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The Worst Episodes of All Creatures Great and Small

Every episode of All Creatures Great and Small ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of All Creatures Great and Small!

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The trials and misadventures of the staff at a country veterinary office in Yorkshire. James Herriot, a young animal surgeon, moves to a small Yorkshire town to begin his first job.

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  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 1 - Horse Sense
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - Horse Sense

    S1:E1

    Life for a newly qualified vet like James Herriot is not at all easy. He travels all the way to Darrowby, Yorkshire to secure a job, but by the time his prospective employer, Siegfried Farnon, turns up for the interview, James has fallen asleep!

    Director:Terence Dudley
    Writer:Brian Clark

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  2. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 2 - Dog Days
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #2 - Dog Days

    S1:E2

    James finds that long hours and rough conditions can make a veterinary work a dog's life, but for some dogs, like Mrs. Pumphrey's Tricki-Wu, have it so well that they can afford to spread the wealth.

    Director:Peter Moffatt
    Writer:Brian Finch

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  3. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 3 - It Takes All Kinds
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #3 - It Takes All Kinds

    S1:E3

    Sigfried declares that the business is in shambles financially, and his solution is Miss Harbottle, a meticulous secretary who rules the cash box with an iron hand. Amid a relentless succession of new faces - many gruff, some eccentric - James meets the lovely Helen Alderson.

    Director:Christopher Baker
    Writer:Johnny Byrne

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  4. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 4 - Calf Love
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #4 - Calf Love

    S1:E4

    Siegfried has a major victory, and his brother Tristan has to deal with pigs in more ways than one. James discovers he has a rival for Helen's affections.

    Director:Terence Dudley
    Writer:Anthony Steven

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  5. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 5 - Out of Practice
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #5 - Out of Practice

    S1:E5

    The veterinary practice goes from strength to strength, but James fears he has wrecked his chances with Helen after a disastrous first date. Tristan decides that a blind date is all James needs to hone his courtship skills.

    Director:Peter Moffatt
    Writer:Johnny Byrne

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  6. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 6 - Nothing Like Experience
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #6 - Nothing Like Experience

    S1:E6

    James musters the courage to visit Helen after she's seen him at his worst. Siegfried resorts to sorcery to aid a gypsy's ailing pony, and a wild ghost chase solves the mystery of the shrouded figure haunting Raine Abbey.

    Director:Christopher Baker
    Writer:Johnny Byrne

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  7. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 7 - Golden Lads and Girls
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #7 - Golden Lads and Girls

    S1:E7

    James' temper is fraying fast -- what with two car accidents in the space of a week, an inauspicious meeting with Helen's family and his rival still lurking around Helen like a "big glossy spider".

    Director:Terence Dudley
    Writer:Brian Finch

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  8. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 8 - Advice and Consent
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #8 - Advice and Consent

    S1:E8

    The fortunes of the hard-working Dalby family look set to dwindle even further until almost by accident James discovers the cause of their herd's illness. However, James still needs a push start on other fronts, and Siegfried and Tristan decide to remedy matters with their own expert advice.

    Director:Peter Moffatt
    Writer:Brian Finch

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  9. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 9 - The Last Furlong
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #9 - The Last Furlong

    S1:E9

    The sport of kings beckons James and Siegfried to the Broughton Races — James in search of a dead cert to raise forty pounds for a Mediterranean honeymoon, and Siegfried in pursuit of a dream job at the track.

    Director:Christopher Baker
    Writer:Anthony Steven

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  10. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 10 - Sleeping Partners
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #10 - Sleeping Partners

    S1:E10

    James and Helen's wedding day has finally arrived, though their honeymoon destination couldn't have been further from the Mediterranean. Finally, Siegfried bestows the best wedding present of all.

    Director:Terence Dudley
    Writer:Johnny Byrne

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  11. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 11 - Bulldog Breed
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - Bulldog Breed

    S1:E11

    As James struggles to save the dairy herd in which a friend has sunk all his savings, he discovers a colleague's guilty secret.

    Director:Peter Moffatt
    Writer:Brian Finch

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  12. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 12 - Practice Makes Perfect
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #12 - Practice Makes Perfect

    S1:E12

    Having failed his exams, Tristan fears his brother's wrath. In a desperate effort to reform, Tristan shuns cigarettes, alcohol and women and adopts a rigorous routine of dawn runs and hard work.

