Holy Sheep, it's Father Ted
No sooner had I finished devouring the newly released Father Ted Season Two DVD set then BBC America decided to celebrate St. Paddy's day with a marathon of season three! As a result I've recently spent more time than is probably healthy immersed in that very special world of Father's Ted, Dougal and Jack and the myriad other denizens of remote Craggy Island. Here then a brief review of both the DVD and the long awaited third, and sadly, final season....
Father Ted: Season Two DVD
This two disc set collects ten, generally magnificent, episodes of the irreverent clerical comedy (the complete second season and a couple of between season one offs) and includes some of writer/creators Graham Linehan and Arthur Mathhew's finest work. Highlights include camp diva Graham Norton as a manic step dancing priest, the formidable Bishop Len Brennan's rabbit problem, the controversial Lovely Girls competition, extreme Lent, Father Ted's soft fluffy down and, perhaps my personal favorite, Ted and Dougal's dual entries for Ireland's Song For Europe.. I dare you not to hum My Lovely Horse like a fairly mad person for days after seeing the Song For Europe episode.
Audio/visual quality is quite good, considering it's humble telly roots, and there's the added bonus of a pleasantly rambling Graham Lineham commentary for each of the first five episodes (disc one) in the set.
If you're a dedicated telly comedy fan you've doubtless seen season two a few times already but I can't imagine you'll want to be without this topnotch, high quality collection, plus where else will you find a writer's commentary?
BBC America is airing new, to us and them, episodes on Thursday nights starting, umm well last night actually. There are plenty of top grade laughs to be had in these last episodes (creators Linehan and Mattews, along with Ted thespian Dermot Morgan had, apparently, already decided season three would be the end of it all, even before the inspired, and around these parts frankly beloved, Morgan passed away.) but there is a sense of quiet comedic desperation as jokes are stretched thinner than in past years and situations become even more absurd than usual. Highlights include the return of Len Brennen, a priest's way with sheep, a hip visiting cleric from the States who tempts Ted and Dougal's stint as a milkman.
Top of the American Pops
A US-centric version of evergreen pop chart prod Top of the Pops is apparently on tap featuring a domestically generated chart based on the famous Billboard song rankings while including a UK showcase spot to promote acts from the Mommyland.
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