The New Adventures of Black Beauty: Season 1

This 26-episode 1990 sequel to the original 1972 series finds veterinarian Jenny (Stacy Dorning, star of the original Adventures of Black Beauty) marrying English widower Nigel Denning and bringing her beloved horse into the household, which includes 12-year-old Vicky (Amber McWilliams)—an experienced rider who takes an instant shine to the stallion. The family decides to relocate to a farm in New Zealand, but Nigel, setting out ahead of his wife and daughter, is lost at sea, leaving the pair to rebuild the run-down property themselves. Adding heartache to hardship, Vicky's grandfather, Lord Fordham (Frederick Treves), soon writes to inform them that Black Beauty has died. But then a beautiful black horse strays onto the new homestead, and Vicky christens him with the same name. To make ends meet, Jenny becomes the town vet and Vicky serves as the postal carrier (while continuing her schooling via correspondence courses). Over the course of the season, the gals welcome two new housemates, Jenny's father (William Lucas), and farmhand Manfred (Gedeon Burkhard). But among those who don't appreciate having such independent women in their midst are Mr. Coates (David Bradshaw), a farmer who claims Black Beauty as his own, and shopkeeper Mr. Burton (Bill Kerr), who distrusts everyone. Other challenges include a rabid dog, a long-lost brother, and a dishonest circus troupe. Offering much of the same small-town, animal-oriented appeal of All Creatures Great and Small, this is recommended. [Note: The New Adventures of Black Beauty: Season 2, a 1992 series with a different story and characters is also newly available.] (K. Fennessy)