Father Ted
Encyclopedia
Father Ted is a comedy
series set in Ireland
that was produced by Hat Trick Productions
for British broadcaster Channel 4
. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews
and Graham Linehan
and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May 1998, including a Christmas special, for a total of 25 episodes.
The show also aired on RTÉ Two
in Ireland, and in Australia on Nine Network
(season 1) and ABC Television
(seasons 2 and 3).
Set on the remote fictional Craggy Island off Ireland's west coast, the show starred Dermot Morgan
as the titular Father Ted Crilly, alongside fellow priests Father Dougal McGuire (Ardal O'Hanlon
) and Father Jack Hackett (Frank Kelly
). Exiled on the island for various past incidents, the priests live together in the parochial house with their housekeeper Mrs. Doyle (Pauline McLynn
).
The show was critically acclaimed, receiving multiple BAFTA awards. The series also featured a number of contemporary Irish actors and comedians, including Dervla Kirwan
, Graham Norton
, Tommy Tiernan
, Patrick McDonnell
, Don Wycherley
, Joe Rooney
, Jason Byrne
, Jim Norton
, Pat Shortt
, Jon Kenny
, Ed Byrne
, Brendan Grace
, Maria Doyle Kennedy
and Gerard McSorley
.
so that Ted could go to Las Vegas), Dougal for something only referred to as the "Blackrock Incident" (resulting in many "lives irreparably damaged"), and Jack for his alcoholism and womanising. The show revolves around the priests' lives on Craggy Island, sometimes dealing with matters of the church but more often dealing with Father Ted's schemes to either resolve a situation with the parish or other Craggy Island residents, or to win games of one-upmanship against his arch-nemesis, Father Dick Byrne of the nearby Rugged Island
parish.
, when the three men performed together as The Joshua Trio on the comedy circuit in Ireland. Dermot Morgan was picked for the role because he had previously played a priest in stand-up as "Father Trendy".
The show was pitched directly to the UK's Hat Trick Productions
and Channel 4 by the duo, contrary to rumours that RTÉ
(the Irish national broadcaster) were originally offered the series but rejected it.
special were completed. In addition, Morgan and O'Hanlon hosted an hour of Comic Relief in character, during which Kelly and McLynn also made brief guest appearances. After the completion of the shooting of series three, Dermot Morgan died of a heart attack
, aged 45. As a mark of respect, the third series was first broadcast a week later than originally planned.
Just weeks before his death Morgan said that he did not want to continue playing the role of Father Ted for fear of being typecast
: "I don't want to be the next Clive Dunn
and end up playing the same character for years."
, and was later reworked into "Songs of Love", a track from the album Casanova
. (The song "Woman of the World" from the same album was also offered as a potential theme tune, but rejected.)
The band also contributed most of the show's original music, including "My Lovely Horse
", as used in the episode "Song For Europe
" and "My Lovely Mayo Mammy" for the episode "Night of the Nearly Dead
". Singer Neil Hannon
also provided Ted's vocal in the "enhanced" version of My Lovely Horse, which later appeared as a B-side on the band's single Gin Soaked Boy.
, including locations at Ennis
, Kilfenora
, Ennistymon, and Kilnaboy
. The Parochial House is McCormack's at Glenquin, on the Boston road from Kilnaboy. The cinema featured in "The Passion of St Tibulus
" was the Ormonde Cinema, Greystones
, County Wicklow
and "The Field", the location for Funland in "Good Luck, Father Ted
", is in Portrane
, North County Dublin
. The 'Very dark caves' featured in "The Mainland
" were the Aillwee caves in the Burren
, County Clare. Some exterior shots for the episode "And God Created Woman
" were filmed in Dún Laoghaire
, South County Dublin. The opening sequence (including shots of the Plassey ship wreck
) were filmed over Inis Oírr - the smallest of the Aran Islands
. The interior scenes were recorded at LWT's The London Studios
.
world in which Ted is the only fully rounded "normal" character among "caricatures", according to Graham Linehan: "exaggerated-over-friendly, over-quiet, over-stupid, over-dull [...] they really only got one thing, they've got one job." Embarrassment plays a role in many storylines, in a similar fashion to Fawlty Towers
. Linehan says, "if Ted is in a situation that is slightly embarrassing we get him out of it [...] by having him lying or cheating, basically digging a massive hole for himself". Arthur Mathews has described Seinfeld
as a major influence on the comedy of Father Ted, with himself and Linehan being "big fans" of the show. Father Ted also contains references to pop culture, and some film parodies
, such as the episode "Speed 3
".