    Director:Christopher Baker
    Writer:Johnny Byrne

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  13. All Creatures Great and Small Season 1 Episode 13 - Breath of Life
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #13 - Breath of Life

    S1:E13

    Siegfried discovers that a gift given in good faith has brought the deadly foot-and-mouth disease to the dales, and James accidentally hits upon a "sleep cure" for Mrs. Flaxton's poodle.

    Director:Terence Dudley
    Writer:Anthony Steven

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  14. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 1 - Plenty to Grouse About
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #14 - Plenty to Grouse About

    S3:E1

    James is busy with tuberculin testing but is summoned to the Ministry of Agriculture when the test results don't quite add up. Siegfried has to deal with a dog owner who only believes in strict discipline in dealing with his dog. He also has to deal with dying sheep, but the owners may not have the means to save them. Helen gets a job as a secretary, but James isn't quite sure he approves. Siegfried, on the other hand, thinks it's a wonderful idea. Tristan is less than enthused however when he realizes he will have to take over Helen's duties in the partnership. Mrs.Hall tells Siegfried that she has to leave to help her brother, who is now alone to work his farm.

    Director:Christopher Barry
    Writer:Terence Dudley

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  15. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 2 - Charity Begins at Home
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #15 - Charity Begins at Home

    S3:E2

    Siegfried bumps into Mr. Beresford, the manager of the local bank whose dog behaves badly in the car. Tristan woos the lovely Marjorie Simpson and Siegfried meets Sarah Raworth. James treats the elderly Mr. Bailey's dog who has developed a bad case of bronchitis and Siegfried criticizes James when he waives the fee. Siegfried, however, has trouble following his own advice. Tristan rescues a severely injured cat and then convinces James to treat him rather than put him down. Helen promptly adopts him and nurses him back to good health but is devastated when she learns the cat belongs to the Gibbons family. Everyone celebrates Tristan's birthday.

    Director:Richard Bramall
    Writer:Terence Dudley

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  16. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 3 - Every Dog Has His Day
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #16 - Every Dog Has His Day

    S3:E3

    Mr. Biggins tells James about his cowhand, Ned Finch, who goes drinking every night and is drawn to the bright lights of the big city. All James ever sees is an amiable fellow having a quiet drink in his local pub. Mrs. Hall is all aflutter with the visit of Mr. Barge, the loquacious pharmaceutical representative. Mrs.Pumphrey is worried when her new boxer, Cedric, proves to be overly flatulent. James finds a perfect solution. Mr. Beresford's dog is still misbehaving in the car. Siegfried suggest a new sedative, but it unfortunately doesn't have the desired impact.

    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writer:Brian Finch

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  17. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 4 - Hair of the Dog
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #17 - Hair of the Dog

    S3:E4

    Tristan and Siegfried meet Roddy, a hobo and his dog who are passing through the area. Mrs. Hall needs to visit sick relatives for a few days and Tristan is assigned chief cook and bottle washer. He also has to do the spring cleaning, cook the meals and put in his time in the surgery. Siegfried is less than sympathetic when Tristan complains. Granville Bennett stops in wanting the vets to care for his dog, Phoebe, who needs an minor operation. He invites James and Siegfried to lunch the next day and James once again over imbibes. Helen practices her first aid skills on James.

    Director:Christopher Barry
    Writer:William Humble

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  18. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 5 - If Wishes Were Horses
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #18 - If Wishes Were Horses

    S3:E5

    Tristan has had a rather late night and Siegfried takes him to task over his bad habits. Tristan announces that he has a steady girlfriend, Deborah Mount and will reform his wild ways. Turns out Deborah's father doesn't know anything about the relationship and may not approve. When he does hear of it, he has serious doubts about Tristan's character. Tristan doesn't help his case with his silly pranks. James has several encounters with a street urchin, Wesley Binks, whom he'd earlier caught stealing. James nonetheless helps Wesley out when his dog contracts distemper. Siegfried reacts badly when the Weeting brothers tell him they are off to join the military.

