MovieChat Forums > Father Ted (1995) Discussion > Don't get it....

Don't get it....

posted 13 years ago by leeloo67
39 replies | jump to latest

I really don't get this show. At. All. I'm a huge fan of tv from the islands - Peep Show is an absolute favorite, and I loved Saxondale and Pulling was a lot of fun. The brilliant IT Crowd (The Work Outing is one of the best episodes of a television show in the history of television) made me seek out Graham Linehan which eventually led me to Father Ted. I was made hopeful by the rating here and on Netflix (average rating is the maximum five stars). I've only watched S01E01 but I was very very surprised. I was expecting a masterpice but for me it was jaw-droppingly horrible. The writing was weak, the humor very amateur hour and lowbrow, with the old guy just flailing like someone gone mental and the young guy just being generally goofy like Gomer Pyle, and yet the laugh track would roll at every banal line as though it were a gut-buster. Example: Father Ted's first death card must mean "a new lamp for his bike" - cue an extra-rolicking sample from the laugh track. Why is that funny? I'm happy that so many people seem to be entertained by this show but I couldn't find genuine humor in any of it. Just one of those things I guess...

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Scaramanga 13 years ago

I don't think you can judge a show based on one episode. IMHO the first episode of Father Ted is not a very strong episode, and indeed was not originally intended to be the series opener.

According to the script book (which is annotated by the writers) it was bumped up from later in the series as it has a bit from each of the four main characters, and emphasises their irish stereotypes (heavy drinkers: Jack; overly generous: Mrs. Doyle; a bit stupid: Father Dougal and a bit of a conman: Ted.) They play up these stereotypes a lot throughout the series.

As has already been said, Father Ted is not for everyone, but I'd give a few different episodes a go first:
The Mainland (my personal favourite)
Speed 3
A Song for Europe
A Christmassy Ted
Hell (this is the one with the famous 'small/far away' sequence)

[–] johnnymonsarrat 13 years ago

I've just read through all the episode ratings and the entire season 1 seems to be the worst. Yet season 2 begins with a housekeeper mistaking raisins for cocaine. That kind of mistake is impossible and pops me right out of believing in the story. It's not clever or set up properly as it would be on a show like Fawlty Towers. I don't know. I'm about to stop watching this series just a few minutes in. The laugh track is indeed distracting, but we're talking about a previous era of comedy. These days I love the intelligent, non-laugh-track writing in shows like Modern Family and Community.

Johnny Monsarrat Consulting. All content by Jon Monsarrat!

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] lunchboxattacks 13 years ago

I think if you don't find Mrs. Doyle mistaking raisins for cocaine then Father Ted probably isn't for you. It's the kind of joke that sums up the series. One of the strengths of Ted is the bizarre undercurrent of absurdity running through pretty much every episode, the whole concept of the series in fact, and a batty, devoutly religious housekeeper mistaking cocaine for raisins, the fact that she somehow gets those two very different things mixed up and says it so enthusiastically, is pretty impossible which makes it so funny.

It's a joke that wouldn't have worked on Fawlty Towers, certainly not as well, because it had it's own particular comic sensibility and universe as does Ted and all other classic sitcoms.

[–] BasilTheRatGirl 11 years ago

Yes, thank-you! Fawlty Towers relies heavily on sarcasm and Father Ted on absurdity, they are very different but equally hilarious in my opinion.

[–] changedname 13 years ago

Hold up a second, there is no "the worst" in Father Ted. Maybe there's "less brilliant". You're a joke, you have no sense of humour and you suck. Stop trying to gain attention for it.

Maybe you should just stop trying to have a sense of humour and go away. And Modern Family is the most stupid thing ever, I hate that show. It's almost as bad as Malcolm in the Middle, which I didn't think possible.

There is one shard of light however in that as with lots of shows, sometimes it takes a while to get to know the characters and understand the jokes. I think this is strongly the way with this show. But you coming in here giving incredibly stupid and just plain wrong criticism like that having seen one episode is well out of order.

[–] hell-cat-1 13 years ago

If you don't get it you don't get it. And stop comparing it to British shows, this isn't a British show. Maybe that's why you don't get the humor. I'm Irish and for me Father Ted is the funniest comedy show on TV, that and South Park.

[–] sharpfish 9 years ago

I'm English and Father Ted is one of the best sitcoms of all time. Definitely one of the top 3/5 of the 90s. You don't have to be Irish to appreciate it.

And anyone who doesn't get the 'absurd humour' is missing the point with this. If you don't know the background of stereotypes and self mocking of the 'big tickos from the island' then you'll probably never warm to the characters nor find it funny.

It doesn't take much effort or much of an open mind to understand the characters, the situation and the bleakness of the situations which are then made funny by the absurd humour that pokes fun at itself while it does it (not taking itself seriously).

