"Competition Time" | |
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Father Ted episode | |
Episode no. | Series 1 Episode 4 |
Directed by | Declan Lowney |
Written by | |
Featured music | The Divine Comedy |
Original air date | 12 May 1995 |
Guest appearances | |
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"Competition Time" is the fourth episode of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted .
The annual "All Priests Stars in Their Eyes Lookalike Competition" is approaching. Ted, Dougal and Jack are preparing for their entries, though Ted is dismayed to find Dougal and Jack have dressed as Elvis Presley, as that was his plan. Father Dick Byrne, Ted's rival from the Rugged Island parochial house, calls Ted and taunts him that the Rugged Island priests will win this year. Ted insists that he will have a better chance at winning since the guest judge, TV presenter Henry Sellers, is staying at the Craggy Island parochial house.
Henry arrives with Father Barty Dunne, a priest who laughs continually at the slightest of things, as a result of which Henry is in a foul mood after the four-hour drive. Ted attempts to offer Henry anything he wants to try to gain favour, but Henry appears unimpressed and considers staying at the Rugged Island house. Mrs Doyle and Ted offer Henry a drink of sherry before bed, which he does his best to refuse, but ends up succumbing to Mrs Doyle's persistence ("Go on, go on, GO ON!"). Henry then goes on a drunken rampage after the single drink, destroying the house's living room before jumping out the window. Barty explains that Henry has been a raging alcoholic, which led to him being sacked by the BBC, but had been sober for a year. Ted, Dougal and the police track down, tranquillise and return Henry to the house. After he regains consciousness, they tell him nothing happened.
On the day of the contest, Dick calls Ted again and suggests a wager on the contest, which Ted accepts. However, they find Jack in a drunken stupor, seemingly unable to perform, but this gives Ted an idea. At the contest, Dick and his fellow priests (Cyril McDuff and Jim Johnson) perform as Diana Ross and two of the Supremes, scoring 9 out of 10. The Craggy Island parochial house act follows, paying tribute to the three ages of Elvis: the young version (performed by Dougal), the comeback version (by Ted) and his later years (by a half-awake Jack). Henry gives Craggy Island's show the victory with the maximum score: 10 out of 10. Back at the parochial house, Dick reluctantly pays Ted his winnings and leaves. Mrs Doyle offers everyone a glass of champagne, but as soon as Henry takes a sip (despite Ted urging him not to) he goes on another drunken rampage. Ted tells Dougal they will look for Henry again in the morning and spends the rest of the evening appreciating the tiny trophy they received for winning.
The character of Henry Sellers was based on a well-known English TV personality who enjoyed drink; writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews heard from a friend in Hat Trick Productions that they had seen the presenter come home drunk one day and fall into a bush. This gave them the idea of a presenter character who is powerfully affected by alcohol. Jean Ainslie, who plays a contestant on Sellers' game show, was cast based on her performance in The Day Today . [1]
Linehan regrets the storyline involving multiple characters dressing as Elvis Presley and considers it a "typical sign" of running out of ideas, and a particularly bad one in a programme's first series. One influence was Stars in Their Eyes , which was popular at the time of writing. [1]
This episode introduces Rugged Island's three priests: Dick Byrne, Cyril McDuff and Jim Johnson, and their housekeeper, who bear a close resemblance to Ted, Dougal, Jack and Mrs Doyle. Maurice O'Donoghue, who plays Father Dick, was the writers' second choice for the role of Ted, being the right age and having a similar look and lightness. Mathews always preferred Dermot Morgan; Linehan was initially reluctant, fearing Morgan would play Ted in the same manner as his previous character "Father Trendy", but Morgan lobbied hard for the role. Linehan stated that they would have named the character Dick Byrne differently if the possible sexual connotations of the name had occurred to them. [1]
Father Ted is a sitcom created by Irish writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews and produced by British production company Hat Trick Productions for British television channel Channel 4. It aired over three series from 21 April 1995 until 1 May 1998, including a Christmas special, for a total of 25 episodes. It aired on Nine Network and ABC Television in Australia, and on TV2 in New Zealand.
Father Dougal McGuire is a character in the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. Created by Arthur Mathews and Graham Linehan, Dougal was portrayed by comedian Ardal O'Hanlon for the programme's three series. The character is a childlike, simple-minded Roman Catholic curate exiled to Craggy Island, a small island off the coast of Galway.
Father Ted Crilly is the eponymous main character of the British Channel 4 situation comedy Father Ted. Created by Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews, Ted was portrayed by comedian Dermot Morgan for the programme's three series. The character is a morally dubious Roman Catholic priest exiled to Craggy Island, a small island off the coast of Galway in Ireland.
"Good Luck, Father Ted" is the first episode to be aired of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. It first aired in the United Kingdom & Republic of Ireland on 21 April 1995.
"Entertaining Father Stone" is the second episode of Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.
"The Passion of Saint Tibulus" is the third episode of the first series of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. Originally airing in 1995, the episode was rebroadcast on BBC2 in 2008 in tribute to Geoffrey Perkins.
"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.
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"Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading" is the eighth episode of the second series of Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and the fourteenth episode overall.
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"Flight Into Terror" is the 10th episode of the second series of Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and the 16th episode overall.
"Kicking Bishop Brennan Up the Arse" is the sixth episode of the third series of the religion-themed sitcom Father Ted, and the 23rd episode overall. It originally aired on Channel 4 on 17 April 1998; its story continues from the previous episode, "Escape from Victory". In the episode, Father Ted Crilly must kick his strict and overbearing superior Bishop Brennan in the buttocks as a forfeit set in the previous episode by Father Dick Byrne for cheating at a football match.
"Going to America" is the series finale of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. It is the eighth episode of the third series, and the 25th episode overall. Dermot Morgan, who played the show's title character, died the day after filming was completed.
"Speed 3" is the third episode of the third series of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and the 20th episode overall. The episode parodies the action-thriller film Speed and the sequel Speed 2: Cruise Control. "Speed 3" was written after the show's writers Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathews asked themselves: "How can we make a worse sequel than Speed 2?" This episode was voted the fans' favourite episode on Channel 4's "Father Ted Night".
Grant Unto Him Eternal Rest is the sixth episode of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and the season one finale. It was the first episode to be scripted and submitted by the writers.
"The Mainland" is the fourth episode of the third series of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and the 21st episode overall. It was first broadcast on 3 April 1998.
"Think Fast, Father Ted" is the second episode of the second series of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. 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.
Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep is the second episode of the third series of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.
Craggy Island is a fictional island, supposedly off the west coast of Ireland, which serves as the primary setting for the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. Craggy Island Parochial House is located on the island, which is the home of three Catholic priests – Father Ted Crilly, Father Dougal McGuire and Father Jack Hackett – as well as their housekeeper Mrs Doyle. It is mentioned the Irish state have given the British government permission to use the island's coast as a dumping ground for nuclear waste.