Going to America

"Going to America"

"Going to America" is the final episode to be aired of Father Ted. It is the 8th episode of the third series of the Channel 4 sitcom and the 25th episode overall.

Father Kevin falls victim to depression.

Synopsis

After Ted prevents a depressed Father Kevin (Tommy Tiernan) from jumping to his death, Father Buzz Cagney (Jeff Harding) asks him if he’ll come to a parish in LA. Ted can’t wait, but has second thoughts when he is told Jack, Dougal and Mrs. Doyle won’t be able to come with him.

Ending

The show was always intended to be the last Father Ted — indeed, in the original script the last scene was to be Ted joining Father Kevin on the window ledge and committing suicide because he was depressed that the intended trip to America fell through and he would have to stay on Craggy Island forever.

Instead, this ending was abandoned in favour of a montage of clips from all three series of the show, because Ted himself — the actor Dermot Morgan — died the day after filming on the series was concluded. Contrary to popular belief, the ending wasn't changed solely due to Morgan's death (although it was a factor), but simply because the writers didn't think it was very funny.

Montage clips

A clip is shown from each episode, in reverse order of airdate.

• Mrs Doyle fainting (“Night of the Nearly Dead”)
• Ted kicking Bishop Brennan up the arse (“Kicking Bishop Brennan up the Arse”)
• Ted shouting at the soccer team (“Escape from Victory”)
• A magpie stealing Jack's glasses (“The Mainland”)
• Dougal driving the milkfloat (“Speed 3”)
• Chris on a boat, watched by Ted and Dougal (“Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep”)
• Ted inadvertently resembling Hitler (“Are You Right There, Father Ted?”)
• Mrs Doyle falling off the windowsill (“A Christmassy Ted”)
• "It's me. In the nip. And a dog." (“Flight into Terror”)
• Mrs Doyle showing "GO ON" flashcards to Fr Stack (“New Jack City”)
• Ted injured by a cross (“Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading”)
• Mary wins the lovely girls (“Rock-a-Hula Ted”)
• Tom "taking care" of the rabbits (“The Plague”)
• "Like a train in the night..." (“Song for Europe”)
• "Picnic Area" sign hitting Ted (“The Old Grey Whistle Theft”)
• Mrs Doyle bathes Dougal (“Tentacles of Doom”)
• The Dancing Priest (“Think Fast, Father Ted”)
• Ted, Jack and Dougal in the wrong caravan (“Hell”)
• The Monkey Priest throwing books around (“Grant unto Him Eternal Rest”)
• Ted discusses Crime and Punishment (“And God Created Woman”)
• The Third Age of Elvis (“Competition Time”)
• "Down With This Sort Of Thing" and "Careful Now" (“The Passion of St Tibulus”)
• Fr Stone on the toilet, Ted in the bath (“Entertaining Father Stone”)
• Ted on the Chair of Death (“Good Luck, Father Ted”)

External link

• "Going to America" at the IMDB