| "Going to America" | |
|---|---|
| Father Ted episode | |
 | |
| Episode no. | Series 3 Episode 8 |
| Directed by | Graham Linehan, Andy de Emmony |
| Written by | Arthur Mathews, Graham Linehan |
| Original air date | 1 May 1998 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"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.
After Ted prevents a depressed Father Kevin (Tommy Tiernan) from jumping to his death at the "It's Great Being a Priest" conference, an American priest, Father Buzz Cagney (Jeff Harding), asks him if he will come to a parish in Los Angeles. Ted cannot wait and excitedly tells Jack, Dougal and Mrs. Doyle, who incorrectly think they will be able to come with him. Ted does not have the heart to tell them otherwise and brings them to the airport, dumping them there while he gets on the plane. However, Ted has second thoughts when Buzz mentions the gang culture around Ted's new parish in Los Angeles and its violent state. Realising he will be in a worse difficult situation and fearing for his life, Ted abandons going on his trip and rejoins Jack, Dougal and Mrs Doyle. It transpires that the three of them never wanted to go to the States anyway, with the possible exception of Jack, who yells 'Feck!' when he learns of what has gone wrong, though the promise of a drink cheers him up. The group leaves the airport and heads for home, and Ted resigns himself to the fact he is probably going to be on Craggy Island for the rest of his life. The scene then transits to a montage of moments from every episode of the series in reverse order, ending with Ted and Dougal wishing each other goodnight.
The episode was always intended to be the last Father Ted ; in the original script, the last scene was to be set at the "It's Still Great Being a Priest" conference with Father Kevin once again on the window ledge and once again Ted arriving on the ledge, except this time it is not to stop him from jumping but to join him, because he was depressed that the intended trip to America fell through and he would have to stay on Craggy Island forever. This ending was abandoned in favour of a montage of clips from all three series of the show. The writers had initial concerns that their original conclusion would not work – Morgan's sudden death confirmed their decision to drop the ending, with the idea now seeming especially tacky. [1]
The episode was filmed on 27 February 1998. Dermot Morgan died from a heart attack the following day, at age 45.
This episode does not normally contain a credits sequence at the end, as it is replaced by the clips montage. The episode's guest cast is listed alongside the lead actors in the opening credits.
While filming the scene in which Ted dances to "Theme from Shaft," Tommy Tiernan continually flubbed his lines. As a result, Dermot Morgan was required to perform the dance repeatedly, despite pains in his heart. In a 2009 interview, Tiernan speculated that this contributed to Morgan's fatal heart attack the following day. [2]
A clip is shown from each episode, in reverse order of airdate.
The final shot is an exterior view of the parochial house at dusk. Ted and Dougal say goodnight to each other (stock audio from the episode "New Jack City") and the light in their bedroom is switched off.
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.
"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.
"Competition Time" is the fourth episode of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted.
"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.
"Rock a Hula Ted" is the seventh episode of the second series of Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted, and the thirteenth episode overall.
"Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading" is the eighth episode of the second series of Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and the fourteenth episode overall.
"Escape from Victory" is the fifth episode of the third series of Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted and the 22nd episode overall. It is the first of two episodes that form a linked narrative, ending with "Kicking Bishop Brennan Up the Arse".
"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.
"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".
"A Christmassy Ted" is both the 17th episode and Christmas special of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. This episode was broadcast on Christmas Eve 1996, between the second and third series, with a runtime of 55 minutes. Due to the popularity of this episode, it still gets repeated on Channel 4, RTÉ2 and More4 around Christmas every year. This was the last episode of Father Ted to be broadcast during the lifetime of Dermot Morgan, who played the series' titular priest, Father Ted Crilly. Morgan died suddenly of a heart attack in February 1998, the day after filming of the third series had been completed.
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.
"New Jack City" is the ninth episode of the second series of the Channel 4 television sitcom Father Ted.
"Are You Right There Father Ted?" is the first episode of the third series of the Channel 4 television sitcom Father Ted, and the 18th episode overall. It is notable for being the first episode aired after the death of Dermot Morgan, who had died the day after filming for the final episode had been completed. As a mark of respect to Morgan, the original transmission of the first episode was delayed by a week.
"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.
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 that the Irish state have given the British government permission to use the island's coast as a dumping ground for nuclear waste.
