If you’ve ever scrolled through YouTube or PBS Masterpiece looking for a bit of peace, you’ve probably stumbled onto all creatures great and small videos. There’s something about the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales and the chaotic energy of a 1930s veterinary practice that just hits different. It isn’t just nostalgia. Honestly, it’s about a world where the biggest crisis is a cow with a twisted stomach or a spoiled Pekingese named Tricki Woo who’s had one too many slices of beef Wellington.
James Herriot—the pen name for the real-life vet Alf Wight—didn’t just write books; he created a vibe that has survived three major screen adaptations. Whether you’re watching the 1975 film, the classic BBC series that ran forever, or the lush Channel 5 and PBS remake, these clips and episodes have become a digital sanctuary for millions.
People are obsessed.
The modern appetite for these videos is skyrocketing because our actual lives are loud, digital, and frankly, a bit much. Diving into a clip of Nicholas Ralph or Christopher Timothy trying to convince a stubborn farmer to wash his hands before a surgery is the ultimate palate cleanser.
💡 You might also like: Finding i robot: How to Watch the Will Smith Classic Right Now
The Evolution of the Darrowby Aesthetic
The grainy, 16mm look of the original BBC all creatures great and small videos feels like home to a certain generation. It was filmed between 1978 and 1990, capturing a version of Yorkshire that was already disappearing. You’ve got Robert Hardy as Siegfried Farnon—absolutely explosive, erratic, and brilliant. His performance is the anchor of those older clips. If you watch the behind-the-scenes footage from that era, you see how much they struggled with actual farm animals who didn't care about "action" cues.
Then the 2020 remake happened.
Purists were worried. I was worried. How do you replace Robert Hardy? But then Samuel West stepped into the boots of Siegfried, and Anna Madeley turned Mrs. Hall from a background character into the literal heartbeat of Skeldale House. The new videos are visually stunning. They use drones to capture the scale of the Dales in a way the 70s tech simply couldn't. It’s high-definition comfort food.
The lighting in the newer series is specific. It’s warm. It’s golden. It feels like a Pintrest board came to life but with more cow manure. When you watch the snippets of the Christmas specials online, you can almost smell the woodsmoke and the sherry. That’s the "Discover" factor—these videos perform well on Google and social feeds because they are high-contrast, emotionally resonant, and incredibly easy to watch while you’re eating lunch.
Why We Can't Stop Watching Tricki Woo
Let’s be real for a second. We’re all here for the animals.
Specifically, we are here for Tricki Woo. The real Alf Wight wrote about a pampered dog owned by a wealthy widow, and that dog has become a legend in the world of all creatures great and small videos. In the new series, Derek the Pekingese plays Tricki, and he is a total scene-stealer. The videos of James Herriot trying to put a dog on a diet while the owner, Mrs. Pumphrey (played by the late, great Diana Rigg and later Patricia Hodge), sends the dog hampers of caviar are comedy gold.
It works because it’s relatable.
Anyone who has ever spent too much money on a pet or treated their dog like a human child sees themselves in those scenes. The clips of these interactions often go viral because they transcend the "period drama" label. They’re just funny.
But it’s not all jokes. The show handles the harsh reality of farming life too. There are videos—heartbreaking ones—where James has to tell a family their only cow isn't going to make it. In the 1930s, that wasn't just sad; it was financial ruin. The show doesn't shy away from that. It balances the "great" and the "small" perfectly. That nuance is why the series has such high E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) in the eyes of viewers. It feels authentic to the time and the profession.
The Real Locations: Where the Magic Happens
If you search for all creatures great and small videos, you’ll eventually find the travelogues. Fans are desperate to see where this stuff is filmed.
Grassington in North Yorkshire is the "real" Darrowby now. If you go there, you’ll see the Devonshire Arms, which doubles as the Drovers Arms in the show. There are dozens of fan-made videos on TikTok and YouTube where people walk through the village, pointing out the storefronts used in the filming. It’s a massive boost for local tourism.
- Skeldale House: The exterior used in the new series is actually in Grassington.
- The World of James Herriot: This is the actual museum in Thirsk, located in Alf Wight's original surgery.
- The Dales: Most of the sweeping landscape shots are filmed around Wharfedale and Nidderdale.
Watching the side-by-side comparison videos of the 1970s filming locations versus the 2020s locations is a trip. Some things haven't changed at all. The dry stone walls are still there. The wind is still biting. The sheep are still annoyed.
