The Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister series were the most intelligent and incisive comedies ever written in my opinion. Incredibly written, superbly acted with great timing.
My Brother is a senior level civil servant and he says this is still very very accurate verabage has obiviously changed but civil servants do basically run the country, the one phrase that still used from this era is YP (your problem). Oh yeah its a great great show i know its not on youtube but daily motion almost certainly has the full seasons of yes minister and the follow up yes prime minister they are both hilarious and so well written.
This show is definitely required viewing. Not just for the comedy and performances, but for It's insight and intelligence. It's timeless and educational.
This particular excerpt is really rather serious in tone and not one of the funniest by a long chalk. It will fascinating to see Mr Beard's reaction to the series as a whole. There are so many sublime exchanges between the characters.
@peter david quote "This series explains everything you need to know" and so very much you don't need to know, and much rather didn't know?.. ;) (You know this) ;)
You have three seasons and 21 episodes of Yes Minister, and then two series and 16 episodes of Yes, Prime Minister to enjoy for the first time. I really envy you!
My father in law was a Permanent Secretary in the Civil Service. His favourite show was this and Yes, Prime Minister. He often said that a lot of this is toned down to how HMG is actually run. He said if they portrayed the truth people would not find it funny, too dark and absurd. The relationship between the senior Civil Service and Ministers is VERY accurate
That’s because in reality there are no Jim Hackers in politics. All the politicians are at least half Sir Humphrey, and all the Sir Humphreys are at least half Sir Arnold.
When you do take a closer look at this, you'll find that it's not usually this tense but the quotes/rants/monologues of the character of Sir Humphrey Appleby and the amazing way that they're delivered by the late great Sir Nigel Hawthorne are genuinely something to behold.
The writers for this show had information from an inside source, someone who was actually in government. That's why the scripts are so accurate. What's disturbing is that its still relevant nearly 40 years later.
Marcia Falkender and Bernard Donoughue were the insiders, one from wilsons government and one from callaghans government. Think they were both in a UK gold special about yes minister.
I would expect every civil servant working within a mile of Westminster was sending the scriptwriters potted histories of what has happened in past decades years months and weeks. Absolutely no shortage of ideas. :)
I've been enjoying these repeats also. Classic 'situational comedy', great scripts and acting and, according to some government insiders, dangerously close to reality. It's amazing how few times it's been repeated since first shown 40 yrs ago. In fact, the first series has never been repeated on BBC1 or 2 in a primetime slot, which is unbelievable considering some of the garbage that gets shown ad nauseam.
As a UK civil servant of some years, I am gratified to see these classic works appreciated across the pond. While I empathise with what you’re saying about the frustration people have when their elected officials seem (intentionally or not) unaware of the world outside of their specific portfolio - for me - the core of that scene is Sir Humpy’s parting remarks. Our job, as civil servants, is to impartially deliver Government policy - not to judge if that policy is right or wrong or to decide to do things because we think they should happen. WE are not the elected representatives of the people. WE have not been given the right by the people to decide what should or should not happen… it’s not easy to know your work will result in something you personally disagree with, but it’s like a lawyer doing their best to defend a client even if that lawyer personally thinks the person is guilty. That’s the job, and we can get a lot of flack for it… but if democracy matters, then the civil service MUST remain politically neutral, impartial and objective.
Speaking as one of the last people to join a unpoliticised civil service ( not long after yes Prime minister) I couldn't agree more. The introduction of spads, the ever increasing outing of civil servants and the cowardice of politicians who hide behind their permanent and under-secretaries is corrosive of both democracy (the elected blaming the functionaries) and competence (the need to be seen to sail whichever political trade wins is blowing). Thatcher, Blair, Cameron and especially Johnson knew better but always took the expedient route.
Man, I envy you so much getting to watch this for the first time. You're going to see award winning actors deliver some of the finest dialogue ever written that's still frighteningly relevant today.
This is one of the best shows we've ever made. The Minister is the politician nominally in charge of the Dept, where as Sir Humphrey is the head beurocrat there to "help" him implement his policies. It's fantastic.
Sir Humphrey is the head civil servant in the show and no the role of the civil service is run government and explain the problems that they will encounter ie when the housing minister wanted to build a million new homes on salt marsh land and had to have it explained to her that the houses would sink because ministers have never ever had real jobs and thus fucking clueless about everything civil servants generally are state educated have worked all there lives. Senior as in the lords are a different matter generally they went to the same schools as the Mps but civil servants are almost nuclear proof it takes far more to remove one from post than it does an minister put it that way.
A former boss of mine, a civil servant, had a hardback book of "Yes, Minister" scripts on his shelf. I once asked him why, and he told me that they were one of the most useful guides to the machinery of government that he knew. He grinned as he said it, but I got the distinct feeling that he wasn't entirely joking.
As a 20+ year veteran of a Commonwealth civil service (basically modelled on the British one but we don't have the Oxbridge/Eton old boys club), I have zero doubt that your former boss wasn't joking but he definitely saw the humour in it. The show is painfully accurate at times, especially for the era. I remember literally hearing a real life equivalent to Sir Humphrey say "So, what are we going to have the minister say?" (not "What should we advise the minister to say?") during a meeting when I was still young. I was only at the meeting because I was someone's aide but I attended a lot of meetings of senior bureaucrats as a wallflower that year. When I rewatched Yes Minister after having had that job for several months, I was gobsmacked by how brilliant and insightful it was. When I have younger colleagues who ask for advice as they start their careers, I generally suggest in a tongue-in-cheek way that they watch Office Space and the entire series of both Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. Office Space to present the way the daily grind can get both inane and insane (every large bureaucracy has "TPS reports"). Yes Minister/Prime Minister to give them an insight regarding how things happen higher up in the bureaucracy. I own both boxed sets of Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister... and my office has a red Swingline stapler (which I literally bought because my boss kept swiping my black Swingline - I gave him the black one and showed him my red one while saying "My stapler" in Milton's voice - he instantly caught the reference and apologized once he finished laughing)
paranoidrodent Yes it’s amazing how people forget that children have ears and brains (or young assistants). My father was a politician and I grew around them in general. By the time I tripped into an international… hmm… let’s say a secret service problem that cost the life of my bf, none of it was funny anymore. That was me fully disillusioned by 17. Still ended up being a Civil Servant for a while and dealing with VIP’s was easy due to my upbringing but… I have a soul so can’t stand government. Bureaucracy and Masons and aristocrats, oh my.
@@ThePinkBinks Well, I was in my early 20s so hardly a child but young and low enough in rank that I was basically just an observer and a second pair of eyes and ears for my boss. A few things struck me about what I observed. First, the senior bureaucracy were very territorial about their specific turf (we were examining the idea of promoting the development of an emerging medical IT field - this meant getting Health, Industry and the IT thinktank to coordinate). Second, there was actually a genuine interest in promoting the public good among them but each interpreted this through through their department's lens. Third, the folks I was listening to were clearly the people who were detached from the politics of the day, very much focused on continuity of projects over time. They viewed those above them (the most senior advisors and politicians) as somewhat transitory figures - short-term job occupants with no long-term planning. They weren't contemptuous of their bosses per se, but rather understood them to be predominantly focused on the short-term and on immediate public opinion, which left their tier of senior bureaucracy with the task of thinking and acting in time periods longer than election cycles. It created a fairly conservative corporate culture focused on slow iterative progress. Sorry to hear you had such a traumatic experience. I can see how that would put one off government. My own experience illustrated for me just how much our politicians are merely the winds blowing in the sails of (or in worst case examples, trying to sink) the ship of state rather than the ship itself.
paranoidrodent Yeah I understand completely. I’m in no way saying that people in government are bad or immoral, but growing up with that attitude around and secrets… it’s no place to bring a child up in. There’s a reason the children of politician’s go strange. There are, however, some truly immoral people at the top and they are… hmm… let’s say they want power to live above the law and live an abusive lifestyle. My father wasn’t like that but he also wasn’t immoral enough to get enough power. It just works out badly for the children and the job always comes first. It’s just too much darkness to handle from toddlerhood. It sounds like you’re in the right place to still keep your morals and keep your ever-changing bosses straight though. It’s just not for me. And like the line in the clip about going schizophrenic in what you are “for” is very accurate - again, especially for children of bureaucrats. lol
You know what one of the best parts about Yes Minister was? It was the most apolitical political show going. It's not slamming any particular political belief, nor a party. It's slamming the institution. How things are run, and the mindset of our leaders. That's *really* hard to do.
