All Creatures Great and Small Character Review: Diana Brompton

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the television show All Creatures Great and Small. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

Sometimes the best couples can be described as yin and yang. What one person lacks, the other makes up for.

In the PBS/Masterpiece television series, All Creatures Great and Small (based on the book series of the same name), Diana Brompton (Dorothy Atkinson) is an unusual woman for 1930s Yorkshire. She is a divorcee who is vivacious, outgoing, and does not care what others think. Personality-wise, she is the complete opposite of anxious and out-there Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West). Their potential coupling represents a change for the widowed Siegfried, who has focused on his work since his late wife’s passing.

Unlike other women of her era, Diana is not afraid to speak her mind or tell a “dirty” joke. Though some might think she is “unladylike”, her charm and easy sociability quickly win over her detractors. Ahead of her time, she represents a future in which females are free to act as they wish without being called names.

To sum it up: It takes a bold person (especially a woman) to step out of the circle of what is expected of them and be confident in who they are. It is Diana’s belief in herself that makes her stand out and speak her truth without fear.

Which is why she is a memorable character.

This will be my last character review post for All Creatures Great and Small. Come back in two weeks for the next group of characters that I will be reviewing.

Advertisement

All Creatures Great and Small Character Review: Hugh Hulton

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the television show All Creatures Great and Small. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

If we are lucky, we find the one we are meant for when we are young. But as romantic as that ideal is, being with one’s childhood sweetheart forever is not always possible.

In the PBS/Masterpiece television series, All Creatures Great and Small (based on the book series of the same name) Hugh Hulton (Matthew Lewis) is a wealthy landowner in Yorkshire in the 1930s. Growing up with Helen Alderson (Rachel Shenton), their relationship changes as adulthood approaches. Youthful games turn into mature love. An engagement follows and it seems that their future is sewn up.

But just because we make plans does not mean that they turned out exactly how we want them to be. The arrival of James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph), the new assistant of Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) develops a crush on Helen. That crush turns into affection, which Helen eventually returns. Instead of following through on her promise to marry Hugh, Helen follows her heart.

It would not be surprising if Hugh used his power and influence to wreak havoc on James and Helen. Instead, he accepts that Helen has found love with another and moves on with his life.

To sum it up: Hugh could have been easily written as the wealthy baddy who uses his power to get Helen back and take revenge on James. Instead, he takes it like a man.

Which is why he is a memorable character.

What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix Book Review

Wuthering Heights has been a beloved classic for centuries. The turbulent relationship between the orphaned Heathcliff and his adopted sister Catherine has enthralled audiences since 1847.

What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix, by Tasha Suri, is a YA reboot of the novel. It was published last month.

In the late 1780s, Heathcliff is the son of an unknown lascar (a sailor from the then British colonies who made their living by working on European ships). Taken in by Mr. Earnshaw, a landowner from Yorkshire, he is immediately labeled as an outsider. Though he tries to remain true to his Indian roots, it creates an even bigger chasm between himself and the family he has been brought into.

Catherine is the younger Earnshaw child. From an early age, she knows what her future will be: marry a man of appropriate stature (and wealth) and bear his children. Even if it means hiding her true nature in the process and slowly dying inside.

Though they appear to be completely different on the surface, they have a bond that is deep and unbreakable. When Catherine’s father dies, everything changes, and not for the better. The cruel treatment that Heathcliff receives goes from 0 to 60 the minute that his adopted father is in the ground.

The question is, will they be themselves and build a life together? Or will they give into the expectations of the greater society around them?

I was blown away by this book. It is one of my favorite books that I have read this year. Using Bronte’s original as source material, Suri takes the narrative in new directions. While delving into colonialism, racism, gender lines, and the strict class structure of the period, she gives the reader new insights into the characters. Like its sister novel, Wide Sargasso Sea, the world expands beautifully beyond the original text.

Most of it takes place in the three years after Catherine says that she cannot marry Heathcliff. While she is flirting with the idea of marrying Edgar Linton, he is doing everything he can to make his name and his fortune. Even if that means getting involved with some shady characters.

If I had to choose a favorite part of the book, it is when Hindley (Catherine’s brother) stops being a drunken brute for a minute and reveals secrets that their father would have preferred to remain buried.

My only warning is that I recommend reading Bronte’s original novel first.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix is available wherever books are sold.

All Creatures Great and Small Character Review: Helen Alderson

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the television show All Creatures Great and Small. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

There are two ways to get through life: complain endlessly or just get through it. Though complaining has its place, it takes much less time and energy to just deal with the cards that life has dealt you.

In the PBS/Masterpiece television series, All Creatures Great and Small (based on the book series of the same name), Helen Alderson (Rachel Shenton) comes from a long line of Yorkshire farmers. Since the death of her mother, Helen has both taken the duties of farming and being the surrogate mother to her much younger sister Jenny (Imogene Clawson). Born and raised in this world, she is practical, intelligent, and just does what needs to be done. She is more than capable of getting behind the wheel of a tractor or rangling an unruly animal.