Regarding the series's religious content, Linehan says "Ted doesn't have an anti-religious view of life, but a non-religious view. It's a job to him. He doesn't care about religion." While writing, he says, the show's creators imagined Ted and Dougal as "just two people who happen to be [priests]".
's poll to find "Britain's Best Sitcom
". It was the highest-placed comedy not originally broadcast by the BBC.
, a Father Ted fan convention, has been held annually since 2007 after the show achieved a cult following.
In January 2007 a dispute arose between Inis Oírr
(pop. 250) and Inis Mór (pop. 1,200) over which island can claim to be Craggy Island, and thereby host a three-day Friends of Ted Festival
. It was decided that in appropriate Father Ted fashion the dispute would be settled by a five-a-side football match held on 25 February 2007. This was won by Inis Mór in a 2-0 match allowing them to use the title of Craggy Island until February 2008, while Inis Oírr was given the title of Rugged Island
.
, the show is being repeated on More4
and RTÉ Two
. All three series have been available through the OnDemand service of Virgin Media
in the UK but now they have only one series at a time, switching between the three, however series one and three and the Christmas Special are available on 4oD
. BBC Two
showed an episode on 8 November 2008 as part of its tribute night to producer Geoffrey Perkins, who had died just over two months before.
Pauline McLynn
reprised her role as Mrs Doyle in 2001 for a run of advertisements for the Inland Revenue
, reminding people to get their taxes in on time by uttering her catchphrase from the programme ('Go on, go on' repeated over and over again). It was later voted as the worst advert of the year.
The series has been referred to in regard to lack of political policy. Speaking in Carlow
in June 2010, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Green Party
leader John Gormley
said the Labour Party
is coming very close to being the "Father Ted of Irish politics" because, according to Gormley they have no policies.
On 1 January 2011, a night dedicated to the show was screened by Channel 4
from 9pm to 11pm in celebration of its 15th anniversary year. This included the nation's and the writers' favourite episodes plus a documentary of the cast and creators that revisited the show's locations. Pauline McLynn decided not to take part in the documentary. The show was also dedicated to Dermot Morgan.
In Australia, all series have been released on DVD PAL Region 4.
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
series set in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
that was produced by Hat Trick Productions
Hat Trick Productions
Hat Trick Productions is a British independent production company that produces television programmes, mainly specialising in comedy.-History:...
for British broadcaster Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. Written jointly by Irish writers Arthur Mathews
Arthur Mathews (writer)
Arthur Mathews is an Irish comedy writer and actor who, often with writing partner Graham Linehan, has either written or contributed to a number of popular television comedies, most notably Father Ted. He is a graduate of the Dublin Institute of Technology...
and Graham Linehan
Graham Linehan
Graham Linehan is an Irish television writer, actor, comedian and director who, often in partnership with Arthur Mathews, has written or co-written a number of popular television comedies...
and starring a predominantly Irish cast, it originally aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May 1998, including a Christmas special, for a total of 25 episodes.
The show also aired on RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
in Ireland, and in Australia on Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
(season 1) and ABC Television
ABC Television
ABC Television is a service of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation launched in 1956. As a public broadcasting broadcaster, the ABC provides four non-commercial channels within Australia, and a partially advertising-funded satellite channel overseas....
(seasons 2 and 3).
Set on the remote fictional Craggy Island off Ireland's west coast, the show starred Dermot Morgan
Dermot Morgan
Dermot John Morgan was an Irish comedian, actor and former schoolteacher, who achieved international renown for his roles as Father Ted Crilly in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and a strip club MC in Taffin....
as the titular Father Ted Crilly, alongside fellow priests Father Dougal McGuire (Ardal O'Hanlon
Ardal O'Hanlon
Ardal O'Hanlon is an Irish comedian and actor, best known for his roles in television sitcoms as Father Dougal McGuire in Father Ted and George Sunday in My Hero.-Early life:...
) and Father Jack Hackett (Frank Kelly
Frank Kelly
Frank Kelly is an Irish actor, singer and writer, whose career has covered television, radio, theatre, music, screenwriting and film. He is best known for his role as Father Jack Hackett in the comedy Father Ted. He is the son of the cartoonist Charles E...
