Father Ted

Father Ted is a situation comedy television programme produced by Hat Trick Productions for Channel 4. The show depicts the lives of three Irish Catholic priests on the remote fictional Craggy Island off the west coast of Ireland. It ran for three series, totalling 25 episodes, between 21 April 1995 and 1 May 1998 on the UK's Channel 4. Father Ted was written by two Irish writers, Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, who also co-created Big Train. All of the interior scenes were shot at The London Studios and all of the location footage was shot in Ireland.

Synopsis

The show follows the exploits of three Roman Catholic priests who preside over a parish on Craggy Island, located off the west coast of Ireland. Father Ted Crilly, Father Dougal McGuire and the retired Father Jack Hackett live together in Craggy Island's parochial house, along with their housekeeper Mrs Doyle, who is often wanting 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: Father Crilly for alleged financial impropriety, Father McGuire for his incompetence from the "Blackrock Incident", and Father Hackett 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 gambling bets placed with Father Dick Byrne of the nearby Rugged Island parish.

Father Ted

Father Ted - S03E08 - Going to America

Ted gets the opportunity of a lifetime, but can't bring himself to break it to the others that they're not invited. The title is a pun on the movie Coming to America. Musician and artist Brian Eno appears as "Father Brian Eno" at the "It's Great Being a Priest!" convention. The episode ends with a montage containing one clip from every previous episode, in reverse order.

Father Ted - S03E08 - Going to America

Father Ted - S03E07 - Night of the Nearly Dead

The visit of a young daytime TV presenter, Eoin McLove, causes excitement for the island's aging females. The title is a pun on the movie Night of the Living Dead. Eoin McLove is a parody of Daniel O'Donnell, an Irish crooner particularly popular among elderly women.

Father Ted - S03E07 - Night of the Nearly Dead

Father Ted - S03E06 - Kicking Bishop Brennan Up the Arse

The only episode to follow on directly from the previous one. Exposed as a cheat at the end of the previous episode, and with this episode's title as his forfeit, a terrified Ted tries to draw upon his courage to complete the deed.

Father Ted - S03E06 - Kicking Bishop Brennan Up the Arse

Father Ted - S03E05 - Escape from Victory

Ted takes great steps to ensure he wins a bet with Dick Byrne on the outcome of the All-Priests Over-75's Five-a-Side Football Championship. The title is a pun on the football movie Escape to Victory, about a football game played between prisoners of war and their guards in World War II.

Father Ted - S03E05 - Escape from Victory

Father Ted - S03E04 - The Mainland

Ted, Dougal, Jack and Mrs. Doyle all have different adventures on the mainland. Richard Wilson guest-stars as himself.

Father Ted - S03E04 - The Mainland

Father Ted - S03E03 - Speed 3

When Ted and Dougal expose a philandering milkman, Pat Mustard, he takes revenge on his replacement, Dougal, by putting a bomb on the milk float. If Dougal's speed drops below 4 mph...

Father Ted - S03E03 - Speed 3

Father Ted - S03E02 - Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep

Ted makes a large bet on the King of the Sheep competition. Unfortunately, Chris, his chosen sheep, has heard rumours about a sheep-eating beast and isn't feeling at all himself. The title is a parody of the 1970s song "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" by Middle of the Road.

Father Ted - S03E02 - Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep

Father Ted - S03E01 - Are you right there, Father Ted

Ted's "Chinaman" impression goes down badly with Craggy Island's newly-arrived Chinese community and he is branded a racist. A spot of dirt on the front window of the parochial house later leads him into more bother.

Father Ted - S03E01 - Are you right there, Father Ted

Father Ted - Special - Christmassy Father Ted

Ted's quick thinking whilst lost in a department store's lingerie department earns him the coveted Golden Cleric award. So why doesn't he feel happy? Mrs. Doyle's attempts to hang up the Christmas decorations become undone around her. She's also none too pleased at her Christmas present. When first shown, this hour-long episode attracted Channel 4's largest ever non-film audience viewing figures.

Father Ted - Special - Christmassy Father Ted