Everyone is trying to get along as best they can in the face of changes at Skeldale House. Helen has moved into the bedsit upstairs with James and though they're happy, she's unsure how to integrate herself into the rest of the house. No-one sees this more than Mrs Hall, who is keen to find a way to bring everyone together around the dinner table. James struggles to get Siegfried to let him take the reins now that he's junior partner at the practice. With Helen's help, James learns how much money Skeldale could make from the Ministry of Agriculture's lucrative bovine TB testing scheme, but Siegfried believes the MAG's scheme is more trouble than it's worth and risks damaging their relationships with farmers. He digs his heels in and a rift forms between the two vets. It takes Helen, Mrs Hall and a case of some mysteriously poisoned calves at farmer Kate Billings' to help James and Siegfried see that they're better when they work together. A lackadaisical Tristan thinks that James being his boss will make his life even more of a breeze. He learns that he needs to step up in his role at the practice and take it more seriously, when the dog of a rival is rushed into the surgery in an emergency and no-one is there to help him.

James is finally succeeding with the farmers' uptake of the Ministry of Agriculture's TB testing scheme. However, he is struggling with the complicated paperwork and he is keen to keep this from Siegfried, after being told that it was to be his responsibility alone. The MAG summons James and tells him that he has one more chance to get it right or Skeldale will lose the scheme entirely. After revealing this to Helen, she helps James to do everything by the book, but suspects that there is more going on with James than he is willing to say. Tristan decides that he is outgrowing running the small animal surgery and buys a car to help with errands at the practice. It also provides him with transport for taking Florence, the daughter of Siegfried's rival, George Pandhi, out on a date. Siegfried feels sidelined and focuses on micromanaging Tricki while he is on another health visit at Skeldale. A shock departure from Darrowby brings James's feelings about his place in Darrowby to the surface for Helen. Siegfried steps in and realises that he still has the power to bring everyone back together again. Mrs Hall agrees to go on a date with Gerald without realising his intentions and has to decide whether she is ready for them to be more than friends.