Ile Salmo there was an anarchist in one episode who was also not treated like a wonderful person... as for libertarian, the main character starts as this but gets bogged down very quickly and ditches his principles.
Yep. They mention the two parties in just one episode - when Humphry tells Bernard that they tell Labour governments that selective schools are divisive, and they tell Tory governments they are expensive, and they educate their own children privately xD
Sir Humphrey had some of the best monologues in TV. Nigel Hawthorne would be able to perfectly roll off 100+ word paragraphs that said absolutely nothing at a speed that you would assume he had days to learn, not hours.
And he really did learn them - no idiot boards involved. Anthony Jay said that, years later, Hawthorne could still reel many of them off at the drop of a hat.
I really believe this should be shown, although we may to explain some of the references beforehand but that is a part of history and so may fit quite well. I doubt of course any politician would support such an idea as it would undermine their prestige and the civil service, who are the ones really in charge, would consider it to be a threat to their existence.
The writers of the "Minister" series said that they were making fun of *government* not of politics. Because of this, the shows never get old. Every episode of every series is a gem.
Even to the point that Hacker's party is never given. In fact, his party colours are white, something which none of the major British parties used at the time or since (Red for Labour, Blue for Conservative, Red and Blue for SDP, and Yellow for the Liberals).
@@ImperialJustinian Although it's never given the writers did say there are a few subtle clues as to which party he is supposed to be in. I haven't worked it out yet though.
@@paulcooper9011 Well in one ep he says 30 years ago the other lot were in power, in an ep which came out in 1982. However the novelisations claim his Party won the 1981 election... and also references political events from the past decade, such as Wilson resigning and Callaghan being PM... and we know his Party has been out of power for some years... which likely means they are Conservative. Maybe in this Universe Callaghan called the election in 1978 but lost another in 1981.
@@MrThorfan64 That is true but in a couple of episodes Jim places his hand inside his jacket in the Napoleon pose which could be a reference to Arthur Scargill who had a portrait painting of himself as Napoleon in his office. Thereby indicating a Labour reference. Of the two writers one was a tory supporter and one was a Labour supporter. They made it very hard to tell.
@@paulcooper9011 I thought he was going for Churchill. Although Hacker clearly doesn't like Unions and would have been terrified of Scargill, worrying he could face the same fate as Heath.
This was an absolutely brilliant show - I'm so glad you've discovered it! Everything about it was top-notch; the scripts are razor-sharp, thanks to them having a government insider to advise them, and the satire is just as relevant today as it was forty years ago, when this and the follow-up of 'Yes, Prime Minister' were originally written. But what sometimes goes unappreciated is just how damn good the acting is. Nigel Hawthorne as Sir Humphrey is the perfect blend of cold-hearted Machiavellian and cynical pragmatist, so that, even though you distrust him, you can never totally dislike him. For an actor, that's an incredibly difficult tight-rope to walk between anti-hero and villain. And while Paul Eddington as the Minister might outwardly appear to be somewhat naive and 'Lawful Good,' (to borrow a D&D term!) he's not as powerless as he might appear; when he DOES manage to get one over on Sir Humphrey, you find yourself cheering because it feels EARNED. And Derek Fowlds as Bernard plays off both of them perfectly, never really siding with either but at the same time never appearing to oppose either - a beautifully subtle and often underrated performance. I think you're going to really enjoy seeing more of this series, especially if politics is your bag. This clip is just a taste, and probably not even among the best the show has to offer Enjoy the journey. 😁
Much of what happens in this series is based very closely on things that actually happened in reality. That's what makes the satire so biting and timeless.
There is an episode about the EU interfering in the making and naming of the British sausage. Forty years later Britain has left the EU but we are arguing with the EU about our ability to export our sausages to Northern Ireland which is part of the UK. Newspaper headlines have been about "The Sausage Wars." The genius of the writing was to find subjects that remain satirical despite the passage of time.
The incredible thing about ‘Yes Minister’ and ‘Yes Prime Minister’ is that, despite being well over 30 years old, (they ran from 1980 to 1988), the humour is still ‘spot on’ and relevant. They were Margaret Thatchers favourite shows, which just goes to show how incredibly ‘true to life’ they were. You really must watch them, the acting, and the scripts, are simply spellbinding.
I think that Maggie said these were her favourite shows to put the unwashed masses off watching them and seeing just how government functions or doesn't function as the case may be :)
@@andrewwilliamson2154 Indeed, she wrote the skit!
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@@tommy5675 You can tell the "unwashed masses" as much truth as you want, it won't change a goddamn thing. First, most just don't give a flying fuck (and/or don't have the capacity/energy to do… there was this stand-up comic in Germany who worked on Opel's assembly line in order to "reach the proletariat" and he spoke about how, at the end of a working day, he only had enough energy left to turn on the TV and consume, mindlessly). Second, even if they cared, what could they (and that includes you and me) do? Vote? Hahahahahahahahahaha… look up George Carlin on voting. Protest on the streets? Hahahahahahahaha… you can protest until you're blue in the face, won't change nothing at fuck all. Am I disillusioned? You bet your ass.
You, My Friend, have serendipitously, hit the comedic jackpot here. BOTH these brilliant Actors were Knighted and it's not difficult to see why as this sketch is typical of every episode of every series. Daily Motion would be great for this and, sadly, all three of these Actors are no longer with us but what a legacy with Yes, Minister, and (after Promotion) Yes, PRIME Minister. As I'm sure, others have pointed out there were 2 Writers and one of them was very close to Government hence the authenticity of the scripts :) ENJOY !!!!!!
I'm particularly fond of "The Key" Sir Humphrey Appleby: Prime Minister, I must protest in the strongest possible terms my profound opposition to a newly instituted practice which imposes severe and intolerable restrictions upon the ingress and egress of senior members of the hierarchy and which will, in all probability, should the current deplorable innovation be perpetuated, precipitate a constriction of the channels of communication, and culminate in a condition of organisational atrophy and administrative paralysis which will render effectively impossible the coherent and co-ordinated discharge of the function of government within Her Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Jim Hacker: You mean you've lost your key
Sir Humphrey is the Civil Servant. Hacker is the minister. Yes Minister and Yes Minister is one of the finest satirical comedies the UK has ever produced. The writers were close to politicians and many plots were based on actual goings on during the Harold Wilson government of the mid 70s.
I’m so glad you found “Yes, Minister” personally I think it’s the best comedy programme the UK has ever produced. It was so well written, and brilliantly acted. As you say what makes it so good is in reality just how accurate it was. Great reaction video by the way😁😁
Really great show as has been said. The bizarre thing about this sketch is that last statement Sir Nigel Hawthorne (Sir Humphrey Appleby) says about being for and against everything depending upon the government in charge, does give you a sort of understanding of his self protective position of not caring
It's also one of the key elements that are different in British and American politics. In the spoils system, the entire higher hierarchy of the civil service is replaced with each new administration. In Britain, the civil service is arguably more the government than the politicians are.
@@barvdw Of course change is nearly always wanted for a problem "of the day". And that, in my view, is not a good thing. Change should be a process of time, so to say. And yes, the British system worked rather well for nearly a thousand years, it isn't perfect, but other systems are not perfect either.
Absa-flippin-lutely! I even took it down in shorthand once so I could read it over and over!! Loved it! Especially Sir Humph's description of the traits of the European countries including my own unfortunately as it was very insulting, but terribly funny!
There is a behind the scenes making of about Yes (Prime) Minister on youtube that will give you an even greater appreciation of the genius of the show. At one stage an idea was considered for the actor who played the minister to change his name legally to his character in the show and run as a genuine candidate for public office, essentially in character. his name recognition and popularity would have won him a landslide.
My ex-wife was a British Diplomat. She was horrified when she first saw this program (40 years ago) because of the accuracy of its portrayal of British politics. This and its successor, Yes Prime Minister, is some of the best comedy/satire ever written. It should be required watching for all would be politicians.
At the time this was made, it upset a lot of 'people' (read permanent government bureaucrats). It was said that the writers was so on point with certain aspects that some very high leave people were looking of whistle blowers and that many a none official (mostly old boy networks) meetings were had.
You will love the whole series....Sir Humphrey is much beloved for his twisted pretzel explanations that make government so clear!!! I was a civil servant when this show aired and we used it as a training video!!
This was shown at a time when Departmental responsibility & Ministerial responsibility were still a thing & were taught as part of the Economics & Public Affairs A level. Sadly these days many politicians do everything they can to avoid taking responsibility for anything, even their own personal bad behaviour.
