I was just watching what passes for comedy here in the States and it got me thinking about what made me laugh back in the UK. This is what came to mind. Just thinking about it has provided me with more laughs than watching the current stuff here.
For the uninitiated, Father Ted was a program or Irish origin made for Channel 4 written by 2 guys called Arthur Matthews and Graham Linehan. Pretty much all of the cast were Irish. Three series an between the years 1995 and 1998.
The premise of the show was that it followed the adventures of three priests who lived on an Irish island in the middle of nowhere because their superiors have exiled them for past incidents. They live in a big house with Mrs Doyle who looks after them. Episode revolve around them trying to resolve situations with the islands people or the church. Sometimes Ted faces off against Father Dick and his parish, which consists of the same character styles. He usually ends up losing out to Dick whenever they face off.
The cast consisted of Dermot Morgan as Father Ted, Ardal O'Hanlan as Father Dougal, Frank Kelly as Father Jack and Pauline McLynn as Mrs Doyle.
Out of all the characters featured in the show, Father Ted is the most normal one, but even then he extra ordinary in the way he can take a mundane or embarrassing situation and wiggle his way out of it, only to dig himself deeper into a hole until he can't escape.
The show had a surreal sense of humour and revelled in making the stars of the show make the worst of even the best situations. Life on the island was made even odder by its remoteness and the 'uniqueness' of the people living there.
I really miss this show. I think when I return to the UK I'm going to watch all the shows back to back over a couple of days. I think because the show was antiquated visually when it originally came out, it's made it age really well. There are a few parodies that mark its age but apart from that I think it.
For me it truly is one of the best comedies produced, it's such a shame it was cut down in its prime, although I know Dermot had said he didn't want to do it forever. It was unfortunate he had a heart attack just after finishing the third series.
I actually remember the day that he died, I was really ill laid up in bed watching the TV and the news teaser before the break come on and announced that he'd died. It was a real sad moment for me, Morgan was irreplaceable and I'm glad they didn't try to go it without him.
What do you guys think about Father Ted?
For the uninitiated, Father Ted was a program or Irish origin made for Channel 4 written by 2 guys called Arthur Matthews and Graham Linehan. Pretty much all of the cast were Irish. Three series an between the years 1995 and 1998.
The premise of the show was that it followed the adventures of three priests who lived on an Irish island in the middle of nowhere because their superiors have exiled them for past incidents. They live in a big house with Mrs Doyle who looks after them. Episode revolve around them trying to resolve situations with the islands people or the church. Sometimes Ted faces off against Father Dick and his parish, which consists of the same character styles. He usually ends up losing out to Dick whenever they face off.
The cast consisted of Dermot Morgan as Father Ted, Ardal O'Hanlan as Father Dougal, Frank Kelly as Father Jack and Pauline McLynn as Mrs Doyle.
Out of all the characters featured in the show, Father Ted is the most normal one, but even then he extra ordinary in the way he can take a mundane or embarrassing situation and wiggle his way out of it, only to dig himself deeper into a hole until he can't escape.
The show had a surreal sense of humour and revelled in making the stars of the show make the worst of even the best situations. Life on the island was made even odder by its remoteness and the 'uniqueness' of the people living there.
I really miss this show. I think when I return to the UK I'm going to watch all the shows back to back over a couple of days. I think because the show was antiquated visually when it originally came out, it's made it age really well. There are a few parodies that mark its age but apart from that I think it.
For me it truly is one of the best comedies produced, it's such a shame it was cut down in its prime, although I know Dermot had said he didn't want to do it forever. It was unfortunate he had a heart attack just after finishing the third series.
I actually remember the day that he died, I was really ill laid up in bed watching the TV and the news teaser before the break come on and announced that he'd died. It was a real sad moment for me, Morgan was irreplaceable and I'm glad they didn't try to go it without him.
What do you guys think about Father Ted?
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