"All Creatures Great and Small" Is Getting a New PBS Masterpiece Series

If you love animals as much as you love classic PBS series, there’s a show on the way that you will very much look forward to seeing. It’s coming to us courtesy of MASTERPIECE on PBS, the source of so many of our favorite series. According to a statement released this summer, “MASTERPIECE on PBS will co-produce All Creatures Great and Small, a brand new adaptation based on best-selling author James Herriot’s cherished and iconic collection of stories.” MASTERPIECE will partner with Playground, the production company responsible for two memorable recent series—both Howards End and Wolf Hall.

According to PBS, “All Creatures Great and Small will shoot on location in Yorkshire, England, as 2020 sees the 50th anniversary of the original publication of the much-loved books.” Those “much-loved books” were written by James Alfred Wight under the pseudonym James Herriot, and they were adapted into a popular 1970s television series starring Christopher Timothy.

Wight was himself a veterinary surgeon, and the books tell stories of his heartwarming adventures with his family and neighbors across England’s Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s. PBS says, “This new adaptation will preserve the rich spirit, tone and values of Herriot’s iconic characters and stories and will bring to life his sharply observed, entertaining and incredibly funny tales of country life in the North of England for a modern audience, introducing a new generation to his life-affirming stories.”

The new adaptation of All Creatures Great and Small will take the form of a six-part series with a Christmas special. Keep an eye out for more information, including casting, first-look photos, trailers, and an eventual premiere date.

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Did you watch All Creatures Great and Small when it first premiered? What MASTERPIECE on PBS series are you looking forward to watching next year?