New Jack City (Father Ted)
Episode voted best at the 2007 Ted Fest.
"New Jack City" is the eighth episode of the second series of the Channel 4 sitcom *Father Ted*. It was chosen as the best episode of the series at the first Ted Fest, held in February 2007.
Father Jack develops "hairy hands syndrome" and is sent to St. Clabbert's Hospital for wayward priests, which the clergy of Craggy Island call "Jurassic Park" after the film. Jack is scared when Ted tells him where he is going and tries to flee on a lawnmower, but fails. While Jack is away, a replacement priest arrives: Father Fintan Stack, who is obnoxious, rude, and destructive. He torments Ted and Dougal by crashing Ted's car into a wall, insulting Ted and his fellow priests, getting Dougal drunk on Jack's whiskey, drilling unnecessary holes in the living room wall, and playing jungle music (Cutty Ranks’ "Limb By Limb") loudly at three in the morning.
Fed up, Ted and Dougal kidnap Jack from St. Clabbert's, which is full of elderly priests who act like Jack (except one who says "I really shouldn't be here"). Jack returns home desperate for a drink and is furious to find his whiskey stash gone. He prepares to punch Stack for taking it, but stops when he sees Stack has caught hairy hands syndrome from sitting in Jack's chair, which Dougal forgot to disinfect. Stack is sent to St. Clabbert's, and the parochial house returns to normal, though Jack is locked in a sealed chamber to stop him spreading the syndrome—something Ted considers an improvement. At the hospital, Stack still plays his jungle music, annoying the other patients.
Pat Laffan played Father Stack and later appeared as the milkman Pat Mustard in "Speed 3" from the third series. Stack's jungle music includes "Limb By Limb (DJ SS Remix)" by Cutty Ranks and "The Way (The VIP Mix)" by DJ Taktix. The episode is named after the film *New Jack City*. Mrs. Doyle’s scene parodies the opening of *Don't Look Back*, a 1967 documentary about Bob Dylan’s 1965 UK tour.
Quick Facts
- Series
- Father Ted
- Series No
- 2
- Episode
- 9
- Airdate
- 1996-05-03
- Writer
- Graham Linehan, Arthur Mathews
- Director
- Declan Lowney
- Guests
- Brendan Grace as Fr Fintan Stack / Tony Guilfoyle as Fr. Larry Duff / Paddy Joyce as Father Billy / Declan Mulholland as Father Michael
- Episode List
- List of Father Ted episodes
- Prev
- Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading
- Next
- Flight Into Terror
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
In the episode, Father Jack contracts "hairy hands syndrome" and is sent to St. Clabbert's Hospital for wayward priests, jokingly referred to as "Jurassic Park" by the Clergymen of Craggy Island. Jack is alarmed upon learning he will go there and tries to escape by riding a lawnmower, but fails. A new priest, Father Fintan Stack, replaces Jack and torments Ted and Dougal by driving Ted's car into a wall, insulting Ted and his friends, getting Dougal drunk on Jack's whiskey, drilling unnecessary holes in the wall, and blasting jungle music at three o'clock in the morning.
Fed up, Ted and Dougal kidnap Father Jack back from St. Clabbert's, which is full of elderly priests with similar demeanors to Jack. Jack returns desperate for a drink and is furious to find his booze stash gone. He prepares to punch Stack but stops when he notices Stack has caught hairy hands syndrome from sitting in Jack's chair, which Dougal forgot to disinfect. Stack is sent to St. Clabbert's, and Jack is locked in a hermetically sealed chamber to prevent spreading the syndrome, which Ted considers an improvement. At St. Clabbert's, Stack continues playing his jungle music, distracting the other residents.
Reader's Guide
The episode is significant as the fan-voted best episode of Father Ted, a landmark British sitcom. Its plot combines absurdist humor with character-driven conflict, introducing the memorable antagonist Father Fintan Stack. The episode's title references the film New Jack City, and its production details include Pat Laffan auditioning for the role of Father Stack (later appearing as Pat Mustard in "Speed 3"). The jungle music featured is "Limb By Limb (DJ SS Remix)" by Cutty Ranks and "The Way (The VIP Mix)" by DJ Taktix. Mrs. Doyle parodies the opening scene of the documentary Dont Look Back. The episode's legacy is cemented by its top ranking at Ted Fest, reflecting its enduring popularity among fans.
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