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kate-bishops-waifu · 1 year

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While I attempt to get my head into writing mode I just wanted to talk about all creatures great and small season 3 episode 3 which just came out in my country and what a freaking masterpiece (get it?)

Siegfried is the best he's ever been in this episode. The entire time he looks so young, and vulnerable. like he's just a kid again, cause he's reliving so much of that trauma. It sorta places him right back there. He feels out of control, and the only time during the episode that he seems himself is when he's with that horse. The amount of healing they put each other through is just beautiful. He's just trying so hard to rewrite his sins while everyone is working so hard against him.

I loved that moment in the flashback when he brings his horse through that ruined building, and kills it. This might sound cruel but I'm so glad he actually went through with it. It just makes the whole thing hit so much harder. It makes it so personal to him, that he felt so helpless to stop it that he HAD to participate. That guilt just informs his whole character and if he had done the cliche thing and told it to run off it wouldn't hit nearly as hard as it did.

But my favorite moment from the episode, was the moment when he was sitting down with Mrs. Hall. Trying to apologize, and looking like a broken child who just wants forgiveness. The way he was trying so hard to keep himself together, but you could see the cracks forming; it was so important to have that scene with Audrey, the person he trusts most, the person who went through such similar trauma. He doesn't cry, he holds himself together enough to tell her that his friend committed suicide. Twenty odd years since it happened. Just further sinking in the knife; that this is trauma that sticks around. That it's so deep some never recover.

Fuck I love this episode. Please give Samuel West an award for his portrayal of Siegfried Farnon. I love this man with my entire heart. I can't believe the way they improved his character for this adaptation.

#I love this show so much I want to cry #It's so important that this story is being told #ACGAS #acgas 2020 #acgas spoilers #all creatures great and small #all creatures great and small 2020 #Siegfried Farnon #samuel west #skeldale house #ramble #gush #a masterpiece #masterpiece

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sircolinmorgan · 2 years

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“To surviving Siegfried!”

#all creatures great and small #acgas #acgasedit #perioddramaedit #helen alderson #james herriot #tristan farnon #the unruly kids of skeldale house #there wasn't enough of them in series 3 :(#my gifs #acgas1

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bookgeekgrrl · 3 months

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My media this week (7-13 Jan 2024)

the addition of this disaster boy was delightful

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰 Second First Chances (Kedreeva) - 92K, steddie, canon-divergent Ladyhawke AU. Very well-written, exactly what it says on the tin. Very enjoyable.

😊 Murray Mysteries (Knöves Storytelling) - "full-cast audio-drama style re-imagining of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, set in the present day. Mina Murray is an unemployed twenty-something, jigsaw puzzler, and brand new Podcaster. Her life doesn’t exactly make for interesting content. That is until her best friend Lucy falls mysteriously ill and Mina’s boyfriend Jonathan loses contact on a work trip to Romania…" Very creative, very queer, very enjoyable!

🥰 ship-to-ship combat (pomeloquat) - 76K, SuperBat - "Clark, in an attempt to make some spare cash, unintentionally stumbles into the world of superhero fanfiction, becomes a prolific writer for Gotham's OTP, and tries his best to fend off rival fans who want him to convert to superbat instead." - extremely funny and delightful identity porn fic

🥰 Tension and Tonic (Zenaidamacrouras1) - 78K, cellist!Bucky/artist!Steve, one night stand that develops feelings. Mostly hilarious, with some fantastic characterizations, especially of the supporting characters. Fic does go to some pretty dark thoughts very briefly but ultimately the vibe I ended up with was much more on the funny side of the scale.

💖💖 +41K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

A Letter from "Crawly" to Azirapil (mostlydeadlanguages) - Good Omens: Aziraphale & Crowley, 486 words - actual cuneiform on actual clay tablets, 'translated'. Our boy Ea-Nasir gets a shoutout. Fan makers are amazing.

veracity (pomeloquat) - DCU: SuperBat, 3K - a group of Metropolis criminals give Batman some truth serum to find out how to deal with Superman & get more than they bargained for. Absolute hilarity. Fantastic related art.