I have a book containing all the scripts from Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. One of the best shows ever made. Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington were particularly brilliant and all their scenes together are class
Yes Minister is one of my all time favourite series, Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne’s best work in my opinion, although I still have a soft spot for “The Good Life”. Loved this as a teenager and love it still. RIP to both of them.
@@Charlie3vans The writers have said that in many ways, Derek Fowlds had the hardest acting job - having to 'sit there and look interested' while Hawthorne and Eddington came out with reams of dialogue. On the upside, he often got the one-liner that put the icing on the cake !
Yes minister and yes prime minister is easily in to top 3 of the most funny and intelligent British comedies ever. It was very daring for its time. You should DEFINITELY do whole episode reactions. You’ll be the first UA-cam to do so, so you will have an untapped market. It’s one of those shows that start out “good” and then becomes “great” and then becomes “a masterpiece”. Every season is better than the previous.
Watching this makes me think "some things just never change." Not only still funny but still relevant all these years later. Brilliant writing and acting throughout
Probably one of the best shows ever written. The fact that it portrays the reality through comedy so well was genius. It opened my eyes to the world of Governance, neither in a bad or good way. Just that it makes you think, especially in today’s world with Covid and the Green Agenda as well as Afghanistan etc.
After 60 years of watching Comedy, I would this and VEEP ( another Political satire written by a Brit: Armando Iannucci of Alan Partridge and The Thick Of It fame ) are my favourite 2 comedies.
Same here. When I was a kid my friends didn't know or care about it because it was 'boring' adult stuff. But when I watched the late-night news, it was like, "Hang on a second! They're saying the same stuff like on that show! What gives?"
Yes Minister, the original series, followed by Yes Prime Minister were favourite shows of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and other ministers in the government.
One of the funniest comedies you will ever see, brilliant writing, and acting, This clip doesn't do the comedy side justice, but tells you exactly who runs the government. Peace and Love. P.S. ITS A LITTLE GEM ❤️🙏❤️
I watch Yes Mister/Yes Prime Minister at least once a year, they are brilliant shows, the writing is outstanding as is the acting, Nigel Hawthorne, Derek Fowlds and Paul Eddington had such amazing chemistry.
You will not regret watching these all the way through, its as relevant today as it was then, might be worth watching full episodes on rumble or daily motion
One of the best TV series, ever! I am old enough to remember watching it as it aired and, as a very low grade civil servant myself, I howled with laughter all the way through.
Your spot on this was written with incredible insight, with input from someone of real political / civil service experience, it was incredibly funny, but when watching it I had to suspend my fear, in order to laugh, great vid, top reaction !
I was too young to appreciate it back in the day. However, it is now one of my favourite programmes of all time and is still as relevant today as it ever was. It was also believed that because it was so accurate, they had to have an insider giving them information on how things really worked.
They did. I BELIEVE it was two leading members of Wilson's government, but I've not seen the documentary discussing it for a few years, so it might be a different one, but they were both right at the top.
After 60 years of watching Comedy, I would this and VEEP ( another Political satire written by a Brit: Armando Iannucci of Alan Partridge and The Thick Of It fame ) are my favourite 2 comedies.
I first started watching this show when I was 16, back in the mid 90s and It very quickly became one of my favourites. Now I’m in my late 30s and it’s still one of the shows I go back to when I need a pick me up and a chuckle. The issues they discuss are still relevant, the humour is first class satire and I just love listening to Sir Humphrey speak: the intricacy of his language, the cleverly hidden insults and the pitch-perfect delivery. The casting for this show was spot on and Nigel Hawthorne was fantastic as Sir Humphrey. I remember a moment where Jim asks Humphrey if he thinks he is a complete fool. Humphrey doesn’t reply but the slightest pause he takes before he starts talking is just perfect: we know in that moment exactly what Humphrey thinks about Jim! The comedic timing is so good! You absolutely should watch all the seasons of Yes Minister, then the Christmas special ‘Party Games’, followed by Yes Prime Minister. Decades later it’s still one of the best shows out there.
Yes Minister is one of my all time favourite comedy's. Even though it was written over 40 years ago, the satire around politics and politicians is as sharp as ever, simply because politics never changes. Not sure if available in the US, but they are all on Amazon Prime. - you have to see Sir Humphry explaining Europe... it's brilliant!
I've got the DVD box set and goes from Yes Minister to Yes Prime Minister, it is an all time classic comedy. The writers had informants who worked in government and many of the episodes are based are real events
Although Paul Eddington as Minister for Administrative Affairs (a sort of non-department) Jim Hacker is supposedly the star of the show, more often than not it's Nigel Hawthorne as thorn-in-his-side Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey that steals the spotlight. His speeches and explanations are designed to obfuscate and bamboozle and are masterpieces of language.
I used to love watching "Yes Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" when it first came out on TV. It was such an education and revelation to a young viewer learning about the world of Government. The English can do comedy very well. Brilliant writing!
This show when shown live, used to be a firm favourite amongst the MP’s in the House of Commons. It had an incredible way of almost predicting what was about to break in the news in the following couple of weeks. When it was due to be shown most MP’s ran to the nearest tv, to find out what was going on.
It does make it especially amusing when the leads in both shows appeared together in a Grey Poupon advert. It's kind of odd how some parts of the show reflected what ended up happening, with Thatcher replaced by a moderate Conservative who underwent a lot of trouble from the more hard-right fringe of their Party, people like Redwood, and the Govt. ended up being embroiled in a mass of scandals that contributed to ending their Premiership.
Such a wonderful series. Speaking as an ex-Civil Servant ... ;) The badinage tends to be superb, but it positively excels when Sir Humphrey goes off on a soliloquy!
"The Department of Administrative Affairs" (in Yes, Minister) is one of the great fictional creations. It allowed the writers to touch on any aspect of Govt policy they chose, because its (deliberately vague) purpose was to enact the policies of the "real" departments.
Not to enact their policies, but to oversee their administration. They look after things like procurement procedures and staffing. It is a genuine function of government carried out by some committee or other, but not an actual government department. Not yet anyway, although I’m sure it’ll happen eventually.
@@Isleofskye my friend is restoring three well used rocking horses, one used to belong to Paul Eddington, he's made a new mouth and nose, also a leg, it's looking fantastic
This is one of my favourite comedies - I've watched it so many times. Even though it was made 40 years ago, it is so relevant today still - witty, perceptive and brilliant!
I have seen all episodes at least 5 times. This was from Yes Minister, and later on there is Yes Prime Minister. Funny enough many prime minister also love this show. Thatcher was a huge fan, and even performed a sketch with both actors. And the Prime Minister of my country the Netherlands is also a huge fan. I often feel he gets a lot of inspiration out of it, so he can dodge questions and knows how to handle certain situations. The one about the empty hospital is one of my favorites, and it was actually based on a true story. Like most episodes. Big brother is another gem, where the minister finally beats Humphrey at his own game.
The brilliant thing about this show is that the Minister, who was elected and came in knowing absolutely nothing about how things actually work, represents the voting public (the tv audience). And his Undersecretary, the man responsible for carrying out the duties of the Ministry, is just always educating him on how things ACTUALLY work, thus educating the voting public (the tv audience). Amazing show. I used to watch it with my father when it was first aired, but I regret not being interested in politics enough then (too young) and quickly got bored.
So glad to see how much you like this. It was a truly brilliant series and watching you discover it makes it seem fresh and new for us brits as well. Oh for the days of talented writers.
This show was very funny but also incredibly smart, it showed pretty much every little/dirty secret of politics and made you laugh at the absurdity of it all. Highly recommend watching the full series and the follow up "Yes, Prime Minister" is just as funny but now it shows the absurdities of leadership more.
The writing is so incisive because they had an inside source; an apparently very highly placed civil servant who would chat with one of the writers. The "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" programmes were outragously well written and amazingly performed. Sir Humphrey Appleby's monologues were a work of art in both writing and the amazing delivery of Sir Nigel Hawthorne. Even the hilarious sketch about having a drink in an [unspecified] dry arab country was based in reality
That was Marcia, later Lady Falkinder, she was the personal secretary to ex prime minister Harold Wison in the sixties and seventies. Also Sir Bernard Higham who was government secretary to the cabinet. Both literally at the centre of government for both parties.
One of my favourite episodes is 'The Skeleton in the Cupboard'. Sir Humphrey's near collapse over the potential revelation of a past error on his part, and Hacker's enjoyment of the same, is pure magic. Even Bernard gets a chuckle out of it.
