I would love to have been in the pitch meeting for this one. "Okay guys, it's a sitcom about three catholic priests and a tea-lady living on a near-deserted island in the Irish Sea"....cue baffled silence.
However, in my book, "Father Ted" is one of the greatest comedies to ever come out of my fair shores. Yes, it's about three catholic priests but not as you might think. Ted (of the title) is the over-ambitious underacheiver, constantly pitting his wits against the world and failing miserably; Dougal is the idiot-savant without the savant and Jack is a raging, festering alcoholic whose only dialogue is usually four-lettered filth. And then there's Mrs. Doyle, brilliantly played by Pauline McLynn, a woman whose sole mission in life is to serve tea and serve it well.
All of the main characters are obviously hilarious. However it is in the peripheral characters where real comedy delights lie. Most of them priests. All of them extremely dysfunctional. All of them hilarious. Including Father Dick Byrne - the bain of Ted's existence, Father Finton Stack - A rude, bigoted thug obsessed with Drum n' Bass music, Father Noel Furlong - A raging homosexual (in denial) played by Graham Norton, Father Austin Purcell - the "most boring priest in the world", Father Romeo Sensini - all-time leading scorer in the Craggy Island over 75's 5-a-side football tournament....the list goes on and on and on.
All of this adds up to one thing, an absolutely feckin' hilarious comedy that I don't think I'll ever tire of watching. The scene in which several priests get stuck in the lingerie section of a department store alone is one of the greatest things ever written. Plus you just can't go wrong with episode titles such as "Cigarettes, Alcohol and Rollerblading" and "Kicking Bishop Brennan up the Arse".
Sadly the whole thing is now semi-laced with sadness due to the untimely passing of Dermot Morgan. However, thankfully, his brilliant performances live on.
Peace,
John.
No comments:
Post a Comment