List of Father Ted episodes

This is an episode guide for the sitcom Father Ted created by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan. The series aired on British broadcaster Channel 4 between 21 April 1995 and 1 May 1998.

List of series

Series Episodes Originally aired DVD release
Series premiere Series finale Region 1 Region 2
1 6 21 April 1995 26 May 1995 5 June 2001 20 August 2001
2 10 8 March 1996 10 May 1996 5 March 2002 Part 1: 15 October 2001
Part 2: 25 February 2002
Christmas Special 1 24 December 1996 17 September 2002 18 November 2002
3 8 13 March 1998 1 May 1998 5 March 2003 20 May 2003

Series 1 (1995)

Title Original airdate
1"'Good Luck, Father Ted'"21 April 1995
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 mess.
2"Entertaining Father Stone"28 April 1995
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 Saint Tibulus"5 May 1995
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"12 May 1995
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
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
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, Father Jack is dead. However, Jack has left some money in his will for Ted and Dougal. But will he stay dead enough for them to get it?

Series 2 (1996)

# Title Original airdate
7"Hell"8 March 1996
Ted, Dougal and Jack take their annual holiday and encounter Father Noel Furlong (played by Graham Norton).
8"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.
9"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".
10"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.
11"A 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 from the typical winning song, so as to ensure they did not have to host the contest again.
12"The Plague"12 April 1996
The parochial house is infested by rabbits, just as the very rabbit-phobic Bishop Brennan plans a visit.
13"Rock a Hula Ted"19 April 1996
A female singer (a parody of Sinéad O'Connor) visits the island just when Ted is judging the annual Lovely Girls competition, a parody of Ireland's Rose of Tralee festival.
14"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. Father Jack gives up alcohol, Dougal gives up rollerblading and Ted gives up smoking. The title is taken from that of an Oasis song, "Cigarettes and Alcohol".
15"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.
16"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...
Passenger Father Gallagher is played by Graham Linehan.

Christmas Special (1996)

# Title Original airdate
17"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. Meanwhile, an "old friend" of Ted decides the time is ripe for a visit. When first shown, this hour-long episode attracted Channel 4's largest ever non-film audience viewing figures.

Comic Relief (1997)

Title Original airdate
"Comic Relief with Ted & Dougal"14 March 1997
Ted and Dougal are enlisted to host the annual Comic Relief telethon. Ted is baffled as to why Comic Relief would select two unknown Irish priests for the job. Dougal theorises that God planned the event as an opportunity for Ted to atone for stealing money from a charity. Ted decides God may forgive him if they succeed in raising the target £8 million. This is sometimes included as a tribute or lost episode.

Series 3 (1998)

# Title Original airdate
18"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. The title is a play on "Are Ye Right There Michael" a comic song by Percy French about the West Clare Railway.
19"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 pun on a 1970s bubblegum pop song, "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep".
20"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, the bomb will explode, taking Dougal with it...
21"The Mainland"3 April 1998
When Ted, Dougal, Jack, and Mrs Doyle go on a trip to the mainland, all kinds of trouble ensues. Richard Wilson guest-stars as himself.
22"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.
23"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 episode's title as his forfeit, a terrified Ted tries to draw upon his courage to complete the deed.
24"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.
25"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.

Best episode

Most popular episodes

A 1999 poll conducted by the popular fansite The Craggy Island Examiner concluded that the best episodes were:[1]

  1. "Song For Europe" (22%)
  2. "Are You Right There, Father Ted?" (19%)
  3. "Good Luck, Father Ted" and "Speed 3" (11% each)

Runners-up were:

Notably, only one of these nine episodes was from Series 1 ("Good Luck, Father Ted").

Ted Fest 2007

At the inaugural Ted Fest, "New Jack City" was voted best episode.

Father Ted Night 2011 (Channel 4)

Father Ted Night, broadcast on New Year's Day 2011 on Channel 4, named "Speed 3" as the fans' favourite episode. "Kicking Bishop Brennan Up The Arse" is named as the writers' favourite episode.

References

  1. ↑ "Father Ted: News and Facts". The Craggy Island Examiner. 1999-01-06. Archived from the original on 2011-09-30. Retrieved 2013-03-04.

External links