). Exiled on the island for various past incidents, the priests live together in the parochial house with their housekeeper Mrs. Doyle (Pauline McLynn
Pauline McLynn
Pauline McLynn is an Irish actress, comedienne and author, best known for playing Mrs Doyle in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted, and Libby Croker in the Channel 4 comedy drama Shameless.- Early life :...
).
The show was critically acclaimed, receiving multiple BAFTA awards. The series also featured a number of contemporary Irish actors and comedians, including Dervla Kirwan
Dervla Kirwan
Dervla Kirwan is an Irish actress famous for roles in British television shows such as Ballykissangel and Goodnight Sweetheart...
, Graham Norton
Graham Norton
Graham William Walker, known by his stage name Graham Norton , is an Irish actor, comedian, television presenter and columnist...
, Tommy Tiernan
Tommy Tiernan
Tommy Tiernan is an Irish comedian, actor and writer. He and Hector Ó hEochagáin present The Tommy and Hector Show on i102-104FM. Tiernan also featured in Father Ted.-Early life:...
, Patrick McDonnell
Patrick McDonnell (actor)
Patrick McDonnell is an Irish actor and comedian. He has recently starred in the RTÉ hidden camera comedy show Naked Camera and the sketch show Stew. However he is probably best remembered at home and abroad for his role as Eoin McLove in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.Patrick McDonnell is a...
, Don Wycherley
Don Wycherley
Don Wycherley is an Irish actor who is well known for the portrayal of Father Cyril McDuff in the comedy Father Ted. Don is the brother of Gordon Wycherley. Other roles include Raymond in Bachelors Walk and Fr...
, Joe Rooney
Joe Rooney
Joe Rooney is an Irish actor and comedian. His best known acting role at home and abroad is that of Father Damo in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. He features in one episode, series two's "The Old Grey Whistle Theft"...
, Jason Byrne
Jason Byrne (comedian)
Jason Byrne is an Irish comedian born in Ballinteer, Dublin, Ireland. In August 2008, he made his twelfth Edinburgh Fringe Festival appearance and is a regular at the Kilkenny Cat Laughs comedy festival....
, Jim Norton
Jim Norton (actor)
Jim Norton is an Irish character actor.-Performances:Jim Norton has been acting for over forty years in theatre, television, and movies, and frequently plays clergymen, most notably Bishop Brennan in the sitcom Father Ted, as well as in The Sweeney , Peak Practice , Sunset Heights , A Love Divided...
, Pat Shortt
Pat Shortt
Pat Shortt is an actor, comedian and entertainer. In 2007, he starred in the film Garage, directed by Lenny Abrahamson for which he won the Best Actor award at the 2008 IFTAs...
, Jon Kenny
Jon Kenny
Jon Kenny lives in Lough Gur and is one half of the famous Irish comic duo d'Unbelievables with Pat Shortt...
, Ed Byrne
Ed Byrne
Ed Byrne is a Perrier Award-nominated, Irish stand-up comedian, voice over artist and actor. He has presented television shows Uncut! Best Unseen Ads and Just for Laughs, and is a regular guest on various television panel games...
, Brendan Grace
Brendan Grace
Brendan Grace is an Irish comedian and singer. He is known for his comedy schoolboy character "Bottler", the role of Murphy in the 1995 movie Moondance, and his 1996 appearance in the Irish TV sitcom Father Ted as Father Fintan Stack.-Background:Born in the heart of Dublin in 1951, Brendan was...
, Maria Doyle Kennedy
Maria Doyle Kennedy
Maria Doyle Kennedy is an award-winning Irish actress and singer. She is possibly best known for her roles as Natalie, in cult film The Commitments, Queen Katherine of Aragon in the award winning The Tudors and as the title character's wife Frances in The General.-Early life:She is an honours...
and Gerard McSorley
Gerard McSorley
Gerard McSorley is a theatre, television and an Irish film actor.-Early life:He was born in Omagh, County Tyrone, and after attending a Christian Brothers school in his hometown he attended St. Columb's College in Derry. He then attended Queen's University, Belfast, where he was taught by among...
.
