I have fond memories of watching reruns of the original All Creatures Great and Small with my Nan in the 90s. For some seniors, it was Songs of Praise or The Last of the Summer Wine, but for my Nan, Sundays were for All Creatures Great and Small. The rural setting, Christopher Timothy, a pre- and post-Doctor Who Peter Davison, it was an irresistible combination. 

Thirty years after it ended in 1990, the rebooted series launched and became an instant hit. Six series in and it remains the televisual equivalent of a high-quality snuggly blanket: familiar, soothing, and leaves you with that warm soup belly feeling. I say that as high praise, it’s not just any old TV show that I bust out my super warm blanket or the soupmaker.Much like the beloved original, the show continues to evolve in gentle, meaningful ways, and the fact that it was recently picked up for series 7 and 8 only underscores its ongoing appeal.

Set against the ever-majestic Yorkshire Dales — still one of the best supporting characters on TV — the new run sees James, Helen, Siegfried and the rest of Skeldale House navigating a period of change. While the global shift of the era looms in the background, the series smartly keeps its focus on the personal: the animals in need, the villagers seeking guidance, and the bonds — sometimes tested, always heartfelt — that hold this mismatched family together.

Nicholas Ralph once again anchors the series with his understated warmth as James Herriot. Tonally, the series stays true to its roots: gentle laughs, emotional beats, and a steady stream of four-legged patients who steal scenes with ease. But there’s also a growing maturity to the writing. It’s reflective, occasionally wistful, and more willing than before to explore the challenges of an era on the cusp of change — though always within the show’s trademark calm, humane sensibility.

All Creatures Great & Small remains unmissable viewing, even more so as we head into winter, a gentle and entertaining reminder of the importance of community. Series 6 doesn’t reinvent anything — nor should it. Instead, it gently deepens what the show already does so well.

All Creatures Great & Small – Series 6 arrives on DVD and digital December 1, 2025 via Acorn Media International, complete with the festive new Christmas special “All God’s Creatures.”