All Creatures Great And Small – Pair Bond – Review: Unexpected Attractions And Emotional Crossroads

I doubt anyone has ever been more excited to receive goat feces in the mail than Richard Carmody. He’s certainly more eager to examine the droppings under a microscope than he is to open his university letter with his exam results. Unsurprisingly, he passed with flying colors – earning an outstanding distinction that puts him in line for a prestigious research program. The entire Skeldale family is thrilled for him, but Carmody himself can’t quite share the excitement.

His decision not to accept the research position comes as a surprise to Siegfried. The young vet would rather stay at Skeldale, contributing to the war effort in the field rather than in a lab. Siegfried is relieved to hear he is not planning to leave. He has grown used to having the boy around and enjoys working with him, especially since, in Siegfried’s very own words, Carmody possesses “a scientific brain and veterinary intelligence that matches his own”. I’m fairly certain he was only half-joking when he said that at the breakfast table, much to the likely annoyance of James and Tristan.

With the goat droppings revealing plenty of eggs under the microscope, Siegfried and Carmody suspect roundworms and rush off to the Grantly estate to treat the animals. What Siegfried didn’t expect, however, was to be greeted not by Mr. Grantly, but by his intriguing sister. Carmody quickly picks up on the shift in Siegfried’s demeanor, noting the telltale signs of attraction – dilated pupils, flushed cheeks – the very symptoms he experiences himself whenever Doris is around. Though, to be fair, Siegfried still manages to form coherent sentences, which is more than can be said for Carmody when he is around the object of his desire. 

Carmody once again oversteps when he eagerly informs Ms. Grantley that Siegfried is currently not in a pair bond and continues to sing his praises, completely unaware that he’s crossing about a hundred lines in the process. Siegfried is thoroughly embarrassed, but in the end, it does little to hurt his chances with Ms. Grantley. They share a drink, exchange easy conversation, and Siegfried even offers to read the book she’s writing and give his thoughts on it. He seems eager – perhaps even a little smitten.

But fear not, my dear fellow Siegfried and Audrey shippers. It makes perfect sense that Siegfried would be drawn to Ms. Grantley. She’s a well-traveled, academic, and far more his social equal than most women in Darrowby, including our beloved Mrs. Hall. Ms. Grantley is, in many ways, the kind of woman society tells Siegfried he should be interested in. However, what his heart truly desires is another matter entirely. The bond and unspoken understanding between Siegfried and Mrs. Hall cannot be compared to the surface-level attraction he shares with Ms. Grantley. Beyond that, viewers are generally far more invested in relationships that defy convention, something a pairing between Siegfried and Ms. Grantley most certainly would not.

“Pair Bond” – ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, Pictured: Samuel West and Juliet Aubrey © Playground Entertainment & PBS Masterpiece. All Rights Reserved

That said, it’s also worth considering that just a few episodes ago, Mr. Bosworth compared his own lonely life to Siegfried’s. While we all know that Siegfried is nothing like Bosworth, it’s very possible Siegfried has been reflecting on that comment, making him more open to the idea of courting again, especially since Mrs. Hall is so busy with her warden duties and James and Helen have their own little family. His attraction to Ms. Grantley may be, at least in part, a reaction to that.

However, what should reassure us the most, is that the majority of viewers (proof here) are clearly very much rooting for Siegfried and Audrey to be endgame. There is yet one person to be found who is excited about the prospect of a Siegfried and Ms. Grantley pairing.

While Siegfried is off charming the goat lady, Mrs. Hall is called in for official warden business. A plane appears to have dropped an unidentified object in a field near Darrowby. Though Mr. Bosworth carefully avoids saying the word “bomb”, it’s clear he fears that’s exactly what they’ll find. Following protocol, two wardens must assess the situation before the Home Guard can be alerted.

Unlike Mr. Bosworth, who clings to his rulebook as if his life depends on it, Mrs. Hall remains calm and takes a far more practical approach. Fearless as ever, she doesn’t hesitate to get a closer look at the objects scattered across the field. Her quick inspection reveals them to be nothing more than provisions – tinned potatoes, soap, and other essentials. The brands are British, suggesting they were dropped from one of their own planes. She suspects the pilot was simply offloading excess weight to save fuel.

“Pair Bond” – ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, Pictured: Anna Madeley © Playground Entertainment & PBS Masterpiece. All Rights Reserved

Bosworth, however, isn’t convinced. He still fears this could have been a German aircraft, and worse, that Nazi spies might have parachuted from it. While it’s admirable that he takes his role so seriously, he tends to let his excessive correctness get in his own way. Fortunately for him, Audrey is there to balance out his rigid demeanor – keeping him (and everyone else) from spiraling into unnecessary panic.

Later in the episode, it is revealed that Mr. Bosworth’s dog, Bingo – who passed away a few episodes prior – was accidentally poisoned with rat bait by none other than Doris, the girl Carmody has taken a fancy to. Since her employer never gives her proper instructions, he failed to tell her that poisoned rats must be buried much deeper than those that died of natural causes to prevent other animals from digging them up and being poisoned in turn. Unfortunately, that’s likely what happened to Bingo. Given Mr. Bosworth’s rather particular nature, Mrs. Hall volunteers to break the news to him. Though initially angered by the revelation, he calms down surprisingly quickly – no doubt thanks to Mrs. Hall’s near-magical ability to handle people.

Mrs. Hall then apologizes to Bosworth for being short with him earlier when they investigated the objects dropped from the plane. She reveals to him that she’s been feeling on edge lately due to her worry about her son Edward. Serving on a battleship, he is very far from home and she does not hear from him often. She wishes she could protect him, but all she can really do is wait and hope for the best.

“Pair Bond” – ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, Pictured: Jeremy Swift and Anna Madeley © Playground Entertainment & PBS Masterpiece. All Rights Reserved

It does not happen often that Mrs. Hall allows herself a moment of true vulnerability. It is entirely heartbreaking to hear her question her own usefulness, admitting that she sometimes feels “like a smashed box that has been glued back together.” In most episodes, the depths of Mrs. Hall’s emotions remain largely unspoken. She fixes everything and everyone around her, yet we rarely get to see what’s truly going on inside. While an upcoming episode will offer a bit more insight into her inner world, I sincerely hope season 6 devotes even more time to her character and the struggles she quietly carries.

The episode concludes with Carmody announcing that he will, after all, accept the research position in London. A conversation with Siegfried ultimately changed his mind. After Mrs. Hall pointed out that Carmody had never truly had a place to call home or a family to rely on, Siegfried begins to understand why the young vet was so hesitant to leave now that he has found both at Skeldale. So, Siegfried reassures him, making it clear that he will always have a place here, that he can always return. That simple but meaningful reassurance gives Carmody the confidence to take the opportunity. Feeling uplifted, he even works up the nerve to call Doris and invite her out for drinks.

It might not be the strongest episode of the season but it delivers most of what we love about All Creatures Great and Small – charming character moments, genuine emotions, gentle humor, and most notably, outstanding performances from a truly brilliant cast.

How did you feel about Carmody’s decision? What are your thoughts on Siegfried’s new acquaintance? And how about Mrs. Hall’s moment of vulnerability? Drop your opinions below!