The "Herriot Effect" on Modern Veterinary Science
It’s easy to forget that these stories are based on a real man’s life. Alf Wight was a vet for decades before he became a famous author. When you watch all creatures great and small videos that feature medical procedures, you’re seeing a snapshot of veterinary history.
In the 30s and 40s, they didn't have antibiotics. Not really. Sulfonamides were just coming onto the scene. You see James struggling with basic infections that a modern vet could clear up in three days. This creates a high-stakes environment in every episode. Will the horse survive the night? James has to sit in the barn, covered in straw, just waiting.
It’s slow television. In an era of 15-second reels and rapid-fire editing, there is a profound power in a three-minute clip of a man just sitting with a sick animal. It forces the viewer to slow down. It’s meditative.
Vets today often cite these books and videos as the reason they entered the profession. Despite the poop and the kicks and the long hours, the core message—that animals deserve our respect and care—is timeless.
Finding the Best Clips and Full Episodes
If you’re looking to dive into the archive, you’ve got options. PBS Masterpiece in the US and Channel 5 in the UK are the primary hubs for the new stuff. They frequently upload "Best Of" compilations that focus on the romance between James and Helen Alderson.
📖 Related: Rasheeda Love and Hip Hop: What Most People Get Wrong
The chemistry between Nicholas Ralph and Rachel Shenton is a huge draw for the "Discover" feed. People love a slow-burn romance. Videos of their wedding or their first dance at the local hall get hundreds of thousands of views because they represent a simpler, more earnest kind of love story. No apps, no ghosting, just a man, a woman, and a very large bull standing between them and their date.
For the older series, BritBox is usually your best bet. The clips on YouTube from the BBC era are often uploaded by fans, featuring the legendary theme tune composed by Johnny Pearson. That song—"Pearson’s Theme"—is basically a Pavlovian trigger for relaxation.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Show
A common misconception is that this is just "fluff" or "grandma TV."
It’s actually quite gritty when it wants to be. The latest seasons have moved into the early years of World War II. Seeing James and Tristan Farnon grapple with the choice to enlist while their community needs them at home adds a layer of tension that elevates the show above a typical procedural. The all creatures great and small videos covering these moments are heavy. They deal with duty, fear, and the end of an era.
The show also deals with class dynamics. James is a Scot in Yorkshire—an outsider. He’s a working-class guy trying to earn the trust of wealthy landowners and suspicious farmers. That struggle for acceptance is a universal theme. It’s not just about puppies; it’s about a guy trying to do a good job in a place that doesn't always want him there.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you want to get the most out of your Herriot experience, don't just passively watch. There is a whole world surrounding these stories.
- Visit the World of James Herriot in Thirsk. It’s one of the best-preserved biographical museums in the UK. You can see the original car James drove and the actual equipment he used.
- Follow the "Official" Social Channels. PBS Masterpiece often posts "Animal Actors" videos that show how they train the cows and sheep to behave on set. It’s fascinating to see the trainers hiding just out of frame.
- Read the Original Books. If you’ve only seen the videos, you’re missing out on Wight’s prose. It’s hilarious and much more cynical than the TV shows often portray.
- Check Out the "Vets in Practice" Style Content. Many real-life large animal vets on YouTube cite Herriot as an influence. Watching modern vets handle the same issues James did (like a calf malpresentation) gives you a whole new appreciation for the show’s accuracy.
The enduring popularity of these videos proves that we aren't as "modern" as we think. We still want to see the underdog win. We still want to see the sick dog get better. We still want to believe that a small community can look after its own.
Darrowby might be a fictionalized version of Thirsk, but the feelings it evokes are 100% real. So next time you see a thumbnail of a muddy vet in a flat cap, click on it. Your blood pressure will probably thank you.
To fully immerse yourself in the world of Darrowby, start by comparing the first episode of the 1978 version with the 2020 pilot. You'll notice how the pacing has changed, but the heart—the moment James first steps off that bus into the cold Yorkshire air—remains exactly the same. Search for "James Herriot's Yorkshire" on any video platform to see the real landscapes that inspired the stories, providing a much deeper context than the fictionalized sets ever could. Finally, consider exploring the "Beyond the Books" documentaries which detail Alf Wight's actual life versus the television portrayal, giving you a grounded perspective on the man behind the myth.