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

8 Out of 10 Cats - s22, e11

QI - series S, ep3, 5

D20: Fantasy High: Sophomore Year - BONUS "Fireside Chat with Brennan & Friends

D20: Fantasy High: Sophomore Year - BONUS "Making Chungledown Bim (with Lou Wilson)"

Finding Your Roots - "Fathers and Sons" (s10, e3): LeVar Burton & Wes Studi

Hollywood Reporter Actors Roundtable 2023

The Holdovers (2023)

D20: Escape From The Bloodkeep - "The Tomb of Ultimate Evil" (s2, e6)

D20: Fantasy High: Junior Year - "Summer Scaries" (s21, e1)

D20: Adventuring Party - "Yaaath Queen" (s16, e1)

All Creatures Great and Small - s4, e1-7 (😍😍😍)

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

The Sporkful - Ozempic Isn’t So Great For Fat People, Says Aubrey Gordon

Pop Culture Happy Hour - All Of Us Strangers

Up First - Congressional Funding Deal, Israel and Lebanon, Lloyd Austin Fallout

Today, Explained - Pirates of the Red Sea

How To! - How To Keep Caring Amid Endless Crises

Shedunnit - Whodunnit Centenary: 1924

Switched on Pop - The case of the missing vocals, and other listener questions

Vibe Check - Look to God, Not Monica

ICYMI - The Nine-Month Cruise Heard Round the World

Code Switch - Everyone wants a piece of Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy

Outward - Raquel Willis is in Bloom

Ologies with Alie Ward - Ethnoecology (ETHNOBOTANY/NATIVE PLANTS) with Leigh Joseph

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Baldur's Gate 3

NPR's Book of the Day - Roxane Gay fleshes out her strong 'Opinions'

99% Invisible #565 - Mini-Stories: Volume 18

Just One Thing - Be Kind

Not Another D&D Podcast - D&D Court: Sibling Rivalry Edition (w/ Ify Nwadiwe)

Dear Prudence - A DNA Test Revealed a Secret Sibling. Help!

What Next: TBD - Boeing’s Max Mess

⭐ Endless Thread - The Minnesota Timberwolves score NBA fandom in Brazil, but there's a kink

You're Dead to Me - History of Kung Fu

Today, Explained - Hollywood’s secret musicals

⭐ Hit Parade - And the Grammy Goes to… Edition

Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly - Copycat Brands

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

'80s Soft Pop

The Golden Age of Boy Bands

Presenting Britney Spears

Def Leppard's Greatest Bites

Best of '80s Adult Hits

Covers & Remixes

Singer-Songwriter Classics

Red Hot Chili Peppers

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fortes-fortuna-iogurtum · 2 years

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latest ACGAS report: one of the best episodes of the season I think, possibly one of the best of the show. 10/10 from me.

#character development!!! relationship progression!!! big convos and interesting conflicts!!!!!#I really enjoyed how close and comfortable the little Skeldale House fam seemed too #spoilers ahead—#but Helen coming to Siegfried with her concerns and him hearing her and meeting her in them with such genuineness #Mrs. Hall going with the boys on the car ride #Tristan and Siegfried clashing just a bit but ultimately continuing to build camaraderie #and then every single moment between James and Helen #gahhhshdhhhdhdhehhahaha I loved it so so much wow #also I love Florence she’s So COOL and Tristan’s a dork around her and I’m just. I fully approve. it’s nice to see him be genuine #and kinda awkward and nervous and just very frank and real with someone. it’s really cool I do appreciate it v much.#all creatures great and small #all creatures great and small spoilers #acgas 2020 #acgas spoilers #acgas s3 #mobile #gurt says stuff

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asofterallcreatures · 2 years

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[A six-panel comic in the style of A Softer World featuring pictures from the 2020s version of All Creatures Great And Small. The first three panels are overhead shots of Yorkshire. The fourth and fifth are Mrs. Hall, Siegfried, James, and Tristan at the end of the first Christmas special. And the sixth is Helen and James’s bed collapsing. Text reads “There are just two things that make life worth living. The people you love, and sweet pranks.”]

