Videos, Books and Stuff
Please note that I'm not financially in bed with any of the video companies listed here - and I don't have any experience of dealing with them personally. If you've had a good (or bad) experience with a supplier, let me know.
Series 1 is now available in the UK, available at all good video shops. And all crap ones, too, I should think. There are two tapes, each containing three episodes, priced 12.99GBP each, at the usual ridiculous mark-up.The first part of Series 2 has also been released, as if anyone hasn't taped it already.
Also available is a tape (controversially) entitled "The Very Best of Father Ted", containing CT, CAR, ASFE, S3 and TM, the latter two episodes being previously unreleased.
The (PAL format) videos can be obtained directly (on-line if you like) from publishers VCI, but for copyright reasons they are only available to customers in the UK and Eire. However, Marnie Vaughan told me that she found a company in Ireland willing to undertake the format conversion to NTSC (the US TV standard) - for about $50 a tape. She might (I said might) be able to supply their details to similarly obsessed American fans, though I dare say there are US format conversion outfits with a similarly enlightened approach to copyright issues.
VCI say that the latter half of Series 2 and the Christmas special will be released in the near future. Please note that BritTV Video Services in Chicago, previously mentioned on this page, appears to have gone out of business, or at least stopped supplying FT videos.However NTSC tapes are available from 'UK Stuff' at http://ukstuff.com/vdocmdy.htm. They're $19.95 a tape. (Thanks to Emma Kennedy for reporting that.) Kelley Smith sent an enthusiastic testimonial to these people (who now appear to be trading under the name 'Flavour of Britain') - they even sent hirm a free tape to apologise for a delivery mix-up in which shhe received the wrong episodes. "They're great!", says Kelley.
I'd appreciate it if overseas fans could report the availability of other tapes (and/or broadcasts) in Canada and the States. There seem to be lots of North American fans out there.
If you're particularly well-off and don't mind converting the tapes from PAL to NTSC, they can be ordered - Don Simpson of San Francisco, CA, USA has gone through Xtra-vision, although you may as well try your local Blockbuster, Barnes & Noble, etc. while you're at it.
Damien Carbery also recommends the British Food Center (who have apparently branched out into videos), at the following addresses:
British Food Center, 1800 West Campbell Avenue, Campbell, CA 95008
British Food Center, 1652 El Camino Real, San Carlos, CA 94070
Kevin Hayden brings to my attention a rumour of a Father Ted documentary available on video, featuring out-takes as well as interviews with the cast. Any confirmation or details of this would be appreciated.
Self-styled Mrs Doyle lookalike Amanda Meghan is desperate to find a Ted screensaver. Can anyone oblige?
A spin-off (I hesitate to say rip-off) book is now available, The Craggy Island Parish Magazines. I haven't read it so I won't venture an opinion. I dare say it's chock-full of fun and beautifully-produced into the bargain. However, most of the serious fans I know do not consider it part of the canon.
I mean they'll give you some money.