All Creatures Great and Small Finale Recap: A Farmer’s Christmas (in February)

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To be honest, I was really disappointed by this Christmas special. I was excited at first – we usually get a bonus episode each season, and after a big finale, a little Christmas cheer seemed nice. But I was shocked and upset by the choices the writers made. Bringing Dorothy back? I just wasn’t expecting that.

I generally like Dorothy, but whenever Siegfried and Mrs. Hall come up, I get incredibly annoyed. It’s a strange reaction – it feels like being a child whose parents are splitting up and dating others, except these ‘parents’ are characters who never even were a couple, and I’m an adult! It’s ridiculous, but there it is. I just really dislike Dorothy and wish she’d go back to Malta!

Christmas is shaping up to be busy! We’ve got a poorly goat to look after, a Nativity play to rehearse, a Christmas tree to find, and a darts competition at the pub with a turkey as the prize. Someone pointed out that turkeys are actually American birds, which surprised me – they weren’t introduced to the UK until the 1500s! While Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving, it’s our traditional Christmas meal. However, there’s a turkey shortage due to the recent war, and rationing won’t end until 1954 – let’s keep that from the family for now. Mrs. Hall suggests a clever alternative: a ‘mock turkey’ made of stuffing wrapped in bacon with parsnips as legs, and honestly, that sounds pretty good. Tristan discovers the darts competition prize is a turkey, so he’s determined to win. And Maggie reminds him that he also needs to find a Christmas tree for The Drovers pub.

Helen is unwell, so James has to fill in for her with the Nativity play, which mostly involves managing the children and a few unexpected props – a rabbit and some wooden swords. On top of that, he’s still dealing with Mrs. Pumphrey, who desperately wants Tricki Woo to have babies. She’s now requesting testosterone shots for Tricki, which unfortunately reminds me of the restrictions on healthcare for transgender men, and it’s just too much to handle right now. This show is my relaxing escape, and instead I’m getting a difficult situation with a goat on top of everything else this Christmas.

Remember Hilda, the clever goat who once hid an injury? Well, she’s escaped again and ate a poisonous Christmas wreath containing laurel. Mrs. Stokes called Siegfried back to the farm to help, and he made a special tea to counteract the toxins. They talked about Christmas, and Mrs. Stokes described it as a working day for farmers. She also gave Siegfried some advice about cherishing loved ones, but honestly, I’m not in the mood for her lectures this week.

Dorothy is back from Malta. My notes tell me to just get rid of her, but she stops to chat with Mrs. Hall, explaining she was stranded there for two years because of heavy bombing – which sounds awful. Siegfried seems affected by her return, though he was hurt by how she left before, and I’m deliberately trying not to remember the details. He’s acting strangely around her, constantly leaving the room. Mrs. Hall tells Dorothy that Siegfried is a kind person, but he tries to hide it. That’s good to know. Later, Mrs. Hall attempts to get Siegfried to practice darts, and Dorothy jumps in to show him the proper technique. Honestly, this show keeps ignoring the meaningful connection they had last week – the most romantic moment on television! – and now we’re getting this instead? Whatever. Let’s just see how the Christmas tree hunt is going.

Tristan is desperately trying to find a Christmas tree, but everywhere he looks is sold out. Charlotte, looking fantastic in a suit, suggests they try the local tree farm. Surprisingly, Tristan hadn’t thought of that! Unfortunately, the farm is closed because of illness. Determined, Charlotte and Tristan sneak onto the property, and Tristan attempts to cut down a tree with a bonesaw – which doesn’t work. Feeling defeated, Tristan gets down, but Charlotte shares the history of Christmas trees, explaining their connection to the Druids and how evergreens symbolize hope and the return of spring. (And yes, that part was a little emotional!) They eventually find a better saw, and during all the chaos, Tristan confesses his love for Charlotte – and she says it back! The show is really earning points here, and Emma Thompson’s daughter is doing a great job. While I initially thought Tristan and Maggie might reconnect, I’m definitely rooting for Tristan and Charlotte now.

Hilda the goat is still refusing to eat after being poisoned, but she’s surprisingly cheerful and gassy. Dorothy relentlessly pressures Siegfried to let her join him, and Mrs. Stokes insists he keep a close eye on her – honestly, Mrs. Stokes is the worst.

Mrs. Hall is practicing darts at home, hoping to win a turkey. When Siegfried returns, she gently suggests he pursue Dorothy, believing she’d be a better match for him than some of his other interests. Siegfried replies with a philosophical explanation, saying he’s searching for his soulmate. Mrs. Hall points out that constantly seeking an ideal person could make him overlook someone already close to him – like, perhaps, his housekeeper, to whom he recently confessed his feelings?

Just when things were calming down, Mrs. Stokes rushes in with bad news – Hilda’s really taken a turn for the worse. Siegfried heads over to her farm and discovers she’s eaten a lot more laurel than anyone realized. It’s heartbreaking, but he gently decides the kindest thing to do is let her pass peacefully. Honestly, watching an elderly woman sing to a dying goat in a Christmas special is… a lot. And then, to top it all off, everyone gets fired! It’s a pretty devastating turn of events, even for this story.

The Christmas play is charming. James explains to Mrs. Pumphrey that he won’t give Tricki any medicine, but emphasizes that she’s like family. This little storyline feels a bit added on, but it works. It’s amazing to think back to when Diana Rigg played Mrs. Pumphrey – we’ve all come a long way! Now, the story moves on to a darts competition. The big question is, who will win the turkey – our main characters, or some unknown faces? It’s a fun mystery!

I was so relieved when Dorothy finally arrived at The Drovers – that poor goat really got Siegfried thinking about things, even if it was a bit much! But the best part? Mrs. Hall actually won with a perfect shot! Then she went looking for Siegfried and… well, saw him kissing Dorothy. Honestly, her reaction was perfect – completely thrown off! Yes! That’s exactly what I wanted to see. I have a really good feeling about Season Seven; it’s going to be amazing!

They won a turkey, but it turned out to be alive! And Jimmy decided to name it Rudolph, which meant no one could bring themselves to eat it, so they ended up having a pretend turkey for Christmas. Tristan gave a toast, hoping the sacrifices made weren’t for nothing and that things wouldn’t get any worse. Then, with a scream, he wished everyone a Merry February Christmas!

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2026-02-23 07:12