That does not mean that Helen is a tomboy who despises wearing dresses and putting on makeup. When the occasion arises, she is just as comfortable in a dress and heels as she is in overalls.

She is also the object of affection for two different men. When we originally meet Helen, she has been with Hugh Hulton (Matthew Lewis) for quite a few years. They have grown up together. The next natural step in their relationship is the ringing of wedding bells. Hugh comes from a wealthy family and would be able to provide for Helen and her family.

But there is someone else waiting in the wings. James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) is a newcomer to the area. He nearly instantly develops a crush on Helen and is devastated that she is spoken for. Though he respects the fact that she is in a relationship, James never wavers in his love for Helen. Eventually, Helen and Hugh go their separate ways. It takes some time, but James does eventually propose. She accepts and all appears well for their future.

But neither knows that World War II is waiting in the wings, threatening to turn their world upside down.

To sum it up: Though Helen is the romantic lead, she is not defined by the two men who want to be with her. She is her own woman who can clearly take care of herself and her family. It is that levelheadedness that allows modern women to relate to her but still keeps her grounded in the period that she lives in.

Which is why she is a memorable character.

All Creatures Great and Small Character Review: Siegfried Farnon

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the television show All Creatures Great and Small. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

Every boss has their own unique eccentricities and personality. How their employees get along or don’t get along with said boss comes down to chemistry and understanding one another.

In the PBS/Masterpiece television series, All Creatures Great and Small (based on the book series of the same name), Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) is the owner and proprietor of a veterinary practice in Yorkshire in the 1930s. Though he does well with the animals, humans are another story.

Siegfried is not shy about sharing his opinion, imperious, and quick to judge others. When James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) arrives at his doorstep, applying for an assistant position, Siegfried is quick to dismiss James. But Mrs. Hall (Anna Madeley) convinces him to give James another chance.

Though he may seem like he is a little out there, Siegfried has a good heart. He cares deeply about his patients and loathes animal abuse of any sort. He does eventually come to respect James, but it takes some time. He also is a widower who has been taking care of his wild younger brother Tristan (Callum Woodhouse).

Siegfried wants his brother to succeed but doesn’t quite trust that he will. He even goes so far as to smudge Tristan’s grades, which does not go over well. After that blows over, he reveals to his brother that he was jealous of the easy relationship Tristan had with their late father.

In the romantic arena, he has not been focused on his work since his wife died. There was the possibility of a relationship with divorcee Diana Brompton (Dorothy Atkinson), but it fizzled out before it had the chance to begin. There is also a spark of something with Mrs. Hall, but it has yet to develop into anything worth talking about.

To sum it up: Siegfried is a character, to say the least. He is a challenge to both the reader and the people around him. He pushes buttons as only he can. But he is also a good man with a good heart who cares deeply for the people who care for him.

Which is why he is a memorable character.

All Creatures Great and Small Character Review: James Herriot

The schedule for the Character Review posts will be changing to Friday (or Saturday at the latest from now on).

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the television show All Creatures Great and Small. Read at your own risk if you have not watched the show. There is something to be said about a well-written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front of us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

One of the first great adventures as an adult is our first job. That experience (at least from my perspective) forever stays with us, regardless of how long our resumes become.

In the PBS/Masterpiece television series, All Creatures Great and Small (based on the book series of the same name), James Herriot (Nicholas Ralph) is a newly licensed veterinarian who is eager to prove his worth in 1930s England. He arrives at the home and practice of Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West), hoping that Dr. Farnon will hire him.

Dr. Farnon is quite a character and would test the patience of the most understanding of people. He nearly goes home without a job, but the housekeeper, Mrs. Hall (Anna Madeley) convinces her boss to give James a chance.

He is also helped by Siegfried’s carefree and sometimes less than practical younger brother Tristan (Callum Woodhouse). He is the yin to James’s yang in terms of temperament, perspective, and professional outlook.

Over the course of his employment, James becomes a respected veterinarian, appreciated by his colleagues and the community. Though he has the option of returning home to Scotland, he stays in Yorkshire. He is also infatuated with Helen Alderson (Rachel Shenton). But Helen is spoken for. Hugh Holton (Matthew Lewis) is a local boy who is the son of the landed gentry. Eventually, Helen and Hugh go their separate ways, opening the door for James’s wish to become reality. When we last saw James, he had it all. A solid career, a fiance, and a future.

But World War II is on the horizon. He doesn’t know it yet, but everything that he knows is about to change.

To sum it up: James is an everyman. He doesn’t want much. He wants a career he loves, a family to come home to, and a place in this world to call his own. He has all that and so much more. But before he can get there, he has to go through a few growing pains along the way.

Which is why he is a memorable character.