#All Creatures Great and Small #All Creatures Great and Small 2020 #ACGAS 2020 #A Softer World Remix #A Softer All Creatures #Tristan Farnon #Helen Alderson #James Herriot #Mrs. Hall | Audrey Hall #Siegfried Farnon #In case it's hard to tell the joke is that I think Tristan rigged Helen and James bed to collapse like that as a prank.#The Skeldale House Family

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whatstheproblembaby · 1 year

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Oh God, the war flashbacks in this last ep of ACGAS hurt me personally. Not ready for the inevitable!!!

#fucking wwii breaking up the skeldale house family #goddamn nazis ruining everything

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autumnillustration · 1 year

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All’s well at Skeldale House

A couple of sketches that got out of hand for my favourite duo in All Creatures Great and Small.

#All Creatures Great and Small #acgas 2020 #quick art with me #fan art #art #illustration #digital art #artists on tumblr #audrey hall #siegfried farnon #siegfried x audrey #the lonely old widower and his doting housekeeper #now that I've been enabled by Sam West over on Twitter #I won't stop

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owlsie-hoot · 9 months

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ACGAS August challenge / @acgasfanchallenge

Week 2: places - Skeldale house rooms

#siegfried farnon #audrey hall #all creatures great and small #acgas 2020 #Tristan farnon #Helen Herriot #James Herriot #acgasaugust #rooms at Skeldale #mind you this is only the ground floor #because we do not have scenes from all the upstairs rooms #look at this wonderful family #can't wait to have them back

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blogger360ncislarules · 2 months

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For All Creatures Great and Small fans, some great, big news: MASTERPIECE announced on Friday that the series based on James Herriot’s iconic collection of stories has been renewed for Seasons 5 and 6.

Each of the two seasons will consist of six episodes plus Christmas specials, airing Stateside here on PBS.

Also back for Season 5 are Nicholas Ralph as vet James Herriot, Samuel West as the mercurial Siegfried Farnon, Anna Madeley as the matriarch of Skeldale House Mrs. Hall, Rachel Shenton as the charismatic Helen Herriot, James Anthony-Rose as Richard Carmody, and Patricia Hodge as the wonderfully sophisticated Mrs Pumphrey (with her pampered Pekingese Tricki in tow, of course).

“It is such a joy to share the news of two more seasons of All Creatures Great and Small,” Susanne Simpson, executive producer for MASTERPIECE, said in a statement. “The MASTERPIECE audience has come to treasure this heart-warming series. We’re also particularly happy to welcome back Callum Woodhouse as Tristan to this incredible ensemble of actors.”

Adds Sir Colin Callender CBE, CEO of lead producer Playground: “Kindness and decency are increasingly rare qualities these days, so it is a blessing to be able to return to the sanctuary of Skeldale House and James Herriot’s beloved characters who represent all that is the best in us. There are no villains in All Creatures — just everyday folk trying to get through the day with dignity with the help of a supportive community, family and friends. It’s a lesson for modern times.”

#oh what wonderful news to wake up to!#all creatures great and small #pbs

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below-average-fangirl · 6 months

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I think what will ultimately bring an end to Audrey and Gerald is the fact that Skeldale House is her home, and I don't just mean because of a potential relationship with her and Siegfried. Everyone in that house is her family and with Helen and James expecting I think she will want to be there to support them.

#acgas spoilers #acgas 2020 #all creatures great and small 2020 #audrey hall

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howaboutthemoon · 2 months

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All Creatures Great and Small officially renewed for season 5 AND 6!

