You know that feeling when the world gets a bit too loud and you just need to retreat to a place where the biggest drama is a cow with a cold? That’s the magic of the Yorkshire Dales. People are constantly asking me how to watch All Creatures Great and Small because, honestly, the streaming landscape is a mess right now. It isn't just one show; it's a legacy spanning decades, two different TV iterations, and a whole lot of licensing confusion that varies depending on whether you’re sitting in London, New York, or Sydney.
The 1970s version is a classic. The 2020 Channel 5 reboot is a masterpiece. They both capture that "warm hug" energy, but they live on completely different platforms.
If you're in the United States, your primary gateway to the modern series is PBS Masterpiece. Most folks think they can just flip on their local PBS station and catch it, but that only works when the season is actually airing live. Once those episodes pass their broadcast window, they usually vanish behind the "Passport" paywall or migrate over to the PBS Masterpiece channel on Amazon Prime Video. It’s a bit of a shell game. You’ve got to stay on your toes if you want to see Nicholas Ralph’s James Herriot navigate the muddy roads of Darrowby without paying an arm and a leg for individual episodes.
The Streaming Breakdown for the 2020 Reboot
Right now, the most reliable way to handle the how to watch All Creatures Great and Small dilemma in the US is through a PBS Masterpiece subscription. It’s usually about six bucks a month. If you already pay for Amazon Prime, adding the Masterpiece channel is the path of least resistance. You get the crisp 4K-ish quality, and you don’t have to deal with the clunky interface of some of the smaller apps.
UK viewers have it a bit easier, though it’s still not perfect. Since it’s a Channel 5 production, My5 is the home base. It’s free. Well, "free" as in you have to sit through ads for laundry detergent and insurance, but you won't be paying a monthly fee. However, if you hate ads—and let’s be real, who doesn't when they're trying to immerse themselves in 1930s England?—you might find the show on Sky or BritBox depending on the current licensing cycle.
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- Check My5 first if you're in the UK.
- Use PBS Passport if you're a donor to your local station in the States.
- Look at BritBox for the older, original 1978 series because the 2020 version isn't always there.
- YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV sometimes carry PBS, but it’s hit or miss for on-demand.
The weird thing about this show is the "Christmas Special" situation. In the UK, the Christmas episode is the season finale. In the US, PBS often treats it as a standalone event or the premiere of the following year's "season." If you aren't careful, you’ll skip a massive plot point—like a wedding or a character leaving for the war—simply because the streaming app labeled the episode strangely. Always look at the air dates, not just the episode numbers.
Don't Forget the 1978 Original Series
Sometimes you want the OG. Christopher Timothy as James and the legendary Robert Hardy as Siegfried Farnon. This version ran for seven seasons and it’s arguably more "gritty" in its depiction of veterinary medicine, even if the film quality is a bit grainy by today’s standards.
Finding the 1978 series is a different beast entirely. It’s a BBC production, so it almost exclusively lives on BritBox. If you’re trying to figure out how to watch All Creatures Great and Small from the seventies, don't bother looking at PBS. They don't have the rights. You’ll need a BritBox subscription, or you can go old school and buy the DVD box sets. Honestly, the DVDs are great because they include the specials that sometimes get caught in licensing limbo on streaming platforms. Plus, no one can "delist" a physical disc from your shelf.
There is a certain charm to the old series that the new one can't quite replicate. It feels like a stage play at times. The sets are smaller, the lighting is harsher, but the heart is exactly the same. It’s based on the same books by Alf Wight (who used the pen name James Herriot), so the DNA is identical.
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Why the Location Matters
Licensing is a nightmare. If you travel, you’ll notice your library changes. A lot of people use VPNs to jump between the UK and the US to catch episodes earlier. In the UK, Season 4 or 5 might be finished, while the US is still waiting for the premiere. This "lag" is a relic of old-school television, but it still exists today.
If you use a VPN, set your location to London and head over to the Channel 5 website. You’ll need a UK postcode, but any random one usually works. It’s a bit of a "grey area" fix for the impatient fan, but when you’re dying to know if Tristan Farnon finally grows up, sometimes you can’t wait six months for the American broadcast.
Dealing with the "Passport" Paywall
PBS Passport is one of the most misunderstood services out there. It isn't a separate streaming app like Netflix. It’s a benefit for people who donate at least $5 a month to their local PBS station. If you’re already a supporter, you likely already have access to how to watch All Creatures Great and Small without knowing it. You just have to activate your token on the PBS website.
It’s actually a better deal than the Amazon channel because your money goes directly to public broadcasting rather than a massive tech conglomerate. Plus, you get the entire archive of Ken Burns documentaries and Masterpiece dramas.
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Practical Steps to Get Started Tonight
Stop searching aimlessly and just follow this flow. If you want the new stuff, go to PBS Masterpiece on Amazon Prime for a 7-day free trial. That’s enough time to binge at least two seasons if you’ve got a long weekend.
If you’re a purist, get BritBox.
For those on a budget, check your local library. Many libraries use an app called Hoopla or Kanopy. You’d be surprised how often "prestige" British dramas show up there for free with a library card. It’s the best-kept secret in streaming.
- Verify your current subscriptions (Prime, BritBox, or Hulu).
- Check the "Masterpiece" add-on for a trial period.
- Download the My5 app if you have a way to access UK-based content.
- Look for the "James Herriot's Yorkshire" documentary while you're at it—it’s a great companion piece that shows the real locations used in filming.
The series is currently confirmed for more seasons, so this isn't a show that's going away. The production team has a long-term plan. They know we need this show. We need the green hills and the grumpy farmers. We need the reminder that even in a world at war, a puppy with a broken leg is a tragedy worth crying over. Start with Season 1, Episode 1 of the 2020 version. It sets the tone perfectly. James arrives in Darrowby, gets kicked by a horse, and realizes he’s found home. You’ll feel the same way.
Check the episode count before you start. Season 1 has six episodes plus a Christmas special. Season 2 follows the same pattern. If your streaming service only shows six episodes, you are missing the best part. Find that special. It’s usually listed as "Episode 7" or under a "Specials" tab. Don't skip it. You've been warned.