Anyway I'm a massive Fawlty Towers fan (and I do think that show is one of the top 3 ever) and this does have some clear homages/similarities but manages to have a lot of charm of its own making it a worthwhile watch if you are not watching from too analytical or dour a mind.

[–] Dark_Helmet12345 12 years ago

Come on I love the scene where she talks about the cake

"are you sure you won't have some father?, there's cocaine in it!"

"what!"

"oh no, lord what am I on about, not cocaine, what is it I'm always confusing it with?...oh yes raisons"

The delivery is great from mrs Doyle is so good. Want a great episode? Try:

Speed 3 (series 3)

Escape from victory (series 3) very Funny indeed

The mainland (series 3)

A song for europe (series 2)

If you don't find them funny then the show is definatly not for you. But it's funny and quite silly at times, perhaps too much for your tastes.

"what?..I've got cock on my hand"

[–] AnneOnymous 9 years ago

The 'raisins for cocaine' quote is my absolute favourite line.

Nothing about FT is supposed to be credible. It is completely absurdist. I find that line funny because it is so unexpected and it comes out of Mrs Doyle's mouth.

[–] raf-33 13 years ago

I think humour is relative, Seinfeld was ranked the #1 sitcom ever by Americans, yet over the past decade or so I must have caught dozens of clips and half-episodes while flicking through the channels or being at someone's house and I have never so much as grinned at anything I've seen on that show. It quite honestly baffles me how anyone could. Yet, like most Brits I love Friends.

I think you know what I'm gettin' at Mr. President. We're gonna kill us a mummy.

[–] parks212 12 years ago

agree with raf.

seinfeld is over-rated, barely laughed at that show.

father ted is similar.

odd show, its seem to rely on cheap humour and gags.

compared to shows like the office uk and peep show, father ted is mediocre.

[–] Blarhhh 12 years ago

GET OUT.

[–] Sensimilla 12 years ago

Sienfeld is actually whopper

[–] AnneOnymous 9 years ago

I attempted Seinfeld once, too. It was really underwhelming. Maybe it was too dependent on previous character development and there were a lot of in-jokes or something. But I think comedies should appeal to both long-time audiences and first-time viewers.

[–] GlenEllyn (21659) 8 years ago

I'm not a Seinfeld fan either, and maybe you're right that it's character development and inside jokes that make it so popular. Maybe if I started from the beginning I would appreciate it. Friends was that way for me - saw parts of a few episodes and didn't understand what the big deal was. The running joke of "we were on a break" doesn't mean much if you haven't seen the origin of the situation. I finally got around to watching from the beginning and decided it was actually pretty good for its time.

As for Father Ted, it's the absurdity of it that is so funny. I'll admit I was a little unsure of it at first (I thought Ted was the sane, reasonable one surrounded by loonies) but once I figured out what they were going for, that Ted was the head loony, I had some pretty good laughs. However, I also learned that I can't binge-watch it; three or four episodes at a sitting is good. More than that and it becomes too predictable (sometimes annoying, actually) and hence, not so funny, for me anyway.

[–] ben-729 12 years ago

Well in that case, you can go on my list of enemies!

There, see how you like that!

[–] dan-willi84 12 years ago

FATHER TED just pokes fun at priests and religion.

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] panda_dance 12 years ago

You're in for it now, Tony.

Just kidding! Look what I really wrote! I really like Tony.

[–] summery_jess 11 years ago

That is my absolute favorite moment in Father Ted. And to reply to the original poster: to each their own. I'm American and caught an episode on TV late at night and was hooked. I went out and bought all the DVDs the next day. I've tried sharing my Father Ted love with friends to mixed results. Some loved it and some just didn't. :)

[–] OhCaptainHookmyCaptain 11 years ago

Best reply ever!!!

[–] Gandolph_Lundgren 12 years ago

TROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[–] nmoonerz 12 years ago

"it must be about the new light i'm getting for my bicycle" is one of the funniest lines from the show... you skidmark!

you obviously do not have much of a sense of humour.

[–] khalefadoriath 12 years ago

The Office doesn't do much for me but I'm glad More4 keep repeating this. My favourite episode is Flight Into Terror: absolutely hilarious and classic Jack. If you don't laugh at this episode you must be dead. Or don't understand irony.

[–] gax001 12 years ago

Father Ted is very silly,it's like Police Squad or The Jerk

[–] jesatsu 12 years ago

I went on watching Seinfeld even after the first season expecting it to pick up. It didn't. It's like when you take out the com out of sitcom but leave the laugh track.

[–] Ponies_in_Jumpers 11 years ago

"There's nothing funny about the All Priests Over-70 Football Match!"

Comedy is subjective. I didn't get into it immediately with the first episode either, but I love it now.