This was recorded when Maggie Thatcher was PM and the writers had an 'in' within the British government so they were able to distill much of what went on behind closed doors. This is generally accepted as being the closest that you are going to get to see how government is really run. Enjoy!
@@jang3412 She invited the two leads in this show to Downing Street - and they performed a short sketch together that SHE had written! There is video of it.
This turned into "Yes Prime Mnister" when the minister became the P.M. The civil service would appear to have its own agenda and sometimes Humphrey wins and sometimes the Minister.The nuclear deterrent episode is funny and has a very pragmatic point or two.
I’m praying you found time to watch this show from the beginning and all the way through. One of the most clever pieces of writing I’ve ever had the pleasure of viewing. Loving the videos Beardo. Please keep up the great work! 👍🙏
This really was the Rolls Royce of intellectual sitcoms. All fantastic actors too. Nigel Hawthorn later played King George in The Madness of King George. Oh, and the head villain in Demolition Man.
Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister were brilliantly written and acted. It was immensely popular because the repartee was very entertaining and just so true to life. Make sure you start with Yes Minister first.
The writers had 2 insiders within parliament whom they see each week. Plying an exceedingly expensive lunch with an equally excessively valued alcoholic beverage to politicians, they will gladly spill the beans. This is why Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister reflects the truth, be it in a comedic manner on how government works. 😉 BTW students of political science who watched the series confessed to have learnt more about government than they did at university.....
This particular bit is one of the most serious ones ever and very atypical of the show. The show is absolutely hilarious but equally (if not even more) revealing about how government works and the mindset of those operating it. There is a documentary that explained how the show was made and how the producers had two very prominent, high-placed government officials, spilling the beans confidentially to them, exposing the inner workings of the government system, in real time, as political events were evolving back in the 80s. The stories in that show, although very satirical, are so realistic that politicians themselves were astonished by it. The creators of the show did a monumental job to turn that entire system of corruption into the most witty, intelligent, golden masterpiece of British humour and satire. It is one of the highest recommendations for everyone to watch (both Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister) PS one of the funniest bits ever is when the British delegation to an Arab state, which of course included the main characters, uses the classified communications room to secretly serve previously smuggled alcohol to the members, who as the evening passed were getting more and more drunk. The codes they were using to summon each member into the communications room for a fill up were absolutely hilarious…😂
I saved one quote from this show by Humphey himself: "It is characteristic of all committee discussions and decisions, that every member has a vivid recollection of them, and that every member's recollection of them differs violently from every other member's recollection. Consequently, we accept the convention that the official decisions are those, and only those, which have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials, from which it emerges with an elegant inevitability, that any decision that has been officially reached will have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials, and any decision which is not recorded in the minutes has not been officially reached, even if one or more members believe they can recollect it. So in this particular case, if the decision had been officially reached, it would have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials, and it isn't, so it wasn't.
I'm so glad you're admiring this show, it's my all-time favourite. The writing, by Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay (with inside knowledge from a top official within the Civil Service), is exquisite and timeless, all the actors superb, and (for better or definitely for worse) still relevant today.
Brilliant intelligent satire produced in the early '80s. Still being shown on the BBC and available on BBC iPlayer (VPN needed if outside UK). As cutting and relevant as it ever was. Politicians of the time often say how close to really it came.
The episode where Jim Hacker, the minister, is offered the N Ireland is very funny. The relevance of this show was exemplified by Mrs. Thatcher who made a guest appearance on stage with the actors as Prime minister. when she was Prime Minister...
It was spot on then and today many years later it’s still relevant it shows the brilliance of the writing the cast were also gold. You can believe this kind of thing went on. And goes on still.
@@martingibbs1179 well, she wrote one sketch that wasn't part of the "official" series. And Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington had some reservations about performing it.
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The Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister series were the most intelligent and incisive comedies ever written in my opinion. Incredibly written, superbly acted with great timing.
You should watch The Thick of It, excellent show, and will teach you a few new swearwords as well :D
They were excellent. They were also incredibly realistic according to many former ministers.
My Brother is a senior level civil servant and he says this is still very very accurate verabage has obiviously changed but civil servants do basically run the country, the one phrase that still used from this era is YP (your problem). Oh yeah its a great great show i know its not on youtube but daily motion almost certainly has the full seasons of yes minister and the follow up yes prime minister they are both hilarious and so well written.
And amazingly mostly still relevant and far better than the thick of it in my opinion.
You also need to watch the episode ‘the key’ make sure your heart is ok before hand as it’s hilarious 😂
This show is definitely required viewing. Not just for the comedy and performances, but for It's insight and intelligence. It's timeless and educational.
It definitely is Sam. Loved this while I was growing up !!
This and “The Thick of It”.
@peter david for every policitial/government in the planet
This particular excerpt is really rather serious in tone and not one of the funniest by a long chalk. It will fascinating to see Mr Beard's reaction to the series as a whole. There are so many sublime exchanges between the characters.
@peter david quote "This series explains everything you need to know" and so very much you don't need to know, and much rather didn't know?.. ;) (You know this) ;)
You have three seasons and 21 episodes of Yes Minister, and then two series and 16 episodes of Yes, Prime Minister to enjoy for the first time. I really envy you!
There's also a 'special' - 'Party Games' that ran between YM and YPM
@@FSMDog YUP and was extended! Possibly my favourite episode!
@@FSMDog - Really? Don't know if we ever got that down here
in the "Land of Oz"!!
My father in law was a Permanent Secretary in the Civil Service. His favourite show was this and Yes, Prime Minister. He often said that a lot of this is toned down to how HMG is actually run. He said if they portrayed the truth people would not find it funny, too dark and absurd. The relationship between the senior Civil Service and Ministers is VERY accurate
That’s because in reality there are no Jim Hackers in politics. All the politicians are at least half Sir Humphrey, and all the Sir Humphreys are at least half Sir Arnold.
I believe your father!!!
He was and remains absolutely right btw
@@InceyWincey I'd say all Sir Humpherys are all Sir Arnold
It's wonderful to find that what one once thought was one's own ignorant cynicism, is in fact enlightened wisdom.....
When you do take a closer look at this, you'll find that it's not usually this tense but the quotes/rants/monologues of the character of Sir Humphrey Appleby and the amazing way that they're delivered by the late great Sir Nigel Hawthorne are genuinely something to behold.
This. This all day long.
The writers for this show had information from an inside source, someone who was actually in government. That's why the scripts are so accurate. What's disturbing is that its still relevant nearly 40 years later.
And one writer had been a civil servant
Marcia Falkender and Bernard Donoughue were the insiders, one from wilsons government and one from callaghans government. Think they were both in a UK gold special about yes minister.
@@grahamhearn19 I beleive Nigel Lawson also provided some stories to.
@@LordJuzzie yes, with Roy hattersley also providing stories and insight on re-elected.
I would expect every civil servant working within a mile of Westminster was sending the scriptwriters potted histories of what has happened in past decades years months and weeks. Absolutely no shortage of ideas. :)
This entire series is just a masterstroke of writing. You should definitely watch some whole episodes. Some of the wordplay is fantastic
This is currently being repeated on BBC4, and is still hilarious and relevant. Some of Sir Humphrey`s double-speak monologues are awe inspiring.
I've been enjoying these repeats also. Classic 'situational comedy', great scripts and acting and, according to some government insiders, dangerously close to reality. It's amazing how few times it's been repeated since first shown 40 yrs ago. In fact, the first series has never been repeated on BBC1 or 2 in a primetime slot, which is unbelievable considering some of the garbage that gets shown ad nauseam.
As a UK civil servant of some years, I am gratified to see these classic works appreciated across the pond. While I empathise with what you’re saying about the frustration people have when their elected officials seem (intentionally or not) unaware of the world outside of their specific portfolio - for me - the core of that scene is Sir Humpy’s parting remarks. Our job, as civil servants, is to impartially deliver Government policy - not to judge if that policy is right or wrong or to decide to do things because we think they should happen. WE are not the elected representatives of the people. WE have not been given the right by the people to decide what should or should not happen… it’s not easy to know your work will result in something you personally disagree with, but it’s like a lawyer doing their best to defend a client even if that lawyer personally thinks the person is guilty. That’s the job, and we can get a lot of flack for it… but if democracy matters, then the civil service MUST remain politically neutral, impartial and objective.
