Nicholas Ralph finds a lot to explore with his 'All Creatures Great and Small' character in season five

Nicholas Ralph has had some time to settle into his character.

The actor has portrayed James Herriot on the Masterpiece series, “All Creatures Great and Small” for five seasons.

The acclaimed series is airing new episodes on Sundays through Feb. 23, on New Mexico PBS. The next episode airs at 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, on channel 5.1. The series is also available to stream on the PBS app.

The fifth season feels like magic within itself, Ralph said.

“I mean, how often do you get to do that? … It’s so rare, and it’s just wonderful,” Ralph said. “At the start, it was like putting on a new pair of shoes, a bit uncomfortable, and you have to wear them in. But now, coming back for series five, it feels like slipping on a comfortable pair of slippers — you just hit the ground running.

“The characters are so embedded; we know them so well. I love playing James. I love the character. His morality, his professionalism, his dedication — those qualities really resonate with me,” Ralph said. “And as an actor, it’s great because James is the everyman, so I get to play him in a multitude of scenarios: romance, high drama, working with animals, and big emotional moments. There’s a lot to explore with James and it’s always fun. This year, we’ll also see him in some different states due to various events that happen, so there’s a lot to look forward to.”

The fifth season picks up in spring 1941 and returns to Darrowby to find young baby Jimmy keeping everyone in the Skeldale House on their toes.

Helen (Rachel Shenton) is getting the hang of motherhood with James away at RAF Abingdon, Mrs. Hall (Anna Madeley) and Siegfried (Samuel West) are enjoying having a little one around and Carmody (James Anthony-Rose) is now a full-fledged member of the Skeldale family.

With World War II now fully underway, Siegfried is taking up the slack at the surgery, Mrs. Hall and Helen are considering their contribution within the community, and Carmody is eager to step up. Siegfried is keen to have everyone back, but Tristan’s (Callum Woodhouse) surprise return won’t be quite as straightforward as he hoped.

Herriot goes back to the Royal Air Force, and the season begins with him in the south of England, Ralph said.

“(James has) completed his basic training as an RAF cadet and is now just one or two flights away from completing his proper bomber pilot training,” Ralph said. “So, he’s almost ready to go on full missions — that’s really where we start.”

Herriot has been in the Royal Air Force for a while now and is adjusting to his life the same way he adjusted to his veterinary work, Ralph said.

“(He comes) with dedication, professionalism and a mindset to be as well-prepared as possible,” Ralph said of Herriot. “He’s embraced it fully. He’s also got more life experience than many of the other guys, which makes him feel like the leader, the captain of his little team. He takes that role very seriously and looks out for the younger guys. He’s slotted into it well and is taking it all in his stride.”

As Herriot returns to Darrowby, there is a transition period, Ralph said.

“James thinks he’s going to come back and be super vet, super dad, and juggle both roles seamlessly.” Ralph said. “But the reality is quite different. Having a little baby and trying to be a vet at the same time, with those two worlds colliding, is much more challenging than he anticipated. That makes for a lot of fun in the episodes.

“I think what’s always been a comfort for James is knowing Helen has a strong support network around her — Siegfried, Mrs. Hall, Carmody right there at Skeldale, her dad (Tony Pitts), and Jenny (Imogen Clawson) are close by. But still, it’s a lot of work. As James comes back and reintegrates, taking on more fatherly duties, he realizes more and more the effort Helen has put in over the last few months by herself. He really appreciates what she’s done even more once he’s back and sees the reality of juggling everything with a newborn.”

Throughout the series, Ralph has had many opportunities to work with animals. This season, he was able to work with infant co-stars.

“They were absolutely brilliant. Like any other actor, they took a minute to get used to everything — after all, they were just three months old,” he said. “But after a few days, they settled in, and it was amazing to see them smile when they started to recognize you. They were great to work with — just adorable and so smiley once they got comfortable.”

Nicholas Ralph finds a lot to explore with his 'All Creatures Great and Small' character