Synopsis
The show follows the misadventures of three Roman Catholic priests who live in a parish on the fictional Craggy Island, located off the west coast of Ireland. Father Ted Crilly, Father Dougal McGuire and Father Jack Hackett live together in Craggy Island's parochial house, along with their housekeeper Mrs Doyle, who often wants to serve them tea. The three priests answer to Bishop Len Brennan, who assigned them the Craggy Island parish due to different incidents in their past: Ted for alleged financial impropriety (apparently involving some money 'resting' in his account and a child being deprived a visit to LourdesLourdes
Lourdes is a commune in the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in south-western France.Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous...
so that Ted could go to Las Vegas), Dougal for something only referred to as the "Blackrock Incident" (resulting in many "lives irreparably damaged"), and Jack for his alcoholism and womanising. The show revolves around the priests' lives on Craggy Island, sometimes dealing with matters of the church but more often dealing with Father Ted's schemes to either resolve a situation with the parish or other Craggy Island residents, or to win games of one-upmanship against his arch-nemesis, Father Dick Byrne of the nearby Rugged Island
Rugged Island (Father Ted)
Rugged Island is a fictional island on the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.It is effectively a parallel universe to the show's main setting, Craggy Island, with Father Dick Byrne their version of Ted, Father Cyril McDuff their version of Dougal, and Father Jim Johnson their version of Jack...
parish.
Production
According to Linehan, Father Ted was a character created by Mathews for Paul WoodfullPaul Woodfull
Paul Woodfull is an Irish writer, actor, comedian and musician. He has written two television series, a CD and the comedy musical play I, Keano. He is a graduate of the National College of Art and Design in Dublin...
, when the three men performed together as The Joshua Trio on the comedy circuit in Ireland. Dermot Morgan was picked for the role because he had previously played a priest in stand-up as "Father Trendy".
The show was pitched directly to the UK's Hat Trick Productions
Hat Trick Productions
Hat Trick Productions is a British independent production company that produces television programmes, mainly specialising in comedy.-History:...
and Channel 4 by the duo, contrary to rumours that RTÉ
Raidió Teilifís Éireann
Raidió Teilifís Éireann is a semi-state company and the public service broadcaster of Ireland. It both produces programmes and broadcasts them on television, radio and the Internet. The radio service began on January 1, 1926, while regular television broadcasts began on December 31, 1961, making...
(the Irish national broadcaster) were originally offered the series but rejected it.
Recording
Three series and one ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
special were completed. In addition, Morgan and O'Hanlon hosted an hour of Comic Relief in character, during which Kelly and McLynn also made brief guest appearances. After the completion of the shooting of series three, Dermot Morgan died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
, aged 45. As a mark of respect, the third series was first broadcast a week later than originally planned.
Just weeks before his death Morgan said that he did not want to continue playing the role of Father Ted for fear of being typecast
Typecasting (acting)
In TV, film, and theatre, typecasting is the process by which a particular actor becomes strongly identified with a specific character; one or more particular roles; or, characters having the same traits or coming from the same social or ethnic groups...
: "I don't want to be the next Clive Dunn
Clive Dunn
Clive Robert Benjamin Dunn OBE is a retired English actor, comedian and author, best known for his role as Lance-Corporal Jack Jones in the BBC sitcom Dad's Army.-Early life:...
and end up playing the same character for years."
Music
The theme tune for the series was written and performed by The Divine ComedyThe Divine Comedy (band)
The Divine Comedy are a chamber pop band from Ireland, fronted by Neil Hannon. Formed in 1989, Hannon has been the only constant member of the group, playing, in some instances, all of the non-orchestral instrumentation bar drums. To date, ten studio albums have been released under the Divine...
, and was later reworked into "Songs of Love", a track from the album Casanova
Casanova (album)
Casanova is The Divine Comedy's fourth album. It was the band's commercial breakthrough. It was released on Setanta and certified gold in the UK in July 1997. This was helped by the release of The Divine Comedy's first single "Something for the Weekend" which reached number 13 on the charts...
. (The song "Woman of the World" from the same album was also offered as a potential theme tune, but rejected.)
The band also contributed most of the show's original music, including "My Lovely Horse
My Lovely Horse
My Lovely Horse is a song featured in the hit comedy series Father Ted. It was written by Graham Linehan, Arthur Mathews and Neil Hannon , and appeared in the episode "A Song for Europe", in which Ted and Dougal sing it for Ireland at "A Song For Ireland" , a contest to determine who will represent...
