'All Creatures Great and Small' Recap: Season 6 Episode 7

All Creatures Great and Small is available to stream. Recap the previous episode and seasons.
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As Christmas approaches, James and his family are staying at Skeldale, since Richard is with Jenny in London. Unfortunately, Helen is sick, so James is trying to take every task off her plate: making a cake for Jimmy’s birthday, directing the nativity play. Illness soon takes a whole family of children meant to take part in the nativity as well.

James also has to deal with Mrs. Pumphrey, who is disappointed about a lack of success in breeding Tricki-Woo. She asks about testosterone injections to help, despite James’ warnings about possible side-effects. She wants Tricki to leave a trace of himself behind when he dies. 

Even though the war is over, there’s still rationing and shortages. Siegfried gives Mrs. Hall a recipe for a mock turkey – but the prize for a Christmas Eve darts tournament at The Drovers pub is a real turkey. Skeldale hopes to ride Mrs. Hall’s skill in the game to a proper feast. 

Tristan was supposed to get a Christmas tree for The Drovers but forgot. All the good trees are already gone from town, but the task is important because Maggie’s husband Arthur, who just died in a Japanese POW camp, loved Christmas – and this is the first one where they can have lights again, since blackouts are over. 

Charlotte suggests that Tristan visit a tree farm. But when the pair of them arrive, the farm is closed due to illness. They climb the fence and set off in search of a tree nevertheless, planning to leave money for it. Tristan has an old bone saw in his car, but it is dull and breaks while he tries to cut down a tree – leading to a breakdown for him. 

This is supposed to be the “happiest Christmas,” since the war is finally over, but Tristan can’t stop thinking about Arthur and his own comrades that were lost. Charlotte admits that she also dislikes the holiday, since her mother died around it. But the sentiment behind a Christmas tree – it’s evergreen, a sign that spring will come again no matter what – speaks to her. She then spots a good saw: they will have a tree after all. As she hauls the tree to the car, Tristan tells her he loves her, and she responds in kind. 

Siegfried has once again been called to treat Hilda, Miss Stokes’ stubborn but lovable goat. Hilda got out and ate some Christmas wreath – and the laurel in it is toxic. Siegfried checks Hilda over and says she seems fine, prescribing a simple “drench” of tea to clear her out. While he brews it, the aged Stokes tells him he should find a romantic partner.  

When Siegfried arrives back at Skeldale still smarting over Stokes’ comment, he finds an old flame waiting: Dorothy has returned from Malta, having followed her son back to Yorkshire after his demobilization. She’s having tea with Mrs. Hall, who is eager to once again set up Siegfried and Dorothy – but Siegfried keeps finding excuses to leave. He keeps refusing Dorothy’s own efforts to spend time with him, but she is persistent and ends up joining him as he sets off to fix Miss Stokes’ barn door so that Hilda won’t get out again. 

While Siegfried works on the door, Stokes shares a cup of tea and stories of her past life as a performer with Dorothy. As Siegfried and Dorothy leave, Stokes tells Siegfried that Dorothy is a good one. 

Mrs. Hall tells Siegfried the same thing back at Skeldale. But Siegfried isn’t sure Dorothy is the right person for him; his speech very obliquely suggests that he is happiest in his life with Mrs. Hall. 

He is again called out to Stokes: Hilda is vomiting and can’t stand. When he arrives, he spots a chewed-up bag of trimmings from the Christmas wreaths. Hilda has eaten far more laurel than he thought. It’s too late to save her; there’s no point in surgery. The kindest thing to do is put her down. As he gives Hilda an injection, Stokes cradles her head before the fire in her living room, singing her to her end with tears on her cheeks.

Siegfried returns to Skeldale and makes a call to Dorothy, inviting her to The Drovers’ Christmas Eve celebration after all, just as Mrs. Hall wanted. 

He then joins the family and residents of Skeldale for the nativity play. James was planning to cancel it due to illness, but Mrs. Pumphrey suggested putting it on with just his own children for the benefit of their own home. James has disappointed Mrs. Pumphrey by advising her not to risk giving Tricki testosterone injections, advice which she has heeded with resignation. But she has joined the festivities by helping to organize the nativity play and staying to watch; Tricki even gets in on it, as all the animals of the house take part. Helen emerges from her bedroom for the play, while Charlotte also attends with Tristan.

Everyone then decamps for The Drovers, where the Skeldale team fights to the brink of winning in darts. As Mrs. Hall takes a final turn, Dorothy arrives. Siegfried greets her and tells her he missed her before kissing her. Mrs. Hall wins and turns to look for Siegfried, then quickly – perhaps with a hint of disappointment – turns away when she sees him kissing Dorothy. 

Skeldale wins the turkey. But it’s still alive, and the veterinarians don’t want to kill it for their holiday meal. Mock turkey it is after all. 

As Maggie lights the Christmas tree Tristan and Charlotte acquired, she breaks down with thoughts of Arthur. Tristan steps in and makes a speech about everyone lost in the war. They will be remembered, even on a happy occasion like Christmas.