Not just across the pond. Across the world. Every where
Speaking as one of the last people to join a unpoliticised civil service ( not long after yes Prime minister) I couldn't agree more. The introduction of spads, the ever increasing outing of civil servants and the cowardice of politicians who hide behind their permanent and under-secretaries is corrosive of both democracy (the elected blaming the functionaries) and competence (the need to be seen to sail whichever political trade wins is blowing). Thatcher, Blair, Cameron and especially Johnson knew better but always took the expedient route.
At least someone appreciates the "work" of a British civil servant...
Yes such a shame that they don't. Brexit springs to mind
Almost all government policy is wrong, but frightfully carried out.
Man, I envy you so much getting to watch this for the first time. You're going to see award winning actors deliver some of the finest dialogue ever written that's still frighteningly relevant today.
The brilliant thing about the writing of this show is…..it’s 40 years old and it could still apply to politics today. Deliciously hilarious
Not could, but DOES apply!
@@s.rmurray8161 not quite. These days, the MPs are also moral vacuums.
And the writers said they looked at newspapers from the 50s and the stories were very similar to those of the 80s. Nothing changes!
See the discussion about replacing Polaris with Trident. It's even closer
That could be as much about the brilliant writing as the sad fact that politics doesn't change.
This is one of the best shows we've ever made. The Minister is the politician nominally in charge of the Dept, where as Sir Humphrey is the head beurocrat there to "help" him implement his policies. It's fantastic.
politicians are figure heads that come and go but the civil servants run things
Sir Humphrey is the head civil servant in the show and no the role of the civil service is run government and explain the problems that they will encounter ie when the housing minister wanted to build a million new homes on salt marsh land and had to have it explained to her that the houses would sink because ministers have never ever had real jobs and thus fucking clueless about everything civil servants generally are state educated have worked all there lives. Senior as in the lords are a different matter generally they went to the same schools as the Mps but civil servants are almost nuclear proof it takes far more to remove one from post than it does an minister put it that way.
@@RK-zf1jm Sir Humphrey Appleby had a first in classics from Oxford.
@@charlestaylor3027 Doesn't mean he didn't go to a state school.
@@hyrulesarnian932 he went to Eton
A former boss of mine, a civil servant, had a hardback book of "Yes, Minister" scripts on his shelf. I once asked him why, and he told me that they were one of the most useful guides to the machinery of government that he knew. He grinned as he said it, but I got the distinct feeling that he wasn't entirely joking.
He wasn’t joking.
As a 20+ year veteran of a Commonwealth civil service (basically modelled on the British one but we don't have the Oxbridge/Eton old boys club), I have zero doubt that your former boss wasn't joking but he definitely saw the humour in it. The show is painfully accurate at times, especially for the era.
I remember literally hearing a real life equivalent to Sir Humphrey say "So, what are we going to have the minister say?" (not "What should we advise the minister to say?") during a meeting when I was still young. I was only at the meeting because I was someone's aide but I attended a lot of meetings of senior bureaucrats as a wallflower that year. When I rewatched Yes Minister after having had that job for several months, I was gobsmacked by how brilliant and insightful it was.
When I have younger colleagues who ask for advice as they start their careers, I generally suggest in a tongue-in-cheek way that they watch Office Space and the entire series of both Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister. Office Space to present the way the daily grind can get both inane and insane (every large bureaucracy has "TPS reports"). Yes Minister/Prime Minister to give them an insight regarding how things happen higher up in the bureaucracy.
I own both boxed sets of Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister... and my office has a red Swingline stapler (which I literally bought because my boss kept swiping my black Swingline - I gave him the black one and showed him my red one while saying "My stapler" in Milton's voice - he instantly caught the reference and apologized once he finished laughing)
paranoidrodent Yes it’s amazing how people forget that children have ears and brains (or young assistants). My father was a politician and I grew around them in general. By the time I tripped into an international… hmm… let’s say a secret service problem that cost the life of my bf, none of it was funny anymore. That was me fully disillusioned by 17. Still ended up being a Civil Servant for a while and dealing with VIP’s was easy due to my upbringing but… I have a soul so can’t stand government.
Bureaucracy and Masons and aristocrats, oh my.
@@ThePinkBinks Well, I was in my early 20s so hardly a child but young and low enough in rank that I was basically just an observer and a second pair of eyes and ears for my boss. A few things struck me about what I observed. First, the senior bureaucracy were very territorial about their specific turf (we were examining the idea of promoting the development of an emerging medical IT field - this meant getting Health, Industry and the IT thinktank to coordinate). Second, there was actually a genuine interest in promoting the public good among them but each interpreted this through through their department's lens. Third, the folks I was listening to were clearly the people who were detached from the politics of the day, very much focused on continuity of projects over time. They viewed those above them (the most senior advisors and politicians) as somewhat transitory figures - short-term job occupants with no long-term planning. They weren't contemptuous of their bosses per se, but rather understood them to be predominantly focused on the short-term and on immediate public opinion, which left their tier of senior bureaucracy with the task of thinking and acting in time periods longer than election cycles. It created a fairly conservative corporate culture focused on slow iterative progress.
Sorry to hear you had such a traumatic experience. I can see how that would put one off government. My own experience illustrated for me just how much our politicians are merely the winds blowing in the sails of (or in worst case examples, trying to sink) the ship of state rather than the ship itself.
paranoidrodent Yeah I understand completely. I’m in no way saying that people in government are bad or immoral, but growing up with that attitude around and secrets… it’s no place to bring a child up in. There’s a reason the children of politician’s go strange. There are, however, some truly immoral people at the top and they are… hmm… let’s say they want power to live above the law and live an abusive lifestyle. My father wasn’t like that but he also wasn’t immoral enough to get enough power.
It just works out badly for the children and the job always comes first. It’s just too much darkness to handle from toddlerhood.
It sounds like you’re in the right place to still keep your morals and keep your ever-changing bosses straight though. It’s just not for me. And like the line in the clip about going schizophrenic in what you are “for” is very accurate - again, especially for children of bureaucrats. lol
You know what one of the best parts about Yes Minister was? It was the most apolitical political show going.
It's not slamming any particular political belief, nor a party. It's slamming the institution. How things are run, and the mindset of our leaders. That's *really* hard to do.
Exactly. This is the core of its timeless genius.
"Slamming the institution" could be said to be in favor of a libertarian and/or anarchist political ideologies.
Ile Salmo there was an anarchist in one episode who was also not treated like a wonderful person... as for libertarian, the main character starts as this but gets bogged down very quickly and ditches his principles.
Yep. They mention the two parties in just one episode - when Humphry tells Bernard that they tell Labour governments that selective schools are divisive, and they tell Tory governments they are expensive, and they educate their own children privately xD
@@alexander9703 And we never ever know which party is in power or which party Jim Hacker is a member of.
Sir Humph's monologues sometimes went on forever - a joy to behold! What an actor!
Sir Humphrey had some of the best monologues in TV. Nigel Hawthorne would be able to perfectly roll off 100+ word paragraphs that said absolutely nothing at a speed that you would assume he had days to learn, not hours.
And he really did learn them - no idiot boards involved. Anthony Jay said that, years later, Hawthorne could still reel many of them off at the drop of a hat.
The whole series is like a documentary of how politics works. Should be required viewing in schools.
I really believe this should be shown, although we may to explain some of the references beforehand but that is a part of history and so may fit quite well. I doubt of course any politician would support such an idea as it would undermine their prestige and the civil service, who are the ones really in charge, would consider it to be a threat to their existence.
My daughter has watched all the episodes & read the books. She loves them.
Any Brit who has studied politics at A level in the last forty years will have watched Yes Minister.
@@expatpiskie Well done to your daughter. I watched it when it came out back in the seventies and still occasionaly watch episodes today. Take Care.👍
well they sprouted the old al gore on us in year 6 science about his climate bs so you if thats allowed then this must be.
The writers of the "Minister" series said that they were making fun of *government* not of politics. Because of this, the shows never get old. Every episode of every series is a gem.
Even to the point that Hacker's party is never given. In fact, his party colours are white, something which none of the major British parties used at the time or since (Red for Labour, Blue for Conservative, Red and Blue for SDP, and Yellow for the Liberals).
@@ImperialJustinian Although it's never given the writers did say there are a few subtle clues as to which party he is supposed to be in. I haven't worked it out yet though.
@@paulcooper9011 Well in one ep he says 30 years ago the other lot were in power, in an ep which came out in 1982. However the novelisations claim his Party won the 1981 election... and also references political events from the past decade, such as Wilson resigning and Callaghan being PM... and we know his Party has been out of power for some years... which likely means they are Conservative. Maybe in this Universe Callaghan called the election in 1978 but lost another in 1981.
