All Creatures Great & Small Recap: Jodhpurs for All

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Okay, so this week’s episode is still dealing with Siegfried being…well, stubbornly independent. I thought he’d moved past needing to prove he’s okay on his own, but honestly, people are messy, right? It reminds me a bit of Good Will Hunting – you can’t just fix someone with one big revelation. The show keeps hammering home how he was basically abandoned by his family for years – they all had their reasons, sure, but he was left to fend for himself with just sardines and rats! Now he’s just…pathetic, like that secretly hurt goat in the old woman’s story. And the show really wants us to get that. Look, 2026 is already rough, so I appreciate them spelling things out a little instead of making me do all the emotional heavy lifting.

Jenny might finally be leaving the farm to pursue nursing school in London, but it’s hard to know for sure – she’s changed her mind so many times in the past six seasons! It’s possible she’ll head to London, but get sidetracked by something completely unexpected, like deciding to sell fruit by the roadside. Right now, though, she seems determined to become a nurse, even though she’s very attached to her horses – and one of them is sick. This week, James will be busy caring for the sick horse and building a stone fence, all while facing criticism from Helen’s father, who isn’t impressed with his stone-picking skills. Honestly, I’m not sure I’d do much better! Meanwhile, Tristan will be trying to impress an older man with his limited knowledge of croquet. It promises to be a busy and interesting week for everyone.

Siegfried is clearly bothered when Mrs. Hall requests a few days off to celebrate her granddaughter’s first birthday. Though he pretends he doesn’t mind her absence, it’s obvious he’s uncomfortable with her being away. Later, during tea with the Aldersons, Siegfried makes an unhelpful comment about Tristan, prompting a sharp kick from Mrs. Hall – a reminder that he needs the people around him. He’s noticeably upset when Mrs. Hall’s short vacation is mentioned, and the mood shifts as Jenny voices her worries about finding a place to live in London, leaving Helen concerned and everyone feeling a bit overwhelmed.

I really connected with the story of Helen and Jenny. Helen was thrilled Jenny was going to school, but I don’t think she anticipated how quickly it would happen, or that Jenny might not return home right away. It’s so true what James says – nobody ever feels ready to face the world. You just have to take the leap and hope you encounter good people who can guide you. And honestly, even when you do find your footing, I can totally relate to being 24 and sobbing over that passage in Oh, the Places You’ll Go! about setbacks – it’s so real! Then you just navigate the rest of your twenties… it’s all okay, really. I’m confident Jenny will be alright. The way Helen shows her support – adding a new square to the family quilt and giving it to Jenny – that was such a lovely, meaningful gesture.

So, Tristan gets thrown into the deep end and has to play croquet at Charlotte Beauvoir’s place. Let me tell you, this woman is intimidating! She’s dressed in jodhpurs – seriously, I finally got to use that word – and just oozes sophistication. The problem? Tristan has absolutely no idea how to play. Thankfully, Mrs. Hall saves the day, grabbing a how-to book from the library and basically teaching them both on the fly. Honestly, Mrs. Hall is a legend. And while I was researching, I stumbled upon the most wonderfully strange croquet terminology. I mean, ‘anti-Duffer,’ ‘hard banana,’ ‘fingered off?’ It’s amazing! I have no clue what any of it means, but I’m picturing a perfect game where you can dramatically announce, “I cross-pegged my hard banana in the box with a single ball stroke using the ol’ Pirie Poke!”

Siegfried attempts to cook for himself but ends up burning an omelet and settling for sardines – much to everyone’s dismay. Mrs. Hall and I are particularly worried! He’s also preoccupied with a goat that its owner believes is limping. They end up secretly observing the goat from under a wagon and discover it actually does have a hoof problem. Siegfried explains that goats sometimes hide injuries, and this leads to a much-needed conversation with Mrs. Hall. Even the goat seems to think the situation is a bit obvious.

It reminded me about the sick horses – thankfully James sorted that out. And then there’s Tristan and his croquet match with Charlotte’s dad, which didn’t quite happen because of some trouble with the lawn! Instead, the men ended up playing billiards after talking about the opera. It led to this hilarious moment where Tristan, trying to figure out what they’re all striving for, asks if it’s for… Handel? And General Beauvoir just replies, “A German?” I was cracking up! Honestly, I was wondering what anyone could say in that situation. Maybe Britten, but he was a pacifist. I don’t even know if suggesting a French or Italian composer would have gone down well, considering everything that was happening with the Vichy government. Now I’m really curious what composer would have satisfied the General, but I guess we’ll never know – unless someone who writes for All Creatures Great and Small happens to see this and can fill us in!

Tristan is treated badly by the snobbish men, which is incredibly impolite and ironically makes them seem less refined, but Charlotte is fond of him. When Tristan doubts he’s good enough for her, Charlotte insists he belongs with her, and she’s delighted he’s been practicing croquet. It’s great to see them connecting, and it’s good that Charlotte’s father realizes his behavior was unacceptable and just wants his daughter to be happy.

Siegfried chats with Mrs. Hall, awkwardly bringing up the goat situation before finally asking if she’ll return after visiting Edward. Poor Siegfried! Mrs. Hall assures him she’ll only be gone a few days, and he immediately gets upset. Oh no, sweet Siegfried, it’s going to be alright!

Okay, so in this show, the Aldersons finally get a phone line – a big deal because their daughter, Jenny, can now easily keep in touch. Honestly, a lot of the charm comes from the characters’ love of horses – they’re a constant presence and everyone seems to adore them. And get this – it looks like we’re going to see Siegfried and Mrs. Hall tie the knot sometime before the end of season 20! I’m definitely invested in seeing how that plays out.

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2026-02-02 07:03