", as used in the episode "Song For Europe
Song for Europe (Father Ted)
"A Song For Europe" was the 5th episode of the second season of the Channel 4 television sitcom Father Ted.- Synopsis :Dougal has "Eurosong fever", months ahead of the competition. After initially rejecting Dougal's suggestion that they write a song to represent Ireland in the competition, Ted...
" and "My Lovely Mayo Mammy" for the episode "Night of the Nearly Dead
Night of the Nearly Dead
"Night of the Nearly Dead" is the seventh episode of the third and final series of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. The episode's title and some of the scenes are a parody on the movie Night of the Living Dead.- Synopsis :...
". Singer Neil Hannon
Neil Hannon
Neil Hannon is a Northern Irish singer and songwriter, best known as the creator and frontman of the chamber pop group The Divine Comedy. The band's official website even goes so far as to say, "The Divine Comedy is Neil Hannon," and Hannon is quoted in an interview as saying, "The Divine Comedy...
also provided Ted's vocal in the "enhanced" version of My Lovely Horse, which later appeared as a B-side on the band's single Gin Soaked Boy.
Location
Location work for Father Ted was done mostly in County ClareCounty Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, including locations at Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
, Kilfenora
Kilfenora
Kilfenora is a small village in County Clare in Ireland, just south of The Burren. The village is noted for being the home to the Kilfenora Ceili Band and the location for much of the filming of the sitcom Father Ted.-Places of interest:...
, Ennistymon, and Kilnaboy
Kilnaboy
Kilnaboy or Killinaboy is the name of a small village, townland and parish in County Clare, Ireland. It is situated in The Burren, an area rich in heritage and natural beauty and Mullaghmore mountain is close by...
. The Parochial House is McCormack's at Glenquin, on the Boston road from Kilnaboy. The cinema featured in "The Passion of St Tibulus
The Passion of St Tibulus
"The Passion of St Tibulus" is the 3rd episode of Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.-Synopsis:Father Hernandez, from Cuba, is staying on Craggy Island...
" was the Ormonde Cinema, Greystones
Greystones
Greystones is a coastal town and small seaside resort in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located on Ireland’s east coast, south of Bray and south of Dublin , with a population in the region of 15,000....
, County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
and "The Field", the location for Funland in "Good Luck, Father Ted
Good Luck, Father Ted
"Good Luck, Father Ted" is the first episode to be aired of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.-Synopsis:A producer from a Telly Éireann television programme, Faith of our Fathers, phones the parochial house offering to interview Ted for an episode about priests who work in remote areas...
", is in Portrane
Portrane
Portrane or Portraine ) is a small seaside town one kilometre from, and merging into the larger town of Donabate in Fingal, north County Dublin, Ireland.- St. Ita's Hospital :...
, North County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
. The 'Very dark caves' featured in "The Mainland
The Mainland (Father Ted)
"The Mainland" is an episode of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. It was first broadcast on 3 April 1998 as the fourth episode of the third series.-Synopsis:...
" were the Aillwee caves in the Burren
The Burren
The Burren is a karst-landscape region or alvar in northwest County Clare, in Ireland. It is one of the largest karst landscapes in Europe. The region measures approximately 250 square kilometres and is enclosed roughly within the circle made by the villages Ballyvaughan, Kinvara, Tubber, Corofin,...
, County Clare. Some exterior shots for the episode "And God Created Woman
And God Created Woman (Father Ted)
"And God Created Woman" is the 5th episode of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. It is named after the 1956 film And God Created Woman.-Synopsis:...
" were filmed in Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
, South County Dublin. The opening sequence (including shots of the Plassey ship wreck
MV Plassy
MV Plassy, or Plassey, was a steam trawler launched in late 1940 and named HMS Juliet in 1941. She was renamed Peterjon and converted to a cargo vessel in 1947. She was acquired by the Limerick Steamship Company in 1951 and renamed Plassy . On her final voyage she was sailing through Galway Bay...
) were filmed over Inis Oírr - the smallest of the Aran Islands
Aran Islands
The Aran Islands or The Arans are a group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay, on the west coast of Ireland. They constitute the barony of Aran in County Galway, Ireland...
. The interior scenes were recorded at LWT's The London Studios
The London Studios
The London Studios is a television studio complex which is owned by London Weekend Television and has been home to the London Weekend ITV provider since 1972...
.