Best New TV Shows of 2021

*I apologize for the delay in posting. I should have written this before New Year’s Eve.

1. Loki: Tom Hiddleston shines once more as Loki, the complicated immortal who has become much more than the standard antagonist. Forced into new circumstances, he goes on a journey that forever changes him.
2. The Wonder Years: This reboot of the beloved 1980’s/1990’s series is just as poignant as its predecessor. The choice of making the main character and his family African-American only adds to its relevancy.
3. Law & Order: Organized Crime: This spinoff of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit starring Chris Meloni as returning Detective Elliot Stabler is a thrilling and spine tingling hour of television.
4. Ordinary Joe: This new NBC series is the story of one man and three distinct life paths before him. Told concurrently and using different colors for each decision, is is a reminder of how one choice can affect the rest of our lives.
5. Impeachment: American Crime Story: The latest chapter of this long running F/X series focuses on the affair between Monica Lewinsky (Beanie Feldstein) and former President Clinton (Clive Owen) and the impeachment trial that followed. Instead of focusing on Clinton, the story is about the women who were directly affected by his less than honorable actions.
6. WandaVision: This first foray by the MCU via DisneyPlus is everything it promised to be. Wanda Maxmioff and Vision (Elisabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany) are living in family sitcom wedded bliss. But it not what it seems to be. With a star making turn by Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness, this series is a must see.
7. All Creatures Great and Small: Ths unexpectedly Masterpeice/PBS series is adorable and charming. A rookie vetenarian starts his career in rural Yorkshire in the 1930’s and grows in unexpected ways. The new season starts tonight at 9PM ET/ 8PM CT.
8. Atlantic Crossing: This second Masterpeice/PBS series tells the story of the friendship/supposed affair between Franklin Delanor Roosevelt and Crown Princess Martha of Sweden during World War II. Forgotten for nearly a century, this tale of one woman’s drive to save her nation is truly worth watching.
9. The Book of Boba Fett: This latest entry into the Star Wars universe from DisneyPlus just premiered on December 29th. Though only two episodes have been released, it is already asking questions that are begging for answers.
10. Behind Her Eyes: Based on the book by Sarah Pinborough, this six part Netflix series about a married man’s affair with his secretary has a delicious ending that is jaw dropping and completely out of left field. Few endings have wowed me as this did.

All Creatures Great and Small Pilot Review

I don’t know about anyone else, but my first job out of college was eye opening.

The new Masterpiece/PBS series, All Creatures Great and Small, based on the books by James Herriot, premiered last night.

In 1930’s Britain, James Herriot (played by newcomer Nicholas Ralph) is a young man with one dream: to be a veterinarian. All hope seems lost until he gets a letter from Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West). Farnon is a veterinarian living and working in rural Yorkshire. James accept the job as Farnon’s new assistant.

His first meeting with his new boss is an eye opening one. Farnon is well, eccentric, to say the least. James is young, eager, and just a little green. Though he is not without allies. Mrs. Hall (Anna Madeley) is fully aware of her employer’s nature and encourages him to give James a shot. There is also Helen Alderson (Rachel Shenton), a local woman who works on her family’s farm and could possibly be a love interest.

This is not the first time these books have been adapted for television. They were previously adapted in the late 1970’s and late 1980’s. This is my first introduction to these characters as I had not seen the previous series or read the books. To be perfectly honest, I was not sure if I would enjoy the program. I am glad I was wrong. It is charming and a nice way to begin the week anew.

Do I recommend it? Absolutely.

All Creatures Great and Small air on PBS Sunday nights at 9PM.

Worlds of Ink and Shadow: A Novel of the Brontës Book Review

Among the many anecdotes and suggestions about writing, one of the most common is “write what you know”.

In the case of Anne, Emily and Charlotte Bronte, they knew a world of fantasy and drama that was far from the dreary, isolated Yorkshire town they called home. Raised by their widower parson father who some might have referred to during their lifetimes as eccentric, the young Miss Bronte’s and their brother Branwell developed a keen imagination and a heightened reality narrative style that the would become the backbone of the novels that the girls would write as adults.

Lena Coakley’s new book,  Worlds of Ink and Shadow: A Novel of the Brontës, takes the reader back into the teenage years and the juvenalia that would later become the classic novels Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Agnes Grey and The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall. Wrapped in the fantasy worlds that the Brontes created as children, their characters within these worlds come to life and interact with their creators. 

As a reader and a writer, to know where other writers have started is always fascinating, especially when it comes to the writers like the Brontes, who have become giants in the world of literature.

But, this book is not all peaches and cream. The beginning is a little slow for my taste. While Ms. Coakley has certainly done her research, a reader who is not familiar with the Brontes might not finish the book. A little too steep in Bronte mythology and juvenalia, the book is strictly for Bronte fans.

Do I recommend it? I would say yes, but I adore their books. Otherwise, I would stay away.