'All Creatures Great & Small's Season 5 Trailer Is a Feel-Good Vibe

There wasn't much that went right in 2020. However, Masterpiece's decision to board the remake of All Creatures Great & Small (despite the fact the original never actually aired as part of their anthology) was one of the few decisions no one can argue with. After five years of struggling to find a replacement for Downton Abbey that could anchor the all-important winter lineup, All Creatures turned out to be the perfect period piece to fill that gap. It brought warmth and sunshine to the cold winter days, and its blend of low-stakes animal husbandry, slice-of-1930s-pastoral-life, and actual historical events have proven it could run for the rest of the decade and then some.

It's not really a secret that All Creatures will return in January; the only question, season-to-season, is if PBS will debut the series on the first weekend of the year or the second. January 2024 started on a Monday, so going with the first weekend was a no-brainer. However, with January 2025 starting on a Wednesday (time is a human construct, people!), it could have easily gone either way. 

In the end, PBS and Masterpiece decided to give us the first weekend of the year off, so we wouldn't have to rush to our televisions on Sunday nights until mid-month. Prepare for the cows (and pigs, ducklings, chickens, and goats) of war to arrive stateside on January 12, 2025. Whether or not this will be the same night Miss Scarlet debuts remains to be seen, but really, why screw with a pairing that works*? 

(*looks meaningfully at where "and the Duke" used to be)

Here's the Season 5 synopsis, such as it is:

The series will continue to bring the stories of James Herriot to life as we return to Darrowby to rejoin our unconventional much loved Skeldale Family and the colourful ensemble of farmers, animals and townsfolk living in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1940s.

As always, the All Creatures ensemble will consist of Nicholas Ralph as James Herriot, Rachel Shenton as Helen Herriot, Samuel West as Siegfried Farnon, Anna Madeley as Mrs. Hall, Callum Woodhouse as Tristan Farnon, and Patricia Hodge as Mrs Pumphrey (with Tricki-Woo!). James Anthony-Rose also returns as Richard Carmody.

Maxine Alderton was the lead writer for Season 5, along with Debbie O’Malley (Payback), Matt Evans (A Town Called Malice), and Robin French (The Great). Brian Percival and Andy Hay will return to helm episodes with new director Stewart Svaasand (Outlander). Yvonne Francas (Our Girl) also returns as Producer. 

All Creatures Great & Small Season 5 will debut on most PBS stations, the PBS app, and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel on Sunday, January 12, 2025. All seven episodes are expected to arrive on PBS Passport on release day for members to binge. Season 6 is already greenlit and expected out in 2026.