For the last several weeks, Saturday night in the Richard household has meant vegging out in the living room to “All Creatures Great and Small”, the ’80s PBS series based on the best-selling books by James Herriot about the trials and misadventures of a staff of country veterinarians in Yorkshire, England just prior to World War II.

We have the first three seasons on DVD, covering Herriot’s arrival to the practice of Siegfried Farnon all the way up to their respective call-ups to the military in 1939. While later seasons covered the first years after they returned safely from military service in WW II, I don’t like them as much, especially since the actress who played Herriot’s wife in the first three seasons (Carol Drinkwater) was replaced by another who just never cut it for me.

At any rate, the acting is wonderful, and the stories warm, poignant, and enjoyable as Herriot, Siegfried, and Siegfried’s brother Tristan experience a variety of adventures during their work – adventures resulting as much from the characters of the Yorkshire dales as the animals under their care. Compared to the crap that infects much of today’s TV, if you want entertainment that the whole family can enjoy, it’s hard to beat “All Creatures Great and Small”.