"Returning for the fifth season is Nicholas Ralph as vet James Herriot, and Samuel West as his mercurial mentor Siegfried Farnon. Anna Madeley returns as the matriarch of Skeldale House Mrs. Hall, along with Rachel Shenton as the charismatic Helen Herriot. James Anthony-Rose also reappears as Richard Carmody. Also returning is Patricia Hodge as the wonderfully sophisticated Mrs Pumphrey, and her adored pampered Pekingese Tricki. Callum Woodhouse also returns to his role as Tristan Farnon, Siegfried’s mischievous brother who has been serving in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps."

Everyone's back <3 <3

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/specialfeatures/all-creatures-great-and-small-seasons-5-and-6-coming-to-masterpiece-on-pbs/?subscriber=true&list_id=general

#all creatures great and small #acgas 2020 #great news!

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kate-bishops-waifu · 2 years

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Hi! Saw your call for story requests (Thank you for your service, haha). Would love to read anything Siegfried x Audrey, or Siegfried x Reader if that catches your fancy. Thanks!

a.n: Hiiiiiiii! This is my first time writing one of these, and I had a lot of fun, thank you for submitting! It might be more appropriately called a 'blurb' I hope that's all right? It's a new writing style so I'm just getting used to it. I really hope you like it have a lovely day <3

"Excuses"

Siegfried Farnon X gn!reader

Warnings: None! just fluff. Mentions of cat being sick.

Edited: A little.

The Darrowby book and exchange was yours. Every book and every picture on the wall was yours to decide, and as such, you had the right, nay, obligation; to fill it with as many cats as you liked. You would set a bowl of food and water for the neighborhood strays, and they were beginning to take a liking to you. So it was any wonder that you felt obligated by them.

It wasn’t a remarkable day, but you hadn’t seen Molly, the gray haired old lady you had adopted, properly, from one of the Dalesmen who had a liter they couldn’t keep. Molly was the biggest of the group, fat, strong, and a firm god complex which you indulge a little more than you would like to admit. But she was your first cat, and therefore she was the oldest. ‘Old lady’ you would fondly call her.

‘PSPSPSPSPPS Cat? Molly? Where are you hiding?’ It was nearing the end of the day, and your shop had cleared out half an hour ago so you began your search.

Often you could find her hiding on the shelves, or tucked between the overflow stacks. There was precisely where you found her. Between stacks, her fluff squished against the window, and her breathing erratic. She looked, and this is in no way an insult to her highness, terrible. Her eyes were distant and she was wheezing a little. You noticed she had vomited her breakfast, and elected to ignore it for now. The vet wasn’t far away, and you had no trouble closing early today.

It took some looking, but you eventually found the cage, and with some hissing and spitting, managed to get the poor old bat inside. You tried to make it as comfortable as possible, her favorite blanket and pillow from your upstairs apartment, and a sprig of catnip to keep her happy; If she could keep it down. Which you discovered as you made your way through the cobbled streets, she could not.

The practice wasn’t busy when you entered, one other such customer sat by the door with a chicken, looking inconvenienced. And you supposed most people felt such a way in a veterinary practice.

‘Welcome in, why don’t you sit down. Mr. Farnon will be out as soon as he can.’ Mrs. Hall the housekeeper had greeted you.

You took a seat across from the sterile doors of the surgery and settled the old cat on the chair next to you. It might have been a bit hasty, but you didn’t want to wait around with an old cat like her. Better be safe than sorry, you told yourself.

It wasn’t long before the vet emerged, leading out his patient with a smile like he was satisfied with himself. He turned to mrs. Hall and whispered something, glancing back at you. All you could think as you saw those crow feet and kind eyes, was: ‘what a nice face.’

‘So sorry, mr. Dobbins. I’ll have to take this patient first. Shouldn’t be much longer. You understand.’ He said dismissively to the other patient. Mr. Dobbins looked upset, but Farnon was too distracted to notice as he knelt in front of Molly’s cage, ‘Alright. Molly is it?’ He addressed the cage. ‘Right. Let’s see what’s wrong with you,’ He turned his gaze to you, and smiled benevolently. His eyes were perfect as they met yours, and you couldn’t help but be distracted by them. Those kind eyes seemed to hide their youthfulness and play at a much deeper sort of meaning than any he seemed to put on.

