‘All Creatures Great & Small’ Season 6's Moving "Our Hearts Are Full"
... whatever shall be, that has to be the thing on which we all agree: keep the fires burning always.
As usual, the Season 6 finale of All Creatures Great & Small acts as the penultimate installment for U.S. viewing, but it's still a moving, tear-jerker of an hour. It’s August of 1945, the war is still not over, but Tristan Farnon and Charlotte Beauvoir are enjoying a picnic on the lawn of the Beauvoir mansion, with champagne on ice and a record player. At any moment, Tristan may be called back to duty, and their letter-writing competency will be tested.
James Herriot makes a visit to his father-in-law’s farm, where a cow has a problem, and Richard Alderson is grumpier than usual. He has become disenchanted with his new phone, now disconnected, even though it’s his only contact with his two daughters in London. Unfortunately, his number is one digit off the local railway station, and after many wrong calls, he’s labeled the phone as a “bloody nuisance.” James examines a pregnant cow, expected to calve any day, and advises him that all is well.
Siegfried announces to Tristan and Mrs. Hall that he’s scheduled to visit Butch Fielding (Walt Bedford), whose Shire horse has a hoof problem. The horse, Weissmuller, is gigantic, with feet the size of dinner plates, so it’s a two-man job. Butch is famous (or infamous) for his limited vocabulary – aye, aar, oh – and Tristan confidently bets ten shillings he can get him to participate in a real conversation before jumping right in, asking if the horse’s name was inspired by Tarzan actor Johnny Weissmuller, beating his chest to make the point. Butch is unresponsive.
Siegfried suspects the hind hoof has an abscess and gets to work, asking Tristan to go to the horse’s head. Something is wrong: Tristan takes a hesitant step or two and freezes, and Weissmuller responds to his anxiety, snorting and stamping those enormous hooves. Tristan leaves the barn, gets into the car, and drives off.
Audrey Hall and Jimmie take a cake to recently-widowed Maggie as a sympathy gift* and meet Tom Chapman (Lamin Touray) and Grace Chapman (Cat Simmons). Tom enlisted early in the war and is showing signs of PTSD; as he walks away, Grace explains that he finds it difficult to adapt to civilian life. Maggie and her son are sitting by the window, looking at a photograph album, and Audrey doesn’t want to intrude. They leave the cake on the doorstep.
(*10/10 for Channel 5’s authenticity with details – my family in England owned an identical cake tin!)
James stops by again and discovers Richard has hired an elderly foreman, Elijah Wentworth (Bernard Wrigley), a former farrier. James asks why Richard didn’t hire someone younger, but apparently, Elijah was all he could find. James suggests that if the farm’s telephone had been connected, Richard might have found a wider selection of candidates. James connects the phone and calls Helen and Jennie in London, but no one picks up. The phone rings seconds later, and Richard answers to find it’s someone with a train enquiry; by this time, he has the schedule memorized, and gives the caller the information.
By the time James arrives back at Skeldale House, Siegfried, who’s accepted a lift home in Butch Fielding’s cart, also arrives. He demands an explanation from Tristan. Tristan won’t engage, although he claims he is sick and takes himself to bed. Siegfried is annoyed but concerned.
Up late, James hears that the Prime Minister is about to be carried live, and wakes the household. Sure enough, the war is over with the surrender of Japan. They listen in silence, Siegfried with his hand on Tristan’s shoulder, and then embracing Audrey. James holds his son close. Siegfried offers his brother a celebratory whiskey, and Tristan refuses, saying the “peculiarity” he’s experiencing is still with him and that he does not want to join Siegfried in treating the horse the next day. Siegfried consults Audrey, who reminds him that Tristan hasn’t been his normal self since he came home, just like Tom Chapman.
Audrey’s busy as it is, planning a party, a real celebration, rather than a gathering where everyone wants to prove how resilient and brave they are. Jimmy is anxious to graduate to real farmers’ boots now that the war is over, and father and son watch fireworks together.
The next morning, they’re joined by Charlotte and Grace Chapman, who are returning the cake tin, and party planning and cooking are underway. Siegfried has appointed himself in charge of beer and tells Audrey and Charlotte that if Tristan isn’t available to help with Weissmuller, he’ll be available to help with party preparations. But Tristan isn’t in his room. He’s left his medal on the neatly-made bed, and an empty bottle of whiskey. Maggie tells Siegfried she saw Tristan go into the church. Siegfried doesn’t want Charlotte to know Tristan’s in trouble, and assures her he’ll turn up later before hurrying to find him.
Siegfried begins by reminiscing about when Tristan was very young and brought his peashooter to church, but stops when his brother finally interrupts to talk about the war. He and his unit were moving camp under fire and retreated into a minefield. Tristan was inches from a mine when his friend Billy stepped on it. Tristan was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery and the lives he saved, but was devastated by the experience. He weeps on his brother’s shoulder as he remembers. As they leave the church, Siegfried draws his brother’s attention to the beauty of a wren singing nearby.
James, Jimmy, and Richard Alderson discover that the cow is no longer pregnant. Oops. Some of the cows got out at night, and the calf could have been born anywhere in the adjoining fields and open spaces, and may not have survived. James goes in search of Tom Chapman, who’s working in a bicycle repair shop, and asks him to come help. But Jimmy has a brilliant solution. If he were lost, his mum would find him, so why not get the cow to find her calf?
Released from her stall, Mama Cow heads off at a brisk pace with her entourage of men. The calf is alive and well, enjoying a field of buttercups, and frisks around as her mother appears. Richard comments that he thinks the cow was separated too early from her other calves, and decided this time she was going to keep her baby. James rewards his son with a pair of real farm boots, and Richard offers Tom a job, which he’s pleased to accept.
Tristan and Siegfried join them briefly, still trying to figure out how to treat Weissmuller. Their current plan is to bring in the retired farrier, Elijah Wentworth, to help, and it works beautifully. Elijah’s soothing presence calms the horse, Tristan takes a few deep breaths and goes to the horse’s head, while Siegfried treats the infected hoof. Butch Fielding is so pleased with the outcome that he presents them with a growler of the home-brew for which he is famed, and apparently, he has plenty more, which gives Siegfried an idea. He negotiates a large order from Butch for the party, which is about to begin in Darrowby.
Tristan and Charlotte are able to snatch a moment together. He apologizes. He’s not been himself. Was she just a distraction? she asks. Because Tristan was a distraction for her, but it meant a lot. They revert to their letter-writing conversational style again.
Dearest Charlotte, My concern is that I’ll never be the same chap again. As sincerely as it’s possible to be, Tristan.
Dearest Tristan, It’s quite alright, I like you now. Always, Charlotte.
Siegfried attempts to make a toast, but it’s vocabulary-challenged Butch Fielding who speaks for everyone:
They can declare the peace, and we can all be mighty thankful. We can celebrate and we should. Doesn’t mean to say things are going just as they were, does it? We have kept, all of us, the home fires burning round here, haven’t we? And whatever shall be, that has to be the thing on which we all agree: keep the fires burning always.
The party climbs up the hill to a beacon, which Tristan, wearing his medal, lights. Accompanied by a brass band, they sing Holst’s I Vow To Thee My Country, and as daylight fades, we see distant beacons come to life all over the landscape. It’s a wonderful ending to the season.
All Creatures Great & Small Season 6 will end with the 2025 Christmas Special on Sunday, February 22, 2026, at 9 p.m. ET on local PBS stations, the PBS app, and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel. All episodes of Season 6 are available to stream on PBS Passport for members. The show has already been renewed for two more seasons.
