Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep

"Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep"
Father Ted episode
Episode no.	Series 3 Episode 2
Directed by	Graham Linehan
Written by	Graham Linehan, Arthur Mathews
Original air date	20 March 1998
Guest actors
Peadar Lamb (Fargo Boyle), Peter Dineen (Giant Reid), Pat McGrath (Hud Hastings), Patrick Drury (John), Rynagh O'Grady (Mary), Eamon Rohan (Judge)

"Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep" is the second episode of the third series of the Channel 4 sitcom Father Ted. The episode's title is a reference to the 1971 song "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep," made famous by Middle of the Road.

Synopsis

Ted bets the entire heating allowance budget for the year on the King of the Sheep competition on Chris, a sheep who has won several times and is considered a sure thing. Unfortunately, Chris has heard rumours about a sheep-eating beast and isn't feeling at all himself. Chris's owner, Fargo Boyle, begs Ted to help return Chris to his old self. After a week, Ted has successfully returned Chris's spirit. However, Ted finds out that Fargo Boyle arranged for Chris to be frightened by the beast (thanks to an album of BBC Sound Effects) in order to increase the meagre odds being offered for his victory. On the day of the competition, just as Chris is about to be declared the winner, Ted makes a dramatic scene and exposes the whole plot. Fargo begs Chris's forgiveness, however the sheep is apparently unforgiving. Ted is then left kicking himself when Dougal points out that by getting Chris disqualified he's lost the bet and the heating allowance money. In the end, the residents of the parochial house prepare to hibernate for the winter.

The Beast of Craggy Island

Ted and Dougal proved that the "Beast" was a hoax created by Giant Reed and Hud Hastings to rig the "King of the Sheep" competition.

Dougal, Mrs. Doyle and Hud all give a description of the Beast:

• It has claws as big as cups (Dougal)
• It has four ears, two for listening and two "are sort of back-up ears". Some might be on the inside of its head (Dougal)
• It has a retractable leg so it "can leap up at you better" (Dougal)
• It has magnets on its tail, so "if you're made out of metal, it can attach itself to you" (Dougal)
• It lights up at night (Dougal)
• It has a tremendous fear of stamps (Dougal)
• Its yawn sounds like Liam Neeson chasing a load of hens around inside a barrel (Dougal)
• It has no mouth, but instead has four arses (Dougal)
• It only has eyebrows on Saturdays (Dougal)
• It lives "on the place where there should be moors" (Mrs. Doyle)
• It makes a "terrible howling noise" (Mrs. Doyle)
• It is the size of a jaguar [the cat not the car] (Hud)
• It has got big white teeth, as sharp as knives (Hud)

The "terrible howling noise" was due to a stereo placed in a tree by Giant and Hud to trick the locals into believing in the existence of the "Beast". The "Beast"'s other features were just rumours spread by Giant and Hud. The "Beast" has been added to Dougal's "They Don't Exist" list alongside the Loch Ness Monster, Frankenstein, Magnum, P.I., non-Catholic gods, Darth Vader and the Phantom of the Opera (which is added at the same time).

External links

• Chirpy Burpy Cheap Sheep at IMDb