Inside the surgery the first thing that struck you was how disorganized it was. Not the sterile table or the platter of instruments, but the desk. Strewn about papers, a jar of papers overflowing onto the ledger that was building dust.

‘Let's see what's wrong with you old girl.’ He pulled the cat from her cage, and set her gently on the table, soothing its raised hackles. He asked you some general questions then began to give her a look over.

‘You own the bookstore right? Down the way?’ He asked out of the blue. It took you a few moments to respond.

‘Yes. Darrowby Book and Exchange. Had it for a few years now.’

‘Right. I like it there. Feels like I can focus. Maybe the place is as organized as my mind so I feel like I fit in.’

That made you laugh. Your store was not very organized.

You didn’t expect it, but after that Siegfried Farnon became a constant in your life. At least once, sometimes twice, every week you saw him. It was getting colder so the cats you took care of were getting sicker and you had just about as many excuses to go see the vet as you could hope. You learned how exceptionally kind he was, though he hid it under a surprisingly hard surface. You saw right through him. After the first month of excuses to go and see him, Siegfried Farnon made his first appearance in your shop. He came in casually and began to peruse silently as you did your best not to gaze. He came up with a few books in his hand and started asking for recommendations, thoughts on the books he’d picked. Pretty soon an hour sped by and you had completely forgotten what he had come in for.

The next time he showed up in your shop, was a surprise. He was carrying tea and some scones and doing his best to look perfectly casual as he set them on the counter. You came out of the woodworks, surprised to see him leaning on your desk like he belonged there, sipping tea. You were beginning to think maybe he did.

Siegfried pretended to ignore you as you took your place behind the counter and you had to speak up for him to acknowledge you.

‘Oh, sorry. Didn’t notice you’d come back. Here. Some tea. And scones. Mrs. Hall made them, I hope you don’t mind?’

You weren’t sure if it was so much a question as it was a statement as he seemed to be quite content, leaning on the desk.

It was hard not to blush as you sipped your tea. Siegfried told you old war stories about the animals he had taken care of. The general chaos that was Veterinary service. You reveled in the way his entire face lit up, telling embarrassing and oftentimes heroic acts of animal doctoring. He might have been embellishing some but you didn't say anything.

It was then two months since you met Siegfried Farnon. Your life felt brighter, more interesting. He never ceased to entertain and it was hard not to imagine a life without your biweekly chats. They could last anywhere from an hour to nearly half the day. It was as if time stood still and simultaneously moved much much quicker than you would like.

But then came the day when you were called away. A family visit or holliday, it doesn’t matter, but the important thing is that the daffodil ball, as Tristan once said ‘the social event of the season’ was set to be the day you came back. The day you would never be able to make it.

And so it went, you arrived home late, the sun was setting and you were tired. As you unlocked the front door you sighed in relief as you set your things down. It was terribly dark, the curtains drawn, the lights off. Your cat sitter must have just left; Molly’s bull was filled with her prescription food. You decided you were too tired to unpack so leaving it for tomorrow was very appealing to you. You made your way downstairs to check on your shop, feeling stiff as you gave it a once over. You collected the cash from the register and noted down where you might need to replace some books.

There came a knock at the door. You weren’t expecting anyone at this hour, or at all. Your shop was closed, you had planned to see your friends the next day, so who on earth would bother you?

Standing outside, his hands in his pockets and his back facing the window was Siegfried Farnon. Doing his best to look casual.

You went to open the door and Siegfried turned to face you, a little surprised.

‘Siegfried? What are you doing here so late?’

Siegfried shuffled slightly where he stood, and you ushered him in, the little bell jingling above the door.

‘I wasn’t sure where you had gone.’ He said.

‘Did I neglect to tell you? I’m sorry, I was on a trip.’ You felt a little guilty, wishing you had said something and not just disappeared. You didn’t mean to, it was all a little last minute for you, but none of that seemed to matter now.

