Silent Talkies Saturday: Deaf Representation on All Creatures Great and Small

It’s so special when the perfect TV show or movie comes into my life right when I need it. I’ve been saying “I'd love to watch that sometime” about the newest All Creatures Great and Small series since it came out. And then, out of the blue one day a couple months ago, I checked our local PBS schedule and saw that it was playing that afternoon. I decided to tune in, and promptly fell in love. Coincidentally, they happened to be on the first episode, so I could start the show from the beginning. Some things are meant to be! 

I’ve since finished all four seasons, but PBS circled back to season one, so guess who’s watching the entire series over again? It’s a perfect comfort show. I am so excited for season five, especially because we’ll see the return of Callum Woodhouse’s Tristan!!

Since it’s very cozy and has a sweet vintage feel (season one is set in the 30s), you’ll probably see All Creatures make occasional appearances on this blog. In fact, there’s an especially sweet scene from a season 3 episode that stood out to me as an HOH (hard-of-hearing) gal, which is perfect, because it’s been a while since I’ve had a “Silent Talkie Saturday.” So starting today, we’re inviting the people and creatures of Darrowby to make a home here with Living Mostly Vintage.

[Minor spoilers for season three ahead.]

In the season three episode titled “Edward,” the housekeeper, Mrs. Hall, is taking a train to meet up with her estranged son. At the station, she meets a volunteer (whose name is Penny, we later find out) working at a tea trolley. Mrs. Hall initially says no when offered a cup of tea, but she returns to the trolley a few minutes later, saying “I changed me mind.”

She receives no response from Penny, whose back is turned. Thinking perhaps that Penny is ignoring her, or doesn’t have time for her, Mrs. Hall turns and begins walking away. But Penny then sees Mrs. Hall and stops her, saying and signing “changed your mind?” This is when Mrs. Hall realizes Penny is deaf.

This is such a relatable moment, for more reasons than one. First, I often wonder how many times people have thought I was ignoring them, when in reality, I wasn’t even aware that someone has spoken to me in the first place. To all the people I have “ignored” in the past, I apologize!

Second, I think we deaf/HOH people are used to “initiating" conversations a second time, because we don’t always realize when something has already been said. In that simple first interaction, when Penny asks something that Mrs. Hall herself has already asked (“changed your mind?”), Mrs. Hall does not get frustrated or impatient. She doesn’t say “that’s what I asked you!” or “I already said that—did you not hear me?” She treats it like a brand new conversation, responding directly to Penny’s inquiry; which helps move their chat forward instead of holding it back.

I appreciate that Mrs. Hall is so friendly and patient, picking up quickly on how to interact with Penny in a way that’s helpful for both of them to communicate well. She even takes the time to learn some of the signs! In both other media representation and in my own experience, when a hearing person is communicating with a deaf/HOH person, the hearing person acts like they’re interacting with a different species. But Penny and Mrs. Hall’s conversations feel so normal, natural, and simple. Even when they falter or stumble a bit, they navigate their interactions like one would any other language barrier. They work together to get their messages across, instead of acting as though it was one person’s fault or the other’s that they can’t understand.

All the scenes with Penny are honestly just really comforting. In my opinion, the deaf representation is some of the most accurate I’ve seen. I’ve rarely watched something that features a deaf actor/character and actually felt joy like this. Other attempts I’ve seen at deaf/HOH representation often show the character in extreme situations, doing things that don’t necessarily happen in everyday life. But the interactions in this episode are so easy to relate to, and I kept wanting to see more.

On a similar note, Penny’s character is not in a “deaf setting” or “deaf storyline.” The characters’ interactions are not about Penny being deaf. The situation is not dumbed down or overly spelled out for the audience. Mrs. Hall is out in the “real world,” and someone she interacted with that day just happened to be deaf.

Mrs. Hall and her son have a bit of a complicated relationship. They attempt to work through things throughout the episode, and until the end, it’s uncertain whether they’ll resolve their conflict. But when he boards the train after their meeting, he’s yelling something to her. Mrs. Hall is unable to hear over the sounds of the train chugging away, but because Penny can lip-read, she is able to relay Edward’s message to Mrs. Hall:

“He said ‘I love you, Ma.’”

Yes, as disabled people, we have certain limitations—there’s no sugarcoating that—but we also bring things to the table that other people may not be able to. And I’m so grateful to All Creatures Great and Small, and actress Lara Steward, for showing that. She’s only in this one episode, but I hope we get to see more of her!

If you’re looking for a lovely escape that’s warm, funny, and full of heart, All Creatures Great and Small is a real treat.

Enjoy, and keep living (mostly) vintage!

Becca

Unfortunately, there are no videos of Penny’s scenes online, so you may just have to watch the show instead (mwahaha!). It’s available (for a fee) on various streaming services, including PBS Masterpiece, but the DVDs could possibly be at your local library right now, waiting for you to check out for FREE! (My only complaint is that although the representation in the show itself is wonderful, the subtitles on the DVD are not entirely accurate… but what else is new?) In the meantime, you can read this interview with actress Lara Steward, who plays Penny.