'All Creatures Great and Small' Recap: Season 6 Episode 3

All Creatures Great and Small airs Sundays at 8:00 pm on WTTW and is available to stream. Recap the previous and following episodes and seasons.
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Mrs. Pumphrey is struggling to find a Pekingese to breed with her beloved Tricki-Woo, given his age. But she is afraid that he will die before her and she wants to ensure his line lives on. She will not even think of getting a new, unrelated puppy, as James suggests. 

James believes treating small animals and pets like Tricki will be more important for the practice now that the war is over, but Siegfried still insists the business is in large animals and livestock. So when a call requesting “Captain Farnon” comes in about a horse, both he and Tristan rush off to treat it, leaving James stuck at Skeldale with just a bicycle to get around. 

James exhausts himself pedalling over the hills to spend lunch with Helen, whom he has barely seen recently due to both of their busyness, only to find that she’s already out in the fields working. James asks Jenny to watch their children on an upcoming evening so that he can take Helen to the movies. 

Siegfried and Tristan, meanwhile, are competing for the attention of Charlotte Beauvoir, the young aristocrat who has recently moved into her late uncle’s estate with her general father and their 15 horses. The general has heard that “Captain Farnon” is a marvel with horses, and both Farnons assume he means themself. Charlotte’s Philbrick is ailing, but Siegfried and Tristan have opposite diagnoses and prescriptions. Charlotte diplomatically says she’ll try both.

When neither improves Philbrick’s condition, Tristan manages to snag Charlotte’s call before Siegfried can. Charlotte explains her attachment to the horse: she served in an auxiliary to the military in Italy and met him there. She and Tristan bond over their shared war experience.

When Siegfried finds out that Charlotte has called again, he rushes over and finds his own shared experience with Charlotte after Tristan has left: a love of classical music. Charlotte has arranged for a string quartet to perform at a nearby castle, a black-tie event which Siegfried has been eagerly anticipating, even canceling a proposed drink at the pub with Tristan in order to attend. While at the Beauvoir estate, he learns that the general actually meant Tristan when he asked for “Captain Farnon” – but he of course doesn’t tell Tristan that. 

Meanwhile, James is once again left sweating on the bicycle to get to Mrs. Pumphrey’s – for the useless task of preparing Tricki for breeding the next day, as Mrs. Pumphrey has finally found someone willing to pay her to use Tricki as a stud.

When the day comes, James finally gets a car, thanks to Mrs. Hall. The breeder arrives and is shocked at the age of Tricki. Mrs. Pumphrey is even more shocked that his dog is a toy poodle, not a Pekingese – he likes to breed hybrids. She refuses to allow it, but it’s too late – the dogs are already going at it. 

Mrs. Hall has also helped Tristan once again receive Charlotte’s call about the still-ailing Philbrick over Siegfried, because she’s upset with how Siegfried is treating both Tristan and James, by canceling his pub date and forcing James to bike everywhere. 

Tristan and Charlotte bond further as he examines Philbrick. She shares that she jilted an arranged marriage and absconded to the auxiliary military unit before contracting malaria and having to return to England. They both talk about how no one who wasn’t in the war can understand their experience – something Tristan felt keenly at a memorial service held for those lost in the war. Charlotte then invites Tristan to be her date to the string quartet performance.

Both James and Tristan’s friend Maggie – the bartender who still doesn’t know if her husband has survived the end of the war in Europe – have suggested that Siegfried’s competition with Tristan over treating Philbrick is because he is romantically interested in Charlotte, despite the age difference. Now Tristan worries about breaking the news of his date to his brother.

But Mrs. Hall and Siegfried have a question for Tristan first. Mrs. Hall has found a military medal of honor while doing Tristan’s laundry. When she and Siegfried ask Tristan why he didn’t tell them about it, he simply laughs it off. Siegfried wonders if he should try to talk to Tristan, who seems to be quietly struggling with his war experience.

Helen arrives at Skeldale for her movie date with James and finds him napping. They both decide an uninterrupted rest would be better for them than the movie. Mrs. Hall later offers to help out with the kids.

As Siegfried prepares for the concert, Tristan breaks it to him that Charlotte asked him on a date. Siegfried is insulted that everyone thought he was pursuing such a young woman; he was simply trying to guarantee the Beauvoirs’ continued business, as they will be a lucrative client. 

He has the chance to prove himself when Charlotte again calls in distress. Siegfried and Tristan rush to Philbrick together. 

Siegfried finally figures out the problem: a rare kidney infection. Tristan is impressed, but Siegfried reveals that Tristan has a reputation for being good with horses: he was the requested “Captain Farnon.” The brothers reconcile and praise each other, and Siegfried tells Tristan he wishes he had told him about his medal. I have also been to war, if you ever want to talk, he tells his younger brother. 

Tristan gives Philbrick antibiotics and offers to observe him for a while, missing the concert, while Siegfried attends with the general. Charlotte also stays behind with Tristan, putting on the radio so that they can dance in the barn – and kiss. 

When Siegfried returns to Skeldale, Mrs. Hall confesses that she has been upset with him. She wishes they would talk to each other more about problems, like they once did. 

When Tristan returns even later, he finds his brother waiting. They share a drink together.