‘All Creatures Great and Small’ Season 4 Episode 4 recap: ‘By the Book’

Brand new All Creatures Great and Small continued tonight!

Based on the much-loved collection of stories by author James Herriot, Channel 5’s hit period drama follows the heartwarming and humorous adventures of a young country vet in the Yorkshire Dales.

Watch the Season 4 trailer here:

A fourth season of All Creatures Great and Small is airing in the UK at 9pm on Thursday nights on Channel 5, with six brand new episodes airing weekly.

The show returns in the US early next year on PBS Masterpiece.

American viewers can catch up on the first three seasons with this free 7-day trial of the PBS Masterpiece channel on Amazon Prime!

Here’s a clip from tonight’s ep:

As we return to the Dales in 1940 with the Second World War underway, the new season welcomes back Nicholas Ralph as James Herriot, Rachel Shenton as Helen Herriot, Samuel West as Siegfried Farnon, Anna Madeley as Mrs Hall, Patricia Hodge as Mrs Pumphrey, and introduces James Anthony-Rose as Richard Carmody.

Here’s a plot recap for the fourth episode of Season 4 – ‘By the Book’ – which premiered on Channel 5 on Thursday 26 October 2023:

James and Helen are keeping a secret.

Following a visit to the Crabtree’s Farm, Carmody is challenged with learning how to be a vet outside of his books.

The new farmers have a worrying illness amongst their herd and James wants to help them in any way he can.

Helen volunteers to join him, but helping the Crabtrees might have had a bigger impact on James and Helen than they anticipated.

Helen rallies the community to help the newcomers whilst she waits for some personal news.

Carmody meets Bernard the tortoise and tries to ‘treat the owner’ too by helping Ned Clough.

Despite confiscating his textbooks, the whole household will come to realise the value of Carmody’s bookish ways.

Mrs Hall receives an important letter and has to decide whether or not to share the news.

All Creatures Great and Small is available to watch on PBS Masterpiece via Amazon Prime with a free 7-day trial.