All Creatures Great & Small
Siegfried battles with his war memories while James struggles to figure out what he is going to do about the upcoming war
One
of the biggest things I am loving about this third season of All Creatures
Great & Small is learning more about who Siegfried is and why he is the
way he is. Previously, mostly we just saw him angry, especially in his
interactions with his brother, Tristan. This season we are seeing far more than
that.
“Surviving Siegfried”
Siegfried tries to save a horse while dealing with bad wartime memories
Behind
all of his bluster and temper, veterinarian Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) is
actually a very caring man. During World War I he worked with horses and was
devastated when he was ordered to kill them at the end of the war.
Now
at the brink of war again, memories are coming back to Siegfried. He is currently
working with a horse who has been traumatized. The owner wants to put the
horse, River, down, but Siegfried is certain River will be okay with time and
care. Siegfried is especially sure of this after he realizes it is the crop
River is so afraid of.
The
problem is, River’s handlers don’t want to take the time to help him.
Personally, I believe the head handler, John Monkham (Steven Hartley), is the
one who damaged him. He is an unpleasant man who more wants to be found right
than do what is right.
While
Siegfried is riding River, Monkham has one of the other handlers show River the
crop. Siegfried is thrown from the horse as a result. I don’t know if Siegfried
saw what the handler did or not, but I so wanted him to tear the handler apart
for his cruel act.
Between
his memories and what is going on with River, Siegfried is more short-tempered
than usual. Everyone at Skeldale house realizes this, but no one knows what
has caused this change in behavior. It is only the housekeeper, Mrs. Hall (Anna
Madeley), who hears the whole story. It is not just his memories and River that
is putting Siegfried on edge. A man he served with during the war—and who he just
heard from the month before—has killed himself.
In
empathy, Mrs. Hall grabs Siegfried’s hand and calls him “Siegfried” instead of her
usual “Mr. Farnon.” Siegfried’s joyous feelings about this are evident.
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| Farm Life Kate Dorsey |
“What a Balls Up!”
James must decide what his role in the upcoming war will be
The
bovine tuberculosis (TB) testing is not going well for veterinarian James
Herriot (Nicholas Ralph). He keeps mixing up the forms, which understandably
upsets the Department of Agriculture. As a result, James is called down to
their offices.
After
being yelled at by a member of the Department of Agriculture, Charles Harcourt
(Adrian Rawlins), James returns home emotionally deflated. He confides in his
wife, Helen (Rachel Shenton), about his problems with the TB testing, but she
senses there is more going on with James than he says.
She
is right.
James
is battling himself about the upcoming war. He sees others enlisting and feels
he should be doing something to help the war effort. Something like enlisting.
This
conflict with himself is something Tristan Farnon (Callum Woodhouse) realized James
would struggle with in the first episode of the season. He can see how hard
James always works to perform his duty no matter what. This sense of duty is to
the extent that James will sacrifice himself and what is important to him to do
what he thinks needs to be done.
Helen
is relieved James has a reserved occupation status as a veterinarian. She does
not want him to leave home and fight in the war.
However,
Helen does see how torn James is about the situation and is unsure about what
he may do. She goes to Siegfried for help.
Siegfried
does not want either James or Tristan to go to war. He tells Helen he will keep
James home.
Siegfried begins to physically change
“What
a Balls Up!” is the episode where Siegfried noticeably starts to physically
curl into himself. Usually Siegfried stands very straight and tall. From this
point on, he begins to hunch.
This
is probably because too many things are happening in Siegfried’s life that he
feels deep sadness about. Tristan is becoming more independent. Mrs. Hall—who
he loves—goes on a date she doesn’t think is a date. And James wants to enlist.
I
do not know if Siegfried’s curling in on himself is an intentional or
subconscious act by the actor. Either way, it is a perfect example of how the
weight of his emotions are becoming too much for Siegfried, and the only thing
left for him to do is have his body begin to collapse.
All
Creatures Great & Small
– Season One
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