‘Ah. Well. Tonight’s the Daffodil ball you know.’ He was so awkward, twisting a paper in his hands like a nervous boy.

‘Is it?’

‘Yes. Yes it is, and I was sort of hoping you would be here for it.’

‘You were?’ Your cheeks felt warm at the idea of spinning around a ballroom in Siegfried’s arms, the trumpet guiding your movements as you lost yourself in each other's embrace.

‘Yes. I was.’

‘What’s that then?’ you gestured to the piece of paper.

‘Oh. This? Our tickets. It’s silly I shouldn’t have supposed-’

‘That’s very kind of you Siegfried. I would have gone if I had been here earlier.’ You smiled apologetically.

‘Right. Well that’s a shame isn’t it. I suppose you wouldn’t be up for it at this hour would you?’ He looked hopeful, and you couldn’t help but feel the guilt rise up in your belly.

‘No. I suppose I wouldn’t, I’m sorry.’

He looked so dejected, about to turn and leave, but you grabbed his arm.

‘I wouldn’t mind at least one dance though.’ You were surprised at your own bravery, but it almost came easily to you. Being in his presence, it somehow made you more confident.

Siegfried smiled, that lovely bearded smile that made his eyes light up and his true youthfulness escaped. He took your hand and wrapped an arm around your waist. His hand was so soft, which almost surprised you. He held you close as he could, he radiated heat and you seemed to sink into him. You turned about the room carefully, a silent waltz guiding you as you stared at each other.

His movements began to slow and it became an easy swaying motion.

‘I’m sorry I forgot to tell you. I intended to, I really did. I guess it just slipped my mind.’ You admitted.

Siegfried chuckled and shook his head.

‘I think this is better.’ He tilted his head slightly, curiously. Like a dog. Which made you smile, because of course. He had such a kinship with animals it’s any wonder you didn’t notice before.

‘You know, I have a sudden, maybe ridiculous urge, to kiss you.’ He admitted.

You felt the breath escape your chest all at once and all you could do was nod pathetically as he leaned in and closed the gap.

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dollsome-does-tumblr · 1 month

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#cozy tv spaces are so important to me!!!!!#polls #i know no one else knows what under the vines is but i am besotted with that vineyard to the point where it lowkey inspired this poll #p.s. i know the sunnydale high library should be on here; i just ran out of spots!#i could probably do a full part 2 of this poll #for the record i voted for green gables but i cherish them all

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anabanana-romanova · 8 months

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Six Sentance Sunday (It's Tuesday but oh well)

I was tagged by the fabulous @tintinology (cue me fangirling slightly) to post 6 lines (or 6 sentences in my case) of my current WIP :D

Another station pulled up, signalling to a handful of the children that their journey had finished. In a frenzy of chatter and giggles, they grabbed their suitcases and jumped off, tags fluttering from their coats. Tintin looked down at his own tag looped neatly in his buttonhole. Tintin. Last name unknown. DOB: 10th(?) January, 1929. Skeldale House, Darrowby. His gaze drifted back to the hills, staring blankly at the black and white smudges of cows. Skeldale House. It sounded like an orphanage. Or some kind of children's home.

Ok so I went over but SHHHH

I tag (with no pressure): @kaslynspeaks @friendofthefellowshipsnerdblog

#Writing #Tintin #wannabe author

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servants-hall · 4 months

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All Creatures Great and Small producer Yvonne Francas gives an inside track on the Christmas episode

All Creatures Great and Small is heading back to our screens for a Christmas special, which is due to be full of seasonal joy and high emotion.

"It’s a journey of love, kindness, and warmth," reveals the show’s producer Yvonne Francas, as What to Watch catches up with her for an exclusive chat to get a sneak preview of the upcoming episode, airing on Channel 5 on Thursday 21 December at 9 pm. It will air on PBS Masterpiece in the New Year after the fourth season.