    Director:Richard Bramall
    Writer:Johnny Byrne

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  19. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 6 - Pig in the Middle
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #19 - Pig in the Middle

    S3:E6

    James and Helen are about to celebrate their first wedding anniversary and Tristan suggests to James that they go to the Harlequin, a modest restaurant that opened recently. It turns out to be anything but and is in fact one of the poshest restaurants in the area. Siegfried starts seeing Margery Egerton. Tristan, now a free man since being forbidden to see Miss Mount, sets his sights on previous conquests. Siegfried and Tristan ask James to arbitrate when they both want the same evening off. James has to pay several visits to Mr. Bailes whose dog seems to take great delight in scaring the wits out of him.

    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 7 - Be Prepared
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - Be Prepared

    S3:E7

    The possibility of war is on everyone's mind with Helen preparing for the privations ahead and Tristan tasked to tape the windows in the event of bombing. Siegfried decides that they should conserve food and heating by eating their meals together, but Mrs. Hall takes his instructions to economize a bit too seriously. James treats Hamish, a sick dog who requires an operation and Tristan, who is tasked with overseeing his recovery, loses him. The vets forgo a posh evening out to treat a stray dog who has had an accident. Tristan is aghast at Siegfried's attempt to pair him with Deirdre Headingley, one of his crony's less-than-attractive daughters.

    Director:Christopher Barry
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 8 - A Dying Breed
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #21 - A Dying Breed

    S3:E8

    The vets visit a modern dairy farm and are left to wonder who benefits from the cold efficiency. Miss Westerman returns with her dog Hamish and Tristan tries to avoid her, given that he misplaced her dog the last time she him in the vets' care. She is concerned at the rumors that all dogs will need to be destroyed if war is declared but Tristan sets her mind to rest. The vets agree to spay a cat for a minimum fee, but find they may have gotten more that they bargained for. Siegfried treat Herbie Hinchcliffe's aging horse Dolly and becomes emotionally involved in the case when he has to put

    Director:Richard Bramall
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 9 - Brink of Disaster
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #22 - Brink of Disaster

    S3:E9

    Siegfried has become a bit horse shy given his recent experience with Dolly. James has to deal with the very unpleasant Ralph Beamish, an arrogant horse owner who continually ignores his advice. Siegfried visits a local pig farmer and fears his animals may be infected with foot and mouth disease. Mrs. Beck continues to complain about her with the vets bill and is now worried about how her cat might survive a gas attack should war be declared. Germany has invaded Poland and the British government has given Germany an ultimatum to leave or they will be at war.

    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 10 - Home and Away
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Home and Away

    S3:E10

    Mrs. Hall is away visiting a cousin and James agrees to fill in for Stewie Brannon while he's on holidays. Siegfried and Tristan make the best of it but Tristan's culinary skills have not improved over the years. He does make an excellent bangers and mash, for every meal, everyday. James treats a severely injured dog and has a bit of difficulty with the local dialect.

    Director:Terence Dudley
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 11 - Alarms and Excursions
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - Alarms and Excursions

    S3:E11

    The Darrowby Bell Ringing Society is suspending its operations for the duration of the war and they have one, final "meeting" at the local pub. James and Tristan go to the bell tower with not unexpected results. The vets have to deal with a series of dog poisonings. They soon identify the farmer responsible, but not before several more animals die. Siegfried treats Joan Clifford's dog Saxon, but the case has very specific implications for her. James treats Mr. Hanson's pigs but it's Mr. Hanson who is most entertaining in that he always speaks at the top of his lungs.

    Director:Richard Bramall
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. All Creatures Great and Small Season 3 Episode 12 - Matters of Life and Death
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - Matters of Life and Death

    S3:E12

    James treats Paul Cotterell's dog Theo, who has been losing weight and is diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. James recommends that Theo be put down and Paul agrees. James doesn't realize the impact this has on Paul and the tragic results that ensue. James meets Lord Hulton, a hard working farm owner despite his aristocratic background. Hulton takes a liking to a horse that has wandered onto his property from the nearby military depot. At the Billings farm, James finds young calves who are wasting away. He thinks they have ingested an irritant of some kind, but the vets simply can't isolate it.

    Director:Michael Hayes
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Horse Sense" is the worst rated episode of "All Creatures Great and Small". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Terence Dudley and written by Brian Clark, it aired on 1/8/1978. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Dog Days".