‘All Creatures Great and Small' Episode 4 Recap

One of Tristan’s tasks at the surgery is to answer the phone, but when James is awoken by an insistent ringing on the latest installment of All Creatures Great and Small, he discovers that his bed hasn’t been slept in. He dashes to answer the phone and it’s an urgent call from Mrs. Pumphrey: She thinks Tricky Woo is dying, and he leaves immediately.

So where is Tristan? He’s downstairs asleep on the sofa with Maggie, the barmaid from the Drovers’ Arms, which may be innocent, or not; possibly his worst crime has been to raid Siegfried’s good whiskey. Whatever they’ve been up to, there will be hell to pay if Maggie is discovered, so he shunts her from room to room, from the surgery to the storage cupboard. Mrs. Hall who knows everything that goes on in the house, deftly releases her as Siegfried comes downstairs and begins to harangue his younger brother.

Tristan’s job, he’s reminded, is to answer the phone and make up medicines. The brothers are both heartily sick of each other, and Tristan is anxious to return to college in a week. He’s not yet received a check from Siegfried for his expenses, though, and it’s a delicate subject.