Channel 5's period drama set in 1930s Yorkshire has been compared to Call the Midwife and dubbed 'one of the best feel-good shows in a long time' by viewers. The series, titled 'All Creatures Great and Small', is available to stream for free on Channel 5 and has captivated audiences worldwide.
A Beloved Adaptation
Based on Alf Wight's (pen name James Herriot) series of books set in the Yorkshire Dales, the show follows a veterinary surgeon and his encounters with the community and animals. A highly acclaimed BBC adaptation aired between 1978 and 1990, but Channel 5's version, premiering on 1 September 2020, has taken viewers by storm. Filmed in the Yorkshire Dales with funding from Screen Yorkshire, the show currently boasts six seasons with seven episodes each, and was renewed for a seventh and eighth series in November 2025.
Cast and Authenticity
The cast includes Samuel West, Anna Madeley, Nicholas Ralph, Callum Woodhouse, Rachel Shenton, Diana Rigg, Patricia Hodge, and James Anthony-Rose. To ensure authenticity, actors trained in basic veterinary procedures with an on-set vet adviser. Nicholas Ralph told Vulture in 2021: 'Straight off the bat with our on-set vet adviser Andy Barrett, we were up close and personal with horses, sheep, going through the procedures.'
Critical and Audience Acclaim
The show boasts a 99% average rating on Rotten Tomatoes across all six seasons. One critic noted: 'The show is irresistible. Always has been, always will be.' Another compared it to Call the Midwife: 'All Creatures – it's Call the Midwife with added animals. No higher compliment could be paid.' Audience reviews are equally glowing, with one viewer calling it 'the most comforting and soothing show I've ever seen.' Another praised it as 'wholesome, uplifting entertainment.'
'All Creatures Great and Small' is streaming now on Channel 5.
