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(60 Posts)
travelsafar Sat 18-Sept-21 09:42:53

I watched the new series last night on catch up, everything i thought it would be, humour, and nostalgic with an easy story line. This kind of program leaves me with a nice warm feeling inside.

grandtanteJE65 Fri 24-Sept-21 11:12:48

I too prefer the original series.

MayBee70 Fri 24-Sept-21 11:14:43

We love the new series. BBC did a prequel a few years ago and it died a death but this one is lovely. It needed to be different to be acceptable. DH has been smitten right from the start. He’s the one that discovered it. It fits in well with all the other Yorkshire programmes.

Scones Fri 24-Sept-21 11:50:30

Do we ever learn why the lead characters are called after Wagner operas? Siegfried and Tristan aren’t exactly everyday British names.

I seem to remember in the original TV series Siegfried telling James that his father had been a big Wagner fan, hence the names.

DanniRae Fri 24-Sept-21 11:53:23

I am enjoying this new series but I have to force myself to not keep thinking "Helen didn't have a sister" etc. I too love the house but I am sure that in the original there was a pack of dogs charging about in it. Oh, sorry there I go again!!

Rosina Fri 24-Sept-21 12:00:23

Helen did have a little sister I believe DannieRae and there might have been another sibling...can't recall wthout looking at the books. Also 'Aunt Lucy' ran the house with Helen's help.

ginny Fri 24-Sept-21 12:03:19

I found myself shouting at James and Helen ‘Oh, get on with it !

MayBee70 Fri 24-Sept-21 12:41:06

ginny

I found myself shouting at James and Helen ‘Oh, get on with it !

I agree about that. Same thing happens in films. Bit Jane Austen’ish. Just blurt it out will you, I feel like saying. At least ACGAS won’t have the obligatory drive to the airport to prevent the beloved person flying away forever.

Callistemon Fri 24-Sept-21 14:16:37

DanniRae

I am enjoying this new series but I have to force myself to not keep thinking "Helen didn't have a sister" etc. I too love the house but I am sure that in the original there was a pack of dogs charging about in it. Oh, sorry there I go again!!

"Helen" aka Joan wasn't a farmer's daughter either, as far as I know.

DanniRae Fri 24-Sept-21 14:38:22

Hi Callistermon - You are right, Helen was a secretary. I think they met at a dance.

Maggymay Fri 24-Sept-21 15:05:36

It’s very different from the books and the 1970s tv series,but I am still enjoying it,makes a change from all the thrillers and police drama’s that are usually on.

Callistemon Fri 24-Sept-21 15:09:55

I agree Maggymay

Scones Fri 24-Sept-21 20:59:48

DanniRae

I am enjoying this new series but I have to force myself to not keep thinking "Helen didn't have a sister" etc. I too love the house but I am sure that in the original there was a pack of dogs charging about in it. Oh, sorry there I go again!!

I miss that pack of dogs. They would charge at the front door every time the doorbell rang, closely followed by a bustling Mrs Hall.

Whenever Siegfried came in he would bellow, 'Hello dogs!'

I also miss him ending any controversial conversation with, 'That's it and all about it.'

Oh I loved the old series. I used to watch it with my mum and the music can almost reduce me to tears thinking of her.

Floradora9 Fri 24-Sept-21 21:48:24

Boz

Much better than the old version, which was good but seems dated now. The new James Herriot is believable unlike the suave Christopher Timothy with the wrong accent for a Scot!
Helen seems real not a "bisto" mum like all the other characterisations in the past.
The script is well-written and the scenery shots wonderful.

A 5 star hit.

I could not agree more especially Mrs. Hall . she would never have sat down at meals with the family her role is all wrong. I have read the books and read James Herriot's biography of his dad and this is not ringing true.I would not watch it but DH likes it and that does not happen often. Even if you take it as fiction it is too predictable.

Floradora9 Fri 24-Sept-21 21:51:08

My message has got attatched to the wrong quote, sorry folk pity you cannot change your message like you can on facebook .

grannyrebel7 Fri 24-Sept-21 22:07:08

I absolutely love it! It the best programme on TV and it's even better than the first series. All the characters are well drawn and my favourites are James and Mrs Hall. Can't wait for next Thursday. My only criticism is that it should be on a Sunday, not Thursday.

Jaberwok Fri 24-Sept-21 22:14:32

Floradora9. you're right, Mrs Hall is completely wrong. She would certainly never have had her meals with them and is much too young and too familliar. She was a proper housekeeper aged mid to late fifties? It was hard to tell! and very set in her ways and always faintly disaproving, a real character! Although She was a lovely, excellent actress I didn't like Diana Rigg as Mrs Pumphrey. She was just too over the top and rather silly.

Deedaa Sat 25-Sept-21 14:28:26

Margaretta Scott was lovely as the original Mrs. Pumphrey. I agree about Mrs Hall, there would have been a huge social gap between a housekeeper and a group of university educated men in those days. she would have been well aware of their short comings but would have kept them to herself.

Kim19 Sat 25-Sept-21 14:33:34

I find it very gentle viewing. Lovely pre dropping off time.

Jaberwok Sat 25-Sept-21 16:07:51

Of course Margatetta Scott, I couldn't think of her name and was too lazy to look it up! She was fantastic as Mrs Pumphrey.

Jaberwok Sat 25-Sept-21 16:28:16

And you are right about the huge social divide in that era. There is no way that there would have been any personal familiarity between the Vets and the housekeeper. Had there been, both sides would have felt extremely uuncomfortable.

Aveline Sat 25-Sept-21 19:49:59

Well, back in the 50s our housekeeper always ate with us. A doctor's household.

Callistemon Sat 25-Sept-21 19:53:23

I do think that, in a household of bachelors, a housekeeper could very well take charge!

Septimia Sat 25-Sept-21 20:04:53

I loved the original series and read the books. This is a different interpretation, with some dramatic licence. Not as true to the books, but perhaps more appropriate dramatically for current tastes. It's watchable as an enjoyable drama if you don't try to compare - because it doesn't!

Aveline Sat 25-Sept-21 20:42:26

I love it. It's such a good programme. I loved the books and the original BBC version too. It's not a documentary or a straight copy of previous versions. I think the writer has made a good job of tales from a Yorkshire vets. Thoroughly enjoyable.

lemongrove Sat 25-Sept-21 21:14:14

I would have enjoyed it more had I not seen the original series, as for me it couldn't be topped.
Didn’t like Tris at all, the original Tris had charm, the new one has none.