Heartwarming / Father Ted

• The Stinger at the end of "Entertaining Father Stone" has the titular character, who never reacted to anything in the entire episode to that point, smile ever so slightly just for being in Father Ted's company. The drawing he made can be seen in the living room later in the show.
• As brutal and nasty he can be, Bishop Brennan sprints to check if Ted is injured and asks if he should call an ambulance, despite just saying that he has nothing but contempt for Ted. He also balks when Dougal shows no concern for the nuns he endangered at one point.
• When Ted is sending Dougal off to drive the milk van in "Speed 3", he fusses over him like a parent preparing their child for their first day of school, reminding him to stay warm, putting a scarf on him, and wiping a spot of dirt off his face. He even tears up as he watches Dougal drive away. When Dougal has safely returned home that evening, Ted brings him a cup of tea, visibly happy to have him back.
  • More generally, Ted is shown to act as a Parental Substitute to the childlike Dougal many times throughout the series. This becomes even more heartwarming after we learn in "Grant Unto Him Eternal Rest" that Dougal's real parents have passed away.
• At the end of "Night of the Nearly Dead", Ted makes Eoin thank Mrs. Doyle for the cake and jumper she gave him. This is perhaps the only decent thing any of the protagonists do for Mrs. Doyle in the entire series.
• "Flight into Terror":
  • When it seems that the priests are doomed to death, Ted tells Dougal that, despite all his frustration at Dougal, he likes him and considers them "the best of friends". Of course, Dougal hasn't got a clue what (or whom) Ted is talking about, but it's the thought that counts.
  • On learning that there are only two parachutes on the plane, the passengers all have to write and present a speech explaining why they should have one. Father Cave takes the opportunity to confess his Anguished Declaration of Love to Father Gallagher and begs that the parachute be passed to Gallagher.
  • When Father Fay reads out his speech, he speaks in his usual monkey-like noises. However, once he's done, he gets the biggest round of applause yet; it's implied in series that everyone can understand him, despite his condition, and that he is well-liked and respected by everyone.
• In “The Mainland”, one of the Alcoholics Anonymous attendees sees Jack getting a drink and runs in to stop him (he gets sent to the hospital in an ambulance, unfortunately).
• Father Jack, of all people, leaves his entire fortune to Ted and Dougal, the people whom he yells at and abuses constantly. Unfortunately he recovers from being "dead" before they can claim it; but ultimately he has made sure they will benefit from a huge inheritance some day.
• Minor one, but Niamh Connolly's deal in exchange for giving Ted and Dougal back the house? Mrs Doyle having one night off every week and taking her out to eat.
• Also a minor one, and more hilarious in the moment than heartwarming, but Ted's conversation with Eurosong producer Charles Hedges. After Hedges reveals that he and the show's host are a gay couple, Ted, though initially flummoxed, hastens to assure Charles that there is nothing wrong with "that kind of thing". Even though Ted digs himself into a deeper hole when Hedges points put the general Catholic attitude to homosexuality, it's nice that he doesn't judge or condemn the two men for their relationship.
• The finale, "Coming To America" was initially going to end with Ted, with things now back to normal and stuck with the old gang in Craggy Island again, contemplating suicide. Partly due to Dermot Morgan's untimely death, the ending was retooled into a montage of past antics throughout the series, which closes outside the house, with Ted and Dougal pleasantly saying their goodnights and turning out their bedroom light, thus giving the show a more heartwarming ending as life goes on as usual.
  Ted: Night, Dougal.
  Dougal: Night, Ted.