“All Creatures Great and Small” Recap: Season 3 Episode 7

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James and Tristan are the Tinman and the Scarecrow, Siegfried is the Lion, and instead of one bad witch there are two good ones, Mrs Hall and Helen. So writes the precocious young Eva to her parents about her temporary home at Skeldale House, where she was evacuated during the war. Which means Eva must be Dorothy, although she’s missing a Toto.

She finds one when she joins James on a visit to Mrs. Pumphrey’s mansion to check on a stray cat lying around. The cat had a kitten and now looks exhausted. The kitten is healthy, but it needs to be separated from its mother a little so that she can rest and the kitten continues to eat. He will return to Skeldale, where Eva names him Toto and takes care of feeding him.

Siegfried also brings an animal back to Skeldale for treatment. River, the frightened horse he’s done so much to help, has a problem with his front leg. He must soon participate in a race, which Siegfried thinks unwise, lest it worsen the injury. But Major Sebright Saunders, owner of River and former comrade in Siegfried’s army, offers Siegfried a deal. Saunders heard from a colonel who is investing in River’s racing career that Tristan should soon be called up to the army; Saunders and the Colonel could probably prevent that from happening if Siegfried can get River healthy enough to run. Siegfried doesn’t want Tristan to leave or anything to happen to him.

If Tristan received an appeal letter, after signing with James, he would go. He is bored at the surgery, with almost no patients and a sense of guilt for not doing more. His job is light enough that he can have a beer with his old friend Maggie at the pub, where he learns he has a large unpaid bill.

Gerald leaves Darrowby, but not for the army. He got a job in Hull and will be leaving after Christmas. Mrs. Hall is shocked and saddened by the news and impulsively invites her over on Christmas Eve, claiming that Skeldale is getting several people, even though they had planned not to party, given the war.

The house also belatedly celebrates Hanukkah, in an effort to make Eva, who is Jewish, feel more at home. Eva sings the blessing for them; she also learns to play Christmas carols on the piano and is delighted to experience Christmas.

Something less welcome than a holiday gift arrives in the mail: Tristan’s letter of appeal. Siegfried takes it.

Looking for something to do, Tristan joins Siegfried at Saunders to watch over River, whose leg seems to be getting better. Saunders tells Siegfried he spoke to the Colonel, and Tristan can ignore the appeal letter. But then Tristan sees River tripping – the horse can’t run.

Siegfried tells Saunders he could try giving River an injection to numb the pain for the race, but Tristan objects: it could cause serious injury. Siegfried sends Tristan home, then quietly apologizes to River.

Back in Skeldale, Tristan tells James about Siegfried’s misguided decision to run River, then understands why Siegfried is so determined. Tristan calls the racetrack vet and tells him that River is unfit to race.

Saunders rushes to Siegfried before he leaves, accusing him of calling the racetrack. Siegfried realizes what Tristan has done. He returns home to furiously scold his younger brother.

But the Christmas Eve “party” is already underway. Helen’s dad grumpily replaced Siegfried as Santa Claus. Maggie brought in some people from the pub to fill out the guest list as the party was last minute. Mrs. Hall is nervous, especially because Gerald hasn’t arrived yet. Unlike a previous Christmas when she was waiting for her son in vain, this time however her guest shows up.

But as soon as Gerald appears, Mrs. Hall hears Siegfried screaming for Tristan and goes to avoid any trouble by asking Jenny to stop Gerald from leaving the party. She tries to keep Siegfried and Tristan’s argument from spiraling, but for once Tristan won’t back down from his brother. Siegfried admits to resenting Tristan because he was their parents’ favorite, and he knew he could never replace their father for Tristan after they died. “I fucking love you, you fool,” Siegfried said.

He reluctantly hands over the appeal letter, telling Tristan that he doesn’t have to go, as a member of a Reserved Occupation. Yes, I know it, answers Tristan; he must become his own man, and he can never do that around Siegfried, who is constantly reminded of what he is not. Siegfried understands, but is torn.

Tristan has grown a lot. He’s not trying to take advantage of the mistletoe like he once did to kiss Maggie; he simply thanks her for being a good friend before he leaves.

Gerald doesn’t even get a chance to thank Mrs. Hall before leaving. She sits with Siegfried in the kitchen, comforting him. She finally decides she needs to talk to Gerald, but it’s too late. She sits on the stairs, discouraged, then hears the door open. It’s Gerald. She runs to him and kisses him. He came back because he had the wrong coat, but they are both very happy that he did.

Eva wakes everyone up impatiently on Christmas morning and rushes over to look at the gifts left in her stocking and the one made by Mrs. Hall, donated by the whole house: ruby ​​slippers. Eva clicks her heels and wants to go home, but it doesn’t work. She’s still not with her family, no matter how nice everyone in Skeldale is.

Siegfried goes to console her, and she tells him that Toto should be with his mother and Mrs. Pumphrey, who generously allowed Eva to keep him. Families should not be separated.

Siegfried tells Eva that she has the right to be sad and to cry. She tells him the same thing: it’s normal for him to mourn Tristan’s departure.

At Christmas dinner, Tristan makes a toast. He thanks Siegfried for fulfilling his father’s role and never giving up on him, no matter how many excuses Tristan gave him. I love you, Siegfried, he said to his brother, borrowing his usual celebratory toast: “Merry Bloody Christmas.”

Tristan gives Helen his beloved car before being driven to the station by Siegfried. His older brother makes him promise not to do anything stupid and surprises him with a hug as they part. “I’m so proud of you,” Siegfried told Tristan as he boarded the train with tears in his eyes.

Some things don’t change, however. Tristan hitchhikes in the train’s mail car rather than buying a ticket – it’s how he got home to the Dales in the first place. And Siegfried will have to pay that bar bill.