Comedy style
The series is set in a humorously surrealSurreal humour
Surreal humour is a form of humour based on violations of causal reasoning with events and behaviours that are logically incongruent. Constructions of surreal humour involve bizarre juxtapositions, non-sequiturs, irrational situations, and/or expressions of nonsense.The humour arises from a...
world in which Ted is the only fully rounded "normal" character among "caricatures", according to Graham Linehan: "exaggerated-over-friendly, over-quiet, over-stupid, over-dull [...] they really only got one thing, they've got one job." Embarrassment plays a role in many storylines, in a similar fashion to Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers
Fawlty Towers is a British sitcom produced by BBC Television and first broadcast on BBC2 in 1975. Twelve television program episodes were produced . The show was written by John Cleese and his then wife Connie Booth, both of whom played major characters...
. Linehan says, "if Ted is in a situation that is slightly embarrassing we get him out of it [...] by having him lying or cheating, basically digging a massive hole for himself". Arthur Mathews has described Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
as a major influence on the comedy of Father Ted, with himself and Linehan being "big fans" of the show. Father Ted also contains references to pop culture, and some film parodies
Parody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
, such as the episode "Speed 3
Speed 3
"Speed 3" is the third episode of the third series of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and the 20th episode overall. It is a parody of the films Speed and Speed 2: Cruise Control...
".
Regarding the series's religious content, Linehan says "Ted doesn't have an anti-religious view of life, but a non-religious view. It's a job to him. He doesn't care about religion." While writing, he says, the show's creators imagined Ted and Dougal as "just two people who happen to be [priests]".
Critical reception
In 1995 and 1998, the show won the BAFTA award for Best Comedy, while Morgan also won a BAFTA in 1998 for Best Comedy Performance. At the 1996 British Comedy Awards, McLynn took the Top TV Comedy Actress award. In 2004, the series finished eleventh in the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
's poll to find "Britain's Best Sitcom
Britain's Best Sitcom
Britain's Best Sitcom was a poll conducted in 2004 by the BBC, to identify the United Kingdom's best situation comedy. Viewers were asked to vote for their favourite by phone, text message and on the web. The top ten went forward to a final round of voting...
". It was the highest-placed comedy not originally broadcast by the BBC.
Legacy
Ted FestTed Fest
The Friends of Ted Festival, or Ted Fest, is an annual fan convention held on the island of Inishmore, off the coast of County Galway, Ireland for fans of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. The series was set on the fictional Craggy Island off Ireland's west coast, so Ted Fest is also held on such an...
, a Father Ted fan convention, has been held annually since 2007 after the show achieved a cult following.
In January 2007 a dispute arose between Inis Oírr
Inisheer
Inisheer is the smallest and most eastern of the three Aran Islands in Galway Bay, Ireland.-Naming:The official name, , was brought into usage by the Ordnance Survey Ireland. It may be a compromise between the traditional local name and the previous official name . There is no Irish word...
(pop. 250) and Inis Mór (pop. 1,200) over which island can claim to be Craggy Island, and thereby host a three-day Friends of Ted Festival
Ted Fest
The Friends of Ted Festival, or Ted Fest, is an annual fan convention held on the island of Inishmore, off the coast of County Galway, Ireland for fans of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. The series was set on the fictional Craggy Island off Ireland's west coast, so Ted Fest is also held on such an...
. It was decided that in appropriate Father Ted fashion the dispute would be settled by a five-a-side football match held on 25 February 2007. This was won by Inis Mór in a 2-0 match allowing them to use the title of Craggy Island until February 2008, while Inis Oírr was given the title of Rugged Island
Rugged Island (Father Ted)
Rugged Island is a fictional island on the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.It is effectively a parallel universe to the show's main setting, Craggy Island, with Father Dick Byrne their version of Ted, Father Cyril McDuff their version of Dougal, and Father Jim Johnson their version of Jack...
.
, the show is being repeated on More4
More4
More4 is a digital television channel, run by British broadcaster Channel 4, that launched on 10 October 2005. It is carried on Freeview, on satellite broadcasters Freesat and Sky, UK IPTV broadcaster TalkTalk TV and on UK cable network Virgin Media and in the Republic of Ireland cable networks...
and RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two
RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of...
. All three series have been available through the OnDemand service of Virgin Media
Virgin Media
Virgin Media Inc. is a company which provides fixed and mobile telephone, television and broadband internet services to businesses and consumers in the United Kingdom...
in the UK but now they have only one series at a time, switching between the three, however series one and three and the Christmas Special are available on 4oD
4oD
4oD is a video on demand service from Channel 4. Launched in November 2006, 4oD stands for "4 on Demand". The service offers a variety of programmes recently shown on Channel 4, E4, More4 or from their archives...
. BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
showed an episode on 8 November 2008 as part of its tribute night to producer Geoffrey Perkins, who had died just over two months before.
Pauline McLynn
Pauline McLynn
Pauline McLynn is an Irish actress, comedienne and author, best known for playing Mrs Doyle in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted, and Libby Croker in the Channel 4 comedy drama Shameless.- Early life :...
reprised her role as Mrs Doyle in 2001 for a run of advertisements for the Inland Revenue
Inland Revenue
The Inland Revenue was, until April 2005, a department of the British Government responsible for the collection of direct taxation, including income tax, national insurance contributions, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, corporation tax, petroleum revenue tax and stamp duty...
, reminding people to get their taxes in on time by uttering her catchphrase from the programme ('Go on, go on' repeated over and over again). It was later voted as the worst advert of the year.
The series has been referred to in regard to lack of political policy. Speaking in Carlow
Carlow
Carlow is the county town of County Carlow in Ireland. It is situated in the south-east of Ireland, 84 km from Dublin. County Carlow is the second smallest county in Ireland by area, however Carlow Town is the 14th largest urban area in Ireland by population according to the 2006 census. The...
in June 2010, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government and Green Party
Green Party (Ireland)
The Green Party is a green political party in Ireland. It was founded as the Ecology Party of Ireland in 1981 by Dublin teacher Christopher Fettes. The party became the Green Alliance in 1983 and in 1987 was renamed to its current title in English...
leader John Gormley
John Gormley
John Gormley is an Irish politician. He was the leader of the Irish Green Party from 2007 to 2011, and was a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South East constituency from 1997 to 2011. He served as Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government from 2007–11...
said the Labour Party
Labour Party (Ireland)
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in the Republic of Ireland. The Labour Party was founded in 1912 in Clonmel, County Tipperary, by James Connolly, James Larkin and William X. O'Brien as the political wing of the Irish Trade Union Congress. Unlike the other main Irish...
is coming very close to being the "Father Ted of Irish politics" because, according to Gormley they have no policies.
On 1 January 2011, a night dedicated to the show was screened by Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
from 9pm to 11pm in celebration of its 15th anniversary year. This included the nation's and the writers' favourite episodes plus a documentary of the cast and creators that revisited the show's locations. Pauline McLynn decided not to take part in the documentary. The show was also dedicated to Dermot Morgan.
DVD releases
In the United States, all series have been released on DVD NTSC Region 1.- Father Ted - Series 1-2 (3-disc set, 1995)
- Father Ted - Series 3 (2-disc set, 1997. Includes the "A Christmassy Ted" episode)
In Australia, all series have been released on DVD PAL Region 4.
- Father Ted - The Complete 1st Series - 18 August 2003
- Father Ted - Series 2. Part 1–8 August 2003
- Father Ted - Series 2. Part 2–22 September 2003
- Father Ted - The Complete 3rd Series - Late 2003
- Father Ted - The Definitive Collection (5 Disc Box Set) - 5 November 2007
- Father Ted - The Complete 1st Series - 4 March 2010
- Father Ted - The Complete 2nd Series (2 Disc Set) - 4 March 2010
- Father Ted - The Complete 3rd Series (2 Disc Set) - 4 February 2010
Further reading
- Father Ted: The Complete Scripts by Graham LinehanGraham LinehanGraham Linehan is an Irish television writer, actor, comedian and director who, often in partnership with Arthur Mathews, has written or co-written a number of popular television comedies...
and Arthur MathewsArthur Mathews (writer)Arthur Mathews is an Irish comedy writer and actor who, often with writing partner Graham Linehan, has either written or contributed to a number of popular television comedies, most notably Father Ted. He is a graduate of the Dublin Institute of Technology...
, 1999, Boxtree Press, UK, ISBN 0-7522-1850-6
External links
- Father Ted at EpisodeWorld.com
- Father Ted at British TV Resources
- Father Ted - the TV Series - h2g2 at bbc.co.ukBbc.co.ukBBC Online is the brand name and home for the BBC's UK online service. It is a large network of websites including such high profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services co-branded BBC iPlayer, the pre-school site Cbeebies, and learning services such as Bitesize...