his anxiety over whether his diagnosis was accurate were all too relatable.

I’ve felt all of these emotions of empathy, vulnerability, anxiety and imposter syndrome during my career. So watching the series felt quite personal.

It was lovely and emotional to see the relationship between two sisters, Helen and Jenny, played by Yorkshire-born actress Imogen Clawson, their backstory and the maternal instincts of Mrs Hall with both of them.

Over the next three episodes, I was introduced to a wealthy Pekingese dog owner, Mrs Pumphrey, played by the late Diana Rigg, and we see a different side to Tristan where he is eager to prove himself to his hard-to-please older brother. Finding out that Helen had a boyfriend all this time, Hugh Hulton, played by Leeds actor Matthew Lewis, was heartbreaking.

I feel like we learn a little bit about Mrs Hall’s backstory about her relationship with her absent son, Edward, but I wanted to know more. The scenes during the first Christmas special brought me to tears when Mrs Hall was in tears while singing a hymn at church and Siegfried walked in, held her hand and sang along. That moment was too much.

You start to see Siegfried and Tristan get along better near the end of the series and while I can’t pick a definitive favourite character, Tristan made me laugh the most.

To be honest, I was very happy when Helen didn’t get married in the end. The scene when she was in the car on the way to the church made me excited - I visited that church with its distinctive blue clock.

Every episode was like a promotion for Yorkshire with snapshots of the beautiful scenery in the Dales. To someone who is not from Yorkshire, they may think, nowhere can be that stunning, it must be fake, well I can attest that every scene of the landscapes is genuine.

When you combine the accurate aesthetic of the Dales with the characters of Yorkshire folk, the community spirit, the empathy for animals, the portrayal of farmers and the ups and downs that come with living in rural areas, the series digs deep into Yorkshire’s ethos. I fell in love with every scene.

The latest Christmas special episode of All Creatures Great and Small is available to watch on My5.