@@MrThorfan64 That is true but in a couple of episodes Jim places his hand inside his jacket in the Napoleon pose which could be a reference to Arthur Scargill who had a portrait painting of himself as Napoleon in his office. Thereby indicating a Labour reference.
Of the two writers one was a tory supporter and one was a Labour supporter. They made it very hard to tell.
@@paulcooper9011 I thought he was going for Churchill.
Although Hacker clearly doesn't like Unions and would have been terrified of Scargill, worrying he could face the same fate as Heath.
'Yes Minister' was an amazing series, a proper eye opener in its day. Brilliant writing, even the artwork that went with it was just pure class!
This was an absolutely brilliant show - I'm so glad you've discovered it! Everything about it was top-notch; the scripts are razor-sharp, thanks to them having a government insider to advise them, and the satire is just as relevant today as it was forty years ago, when this and the follow-up of 'Yes, Prime Minister' were originally written. But what sometimes goes unappreciated is just how damn good the acting is. Nigel Hawthorne as Sir Humphrey is the perfect blend of cold-hearted Machiavellian and cynical pragmatist, so that, even though you distrust him, you can never totally dislike him. For an actor, that's an incredibly difficult tight-rope to walk between anti-hero and villain. And while Paul Eddington as the Minister might outwardly appear to be somewhat naive and 'Lawful Good,' (to borrow a D&D term!) he's not as powerless as he might appear; when he DOES manage to get one over on Sir Humphrey, you find yourself cheering because it feels EARNED. And Derek Fowlds as Bernard plays off both of them perfectly, never really siding with either but at the same time never appearing to oppose either - a beautifully subtle and often underrated performance.
I think you're going to really enjoy seeing more of this series, especially if politics is your bag. This clip is just a taste, and probably not even among the best the show has to offer Enjoy the journey. 😁
Much of what happens in this series is based very closely on things that actually happened in reality. That's what makes the satire so biting and timeless.
There is an episode about the EU interfering in the making and naming of the British sausage. Forty years later Britain has left the EU but we are arguing with the EU about our ability to export our sausages to Northern Ireland which is part of the UK. Newspaper headlines have been about "The Sausage Wars."
The genius of the writing was to find subjects that remain satirical despite the passage of time.
Ha ha yes, the emulsified high fat offal tube .
The irony is that the entire sausage wars in reality were a fabricated media beat-up at the time, aimed at selling newspapers.
Yes, that was the Party Games episode that propelled Jim to the premiership.
@@0cgw Well Boris Johnson became PM through Brexit, which was partially prompted through lies he spread about European restrictions.
@@alisonmike2912 Is that the sausage or Boris Johnson?
The incredible thing about ‘Yes Minister’ and ‘Yes Prime Minister’ is that, despite being well over 30 years old, (they ran from 1980 to 1988), the humour is still ‘spot on’ and relevant. They were Margaret Thatchers favourite shows, which just goes to show how incredibly ‘true to life’ they were. You really must watch them, the acting, and the scripts, are simply spellbinding.
I think that Maggie said these were her favourite shows to put the unwashed masses off watching them and seeing just how government functions or doesn't function as the case may be :)
She appeared in a live performance with the cast for some charitable thing I believe.
@@andrewwilliamson2154 Indeed, she wrote the skit!
@@tommy5675 You can tell the "unwashed masses" as much truth as you want, it won't change a goddamn thing. First, most just don't give a flying fuck (and/or don't have the capacity/energy to do… there was this stand-up comic in Germany who worked on Opel's assembly line in order to "reach the proletariat" and he spoke about how, at the end of a working day, he only had enough energy left to turn on the TV and consume, mindlessly). Second, even if they cared, what could they (and that includes you and me) do? Vote? Hahahahahahahahahaha… look up George Carlin on voting. Protest on the streets? Hahahahahahahaha… you can protest until you're blue in the face, won't change nothing at fuck all.
Am I disillusioned? You bet your ass.
The combination of superlative writers and utterly inspired casting occurs once in decades , it should be treasured for the perfection it is.
After all the years that have passed this still remains the best written comedy series ever.
You, My Friend, have serendipitously, hit the comedic jackpot here. BOTH these brilliant Actors were Knighted and it's not difficult to see why as this sketch is typical of every episode of every series. Daily Motion would be great for this and, sadly, all three of these Actors are no longer with us but what a legacy with Yes, Minister, and (after Promotion) Yes, PRIME Minister. As I'm sure, others have pointed out there were 2 Writers and one of them was very close to Government hence the authenticity of the scripts :) ENJOY !!!!!!
When the series was originally shown, it was a favourite in British government circles because it was thought to be so acute and accurate.
Plus many politician's fed the writers ideas based on real scenarios - anonymously, of course.
Maggie Thatcher apparently loved this show. 🤣🤣🤣
@@JayJay-two Yes, because the creator Antony Jay was also a speech writer for Thatcher's government.
The "Need to know" scene is a classic. The back and forth is stunning.
I'm particularly fond of "The Key"
Sir Humphrey Appleby: Prime Minister, I must protest in the strongest possible terms my profound opposition to a newly instituted practice which imposes severe and intolerable restrictions upon the ingress and egress of senior members of the hierarchy and which will, in all probability, should the current deplorable innovation be perpetuated, precipitate a constriction of the channels of communication, and culminate in a condition of organisational atrophy and administrative paralysis which will render effectively impossible the coherent and co-ordinated discharge of the function of government within Her Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Jim Hacker: You mean you've lost your key
Really glad that an American can appreciate the brilliance of this. Hats off to you, sir.
Do the Americans have shows like this? Probably their most famous political show is The West Wing and that is basically the polar opposite.
Sir Humphrey is the Civil Servant. Hacker is the minister. Yes Minister and Yes Minister is one of the finest satirical comedies the UK has ever produced. The writers were close to politicians and many plots were based on actual goings on during the Harold Wilson government of the mid 70s.
I’m so glad you found “Yes, Minister” personally I think it’s the best comedy programme the UK has ever produced. It was so well written, and brilliantly acted. As you say what makes it so good is in reality just how accurate it was. Great reaction video by the way😁😁
For sustained brilliance and accuracy, I would agree but I would make a case for Blackadder Goes Fourth also.
Really great show as has been said. The bizarre thing about this sketch is that last statement Sir Nigel Hawthorne (Sir Humphrey Appleby) says about being for and against everything depending upon the government in charge, does give you a sort of understanding of his self protective position of not caring
It's also one of the key elements that are different in British and American politics. In the spoils system, the entire higher hierarchy of the civil service is replaced with each new administration. In Britain, the civil service is arguably more the government than the politicians are.
@@barvdw The civil service runs the government, politicians take the credit or the blame.
@@barvdw
Now, what would be the better for continuity?
@@hans2406 the British model for sure, but that also means that needed change is a lot slower to come, they're sides of the same coin.
@@barvdw
Of course change is nearly always wanted for a problem "of the day".
And that, in my view, is not a good thing.
Change should be a process of time, so to say.
And yes, the British system worked rather well for nearly a thousand years, it isn't perfect, but other systems are not perfect either.
One of the greatest TV shows of all time to my mind. It's clever and it's funny and it's horrifyingly real all at once. Just a work of genius.
Their debate on the EEC (the EU) membership is a must watch, its so spot on
Absa-flippin-lutely! I even took it down in shorthand once so I could read it over and over!! Loved it! Especially Sir Humph's description of the traits of the European countries including my own unfortunately as it was very insulting, but terribly funny!
There is a behind the scenes making of about Yes (Prime) Minister on youtube that will give you an even greater appreciation of the genius of the show. At one stage an idea was considered for the actor who played the minister to change his name legally to his character in the show and run as a genuine candidate for public office, essentially in character. his name recognition and popularity would have won him a landslide.
Wait, where is this video?
Bit like Reagan
Where?? Want to see!
@@Happyheretic2308 ua-cam.com/video/TBtKm9HuFs4/v-deo.html
@@andrewwilliamson2154 thank you!!
My ex-wife was a British Diplomat. She was horrified when she first saw this program (40 years ago) because of the accuracy of its portrayal of British politics. This and its successor, Yes Prime Minister, is some of the best comedy/satire ever written. It should be required watching for all would be politicians.
