Having brought the series' storyline all the way up to the '50s, season five of All Creatures Great & Small begins as Yorkshire veterinarian James Herriot (Christopher Timothy) dons skis to make his usual rounds during an extremely heavy snowfall. Meanwhile, Tristan Farnon (Peter Davison), younger brother of James' partner Siegfried Farnon (
Robert Hardy), resigns from the Ministry of Agriculture in hopes of joining Siegfried's practice again; and the medical expertise of James' young assistant Calum (John McGlynn) continues to grow apace, with a brief period of tuberculin testing in Ireland. Calum also endeavors to woo and win the lovely Dierdre McEwan (Andrea Gibb), though a number of available females in the area would rather he dally with them. Many of James' familiar clients are still around and about, notably wealthy dog fancier Mrs. Pumphrey (
Margaretta Scott), who invites James to be guest of honor at a birthday party for her pampered Pekinese Tricky Woo. As for James' wife and sometimes assistant Helen (Lynda Bellingham), she spends much of the season laid up with a painful back injury. Finally, rival veterinarian Granville Bennett (James Grout) continues to flaunt the success of his animal hospital to the struggling James, with sometimes amusing results. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide