Yes Minister

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Yes Minister ranks 2,235 out of the 18,229 shows on TV.com.

The 122 users who count themselves as Yes Minister fans have written a total of 4 reviews.

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This is the story of the endless battles between the Government in the form of Jim Hacker, a brand new Cabinet Minister and the Civil Service of his department run by Sir Humphrey Appleby. Stuck in the middle of it all is civil servant Bernard Whooley.

This is the story of the endless battles between the Government in the form of Jim Hacker, a brand new Cabinet Minister and the Civil Service of his department run by Sir Humphrey Appleby. Stuck in the middle of it all is civil servant Bernard Whooley.less «

• Should be required watching by all high school & college students!

  If so the voters would make sure that they were better in form with the facts and no-longer allow the press to tell them what to think and how to vote. One of the most real TV show ever made. A book of guotes from both shows would be well worth having and would be referred to often. I know I would use it in my class.

  If so the voters would make sure that they were better in form with the facts and no-longer allow the press to tell them what to think and how to vote. One of the most real TV show ever made. A book of guotes from both shows would be well worth having and would be referred to often. I know I would use it in my class.less «

  archangelwho Last online 9 hrs, 56 mins ago
  1 comments, last one Apr 7, 2009 + Add Comment

• Best political mirror- best quotes-favorite characters

  Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister is a British comedy series about the wheeling and dealing of political life. Although ...more »

  Yes Minister and Yes Prime Minister is a British comedy series about the wheeling and dealing of political life. Although the series is set whitin the British political scene, it deals with political games and clashes between politicans and the civil service that could be found almost everywhere in the world. The Yes Minister (YM) series started airing in 1980 on BBC 2. It cinsisted of three series, each eith seven episodes. Each episode is about 30 minutes long. The story focuses around three main characters: James (or Jim) Hacker MP, Sir Humphrey Appleby and Bernard Woolley. It starts off with the political party of Jim Hacker that has won the elections and forms a new government. Jim Hacker gets appointed Minister for the Department of Administratice Affairs. At his department he has to work with his Permanent Secretary Sir Humphrey Appleby. The interests of both are of course very different. Jim Hacker has to make sure he remains popular (for votes) and that he carries out cabinet's policies (for the PM). Sir Humphrey however is interested in securing and possibly extending the position of his department in terms of staffing and budget. These interests clash od course on numerous occasions. On some occasions however thein interests coincide and they have to work together. The character of Bernard Woolley is positioned between the other two. Bernard Woolley is Jim Hacker's Principal Private Secretary. Although he is most of the time sympathetic to Jim Hacker's plans, he is also a civil servant and fhas loyalties to the civil service and Sir Humphrey The YM and YPM series are admired for showing the reality of political life combined with British humor. My favorite character is Humphrey, but also like Jim and Bernard too 8) They're great together. Sir Arnold is good too. :) the best quotes are Humphrey's long, complex and confusing sentences. less «

  mosoly Last online Jun 1, 2009
  3 comments, last one Apr 7, 2009 + Add Comment

•  

  10 Perfect

  One of a kind. hide « show »

  The Rt. Hon. James Hacker MP and his constant struggle against the Civil Service. Yes Minister and later Yes Prime Minister are both fabulous shows. Sir Humphrey Appleby's mind-boggling, extremely long, complicated sentences make you think, what fantastic scripts they were - and how on earth the actors' and especially Sir Nigel Hawthorne, remembered what to say. And then there's Bernard with divided loyalties between Sir Humphrey & Jim Hacker. You like Jim because he tries to do what he thinks is best, but Sir Humphrey is almost always there to foil his plans and proposals. That's why in my opinion the best episodes are when Jim does beat the Civil Service and gets his way. This was a fantastic show, that deserves every bit of praise it gets.

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  Abhorsen_91 Added Apr 17, 2009 All my reviews
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  10 Perfect

  About how govt work. Many times so real that it make you worry about how your govt is really ran. hide « show »

  Should be watched by every high school & college stundent as part of their govt class no matter where they live. It tell how govt really work, who has the real power and how tells get done, or don't get done in govt. It will make better voters out of anyone who watch. It will also keep you from placing too much blame or giving too much credit to a PM or Preident.This is one of the more real show on TV. It is also a fun show that is easly to watch and can be enjoied by anyone across the world.

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  archangelwho Added Jan 20, 2008 All my reviews
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  8.9 Great

  Well, actually Absolutely Fabulous was a different British comedy...but it describes this and Yes, Prime Minister too... hide « show »

  Rediscovered this gem just the other day on Vision TV in Canada.
  
  As a bit of a political junkie AND a member of Her Majesty's empire, I appreciate the humour (yes, that's how you spell it!) in this series.
  
  I actually discovered the books of this series first and then the show. Great wit. Sly and dry 'British' humour and much to laugh at if you are a paper pusher in a government.
  
  

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  KsprayDad Added Jan 19, 2006 All my reviews
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  7.5 Good

  A Witty British political satire
  
  hide « show »

  "Yes Minister" is a witty and funny portrayal of the battle of the Government and the Civil Service. The characters were highly developed and hilariously funny. The late Paul Eddington was very funny as James Hacker, a bumbling minister who is constantly at odds with his civil servant, Sir Humphrey Appleby, played masterfully by Nigel Hawthorne. Derek Fowlds was the junior civil servant, caught in the middle. This show provided perhaps an insightful and funny look behind the scenes of the British government. Each episode showed the publicity-hungry Minister trying to reform government in one way or the other, but is constantly blocked by Sir Humphrey. The storylines could ring true for the US government too. Bureaucracy is the same in any government. Yes, Minister" was very witty British political satire. Created and written by Antony Jay, this British comedy always cut it’s own political red tape, and entertained everyone.
  
  

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  gophone Added Jul 15, 2005 All my reviews