At the time this was made, it upset a lot of 'people' (read permanent government bureaucrats). It was said that the writers was so on point with certain aspects that some very high leave people were looking of whistle blowers and that many a none official (mostly old boy networks) meetings were had.
"Sir Humphreys" monologues on various subjects are legendary. The DVD box set of all 5 series was the best 18 quid I've spent ...
EB! This is one of the funniest shows, you will ever see! Thanx so much for this, you are going to love it!
This was the classic show of politician vs civil servant. Brilliant show.
You will love the whole series....Sir Humphrey is much beloved for his twisted pretzel explanations that make government so clear!!! I was a civil servant when this show aired and we used it as a training video!!
such a well written series, terrifying how fifty years later its still current and relevant
40 Years lovey :)
This was shown at a time when Departmental responsibility & Ministerial responsibility were still a thing & were taught as part of the Economics & Public Affairs A level.
Sadly these days many politicians do everything they can to avoid taking responsibility for anything, even their own personal bad behaviour.
I have a book containing all the scripts from Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister.
One of the best shows ever made.
Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington were particularly brilliant and all their scenes together are class
Yes Minister is one of my all time favourite series, Paul Eddington and Nigel Hawthorne’s best work in my opinion, although I still have a soft spot for “The Good Life”. Loved this as a teenager and love it still. RIP to both of them.
And RIP Derek Fowlds who passed away last year.
@@Charlie3vans His delivery on what Sun readers think! 😆
@@Charlie3vans The writers have said that in many ways, Derek Fowlds had the hardest acting job - having to 'sit there and look interested' while Hawthorne and Eddington came out with reams of dialogue.
On the upside, he often got the one-liner that put the icing on the cake !
@@roberthindle5146 Classic
My personal favourite all time comedy. The writing is almost unbelievably great and the acting does the script justice.
This series is over 40 years old, but still as relevant as ever. Absolutely brilliant acting throughout.
Yes minister and yes prime minister is easily in to top 3 of the most funny and intelligent British comedies ever. It was very daring for its time. You should DEFINITELY do whole episode reactions. You’ll be the first UA-cam to do so, so you will have an untapped market. It’s one of those shows that start out “good” and then becomes “great” and then becomes “a masterpiece”. Every season is better than the previous.
Watching this makes me think "some things just never change."
Not only still funny but still relevant all these years later.
Brilliant writing and acting throughout
Probably one of the best shows ever written. The fact that it portrays the reality through comedy so well was genius. It opened my eyes to the world of Governance, neither in a bad or good way. Just that it makes you think, especially in today’s world with Covid and the Green Agenda as well as Afghanistan etc.
Although the one thing that Covid anti-Vaccines people do is "think". Apart from that, I agree with you. Not sure what the other two are either.
After 60 years of watching Comedy, I would this and VEEP ( another Political satire written by a Brit: Armando Iannucci of Alan Partridge and The Thick Of It fame ) are my favourite 2 comedies.
It's not only governance that it satarises but all bureaucratic institutions... I see the same type of things in large enterprises all the time
These two shows were amazing. Even as a youngster I could appreciate their intelligence, wit and writing. Well worth hunting down.
Same here. When I was a kid my friends didn't know or care about it because it was 'boring' adult stuff. But when I watched the late-night news, it was like, "Hang on a second! They're saying the same stuff like on that show! What gives?"
Yes Minister, the original series, followed by Yes Prime Minister were favourite shows of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and other ministers in the government.
One of the funniest comedies you will ever see, brilliant writing, and acting,
This clip doesn't do the comedy side justice, but tells you exactly who runs the government.
Peace and Love.
P.S. ITS A LITTLE GEM
❤️🙏❤️
I watch Yes Mister/Yes Prime Minister at least once a year, they are brilliant shows, the writing is outstanding as is the acting, Nigel Hawthorne, Derek Fowlds and Paul Eddington had such amazing chemistry.
You will not regret watching these all the way through, its as relevant today as it was then, might be worth watching full episodes on rumble or daily motion
One of the best TV series, ever! I am old enough to remember watching it as it aired and, as a very low grade civil servant myself, I howled with laughter all the way through.
Your spot on this was written with incredible insight, with input from someone of real political / civil service experience, it was incredibly funny, but when watching it I had to suspend my fear, in order to laugh, great vid, top reaction !
I was too young to appreciate it back in the day. However, it is now one of my favourite programmes of all time and is still as relevant today as it ever was. It was also believed that because it was so accurate, they had to have an insider giving them information on how things really worked.
They did. I BELIEVE it was two leading members of Wilson's government, but I've not seen the documentary discussing it for a few years, so it might be a different one, but they were both right at the top.
This is one of my favourite political satire programmes. And "The New Statesman" Alan B'Stard played by the late great Rik Mayall ❤ R.I.P
After 60 years of watching Comedy, I would this and VEEP ( another Political satire written by a Brit: Armando Iannucci of Alan Partridge and The Thick Of It fame ) are my favourite 2 comedies.
The best political satire ever. You learn so much about how the world works, instead of how it's supposed to work.
I first started watching this show when I was 16, back in the mid 90s and It very quickly became one of my favourites. Now I’m in my late 30s and it’s still one of the shows I go back to when I need a pick me up and a chuckle. The issues they discuss are still relevant, the humour is first class satire and I just love listening to Sir Humphrey speak: the intricacy of his language, the cleverly hidden insults and the pitch-perfect delivery.
The casting for this show was spot on and Nigel Hawthorne was fantastic as Sir Humphrey. I remember a moment where Jim asks Humphrey if he thinks he is a complete fool. Humphrey doesn’t reply but the slightest pause he takes before he starts talking is just perfect: we know in that moment exactly what Humphrey thinks about Jim! The comedic timing is so good!
You absolutely should watch all the seasons of Yes Minister, then the Christmas special ‘Party Games’, followed by Yes Prime Minister. Decades later it’s still one of the best shows out there.
Yes Minister is one of my all time favourite comedy's. Even though it was written over 40 years ago, the satire around politics and politicians is as sharp as ever, simply because politics never changes. Not sure if available in the US, but they are all on Amazon Prime. - you have to see Sir Humphry explaining Europe... it's brilliant!
Excellent, I think you'd love the "who reads the newspapers" clip
I've got the DVD box set and goes from Yes Minister to Yes Prime Minister, it is an all time classic comedy. The writers had informants who worked in government and many of the episodes are based are real events
Although Paul Eddington as Minister for Administrative Affairs (a sort of non-department) Jim Hacker is supposedly the star of the show, more often than not it's Nigel Hawthorne as thorn-in-his-side Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey that steals the spotlight. His speeches and explanations are designed to obfuscate and bamboozle and are masterpieces of language.
It's Jim's facial expressions that complete the tango. Paul Eddington deserved more credit but dialogue is king.
Nobody does a better reaction shot than Paul Eddington : )
@@spanishpeaches2930 so would you if you were once married to Margo Leadbetter 😜
Sir Humphrey makes me both hate, and symapthise with, the civil service.
Note how often after a long interchange between Sir Humphrey and Jim Hacker Bernard Woolley delivers a killer punch line. Brilliant writing.
I used to love watching "Yes Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" when it first came out on TV. It was such an education and revelation to a young viewer learning about the world of Government. The English can do comedy very well. Brilliant writing!
This show when shown live, used to be a firm favourite amongst the MP’s in the House of Commons. It had an incredible way of almost predicting what was about to break in the news in the following couple of weeks. When it was due to be shown most MP’s ran to the nearest tv, to find out what was going on.
This and the original English 'House of Cards' are two shows that hit the nail on the head.
you may think that but i couldn't possibly comment
"To Play The King" & "The Final Cut".
...and 'The thick of it'
It does make it especially amusing when the leads in both shows appeared together in a Grey Poupon advert.
It's kind of odd how some parts of the show reflected what ended up happening, with Thatcher replaced by a moderate Conservative who underwent a lot of trouble from the more hard-right fringe of their Party, people like Redwood, and the Govt. ended up being embroiled in a mass of scandals that contributed to ending their Premiership.
Such a wonderful series. Speaking as an ex-Civil Servant ... ;)
The badinage tends to be superb, but it positively excels when Sir Humphrey goes off on a soliloquy!
"The Department of Administrative Affairs" (in Yes, Minister) is one of the great fictional creations. It allowed the writers to touch on any aspect of Govt policy they chose, because its (deliberately vague) purpose was to enact the policies of the "real" departments.
Not to enact their policies, but to oversee their administration. They look after things like procurement procedures and staffing. It is a genuine function of government carried out by some committee or other, but not an actual government department.
