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This is an episode guide for the television sitcom Father Ted created by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan. The series first aired on Channel 4 between 21 April 1995 and 1 May 1998.
[edit] Series 1 (1995)
| # |
Title |
Original airdate |
# in series |
| 1 |
"Good Luck, Father Ted" |
21st April 1995 |
1 |
| A television programme offers to interview Father Ted Crilly. However Ted goes to extreme lengths to ensure the other members of the clergy on the island don't interrupt his moment in the spotlight. Meanwhile Craggy Island hosts Fun Land, a fun fair to which Dougal is desperate to go. Ted takes the film crew to the fair, leading to a massive mix-up. |
| 2 |
"Entertaining Father Stone" |
28th April 1995 |
2 |
| Ted and Dougal are devastated as an unbearably boring, yet inoffensive, priest Father Stone arrives on Craggy Island for his annual visit. Ted prays for Father Stone to be taken away, but is later wracked with guilt when Father Stone is struck by lightning. |
| 3 |
"The Passion of St Tibulus" |
5th May 1995 |
3 |
| Bishop Leonard Brennan arrives at the parochial house on an official visit with news that a blasphemous film, condemned by the pope and banned everywhere, is being shown in Craggy Island. He orders them to make a stand and protest at the cinema. Meanwhile Ted and Dougal also reveal new secrets about the Bishop's past. |
| 4 |
"Competition Time" |
12th May 1995 |
4 |
| With the annual "All Priests Stars in Their Eyes Lookalike Competition" Father Ted, determined to beat his arch nemesis Father Dick Byrne from Rugged Island, reveals his Elvis costume, only to find that Dougal and Jack have the exact same costume for themselves. Meanwhile TV Celebrity Henry Sellers stays at the house. |
| 5 |
"And God Created Woman" |
19 May 1995 |
5 |
| Father Ted meets novelist Polly Clarke at the book signing for her latest novel 'Bejewelled with Kisses'. Ted then finds out that Polly is renting a cottage across the island as Ted begins to fall for her and she invites him for more 'book chat'. Meanwhile Dougal, Mrs Doyle and Father Jack get in the way of Ted's plans causing disruption. |
| 6 |
"Grant unto Him Eternal Rest" |
26 May 1995 |
6 |
| Father Ted is unconcerned when he discovers Jack has drunk a bottle of Floor Polish, but Sister Monica realises that a lack of pulse and no breathing can only mean one thing. |
[edit] Series 2 (1996)
| # |
Title |
Original airdate |
| 1 |
"Hell" |
8 March 1996 |
| Ted, Dougal and Jack take their annual holiday and encounter Father Noel Furlong (played by Graham Norton). |
| 2 |
"Think Fast, Father Ted" |
15 March 1996 |
| When Ted holds a raffle, he destroys the prize - a new car. The title is a play on the novel "Think Fast, Mr. Moto", by John P. Marquand and the film of the same title starring Peter Lorre. This episode was originally a Series 1 episode, but was scrapped because the beginning (...Father Ted) was becoming repetitive. |
| 3 |
"Tentacles of Doom" |
22 March 1996 |
| Three bishops visit the island. A worried Ted gives Jack elocution lessons beforehand. "That would be an ecumenical matter". |
| 4 |
"The Old Grey Whistle Theft" |
29 March 1996 |
| Dougal starts hanging around with a rebellious priest, Father Damo Lennon. Meanwhile a valuable whistle is stolen. The title is a pun on the BBC music show The Old Grey Whistle Test. |
| 5 |
"Song for Europe" |
5 April 1996 |
| Ted is goaded by Father Dick Byrne into attempting to write a song for "Eurosong '96" (spoof of the Eurovision Song Contest). Despite having a song with only one note, Ireland's fear of winning again (and having to fund it) plays into Ted and Dougal's hands. This mirrors the real life belief that Ireland chose the 1994 Eurovision entry, "Rock 'n' Roll Kids", which was thought to differ greatly to the typical winning song, so as to ensure they did not have to host the contest again. (Ironically, Ireland did indeed win the Eurovision in 1996, for the 4th time in 5 years). |
| 6 |
"The Plague" |
12 April 1996 |
| The parochial house is infested by rabbits, just as the very rabbit-phobic Bishop Brennan plans a visit. |
| 7 |
"Rock-a-Hula Ted" |
19 April 1996 |
| A feminist singer (a parody of Sinead O'Connor) visits the island just when Ted is judging the annual Lovely Girls competition, a parody of Ireland's Rose of Tralee festival. (However, a contest called "The Lovely Girls" did exist during the 1950's in Butlins Mosney holiday camp which, like in the episode, was held in a tent with the contestants dressing in a similar way). |
| 8 |
"Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading" |
26 April 1996 |
| In a game of one-upmanship with Dick Byrne, Ted decides the three priests must give something up for Lent. The title is taken from that of an Oasis song, "Cigarettes and Alcohol". |
| 9 |
"New Jack City" |
3 May 1996 |
| Jack's hairy hands get him sent to an old priests' home. Unfortunately his replacement, played by Irish comedian Brendan Grace, is much worse. An avid fan of jungle music, he doesn't take kindly to the other inhabitants of the parochial house. The title is taken from the movie New Jack City. |
| 10 |
"Flight into Terror" |
10 May 1996 |
| A flight back from a pilgrimage runs out of fuel and there are only two parachutes. Meanwhile Jack discovers a supply of alcohol in the luggage compartment of the plane. Only one man can save the passengers... |
[edit] Christmas special (1996)
| Title |
Original airdate |
| "A Christmassy Ted" |
24 December 1996 |
| 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. |
[edit] Series 3 (1998)
| # |
Title |
Original airdate |
| 1 |
"Are You Right There, Father Ted?" |
13 March 1998 |
| 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. |
| 2 |
"Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep" |
20 March 1998 |
| 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. There is a hidden pun in the show's plot — it's all about sheep worrying. |
| 3 |
"Speed 3" |
27 March 1998 |
| 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... This show was dreamed up by the creators when they decided to "see if you could make a worse sequel than Speed 2". |
| 4 |
"The Mainland" |
3 April 1998 |
| Ted, Dougal, Jack and Mrs. Doyle all have different adventures on the mainland. Richard Wilson guest-stars as himself. |
| 5 |
"Escape from Victory (1)" |
10 April 1998 |
| 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. |
| 6 |
"Kicking Bishop Brennan up the Arse (2)" |
17 April 1998 |
| 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 episodes title as his forfeit, a terrified Ted tries to draw upon his courage to complete the deed. |
| 7 |
"Night of the Nearly Dead" |
24 April 1998 |
| 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. |
| 8 |
"Going to America" |
1 May 1998 |
| 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. |
[edit] Best episode
[edit] The Craggy Island Examiner
A 1999 poll conducted by this popular Father Ted fansite chose the following as the best episodes: [1]
- "Song For Europe" (22%)
- "Are You Right There, Father Ted?" (19%)
- "Good Luck, Father Ted" and "Speed 3" (11% each)
Other runners-up were:
Notably, only one of these nine episodes were from Series 1 ("Good Luck, Father Ted").
[edit] Ted Fest 2007
At the inaugural Ted Fest, "New Jack City" was voted best episode.
[edit] External links
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