All Creatures Great And Small - Series 2 - Vol 1

Good family entertainment. Over the course of seven series, the very numerous farmers and householders who form the vet practice's clientele includes actresses and actors known well then or later e.g. Geoffrey Bayldon, Gorden Kaye, Patsy Byrne. Regularly occurring favourites include the Farnon housekeeper/cook Mrs Hall (Mary Hignett) whose character gets fleshed out more in Series 2, and Mrs Pumphrey (Margaretta Scott). Helen is played by Carol Drinkwater (not Lynda Bellingham as LF states) in Series 1-3 and Specials. Several incidents are more drawn out or embellished on screen than they are in the books.

All of Series 2, each episode 50 mins, *SPOILERS*:

1: CATS AND DOGS: The practice is having a very busy time and it's raining cats and dogs.

2: ATTENDANT PROBLEMS: It's lambing time in the Dales, which means a most busy time for the vets.

3: FAIR MEANS AND FOWL: Siegfried buys some fowl hoping for tasty eggs. Where there's Tristan there's trouble.

4: THE BEAUTY OF THE BEAST: Siegfried treats a stallion belonging to a scrap merchant and deals with a case of abuse.

5: JUDGEMENT DAY: James ends up with the seemingly straightforward job of being Duty Vet at The Darrowby Show where both Mrs Pumphrey and Mrs Hall hope to win prizes.

6: FAINT HEARTS: Tristan has woman trouble. James has to deal with the Bellerby family.

7: TRICKS OF THE TRADE: James meets vet Granville Bennett, and learns more about small animal work. He also learns that Granville's capacity for drink far surpasses his own. Siegfried tries to collect payment on some long outstanding bills.

8: PRIDE OF POSSESSION: James uses a hormone treatment on a dog, with interesting results.

9: THE NAME OF THE GAME: James ends up playing for Darrowby in the annual cricket match, and discovers why Tristan was so determined to avoid playing.

10: PUPPY LOVE: Alice McTavish visits Skeldale House seeking Tristan with whom she is romantically involved when he is at college in Edinburgh. As he's out, she tells Siegfried she'll return, and bring 'wee Tristan' - Siegfried sets out to uncover the mystery.

11: WAYS AND MEANS: James regrets having to talk to the Darrowby Youth Club about a vet's life.

12: PUPS, PIGS AND PICKLE: James has to summon all his tact when a farmer's wife serves him bacon which consists almost entirely of fat.

13: A DOG'S LIFE: James has to deal with a difficult calving under the ever-critical eye of the farmer's uncle.

14: MERRY GENTLEMEN: Although the work can never stop at Christmas time, Siegfried is determined that everyone at Skeldale House will enjoy Christmas with all the trimmings. Tristan investigates a mystery room at Skeldale House.