Not yet anyway, although I’m sure it’ll happen eventually.
Best comedy every written. No contest. It’s pure art.
Can't wait for the full episode reactions. Make sure that they are done in date order.
What an incredible actor, all those lines to remember and all word perfect
I assume you mean Sir Nigel Hawthorne but Sir Paul Eddington and Derek Fowlds (in a quiet way ) were also superb. :)
@@Isleofskye my friend is restoring three well used rocking horses, one used to belong to Paul Eddington, he's made a new mouth and nose, also a leg, it's looking fantastic
@@gailcrook2687 Sounds Great Gail !
Does the rocking horse talk much or does only whinny wants to? :)
Oh my yes, now this was a great show.
This is one of my favourite comedies - I've watched it so many times. Even though it was made 40 years ago, it is so relevant today still - witty, perceptive and brilliant!
Comedies? Or Satires?
I have seen all episodes at least 5 times. This was from Yes Minister, and later on there is Yes Prime Minister. Funny enough many prime minister also love this show. Thatcher was a huge fan, and even performed a sketch with both actors. And the Prime Minister of my country the Netherlands is also a huge fan. I often feel he gets a lot of inspiration out of it, so he can dodge questions and knows how to handle certain situations.
The one about the empty hospital is one of my favorites, and it was actually based on a true story. Like most episodes. Big brother is another gem, where the minister finally beats Humphrey at his own game.
The brilliant thing about this show is that the Minister, who was elected and came in knowing absolutely nothing about how things actually work, represents the voting public (the tv audience). And his Undersecretary, the man responsible for carrying out the duties of the Ministry, is just always educating him on how things ACTUALLY work, thus educating the voting public (the tv audience). Amazing show. I used to watch it with my father when it was first aired, but I regret not being interested in politics enough then (too young) and quickly got bored.
Mr Beard, you'll never hear better material than these shows.
As a civil servant, government is a cross between Yes Minister and the Thick of It
So glad to see how much you like this. It was a truly brilliant series and watching you discover it makes it seem fresh and new for us brits as well. Oh for the days of talented writers.
Watched the series about a year ago and I'm convinced Yes, Minister is the greatest TV show that most Americans have never heard of.
I watch this on the TV years ago, then bought the full set of, "Yes Minister", and "Yes Prime Minister" absolutely great stuff!
This show was very funny but also incredibly smart, it showed pretty much every little/dirty secret of politics and made you laugh at the absurdity of it all.
Highly recommend watching the full series and the follow up "Yes, Prime Minister" is just as funny but now it shows the absurdities of leadership more.
When Derek Fowlds comes into it he is great too.
The writing is so incisive because they had an inside source; an apparently very highly placed civil servant who would chat with one of the writers.
The "Yes, Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" programmes were outragously well written and amazingly performed. Sir Humphrey Appleby's monologues were a work of art in both writing and the amazing delivery of Sir Nigel Hawthorne.
Even the hilarious sketch about having a drink in an [unspecified] dry arab country was based in reality
That was Marcia, later Lady Falkinder, she was the personal secretary to ex prime minister Harold Wison in the sixties and seventies.
Also Sir Bernard Higham who was government secretary to the cabinet.
Both literally at the centre of government for both parties.
@@stevebagnall1553 correcr- it was Bernard Ingham - he was press secretary to Margaret Thatcher's government through most of the 1980s.
Also one of the writers - Anthony Jay - was married to the daughter of ex-prime Minister Jim Callghan - the PM before Thatcher.
Last one you mentioned was great, dropping in names of various drink brands he needed to meet
One of my favourite episodes is 'The Skeleton in the Cupboard'. Sir Humphrey's near collapse over the potential revelation of a past error on his part, and Hacker's enjoyment of the same, is pure magic. Even Bernard gets a chuckle out of it.
This was recorded when Maggie Thatcher was PM and the writers had an 'in' within the British government so they were able to distill much of what went on behind closed doors.
This is generally accepted as being the closest that you are going to get to see how government is really run. Enjoy!
The 'in' the writers had to the real workings of government came from two people who were high-ups in the previous [Wilson/Callaghan] government.
I did read quite some time ago that Margaret Thatcher said - apparently approvingly - it was very close to being truthful.
@@jang3412 She invited the two leads in this show to Downing Street - and they performed a short sketch together that SHE had written! There is video of it.
I watch the complete Yes Minister run every few years, just to refresh my mind on how the world actually works
This turned into "Yes Prime Mnister" when the minister became the P.M. The civil service would appear to have its own agenda and sometimes Humphrey wins and sometimes the Minister.The nuclear deterrent episode is funny and has a very pragmatic point or two.
I heard Paul asked them to rewrite some of it as he felt it was too flippant about nuclear war.
I’m praying you found time to watch this show from the beginning and all the way through. One of the most clever pieces of writing I’ve ever had the pleasure of viewing. Loving the videos Beardo. Please keep up the great work! 👍🙏
This really was the Rolls Royce of intellectual sitcoms. All fantastic actors too. Nigel Hawthorn later played King George in The Madness of King George. Oh, and the head villain in Demolition Man.
Top notch series with top notch actors, glad you’ve discovered it.
Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister were brilliantly written and acted. It was immensely popular because the repartee was very entertaining and just so true to life. Make sure you start with Yes Minister first.
The writers had 2 insiders within parliament whom they see each week. Plying an exceedingly expensive lunch with an equally excessively valued alcoholic beverage to politicians, they will gladly spill the beans. This is why Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister reflects the truth, be it in a comedic manner on how government works. 😉 BTW students of political science who watched the series confessed to have learnt more about government than they did at university.....
This particular bit is one of the most serious ones ever and very atypical of the show. The show is absolutely hilarious but equally (if not even more) revealing about how government works and the mindset of those operating it.
There is a documentary that explained how the show was made and how the producers had two very prominent, high-placed government officials, spilling the beans confidentially to them, exposing the inner workings of the government system, in real time, as political events were evolving back in the 80s.
The stories in that show, although very satirical, are so realistic that politicians themselves were astonished by it. The creators of the show did a monumental job to turn that entire system of corruption into the most witty, intelligent, golden masterpiece of British humour and satire.
It is one of the highest recommendations for everyone to watch (both Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister)
PS one of the funniest bits ever is when the British delegation to an Arab state, which of course included the main characters, uses the classified communications room to secretly serve previously smuggled alcohol to the members, who as the evening passed were getting more and more drunk. The codes they were using to summon each member into the communications room for a fill up were absolutely hilarious…😂
I saved one quote from this show by Humphey himself:
"It is characteristic of all committee discussions and decisions, that every member has a vivid recollection of them, and that every member's recollection of them differs violently from every other member's recollection. Consequently, we accept the convention that the official decisions are those, and only those, which have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials, from which it emerges with an elegant inevitability, that any decision that has been officially reached will have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials, and any decision which is not recorded in the minutes has not been officially reached, even if one or more members believe they can recollect it. So in this particular case, if the decision had been officially reached, it would have been officially recorded in the minutes by the officials, and it isn't, so it wasn't.
Fantastic show, and it really deserves viewing from episode one as the evolution of the characters adds to the whole program
I'm so glad you're admiring this show, it's my all-time favourite. The writing, by Jonathan Lynn and Antony Jay (with inside knowledge from a top official within the Civil Service), is exquisite and timeless, all the actors superb, and (for better or definitely for worse) still relevant today.
As a random guy from Sweden this is my favourite show as well.
Brilliant intelligent satire produced in the early '80s. Still being shown on the BBC and available on BBC iPlayer (VPN needed if outside UK). As cutting and relevant as it ever was. Politicians of the time often say how close to really it came.
The episode where Jim Hacker, the minister, is offered the N Ireland is very funny.
The relevance of this show was exemplified by Mrs. Thatcher who made a guest appearance on stage with the actors as Prime minister. when she was Prime Minister...
It was spot on then and today many years later it’s still relevant it shows the brilliance of the writing the cast were also gold. You can believe this kind of thing went on. And goes on still.
What is scary is now how close this series is to the real government in the UK.
this is FAR more intelligent and moral than the current government and im really not joking!
@@Scoobydcs Seems unreal doesn't it?
As it is now, so has it always been. The times change but Politics does not. Conniving bastards all of them.
Of course its close the iron lady wrote one of the episodes personally.
@@martingibbs1179 well, she wrote one sketch that wasn't part of the "official" series. And Nigel Hawthorne and Paul Eddington had some reservations about performing it.