Set at Yuletide 1940, it sees caring vet James (Nicholas Ralph) spending the festivities away from both Skeldale House and his heavily pregnant wife Helen (Rachel Shenton) as he is training with the RAF.

Here, Yvonne Francas spills the beans on the All Creatures Great and Small Christmas special…

All Creatures Great and Small’s Christmas episodes are always a delight. Is there a pressure to produce something that's heartwarming for the show’s fans? “Yes, we want to deliver something special. It took 12 to 14 days to film and a couple of months to prepare. It's a pressure but a lovely one to have, because I’ve not worked on another show that’s as loved by its audience.”

How would you sum up this episode? “It's about the absence of people, because James and Tristan [his fellow vet played by Callum Woodhouse] are away at war and everyone is missing them. But it’s also about community and family coming together. There’s romance and joy, and wonderful animal stories! We even have a fight over who’ll be Father Christmas – Siegfried [Samuel West] doesn’t want that position!"

How is James feeling about being apart from Helen for Christmas? “James would love to be with Helen, but he's having to accept what serving means, because the people he is with are in the same boat and desperate to get home but they're not allowed…”

And Helen is heavily pregnant now. What has it been like for Rachel to wear the prosthetic bumps? “We’ve used several prosthetic bumps for Helen in this series and Rachel had an advisor, who used to be a midwife. But Rachel’s amazing and completely gets it!”

We hear the RAF base has an avian mascot that James needs to treat. Is there anything you can reveal about that? “Yes, the men need their mascot to be fit, as it gives them confidence to do their job. We chose a bird, because it echoes the RAF wings. It’s beautiful and we sent Nick for training to familiarise himself with handling it.

“We also have our regular animals at Christmas like Jess and Dash [Skeldale House’s dogs], Tricki-Woo [Mrs Pumphrey’s beloved pooch] and Oscar the cat. Humbug, who plays Oscar, loves being cuddled! We have another dog too, who isn’t friendly, and Carmody [James Anthony-Rose] deals with that…”

What was it like filming the airbase scenes at the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington, near York? “It’s so authentic. We brought in a Nissen hut and located three planes that still exist that would have flown to train airmen at the time and they flew around for us. I sat in one and you do feel exposed to the elements.

“For the RAF costumes, we used a costumier and also sourced some through our military advisor Taff Gillingham. Nick enjoyed wearing his, it gave him a different demeanour. He looks the part. In one scene, he had to run in the uniform, overcoat and hat and he never complained, even though it was June!”

Was it tough keeping everybody cool when you were filming? “We had around 115 supporting artistes throughout the Christmas episode, with many in coats and scarves for the party. As it was summer, when we were outside, we had shaded areas and cold drinks and Melissa Gallant, the executive producer, brought ice lollies! Then, in the studio, fans were on and doors were open when we weren’t shooting.”

And what can you tell us about the Christmas community dinner that kindly housekeeper Mrs Hall (Anna Madeley) organises in The Drovers Arms? “The war affects what they can provide, although Mrs Hall finds an ally who puts their hands on more food and it’s a wonderful spread. Our art department researched what they’d have been able to get hold of and Bethany Heald, our home economist, created some amazing food.”

How hard has it been to recreate a wartime Christmas? “The art department did research online and in books and magazines. We have paper angels and crepe paper banners because people made their own decorations then and our production base is opposite a Christmas tree farm, so we chose lovely trees.

“There’s a big one in Darrowby’s square and the special effects people created fake snow, which they sieved onto the ground, and they used foam when it needed to come out of the sky, which was supplemented with online visual effects. With roaring fires and carols too, the episode does feel Christmassy!”

The Christmas special of All Creatures Great and Small airs on Thursday December 21 at 9pm on Channel 5 and it will also be available on My5. It will air on PBS Masterpiece early next year.

#all creatures great and small #acgas 2020 #acgas spoilers #acgas s4 #acgas 4x07 #helen herriot #james herriot #audrey hall

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